Whether youâre a first-time parent or a seasoned veteran bringing home a new baby, thereâs one thing on your mind: sleep.
Parents everywhere are always keeping an eye out for tips and tricks that help their little ones get a good nightâs sleep. A new social media trend claims to do just that, suggesting parents give their baby a small amount of organic or grass-fed butter before bedtime. A number of moms and dads are praising the idea, but whatâs the basis?
Dr. Rebecca Greenberg Carter with the University of Maryland Medical System tells PEOPLE that there is a nutritional basis, but it has lost context amid buzz from the online crowd.
âFirst and foremost, healthy fats are encouraged in pediatric diets only after introduction of solid foods. I would not recommend this as a food introduction prior to starting other solids â which is generally between 4 to 6 months,â she shares.
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Dr. Carter also notes that âmore fatty milk production is associated with feeling fuller and sleeping better, but it may be dangerous to jump to this as a solution without exploring other reasons why your baby or toddler may be struggling to sleep through the night.â
âMost important would be addressing those issues and following up with your pediatrician,â she adds.
Brittany Sheehan, pediatric sleep consultant and founder of Brittany Sheehan Sleep, agrees, telling PEOPLE, âA child who is struggling to sleep is not magically going to become a great sleeper because they are given butter â or an âOkay to Wakeâ clock, or magnesium rubbed on their feet, or lavender spray, or an onion under the bed.â
âThe truth is, much like an ideal diet, what actually works to help babies and toddlers sleep is never a hack or a trick or a shiny new product. Itâs much simpler and less exciting â proper feeding, ideal timing and duration of sleep based on the childâs age, and a consistent response from the parents if a child wakes up early â thatâs it!â
Dr. Carter points out that many parents are likely to try out a âhackâ before finding out the science. As a result, they should know âbutter does not contain other essential nutrients needed for infant growth, so it shouldnât be given in any size quantity that would suppress an infantâs appetite for breastmilk or formula at ages under 12 months.â
âSimilarly for toddlers, butter shouldnât be a substantive part of their diet, as it may take away from other important nutrients they would obtain through eating healthy,â she continues.
Parents should generally learn to be weary of what online âparenting hacksâ as such offer, she says.
âAnything weâre referring to as a âhackâ that involves our bodies and our health, Iâd steer clear of,â Sheehan says. âReally under no circumstance should a parent feel pressured to follow sleep âhacksâ for babies or toddlers, which are a waste of time and energy at best, and can be incredibly dangerous, at worst.â
Both experts agree that prioritizing overall sleep health through consistent routines and building healthy habits is key to helping your kids sleep well.
âMost important for healthy sleep is a regular, consistent bedtime routine, without screens before bed and a consistent bedtime nightly,â Dr. Carter says.
âCreating healthy sleep habits will serve your child better in the long run, and make sure you arenât setting yourself up for years of sleep difficulty in the future.â
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