Marital Strife = Unhappy Sleep Life?
Credit: memekode
Sleep is without a doubt the biggest challenge my husband and I have faced with our otherwise easygoing daughter. Well, I just read an article linking marital instability to sleep problems in babies. Talk about an ah-ha moment! So that’s been the problem…
Just kidding. The article discusses a study that found that marital instability at nine months was linked to sleep problems in 18-month-olds, leading researchers to believe that marital stress influences babies. It doesn’t surprise me—I’ve always known that babies—like dogs—can smell fear and stress (and your strong desire to get them to sleep when they don’t want to sleep). Interestingly (and thankfully for my situation), the opposite wasn’t true in the study, so there’s no need to worry about your marriage going awry just because your baby is a terrible sleeper, even if that sleep deprivation can cause a bit of stress.
If marital stress can cause even small kiddos to have sleep problems, it’s probably a good idea for parents to curb the fighting, at least in front of them. What’s your Mom-Dad fight policy?
Can’t see the poll? Click here to weigh in on parents fighting in front of kids!
Got more to say (or shout)? Share it below. Just no punching! —Erin