According to researchers at the Sleep and Chronophysiology Lab at the University of Michigan, women who suffer from depression during childbirth are more likely to have a baby with sleep problems.
During the first six months of life, the babies have difficulties falling asleep and interrupted sleep, compared to newborns whose mothers are not depressed. This phenomenon was not only observed at night, but also during the day where nap times were shorter.
According to the study’s author, Dr. Roseanne Armitage, sleep problems in babies could be caused by cortisol, a hormone linked to stress that is secreted by the mother when she has depression.