“Will starting solids help my baby sleep longer? 🍩 Mamas—I know you’ll do just about anything to get a few more minutes of sleep at night, amiright? Starting solids to help baby sleep better has long been debated in Mommy groups, among friends, and of course with your own Mother/Grandmother….so does it really work??
In short: It depends on age. I know, not a very clear answer, but I’m gonna break it down for ‘ya!
When babies begin solids, liquid feeds may be replaced ounce for ounce….meaning baby will drink 1-2 ounces less than normal when replaced with solids.
🍩 Before 6 months old: Studies show introducing solids too early (cereal, oatmeal, etc.) may actually DISRUPT sleep, b/c their tiny bodies have trouble with digestion, create allergies and increase iron deficiencies (which you NEED iron for good sleep!)
🍩 After 6 months old: If baby is waking 3-6x per night after 6 months, it may help drop ONE feed, but it’s not a guarantee. You’ll likely need some light sleep training/shaping (in my 5-18M class!!) to help you achieve your nighttime goals of weaning baby from multiple feeds, but ensure growth + development.
👉🏼👉🏼If your baby isn’t sleeping well after 5+ months, it’s likely because they have formed bad sleep habits—where hunger is no longer causing the wakeups. Ready to get baby’s nutrition figured out and sleeping longer stretches?? Click my link in profile to see my sleep training DIY guides and online classes for ages 0-4!
What’s your experience with introducing solids? Did you see it help or maybe not help at all?”
Post from @sleepandthecity
Photo by @christine_simplybloom
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