According to a new study of Canadian twins, how well a baby sleeps primarily is determined by genetics.
Researchers followed nearly 1,000 twins until age 4 and observed that genetics seemed to explain babies and toddlers nighttime sleeping habits until around the age of 18 months.
On the other hand, napping, especially for toddlers and preschoolers, is determined by environmental factors.
Evelyne Touchette, lead researcher of the study and a professor at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, says this makes sense, especially because at 6 months, an infant’s ability to sleep through the night is determined by the maturation of the brain.
The results of the study were published online May 27 in the journal Pediatrics.
