Introducing food and STTN

[gibbinator]

So obviously ds has been sleeping like crap lately (yay 4mw!) and we're pretty much ready to try anything.

Anyway, one of dh's colleague's has convinced him that ds is probably hungry because he's so big so we should start him on cereal. Our family Dr also told us at the 4mo appt we should start him on food and to disregard people that say wait until 6mo (he's an old school Dr).

I've tried to tell him it's a myth, I've told him if he gets food my supply will go down, told him the hospital nutritionist said wait until 6mo etc etc but he's set. I figure it's not a battle worth fighting since if ds isn't ready for food he just won't eat it and dh is perfectly capable of making parenting decisions.

Ds has been intensely fixated on me when I eat and can also sit unassisted.

Anyway, if you introduced solids early, did it effect sleep? Did you suffer any repercussions? Are you glad you did or wish you'd waited longer?

[Ashley&Scott]

Solids have not increased M's sleep. (introduced at 6.5mo) Here's a link to kellymom's list of reasons for delaying solids.

kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/delay-solids/

[barefootcontessa]

I have had four babies and each one has had different sleep patterns, despite feeding them the same (EBF until 6 months and then solids after that). I had a one year old still waking up 4 times a night and then a 4 month STTN. I do not think there is a single way to get a baby to STTN. JMO.

[karinothing]

Nope, no difference.

[sewpinkgal]

We started rice cereal at 4m, oatmeal at 5m and veggies just before 6m.

Not a lick of difference in the sleep dept. (FWIW, we didn't start early to fix sleep issues)

[gibbinator]

Thanks for the link A&S, that's just the concise info I need to show him

[scribellesam]

We introduced rice cereal at 5mo, but it hasn't affected his sleep patterns. Unfortunately.

[dcrunnergirl]

It only made a difference when we moved to 3 meals/day at 8 months. That night, they both slept 11-12 hours for the first time. We started solids at 5 months, with just practice a few times a week. We went to one meal/day at 6m, 2 meals/day at 7m, and 3 meals/day at 8 months. However, it all could have just been a coincidence.

[hannamaren]

I cant believe your little one is big enough to eat solids. I feel like He was just born! Time flies!

[vanillacourage]

Solids have done nothing to make DS sleep longer. I had high hopes, especially since he's huge and I was just CONVINCED that he'd finally get the calories he needed with solids. Yeah, he is not impressed with watery carrots.

[gibbinator]

Nov 3, 2012 19:14:04 GMT -5 hannamaren said:

I cant believe your little one is big enough to eat solids. I feel like He was just born! Time flies!

You and me both!

[holly116]

Nov 3, 2012 16:47:55 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl said:

It only made a difference when we moved to 3 meals/day at 8 months. That night, they both slept 11-12 hours for the first time. We started solids at 5 months, with just practice a few times a week. We went to one meal/day at 6m, 2 meals/day at 7m, and 3 meals/day at 8 months. However, it all could have just been a coincidence.

This is similar to what we did. They both started STTN pretty consistently after 8 months, 3 meals + nursing on demand, and a touch of sleep training.

I think we held off till about 5 1/2 months to introduce after getting the same pressures. Every child is so different, good luck and I hope you get some sleep soon. The four month wakeful is no joke.

[Deleted]

Have you tried dream feeding him? That worked really well for us when the boys were babies. I think we are going to start again with DD because she's back to waking up at least once a night for a bottle.