Baby girls – smoother sleepers, really?
In today’s age of liberal ideals and a belief in anti-discrimination, it is little wonder that many parents nowadays refuse to conform to social impositions of expectations of their baby’s gender.
With all the fuss that has been made about the stereotypes with regard to soft girly dolls and roaring toys for boys, this heated debate between the modern anti-prejudice parent and the age-old adages on traditional gender roles boils down to one distinct conclusion — the intrinsic difference between boys and girls cannot (and must never) be overlooked.
Acknowledging that baby girls are generally less active than their male counterparts is a reasonable reaction to not just scientific studies and research, but also to everyday encounters with the little ones. What has this got to do with baby girls and boys as sleepers, then?
Why this thinking stuck
Baby girls are associated with the perception of being better sleepers than baby boys because they are generally regarded as more mild and passive individuals in comparison. It would be unreasonable to condemn this as a mere generalisation, as its very prevalence and ability to remain pervasive in society since time immemorial is a testament to how it might not be entirely fallacious. Consequently and perhaps, then, it is this stereotypical trait of non-aggression and passivity that helps baby girls remain calmer, more tranquil and better able to sleep soundly through the night.
No scientific proof
With all that has been said, though, we recognise the fact that there is no tangible finding that supports any claim that baby girls are better sleepers than baby boys. With all the speculation around, parents need to understand that a baby’s sleep does not depend on his or her gender, but on external contributing factors. So, baby girls may not be smoother sleepers, after all.
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