It’s been confirmed – boys are a lot more difficult than girls! Well, Ok so it’s not scientifically confirmed, but there’s substantial evidence to suggest when it comes to baby’s sleep patterns, boys tend to cause a lot more sleepless nights than girls. Why? Well, that much is unclear, though there are some pretty logical arguments floating around as to what could be causing the problem.
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The Brain Development Link
You’ve probably heard that boys develop in maturity much slower than girls do. It’s something that’s often been used to describe why teenage girls are often more attracted to older boys rather than those of their own age. Well, this development gap starts the minute they’re born.
A baby boy’s brain doesn’t just develop slower than a baby girl’s brain, the 2 hemisphere’s are also less connected through the corpus callosum. So what does this mean in terms of sleep? Well, quite simply it means the brain is unable to deal with the same level of stress. This is why you typically find that baby boys are a little clingier than baby girls.
It’s ironic really, when you think about how we generally raise and think of boys. They’re considered less emotionally aware and developed than girls. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth at birth. In contrast, they need a lot more love and cuddles in their infant years, whereas baby girls are a lot more independent. So if you’ve noticed your little boy is clingier than your baby girl was, or your friend’s baby girl, it’s all to do with emotional development.
Are All Baby Boys Prone To Bad Sleeping Patterns?
While the above definitely explains why baby boys are often worse sleepers than girls, it’s not a 100% guarantee. So, if you’re expecting a little boy don’t panic! There is absolutely no scientific evidence which points to infant boys being worse sleepers than girls. There’s just a lot more parent stories about it.
In contrast, many parents have found that their baby boy’s slept through the night the majority of the time, yet their baby girl’s kept them up most nights. So, you could end up being one of the lucky ones and your little boy may not cause you any issues at all!
All babies are different and while logically gender can play a role in how well they sleep, it largely depends upon the individual baby. Understanding the development differences between baby boys and baby girls can help you adapt your parenting style to overcome specific challenges. If your little boy is super-clingy for example, you’ll know it’s because they are generally not able to self-soothe as well as little girls. Giving them more affection and helping them feel safe at bedtime will therefore help to ease their little minds so they can drift into a nice, peaceful sleep.
Conclusion
So, to answer the question: does gender determine a baby’s sleeping pattern? The answer is it can, but in all honesty, your baby’s sleep pattern has much more to do with their individual personality. Baby boys can have a rougher time getting to sleep due to their emotional development differences, but it likely wont’ have as much of an effect as you may think.
I would also like to add that environmental conditions of one’s home and how comfortable the house is adds to the how the baby’s sleeping pattern would be. If the home is well conducive and naturally calm, I believe that the baby would adjust just fine and sleep well.