Rachel, I agree it would be interesting to see a study done in which "sleep
problems" were more objectively defined.  I looked at the BMJ article
yesterday, online, and noted that positive effects weren't apparent after 4
months, both groups being equal.  That would suggest to me some sort of
placebo effect, that wore off.
    "Controlled crying" is very popular with some sections of the health
services here, and some of us have been concerned for years.  There was an
excellent speaker at the Queensland (state) Australian Breastfeeding
Association conference, in March, who addressed some of these concerns very
ably.  (Perhaps someone else who was there could comment?)
     I believe there is a need for education of parents prenatally on what's
normal and how to meet needs and still get rest at some time in the 24
hours.  It was a revelation to me when, after my children were out of the
night-waking stage and I was studying again, that I actually got *less*
sleep as a student, when writing assignments or preparing for exams. The
same happened when I was working through the night on the index of various
editons of two books.  However, society perceives broken sleep because of
meeting babies' needs as "bad", but doesn't see other reasons for lack of
sleep, such as study, in the same light.  Add to that, anyone I've met who
was out all night at a ball or nightclub doesn't seem to have had the
perception that this was anything but fun!!!  So much comes down to
*perceptions*, and that's why I think prenatal or pre-conception education
(perhaps from kindergarten) is the best long-term solution.
    As I'm currently *nomail*, please c.c. any replies to me privately.
    Best wishes,
       Virginia
    in rainy Brisbane (with some watery sunlight this morning)


> This week's British Medical Journal contains an article on controlled
crying
> techniques and infant sleep patterns.  The study was done at the Royal
> Childrens' Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
> Are there any of you in Melbourne, or in Australia, who know something
about
> this trial or the one preceding it (which showed that about 46% of mothers
> of babies attending a routine hearing test at age 7-9 months, stated their
> babies had a sleep problem) and could comment?
> The article is on line at:
> http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7345/1062
> (Randomised controlled trial of behavioural infant sleep intervention to
> improve infant sleep and maternal mood)
> It is worth remembering when reading this article that the study was
> conducted on families who themselves defined their infant's sleep pattern
as
> problematic.  There may well have been families whose infants slept the
same
> way as the study infants, but who didn't define it as problematic, and the
> findings can not be assumed to apply to them.
> Rachel Myr
> Kristiansand, Norway
>

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