Any research to show in what situations cortisol levels are raised?

[sheeplikessleep]

I'm googling, but wondered if anyone knew ...

Do cortisol levels raise just as a result of crying?

Or, is it only when the baby is left alone?

If mum/dad stays close, comforts baby during crying, is cortisol level affected then?

I am convinced by cortisol levels influencing future health. BUT, after 9 months without a night of uninterrupted sleep, I'm considering sitting next to my baby and comforting through patting, soothing words etc. Would this scenario (which would obviously involve crying) affect cortisol levels?

Any evidence based scientific research that someone in the know could point me towards?

Thanks

If you go to p[ubmed and type something like 'infant cortisol stress' into the search box you will get the relevant studies.

I think that it will also depend on the particular baby, for example some may be soothed by being patted etc, others may be more agitated that the parent is there, but not picking them up.

thankyou, that's v helpful

There is some good research around and something was referenced on a thread recently. If I recall which one I will link to it.

I would say that the studies appear to be based on children who were left to cry without comfort for long periods (such as those in Romanian orphanages) not on children in loving families undergoing controlled crying.

For what its worth, doing pat shush as opposed to having a child with very sleep derprived parents, might be a reasonable trade off and one I am going to consider shortly.

www.babble.com/baby/health-and-safety/baby-sleep-training-does-cry-it-out-method-harm-kids/

Would a couple of nights of raised cortisol have a long term effect on health? Surely only regular and prolonged raised levels would do this?

I would say that doing something that makes your life easier will make you happier and more sensitive and responsive to your baby, which would have benefits in the long term for your baby and keep his daily cortisol levels lower.

I am not a doctor though, this is just speculation.

thanks fifitot. from looking, it is difficult to extrapolate the information really, as you say, its based on a totally different situation.

ds2 woke up at midnight last night and i fed him. i then tried to settle him (cuddling, rocking, pacing, patting his back in the cot etc). 2am he finally fell off to sleep. admittedly he then didn't wake until 6 this morning. (normally he just feeds to sleep and i'm deliberately taking him off before he is totally zonked).

i had to get dh involved, as i was getting frustrated and shattered. he seems to settle better for dh, but we left him to cry for a while last night (and i know he'd had a new nappy, had both sides feed, was warm enough etc). we're going to do a combination of cuddles (when he is very distressed) and being patted/rubbed in cot when he isn't massively distressed. going to give it a week with this and see where we get to.

hope your lo learns to sleep soon!

thanks fairies. you're right, i need to keep things in perspective .