Introducing Solids at 4 or 6 Months? How Does It Affect Sleep?

Hi Geraldine - I asked the same question to my pediatrician about whether I should put more milk in my son's bottles. He said if he is consistently finishing them, then by all means you could offer more. The only way to know if she can take more is to offer it.

Good luck!

Geradine:

you are doing a wonderful job.

Dr. Sears is correct about introducing solids. Your child also does not have the enzymes to digest other food prior to 6 months. the introduction of foods is about taste and texture.. not nutrients. If you are going to "fill you baby up" you want to do it with food that is nutritious not empty calories.. what is better than human milk?

Sleep is not about being full..

P., RLC, IBCLC, CST
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions

Our peditrician said that it was an old wives tale that solids makes them sleep through the night. When we started at 5 1/2 months, she slept solid for the first 4 nights, then began waking up again...I highly recommend the book Super Baby Foods, there is a quiz in there to assess the readiness of starting your infant on solids. www.superbabyfoods.com

I began putting are daughter down around 7pm each night around 4 months to get her use to an early bedtime and she JUST began sleeping through the night around 6 months after I let her cry it out from getting up to play instead of nurse, it only took her once to learn! However, we are still having issues with napping. Our peditrician also stated that when babies reach 14-15lbs, then they will start sleeping a lot better at night, which was the case for us as well.

Has your daughter started rice cereal mixed in the bottle? Use the same amt. of milk that she's use to with 2 TBS. mixed in that. She'll sleep longer and be more satisfied. You'll have to slit the nipple of course but not too much, you don't want baby to choke. In a couple of weeks you can start with baby fruit and a little less milk. If she's holding that down try some soft mashed potatoes and her milk. It's baby steps to develop her tummy workings but don't put it off if HER dr. says to start food. Throw that book away That dr. from the book probably never raised a child on his own. "Already have raised MOMS" can probably give you just as good information as he can. Books kinda give the generalization for all kids, not YOUR child. Each child is different. Your personal Dr. knows best. Good luck. Wish it were me going thru this again. I envy you. This is the best time of life for you. Enjoy every stage MOMMY.

Another reason to wait is that baby's tongue thrust isn't always developed by 4 months. You would probably end up "practice" feeding baby for 2 months instead of actually feeding baby. Good luck with your decision.