Written By: Jaime Hughes, Baby Sleep Consultant
When you start introducing solids to your baby between 4-6 months of age, you may find that their sleep improves. It is a big milestone in their development and while there isn’t a direct universal link between starting solids and sleep, there is a lot of proof in the pudding -excuse the pun – that this actually works.
A quick run-down of how solids can positively impact sleep:
👉🏼 Solid foods can provide additional calories and nutrients...
👉🏼 Solid foods tend to be more filling than liquids...
...such as breastmilk and formula. In saying that, until around 9 months of age it is important to continue to give breastmilk or formula before giving your child the solid foods as this is still their main source of nutrition.
👉🏼 Establishing a routine with solids can be beneficial to sleep...
When starting off, its recommended that you give them 1 meal a day which could be a teaspoon in the morning, so this doesn’t affect their night sleep. Once they are comfortable with that meal, you can add a second meal and space the two out, so they are having a meal in the morning and a meal at dinner. As a child grows, they tend to need more fuel so adding a meal at dinner can help their overnight sleep as they tend to be fuller for longer and helps to regulate their sleep-wake cycle.
👉🏼 Solid foods offer a wider range of nutrients...
...this applies to both puree and baby led weaning feeding approaches. This can include iron, essential minerals, vegetables and fruit and low GI carbohydrates which are important for baby’s development. I recommend introducing iron rich foods as iron helps to stabilise their blood sugar levels which prevents night wakes which can be caused by hypoglycaemia which will encourage the body to produce adrenalin instead of melatonin, and that isn’t helpful for sleep.
👉🏼 As babies start to transition to solids, you may notice a gradual shift in their feeding patterns...
Written by Jaime Hughes – Owner of Sleepy Dreamers and Baby Sleep Consultant
