Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Quick poll please: when you introduced solids did it make a jot of difference to sleep?

69 replies

alipalli · 30/11/2008 08:58

I have a DS who is 5 months old (24 weeks I think but I've lost count). I have been determinedly excl BF him although his sleep has not been great for the last couple of months. Currently he goes to sleep about 9ish, wakes a few times in 45 minutes stints till about 11pm, then wakes twice between 12 and 6, usually at 1.30 and 5.30. When he wakes he wants to feed. I am fairly knackered but I feel it is just about manageable. It is probably also worth mentioning that he is a large baby: 9lbs 13oz at birth and well over 20lbs now. He has always fed frequently!

My intention is to BLW. I have read the theory that more frequent night wakings from 4 months aren't necessarily to do with hunger. I also understand that when solids are initially introduced the volumes and calories involved are so small that it shouldn't be sufficient to improve sleep. Despite this I am the only person amongst my RL peers who hasn't started weaning yet and it is making me feel quite isolated. Everybody in RL seems to think that breast milk cant possibly be enough, and that solids are the route to better sleep.

At 3am this morning I was wondering whether I am making my life unduly difficult by not starting weaning. So, I would like to know what your experiences of introducing solids were on your LOs' sleep regardless of whether you waited till 6 months or started a bit earlier. Thanks.

OP posts:
sharkyandgeorge · 30/11/2008 09:01

Not a jot of difference, I first introduced solids just before 6 months, took her another few weeks to get the hang of them. Is 8 months now and could eat for England but still sleeps exactly the same.

Ewe · 30/11/2008 09:02

No difference here, if anything I would say her sleeping got worse!

BroccoliSpears · 30/11/2008 09:06

Nope. Maybe a bit more unsettled and windy for a few nights and then back to same old hourly waking.

AnarchyAunt · 30/11/2008 09:09

Nope.

No difference at all.

She just suddenly got better at sleeping at about 10 months for no apparent reason.

TheProvincialLady · 30/11/2008 09:11

No difference here either, and it still doesn't make any difference at 2 whether DS has eaten like a sparrow or like a horse during the day.

I am always a bit at books/people that say night waking from 4m is not necessarily to do with hunger. It's not like we can really tell, is it? It is completely understandable that people want their babies to sleep through asap but I don't think that being able to convince the baby that there is no point in crying for milk is the same thing as genuine lack of hunger. I would go by your instincts on this - I stopped night feeds at 15m but my gut feeling was that he was genuinely hungry until about 13/14m...I think you know when they are ready.

Sympathies for the sleep pattern - DS was very similar and it is hard

gokwancarr · 30/11/2008 09:11

another one experiencing very little difference. io think actually wind plays a bit part in that

CharCharGabor · 30/11/2008 09:11

God no. DD has always been a terrible sleeper and solids really didn't help. Solids didn't make any of my rl friends' babies sleep better either. Although DD did manage to sleep for 4 hours instead of 3 last night which I think was linked to her eating 2 big meals rather than 1 (she has a small appetite). She's 16 months though so it wasn't that impressive

MrsJamin · 30/11/2008 09:13

BLW'd at 6 months, DS didn't start to sleep through most of the night until 10 months. I was just like you when DS was 5 months, it's a bit lonely when others have started weaning and you're waiting - but stick with it, I'm so glad I did.

skidoodle · 30/11/2008 09:26

waited til 6months, had no discernible effect on sleep. Did have more wakings around the age of your ok but seemed to be combo of teething and de starting to get disturbed by us in the room with her.

It passed eventually. Once he starts moving he will be more tired at the end of the day. That made dd sleep longer.

Solids are a faff, you have to bring vegetables with you everywhere. Enjoy the last few weeks of ex bf, that's what I say

seeker · 30/11/2008 09:28

Not a scrap of difference - sorry!

I waited til 6 months and both of mine were very big babies.

slim22 · 30/11/2008 09:28

nope!

deanychip · 30/11/2008 09:30

no difference here either.

skidoodle · 30/11/2008 09:36

agree with provinciallady, it's hard to know if they wake because of hunger or they realise they're hungry because they're awake. I always fed dd back to sleep but no idea if she wanted food or comfort, didn't matter really.

I felt thatfrom about 4 mo hunger was a contributory factor inner waking but can't be certain.

BennyAndJoon · 30/11/2008 09:37

No difference at all

alipalli · 30/11/2008 09:40

So far a unanimous thumbs down for solids improving sleep. Interesting. Thanks for your replies so far.

Cant type: DS finally asleep...on my shoulder and wont be put down

OP posts:
goingfor3 · 30/11/2008 10:18

alipalli, DS is feeding less in the night recentley but he has been on solids for a few weeks. Now when he does wake it's for cuddles rather than milk so it has made a difference to his night feeds but not nescarrialy to his night waking. DD2 breastfed every couple of hours even at night until I stopped bf'ing at 2 1/2 years - for her it was obviously a comfort more than a needing food thing.

Parofleurmapu · 30/11/2008 12:09

Ali

Im in same league as g43, my LO has been on solids for few weeks now as you know and while sleep pattern has not changed as such i think it has settled andd she only needs 1 feed instead of 3.

ten10 · 30/11/2008 12:18

Big difference,
before I weaned he was waking for a feed at least three times a night,

straight away he slept better, but
the real differences started to happen only once he had an evening meal, which was when he was on three meals a day.
mainly because I decided he didn't need a feed during the night anymore and that he was just waking for this out of habit. so decided to refuse night feed,
which meant a week of rather screamy nights but then slept through just about every since (except for when ill or teething)

PinkTulips · 30/11/2008 12:19

none at all... if anything it made dd worse as she had reflux and puking up proper sick required more of a clean up that spitting up milk which invariably woke her up even more.

ds stayed pretty much the same sleep wise as well.

SparkyFartDust · 30/11/2008 12:19

6 months and NO

francagoestohollywood · 30/11/2008 12:35

I introduced solids when both dc were 6 months old (I had exclusively breast fed them until then)and followed the Italian way if weaning, which is a bit different than how it's done in the uk, but yes, they started to sleep for longer strethces of time once they were established on solids.

domesticslattern · 30/11/2008 12:36

5 and a half months. Sleeping got worse.

francagoestohollywood · 30/11/2008 12:36

sorry, lots of typos

MuchLessTiredNow · 30/11/2008 12:36

no for all three - sorry!

PuppyMonkey · 30/11/2008 12:37

Yes, huge difference without a doubt but only once they were on three solid meals a day.