ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors look at how to understand what might be happening if a baby does not sleep well and how to cope with the people and their baby's feelings. But in fact both adults and children go through many stages and cycles of sleep, including several arousals. Going through pregnancy and childbirth, having a new baby and the astounding changes this makes in the first weeks have an emotional impact that could be called a form of stress, however enjoyable. It is partly due to the to-and-fro between parent and baby that takes place through feeding, holding and playing. Fathers and mothers may find that the change in their own identity and the many new responsibilities, welcome or not, will be shown in their dreams. When working with parents of sleepless babies, a parent’s dream often anticipates progress before it has openly been achieved, not as a ‘prophecy’ but as an acknowledgement of mental work.
