Babies Sleep Better if They Start Solids Before 4 Months, Study Says

Every new parent struggles with exhaustion. “Sleep when the baby sleeps” is the advice you’re most likely to hear—but what happens when your child still isn’t sleeping through the night? There are mountains of books, articles and videos out there about how to help baby sleep better, but a new study is suggesting a radical new option: Start introducing solid food even earlier than previously thought.

Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting baby on solids at 6 months. But new research published by JAMA Pediatrics found that introducing solid foods at 3 months old “resulted in small but significant improvements in infant sleep characteristics.”

Gideon Lack, senior author of the study and head of the Department of Paediatric Allergy at King’s College London, understands new parents’ struggles. “Lack of sleep can be pretty devastating for babies and their families,” he tells CNN. No kidding. Which is why Lack’s findings are potentially so noteworthy—the study revealed a "more than 50 percent reduction in the number of families reporting severe sleep disturbances in their babies” when they were started on solid food at 3 months, no matter what that food was (as long as it was still baby-safe).

Mothers filled in monthly online questionnaires between three and 12 months and then reported quarterly until their kids were 3 years old. Those who offered solids said their babies slept longer (the difference peaked at 16.6 extra minutes per night around 6 months) and woke less frequently (1.74 times a night instead of twice). There wasn’t any difference in the amount of daytime sleep.

The AAP says, “A substantial number of families introduce complementary solid foods around 3 to 4 months, especially if the infant is perceived as fussy.” But they also warn that “introduction to solids prior to 4 months is associated with increased weight gain and adiposity, both in infancy and early childhood.”

Given the concerns about the potential negative effects of introducing solids too soon, certain health groups issued stern statements in response to the study. Some questioned the accuracy of sleep surveys that have parents self-report and emphasized that even the study authors admit “the commonly held belief that introducing solids early will help infants sleep better could have produced a reporting bias.”

“Thought should be given to the ethics of this study in terms of the early introduction of solid food, which is widely advised against in the literature and policy at an international and national level,” the Unicef UK statement reads. “Taking this into account, alongside the research’s modest findings and its limitations, the results of this one small study should be interpreted with great caution and should not prompt any change in the information and support given to parents.”

Lack says more research into the quality and quantity of sleep in babies would be helpful. He also reinforced the value of breast milk. “Prolonged breast feeding is extremely important,” he says. “The study highlights the fact that it is safe and potentially beneficial to introduce solid foods, including allergenic foods, into a baby’s diet after 3 months of age.”

We know desperate parents will try just about anything to get their babies to sleep better, but check with your doctor before giving baby that first taste of solid food. In the meantime, brush up on these helpful tips for getting baby to sleep.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.