Sleeping through the Night: The Rationalization and Commodification of Baby Sleep

• In Event: 30467 - Intensive Parenting Practices from Early Childhood to the Transition to Adulthood

Abstract

Much has been written about the experience of mothers in modern society. However, in the sociological literature there is surprisingly little focus on one of the most consequential areas in a mother’s early years: the experience of baby sleep. Currently, mothers receive information on baby sleep from several sources. On one hand, medical research promoted by doctors and organizations such as the CDC is focused on sleep safety. Messages from these sources center risk and responsibility. On the other hand, some cultural traditions and mother peer groups view sleep as an intimate family practice, prioritizing sleep arrangements that center closeness and practicality. Recently, a third source of information has entered the conversation: technology and the marketplace. Baby sleep consultants, classes on “sleep training,” costly baby sleep products, and sleep apps promise miracles cures for babies who won’t sleep through the night. In this research, I use qualitative interviews with mothers to explore the ways these competing knowledge sources influence mothers’ expectations and decisions about their babies’ sleep. I argue that the hegemonic ideologies around baby sleep today promote a focus on the rationalization and commodification of sleep.

Author

• Emily Navarro, Elmhurst University