Parents’ experiences with sleep problems in children aged 1–3 years: a qualitative study from a health promotion perspective

Figures & data

Table I. Socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers (n = 12).

		n
Age (y)	20–29	5
	30–39	5
	40–45	2
Marital status	Married	5
	Cohabitating	6
	Single	1
Education	University or college:
	> 4 years	1
	University or college:
	< 4 years	8
	Comprehensive school/high school	2
	Not stated	1
Working situation	In a job	5
	Student	2
	Working at home	1
	Maternity	3
	Not stated	1
Number of children	One child	4
	Two or three children	8
Child’s age at the time of sleep problems	1–2 years	5
	2–3 years	7

Table II. Example of the qualitative content analysis.

Meaning unit	Codes	Sub-categories	Category	Theme
“Routines are good for all of us. It can easily get hard if we do not follow them.” “And then we go and brush the teeth and go to bed and read a book and sing two songs. It is one book and two songs.” “We have a snuggle time together in the bathroom, where we look at a book before going to bed.”	Sleep routines are vital for well-being in the family. Sleep routines are important for children’s understanding of going to bed and falling asleep. Calm togetherness with children and sleep routines are important to promote children’s understanding of going to bed and falling asleep.	Safeguard sleep routines. Safeguard inner peace.	Safeguard family well-being.	Health-promoting regulation of interactions, including parents’ strengthening of sleep regulation in their small children and safeguarding of well-being in the family.

Figure 1. A health promotion approach in regulating interactions, including parents’ strengthening of sleep regulation in their small children, and safeguarding of well-being in the family.