Very often, when we talk to clients their main concern is that milk, milk supply, solids or the lack thereof are the causes of their baby not sleeping through. This is a natural reaction due to the kinds of information new mothers are exposed to.
Sound familiar?
In hindsight, I am embarrassed to admit, that I was shoving (and I mean, forcefully SHOVING) rice cereal down my 3 month old’s throat because I was convinced that he was hungry. This was supported by the sage advice of the older generation, who insisted that once I started feeding him solids, he’d magically start sleeping through.
I also tried (with little success) “topping up” my baby’s breastmilk with formula because—as the nurse was telling me—he continued to wake at night because he is NOT receiving sufficient nutrition from me. I was also informed by loving friends and strangers alike that I should change the formula that I’d selected for the young one, because my baby might in fact be lactose intolerant, therefore the current formula was causing him discomfort as it was being processed by the digestive system.
Does any of this sound familiar? With the popularity of this type of ill-advice, it is very easy to fall into the “over-nutrition” trap. Moms, just because you are breastfeeding does not mean your child is not able to sleep through.
Only 5% rooted in nutrition
What If I told you that only 5% of the cases we deal with, is rooted in nutritional challenges!?
It is far more likely that that your baby has not yet developed the skill of soothing him or herself, and therefore nutrition is not the problem.
The fundamental rule to remember is that your baby’s sleep is regulated by his orher brain and not by the stomach.
Nutrition plays a role when…
Nevertheless, a hungry baby will not sleep well either; so here is a checklist to use to rule out whether nutrition is the problem:
- Is your baby growing according to his or her growth curve? Essentially, is your baby gaining weight steadily?
- By 6 months, you should introduce your baby to solids.
- How old is your baby? If your baby is younger than a year, milk is more important. If your child is older than a year, solids should be the primary source of nutrition.
- Does your baby receive protein rich nutrition if he or she is older than 6 months?
- Does your baby have a sufficient intake of minerals like zinc, magnesium, iron?
- Does your child eat or drink too much salt, sugar or caffeine? These additives could spike energy levels, leaving the child in a hyper-alert stage.
- Is your baby drinking too much water, rooibos tea and or juice? Remember, juice has a high concentration of sugar and fructose.
About the Author: Good Night is a child and baby sleep consultancy that specialises in helping parents with children who struggle to sleep soundly. For more information, visit: www.goodnightbaby.co.za
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