Help!

UnofficiallyLO

DS is 5.5 months, EBF, wouldn't take a bottle before but now that we do food and water in a sippy he is more inclined but he doesn't get much practice because I hate pumping and I'm a SAHM so I'm always home/nursing him anyway.

I have only left him 3 times now and for no more than 3 hours due to only being able to pump enough for one bottle and that takes me a week of stressed out preparation.

At 2-3 months he was waking 1-2 times a night, now he wakes 4-6 times to eat. I know it's partially out of habit but I feel like he may not be getting enough during the day and obviously have no boob measurements to help figure that out. The pedi said to offer food 3 times a day so I've been doing that all week. He's not fussy during the day, just wakeful/hungry at night.

I guess the bottom line is, should I give this kid some formula?! I am considering it just for when I need to leave the house, or perhaps a bottle before bed to try and hold him over longer.

I'm not resisting going out because I can't stand to be away or that I don't have anyone I can trust to watch him, I just need to feed him! Tonight I went to a surprise birthday dinner for SOs Mom and had to take the babe because I didn't have time to pump a bottle and I had him out passed his bedtime/ he melted down/ I cried in the car on the way home and the moral of the story is- he should've been home, in bed, with his Dad! But I'm the only one that can feed him and/or put him to sleep... which is another issue that I can rant about another time...

Thanks for listening.

pbandjmom

Do what keeps you sane and baby happy. That's my vote!

emilyann64

I agree with the above. If he'll take formula, it sounds like that might relieve some of your stress. We've recently started having more wakeups at night as well, and I've considered mixing some formula into a bottle for bedtime, just to see if it helps. I hope you figure it out!

ladygali

I decided to pretty much stop pumping and DS can have formula when I'm gone. Less stress for me. Do I like giving him formula? No, but I hate pumping more. I like to think of it as his special treat when I'm gone, since it's the only time he gets it.

UnofficiallyLO

poru said:

He may be filling up on solids that are much lower in calories than BM and so waking up at night because the hunger kicks in. Perhaps cut back to only 2 solid feelings a day and time them within 30 minutes of a nursing session. Did he drop a typical nursing session during the day when you added the solids?

He started waking more around 4 months and I attributed it to the sleep regression everyone was talking about, added solids (bananas, sweet potato, apples) gradually since just before 5 months. He does get more distracted now while nursing since he is more alert so I try to just continuously offer boob every few hours. I don't believe he's dropped a session but I don't keep track so I will pay more attention to the frequency going forward so I can notice any changes.

Thank you for the advice and support ladies! I will look into introducing a little formula soon to keep baby full and mama happy.

Jessimax

My little one does the same thing, she used to sleep ok but is now up 3-4 times a night, I'm pretty sure she eats more at night than during the day. No feeding issues during the day and I have no supply issue, I can pump 5 ounces in 5 minutes. So could be sleep issues rather than hunger, also as pp said make sure to BF before solids.

This being said, if you want to add formula so you can leave house alone, no shame in that.

Pearlvirus

Consider sleep training instead of formula. Just because he is waking up and eating doesn't mean he is hungry or that he wouldn't eat more during the day if he didn't have the option as much at night. Mine used to nurse 8-10 times a night, now we are down to 2 and she's still growing and thriving!

cjpell0

Definitely offer to breastfeed before offering solids. One way to think of solids is as dessert.

hordol

Nothing wrong with giving formula if you want BUT I highly doubt you have a supply issue if you have been EBF this whole time.

I ebf-ed my son but when I went back to work I couldn't pump enough (I respond horribly to the pump) so we had to supplement formula while he was at daycare. I was okay with that but it was a downward spiral. I was thinking I could nurse at night/morning and be okay but I dried up. I honestly would not offer formula unless absolutely necessary if you want to keep breastfeeding. My son is 100% FF now and not because I wanted him to be.

I do realize my advice is tainted by my personal experience but I can't not let you know that any supplementing you do will negatively impact supply. You might make out okay mostly nursing him and only supplementing at night, especially if you are a SAHM but there will be a change in supply no matter what. It could just be minor though.

Good luck!

ETA all the wine has affected my reading comprehension. Giving formula on occasion will be fine (and nothing wrong with doing that). My advice above is more along the lines of if you want to give him formula regularly.

alohamel

I say to supplement with formula. It won't hurt!

BuggasMom

I would supplement and release stress you have made it 6 months EBF! That is fantastic! I think you deserve to be able to leave the house with no worries. And who knows maybe the added calories will help baby STTN.