Nutrition for Baby Sleep: When and How to Start Solids
By Chloe Roche, Certified Infant & Child Sleep Consultant
Helping your baby sleep well isn’t just about nap schedules and bedtime routines—it’s also about what and when they eat. Nutrition plays a key role in supporting long stretches of restorative sleep.
In this guide, I’ll share how to start solids, the best times to offer them, what foods to focus on, and how a balanced approach to nutrition can help your baby sleep longer and more peacefully.
When Should I Start Solids?
Babies usually start solids between 5–7 months, depending on readiness. Signs your baby is ready include:
Sitting upright in a highchair with support
Showing interest in your food
Developing the muscles needed to move food from spoon to tummy
Even after introducing solids, breastmilk or formula remains your baby’s main source of nutrition until close to 12 months. Offer milk before solids, or split the feed—half before and half after—if your baby isn’t showing much interest in food (this is normal early on!).
For allergen guidance, follow your GP’s advice or check out Solid Starts: How to introduce any food to babies.
Best Time of Day to Offer Solids for Sleep Support
When it comes to baby sleep and nutrition, timing matters. Start by offering solids:
Mid-morning after the first nap, or
Lunchtime
Gentle, low-GI vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin, and carrot are ideal early options—they’re sweet, easy to digest, and unlikely to disrupt night sleep.
Avoid introducing new foods right before bedtime, as your baby’s tummy is still learning to digest solids and discomfort can disrupt their sleep.
Introducing Finger Foods for Independence
Once your baby is comfortable with purees, introduce finger foods to encourage self-feeding and independence:
Seeded toast fingers (try Burgen soy-lin bread)
Strips of scrambled egg
Soft-cooked vegetable sticks
Continue spoon-feeding alongside finger foods to ensure your baby gets enough nutrients while they learn.
Meal Timings That Work With Sleep
For babies 6 months+, ideal mealtimes that complement sleep and awake windows are:
Breakfast – 7:00am
Lunch – 11:00am
Dinner – 5:00pm
From 9–10 months, add healthy snacks at:
9:00am
2:30–3:00pm (after afternoon nap, can replace post-nap milk)
Breakfast solids often become consistent around 8 months, once night feeds reduce and your baby wakes hungrier.
Key Nutrients for Better Sleep
At around 6 months, babies’ iron stores naturally decrease, so iron-rich foods are essential:
Minced or slow-cooked meats
Lentils and beans
Tuna or salmon
Eggs
Other great sleep-supporting foods:
High-fibre fruits and veggies
Healthy fats (avocado, natural peanut butter, chia seeds)
Protein-rich dairy (cheese, yoghurt)
The Sleep Again Porridge
This is my go-to family favourite—nutrient-dense, filling, and perfect for breakfast:
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup water
1 zucchini, grated
1 banana, mashed
Pinch cinnamon
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp LSA mix
1 egg
Method
Add all ingredients (except milk) to a pot. Simmer 5 mins, stirring.
Remove from heat, crack egg in, and stir until it disappears.
Add milk to cool.
Packed with low-GI carbs, protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients, this porridge fuels growth and supports stable blood sugars—reducing overnight wake-ups caused by dips in energy.
Why Nutrition and Sleep Go Hand-in-Hand
Stable blood sugars from balanced meals can help prevent night wakings triggered by cortisol spikes. Offering protein at lunch and (from 9–12 months) at dinner can support more consistent overnight sleep.
Aim for about a cup of food per meal by 9–12 months, combining spoon-fed and finger foods. Self-feeding skills typically flourish around 15 months, so don’t feel pressured to rush the process.
Final Thoughts
At Sleep Again, I believe in connection and consistency—in sleep, in feeding, and in daily routines. By providing nourishing meals at predictable times, you’re not only supporting your baby’s growth but also laying the foundation for longer, more peaceful sleep.
Sleep well,
Chloe x