5 ms·

If there's any gene out there that causes babies to sleep through the night, it's probably under enormous selection pressure. Parents carrying that gene would h

If there's any gene out there that causes babies to sleep through the night, it's probably under enormous selection pressure. Parents carrying that gene would have twice as many kids.

arketyp 8y ago
And if there is any gene the causes babies to cry when they are in an exposed situation, preventing it from being snatched by a predator or bit by a nasty bug, it too would propagate. Not sure if you were making a prediction though. Tightly wrapped, physically sensing a guarding presence. Who wouldn't sleep well.
wirrbel 8y ago
having a baby, especially one younger than 6-8 months, is an extraordinarily exhausting time of a parents life. I don't think that the fatigue in that period is a good predictor for couples to get another child. The memories fade as you see the baby grow, you'll have new things to worry about, too, and then each parent has their own tolerance levels for that kind of stress. So in the end, I don't think there is a selection pressure. Furthermore, with families I know, there isn't much of a coincidence between crybabies and easy babies among siblings. Maybe there is on paper, but it probably isn't the strongest effect. Also, there I see families who became more kids after a troublesome first one. I'd like to add: Genetics isn't as easy as we software people think.
- Pulcinella 8y ago
  My child sleeps through the night now, but those memories come back crystal clear the times when my kid wakes up in the middle up the night sick or with a fever. I have definitely heard about the sibling thing as well from families I know, but in the opposite direction. First kid is very chill and easy going, parents think they are perfect parents. Second kid is fussy and more difficult and parents realize they weren’t necessarily natural experts at parenting.
- sjg007 8y ago
  Sex is a motivation and kids are the result at least over the long term pre contraception. We are wired for it.
  - toasterlovin 8y ago
    This will change very quickly with the advent of contraceptives. There is huge selection pressure right now in favor of people who have an innate drive to have children.
- dougmccune 8y ago
  I can at least verify that I had an incredibly bad sleeper for my second child and had she been a good sleeper we would have had a third kid, but after that experience we’re definitely done. Yes, memories fade, but a kid who wakes up every 30-45 minutes for 24 hours a day for 18 months is something that gets implanted in your bones - you never forget that kind of sleep disruption.
- toasterlovin 8y ago
  Difficulty of raising babies is the number one reason I hear from people about why they’re not having more. Sleep deprivation is probably half of the difficulty of raising babies. You betcha people would have more kids if they would sleep though the night.

If there's any gene out there that causes babies to sleep through the night, it's probably under enormous selection pressure. Parents carrying that gene would have twice as many kids.

arketyp 8y ago

And if there is any gene the causes babies to cry when they are in an exposed situation, preventing it from being snatched by a predator or bit by a nasty bug, it too would propagate. Not sure if you were making a prediction though. Tightly wrapped, physically sensing a guarding presence. Who wouldn't sleep well.

wirrbel 8y ago

having a baby, especially one younger than 6-8 months, is an extraordinarily exhausting time of a parents life. I don't think that the fatigue in that period is a good predictor for couples to get another child. The memories fade as you see the baby grow, you'll have new things to worry about, too, and then each parent has their own tolerance levels for that kind of stress. So in the end, I don't think there is a selection pressure. Furthermore, with families I know, there isn't much of a coincidence between crybabies and easy babies among siblings. Maybe there is on paper, but it probably isn't the strongest effect. Also, there I see families who became more kids after a troublesome first one. I'd like to add: Genetics isn't as easy as we software people think.

Pulcinella 8y ago
My child sleeps through the night now, but those memories come back crystal clear the times when my kid wakes up in the middle up the night sick or with a fever. I have definitely heard about the sibling thing as well from families I know, but in the opposite direction. First kid is very chill and easy going, parents think they are perfect parents. Second kid is fussy and more difficult and parents realize they weren’t necessarily natural experts at parenting.
sjg007 8y ago
Sex is a motivation and kids are the result at least over the long term pre contraception. We are wired for it.
- toasterlovin 8y ago
  This will change very quickly with the advent of contraceptives. There is huge selection pressure right now in favor of people who have an innate drive to have children.
dougmccune 8y ago
I can at least verify that I had an incredibly bad sleeper for my second child and had she been a good sleeper we would have had a third kid, but after that experience we’re definitely done. Yes, memories fade, but a kid who wakes up every 30-45 minutes for 24 hours a day for 18 months is something that gets implanted in your bones - you never forget that kind of sleep disruption.
toasterlovin 8y ago
Difficulty of raising babies is the number one reason I hear from people about why they’re not having more. Sleep deprivation is probably half of the difficulty of raising babies. You betcha people would have more kids if they would sleep though the night.