Infants’ Sleep at Nursery

Résumé 0

Sleep difficulties in young children depend on several factors, one of which is the sleep environment. This research focuses on the sleep behavior of forty-five babies at nursery. The author wanted to find out whether different sleeping spaces offered at a nursery—a dormitory or the main room of the nursery—, had an impact on children’s sleep duration. The author also wanted to compare the daytime naps of children in nursery with the naps expected for their development age. Finally, an analysis of the perception of nursery staff regarding children’s sleep at the nursery was conducted. The results show that children sleeping in a dormitory sleep for longer compared to children sleeping in the main room of the nursery. These daytime naps observed in the dormitory area match those expected for the children’s development age. The evaluation by the staff of the children’s sleep quality differs depending on sleeping spaces. Staff in nurseries without dormitories seem to overestimate children’s sleep quality, while the staff in nurseries with dormitories seem better at assessing the children’s sleep quality.