Breastfeeding
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Is doing both possible??
Hello ladies Im expecting baby #2 and really want to BF I tried with ds but it was horrible I was only partialy educated and had no support. I was wondering is it possible to bf and formula feed. With ds i was really worried because he was not sleeping and cried all night. After he was switched to formula I was told it was more than likely because bm is so thin babies wake up more often during the night and maybe more cranky. Being a ftm I was scared and switched him.With this lo could I give formula at night and bf during the day? Is this okay?
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Re: Is doing both possible??
It is possible, but not ideal. Remember, a breastfed baby is normal. Breastmilk is the ideal food - babies are supposed to eat every 2-3 hours around the clock for the first few months. That's not a problem, it's biology. Breastmilk isn't "thin" - formula is "thick". It's artificial milk that changes the behaviour of babies.
This is some info on combination feeding if you really feel that's the best solution for you: http://kellymom.com/ages/weaning/wean-how/weaning-partial/
Look around on the kellymom site - it's all really good info.
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Same here, and at approximately the same age as the FF babies I've heard of STTN. We get between 5 and 7 hours for the first stretch of sleep.
I will admit that the first 6 weeks were hard with needing to wake up every 3 hours or so to feed, especially when growth spurts hit and he needed feeding every 1.5 to 2 hours. But at 10 weeks, it's a lot easier now. He only wakes once during my sleep cycle to feed (twice during his night cycle). He started doing this at 8 weeks.
It's your choice but if you really want to breastfeed I would try just breastfeeding first and see how that goes. I do both but only because I have to. DD wasn't gaining weight when I was just breastfeeding. I think it would be a lot easier to just breastfeed. Also keep in mind that formula does not necessarily mean that your baby will sleep through the night. My cousin did what you would like to do with her son and her son did STTN. She continued to breastfeed and offer a formula bottle at night until he weaned at 11 months.
I do know of formula babies that don't STTN so it doesn't always work out that way. And there are breastfed babies that do STTN. It depends on the baby. I would encourage you to try to just breastfeed. If you end up offering formula at night that's still ok. Any amount of breastmilk you can give your LO is better than nothing.
Agreed with all of the above. my daughter can sleep 6-8 hours on nursing now. It can be frustrating to get up so much with the LO but just remember how temporary it is.
My girlfriend's baby is 7 months old and formula fed. He wakes up every 3 hours. That is in some ways a trained thing buy my baby is 2 months today and is totally breastfed only and sleeps from 9pm till 6 most nights with one feeding between 2 and 4. He has been doing this since he was 4 weeks old. I will have to admit I would have to pump if he didn't wake up because I personally get engorged. I will also have to say some days he wants mommy's milk every 2 hours during the day. But I could care less if he continues to sleep the way he does.
What is "okay" is whatever works for you and your family. However, the fact that breastmilk is more easily digested by your baby is NOT a bad thing! It's not that it's "thinner" and therefore giving your baby less, it's that it's designed specifically for your baby, and your baby can digest it more easily than he/she could digest other food or formula. So sometimes babies who are exclusively breastfed eat more often than babies who are formula fed. It's a good thing - it means they're digesting their food well. Still, a lot of babies - whether breastfed or formula fed - cry a lot at night and don't sleep well. It gets better as time passes, regardless of whether you're breastfeeding or formula feeding.
If you want to breastfeed and supplement with formula, it's probably a good idea to wait for at least 4-6 weeks before you introduce formula. That way your body has time to build up a supply. Keep in mind though that even if you have a great supply, cutting out nighttime nursing can cause your milk supply to decrease more than you want it to. If supplementing is what works for your family, do it, but I wouldn't do it if the only reason is that you're hoping baby will sleep longer.
I would start finding support groups now.
Make sure the hospital you delivery has a lactation consultant on hand
Also find out if they do private sessions if needed.
Are there any local breastfeeding support groups?
Contact your local Le Leche League. Google it and you can find the local leader.
Theses things have been instrumental in is being able to continue as far as we have.
Your baby crying at night may have been normal but could have been another issue. Having access to support can help you double check and allow you to figure out your best solution.