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Original poster

Do solids make a difference to sleep?

27 replies

Rach13 · 29/09/2003 20:02

Have just started to wean my ds onto baby rice as gone from almost sleeping through to waking several times a night. I have heard that it does make a difference to a baby's sleep but other people say not. I would be interested to hear what people's thoughts are as I am getting desperate for some sleep!

OP posts:
lucy123 · 29/09/2003 20:04

My dd had a couple of disturbed nights after starting solids, but settled down again quickly.

Are you still giving him the same amount of milk? At the same time?

Original poster
Rach13 · 29/09/2003 20:10

Yes he is breastfed and is having a lot of feeds probably about 10 in total.

OP posts:
lucy123 · 29/09/2003 20:17

In that case do you breastfeed him before giving him the rice (to make sure he still gets enough milk).

If so, I'm out of ideas!

Original poster
Rach13 · 29/09/2003 20:22

Yes I do. I've only just started solids 2 days ago so I know it will take a little while but just wondered how long?

OP posts:
pupuce · 29/09/2003 20:26

There is more calories in breastmilk than in solids.... certainly at the quantity he is eating now.
How old is he ? How much solid does he get ?

Original poster
Rach13 · 29/09/2003 20:34

Almost 16 weeks. He is only having about a teaspoon of baby rice at the moment,I only started solids 2 days ago.

OP posts:
Karen99 · 30/09/2003 09:01

Hi Rach13, good thread - just about to start the baby rice with my ds. Do you give it to him at every meal or just the evening feed? Do you BF before you give him the solids or does it replace the whole feed?

fio2 · 30/09/2003 09:06

I always found with my two that when you start them on solids they started to get more colicy again.. They used to wake with tummy ache I always thought. Once their bodies gets used to the 'solid' they usually settle down again.

pidge · 30/09/2003 09:17

This is a real hot potato in my experience! Some people swear blind that solids help with sleep, others say it makes no difference. The only research I've seen in this area is at best inconclusive.

My personal view is that many babies start to sort out their sleep between 4 and 6 months, and the mothers who've started them on solids attribute the better sleep to the solids. But the mums like me, who wait till 6 months to introduce food, are often of a different opinion. My dd started sleeping through the night (11-12 hours) without waking at 5 1/2 months and she didn't get anything other than breastmilk till 6 months.

Also worth mentioning that many babies between 4-6 months seem to go through a terrible patch of regressing in their sleep, i.e. having slept fairly well they may go from waking once a night to waking 2, 3 or more times. My own dd did this between 4-5 months, but she just came out of it of her own accord. The only thing I did do was make sure the penultimate breastfeed was before 4pm, so that at 7pm she was hungry and I had a fair amount of milk to give her before bed.

I know other people will have had different experiences and will encourage you to get solids introduced to help with sleep. Not very helpful, but everyone does find their own way, and sleep will return!!!

lucy123 · 30/09/2003 09:27

I agree with fio2. Rach13 - it sounds as if you are doing everything right! It may be that his stomach isn't quite ready for rice yet, but he should get used to it. I think dd was back to normal after 4 days (but I couldn't swear to that)

bobthebaby · 30/09/2003 09:40

Basically I agree with everything Pidge has said and could not put it better myself.

Original poster
Rach13 · 30/09/2003 20:53

Karen 99 the advice is to b/f first then give the rice so they don't take too much solids at first. Also the advice is to start at lunchtime for the first couple of days so that if they react badly you don't get an even worse night!

OP posts:
Karen99 · 02/10/2003 09:05

Thanks Rach, makes sense. How is ds taking to the new food?

Original poster
Rach13 · 03/10/2003 19:29

He is taking to it pretty well but it has only had a slight effect on his sleep so far. Just got to grit my teeth and get through this bit!

OP posts:
motherinferior · 05/11/2003 10:47

I want to resurrect this thread. Dd2 is doing that regressing thing, and while I'm not violently anti-solids there doesn't seem a lot of point pushing them (she's 19 weeks). Am confused and knackered!

She's had a lot to cope with in the past week, I suppose, as has started with childminder and is having some of her milk expressed rather than straight from bosom. However, I can't think particularly straight on account of being knackered, so any advice welcome.

bobthebaby · 05/11/2003 19:55

Since my last message on this thread ds (now 8 months) has been eating his 3 meals a day and amazes me with the amount he can shovel away. Is he sleeping any better - NO. Motherinferior I think you have answered your own question. Your dd has had a few changes and its affecting her sleep. You can last out until 26 weeks and you are doing brilliantly.

aloha · 05/11/2003 20:29

Hah! I knew it would be you. No, it's her tummy upset that's waking her up thirsty IMO. If you are doubtful hang on. I bet it passes. BTW, as you know my demon son didn't sleep through until he was 8months and started solids at 16 weeks. Little beast.

Enid · 05/11/2003 20:30

'They' say no, but Enid says, yes, they sleep better after solids.

motherinferior · 06/11/2003 07:55

Of COURSE it's me. The obsessive. I can post on the b/feeding thread about slight reduction in expressing if you like!

Shall stagger on, with eyes propped wide open.

throckenholt · 06/11/2003 08:01

I am pretty sure it is just a developmental stage they all go through - solids made no difference with mine - DS1 started solids at about 5 months, DS2 & £ started about 6.5 months - didn't notice any change in sleep habits with any of them.

mears · 06/11/2003 09:14

I decided with my last baby she was not getting solids till 26 weeks and therefore just worked my way through the feed fests, of which there were a few. The frequent feeds upped the milk and she settled out again. With the other babes, I started solids between 20 and 24 weeks because they were looking for lots of feeds. With dd, because I had made the decision of no solids, I was then able to see that hungrieness settled with extra breastfeeds and feeds spaced again.
If you want to wait till 26 weeks motherinferior, you can. Just fill yourself full of confidence that you can do it

katierocket · 06/11/2003 09:24

just in answer to your original question rach13 - solids made no difference whatsoever to my DS's sleeping

Lamin · 06/11/2003 09:57

I'm with Enid.

mears · 06/11/2003 10:23

Just a thought - are solids being viewed in the wrong way? They should be introduced at the appropriate time of a baby's development (6 months) to move away from milk feeds. The purpose is not to make them sleep. Babies will sleep when they have enough food and when they want to. Starting solids too early deprives them of the appropriate food for their age. Babies who subsequently sleep will probably have slept anyway as I was able to see with my last baby.

mears · 06/11/2003 10:23

Just a thought - are solids being viewed in the wrong way? They should be introduced at the appropriate time of a baby's development (6 months) to move away from milk feeds. The purpose is not to make them sleep. Babies will sleep when they have enough food and when they want to. Starting solids too early deprives them of the appropriate food for their age. Babies who subsequently sleep will probably have slept anyway as I was able to see with my last baby.