Why is this? re: BF vs. bottle

JJ&BB1146

I'm EBF my DD. We decided to try & introduce a bottle so DH could feed her and we've been trying to do one bottle every night or every other night or so. On the nights when he's feeding her, I go pump and basically am making a bottle for the next night. However, I've noticed that on the nights that she gets a bottle before bed, she sleeps longer stretches (as in, about 6 hours!) than she does if I BF her before bed. Why is this? If the bottle he's giving her has the same amount in it as what I'm pumping at the same time, I don't get it. And with the bottle, there's a set amount, but with me, I just let her nurse until she pulls off. Please explain.....and GO!

CollieJade

Just because you're pumping the same amount as what you're giving her in the bottle, that doesn't necessarily mean that that is how much she's eating when you nurse her.  It could be that some of her night nursing before bed is comfort nursing and she doesn't get as much as when you bottle feed her, so she is getting fuller.  Generally babies eat more when they're fed from a bottle than when they nurse.  It's just the nature of the bottle.

 

carlinlp

Ditto CJ.  Bottles also flow faster so she is getting fuller faster.  Nursing is more "work" for baby.

JJ&BB1146

CollieJade:

Just because you're pumping the same amount as what you're giving her in the bottle, that doesn't necessarily mean that that is how much she's eating when you nurse her.  It could be that some of her night nursing before bed is comfort nursing and she doesn't get as much as when you bottle feed her, so she is getting fuller.  Generally babies eat more when they're fed from a bottle than when they nurse.  It's just the nature of the bottle.

So does that mean that if I want to get any sleep I need to always feed her a bottle before bed? Or will this just create a bad habit around only being able to sleep on an extra full tummy??

KittyFX

I think I've read that this creates a bad habit and also that a bottle before bed can cause tooth decay later. Of course we did the bottle before bed routine and still do.

heybabe

Ditto CJ. We noticed same thing when we had a babysitter (ie bottle) - longer stretch of sleep. It's easier to eat from bottle & nothing says snooze like a warm mommy boob. I think DS falls asleep faster at the breast than with bottle that 'makes' him swallow. 

CollieJade

I guess it all depends on how well nursing is going.  If you feel like you can give her a bottle before bed and not derail any of your nursing plans, then I don't think it's a problem. I really don't believe in creating "bad habits" at her age.  Especially if you alternate every other night.

FYI, it's putting the baby to bed with a bottle propped in their mouth that can cause tooth decay, NOT giving them a bottle before bed.  If that were true, then there would be billions of formula fed babies with bad teeth everywhere...