Does the early introduction of a solid diet improve the sleep of infants?

Conclusions of the authors of the study: the early introduction of solid foods before 5 months of age: increases the duration of the night sleep, decreases the number of night awakenings and decreases the number of important problems during the night sleep of the infants.

Reviewers’ commentary: although this study shows that the early introduction of solids influences sleep, the effect size was small. While the lack of adherence to the protocol of early feeding could have decreased the difference between the groups, it can neither be ruled out the possible presence of other factors that could be related to the improvement of sleep. The results of this study are of no sufficient relevance to support a change in the current recommendations for the introduction of complementary feeding in breastfeeding infants in order to prevent sleep problems.