A TikTok trend where parents feed their babies butter to aid sleep is misguided. Sleep is the holy grail for new parents. So, no wonder many tired parents are looking for something to help their babies sleep. A TikTok trend claims that giving your baby a tablespoon or two of butter in the evening will help them sleep better. As we’ll see, butter is just the latest food that promises to help babies sleep at night. But no single food can do this. Babies need help falling asleep through feeding, movement (like rocking), or touch (like a cuddle or massage). Newborn babies also do not know night from day. Melatonin in breastmilk helps babies sleep more at night until they start to make this sleep-inducing hormone themselves. Bottle-fed newborn babies do not have access to this melatonin. Regardless of how you feed your baby, it can take several months for them to develop a sleep pattern with longer stretches at night. Babies also sleep lightly than older children and adults. Light sleep helps ensure they continue breathing, protecting them from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). It also means they wake easily and often. The social pressure around baby sleep can add stress and anxiety for new parents. So the TikTok trend about feeding babies butter may seem tempting. If you’re missing out on sleep at night, try to have small naps during the day while your baby sleeps. Ask friends and family to do some chores to allow you to nap. If your baby is crying and you find yourself getting overwhelmed, it is OK to put your baby down somewhere safe (like a cot or baby mat) and take some time to settle yourself.
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