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Night waking, feeding and solids
There are many myths surrounding night waking and feeding, some of these are about the age a baby should start sleeping through the night and some are about how solids or formula would reduce night waking. This post will look at some of the research around breastfeeding, night waking, formula milk and solids.
Is night waking in babies normal
Waking and feeding during the night is the biological norm in infants. It has benefits for the baby, including reducing the risk of SIDS, and for the breastfeeding mother, by protecting her milk supply. Young babies don’t have an established circadian rhythm and they don’t produce melatonin, and the architecture of their sleep also differs from that of older babies and children. It is normal for them to have short stretches of sleep and to wake frequently. In order to put on weight and grow healthily they need to feed fairly frequently and it is never appropriate to try and night wean a young baby or try to get them to sleep through the night.
What does the research say
Babies sleep and feeding patterns change as they mature but research shows that most 6-18 months old still wake up during the night. Only about 15-20% sleep through (HysingHysing et al., 2014). The composition of breast milk is such that it is low in fat and protein and high in lactose. This, to some extent, determines how long a feed would keep a baby full. Breastfeeding babies tend to have very similar milk intake between the ages of 1 month and 6 months, and they are unlikely to be overfed, as breastmilk contains leptin- a satiety hormone. There is more of a danger of over-feeding when it comes to bottle-fed babies. However, the majority of babies in both groups wake during the night. Research done by Amy Brown and Victoria Harries (2015) found that almost 80% of 6-12-month-olds wake at least once during the night, and there is no difference between breast-fed and formula-fed babies in this regard. Research also tells us, however, that feeding to sleep is more likely to result in night waking (TouchetteTouchette et al., 2005).
Many parents find night waking and night feeding very hard, as a sleep coach it is our role to explain what is biologically normal. Not all parents cope well with the disruption of having to feed during the night. Some find bed sharing and breast sleeping a good compromise, while some are at a crisis point and need to reduce or stop feeding. Breastfeeding mums must consider their mental health when it comes to decision-making about stopping breastfeeding.
What about solids
Supplementing breastmilk (or formula milk) with solids should start around the age of 6 months- according to WHO guidelines. Babies tend to be developmentally and digestively ready around this age. Up until then, the milk they drink should be able to provide all the nutrients they need. Brown and Harris found that having more solids during the day might reduce night feeding but night waking will still occur. Their research shows that night weaning might not reduce night waking, and that formula and solids don’t promote more sleep than breastfeeding.
Conclusion
Based on the research outlined above, it seems that filling the baby up on solids, or switching from breastfeeding to formula will not have the desired impact. Switching from breastfeeding to bottle feeding ( whether it is breastmilk or formula) will h9wever allow another parent or caregiver to be in charge of feeding. Babies might still wake up frequently but mums can have a chance to ‘outsource’ feeding and therefore manage their sleep better.
As a certified holistic sleep consultant I offer evidence-based advice on night weaning, solids and all, broader aspects of sleep. Please check out my websitewebsite for more details.
