Can babies be afraid of the dark?

[booradley]

I didn't think they could because to fear something like that you need to be able to imagine something lurking (monsters under the bed etc).

Does anyone know . . . ?

ta,

There is a theory that fear of the dark is a survival instinct as it would stop children straying from the saftey of the campfire.

I dont know if it is true, but our one year old sleeps better when the landing light is on. Dont know why but if she gets a good night sleep, so be it!

newborns? they aren't afraid of the dark, they afraid of not-being-with-mummy

If you lie a baby on your chest in the dark they generally don't fuss much in my experience

Mine is afraid of the dark if he's alone - he wakes up with a real look of terror on his face. Sleeps happily with landing light on though too.

Not a newborn and sleeps quite happily in complete blackout once in deep sleep.

Campfire thing sounds like one of those things that makes sense. Bit like newborns looking like their dad goes back to caveman times and not having new father reject child as it looks like him.

ta for the posts!