Gender Inequality in Managing Childhood Sleep: Which Parent Gets up at Night?

OBJECTIVE

Parental responsibilities for childcare remain unequally distributed between mothers and fathers. This study investigates whether such gender disparity also applies to night-time care, particularly when children experience sleep disorders.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey study including 882 clinical files from sleep consultations for children aged 0 to 5 years, completed by one parent (98% mothers). To assess inter-rater reliability, 112 father-mother dyads outside the clinical setting were also surveyed. Additionally, 1409 mothers from the general population formed a control group.

RESULTS

In the clinical group, 60% of children were cared for exclusively by their mother at night, versus 9% by the father. In the control group, the figures were 64% and 6%, respectively. Gender disparities persisted even when both parents worked full-time or when the child was no longer breastfed. Inter-rater reliability was strong (r > 0.70). Factors such as number of night awakenings, child's age, and maternal education influenced caregiving distribution. Greater maternal involvement was associated with increased psychological distress and lower relationship satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers remain the primary caregivers at night, even in dual-earner families. This unequal distribution can affect maternal well-being and couple dynamics. Promoting paternal involvement may reduce maternal overload and improve child sleep outcomes.