Intro'ing formula to get more sleep?

kgail11

DD is very inconsistent w/her nighttime sleep stretches. (I know, normal!) She has gone 6 hours max. Some nights are 2 four-hour stretches.. some are up every 2-3 and some she goes a five hour followed by a four hour.

I HATE to compare, but I cannot help it..  my son was doing 7 hours at 7 week, and 8 at 8 weeks. He had formula at night. I just wonder if I did her a half breastmilk half formula bottle at bedtime would tank her up a bit more. She's never had a drop of formula, so it DOES make me nervous (tummy issues), but man I'd do anything for longer sleep right now. (And I am NOT a formula hater at all - despite the fact that I EBF)  Thoughts?

MissLadyTay

When baby boy wasn't sleeping as well, I asked my pediatrician if giving him some formula would help him sleep longer. She said no. Only time and his own development will help him sleep longer stretches. Now, I'm sure someone else on here has a pedi who said the opposite, but the way my pedi explained it made sense. Good luck!

SwissMs99

I didn't ask my pedi but from personal experience...it doesn't matter for Violet. Some nights I do 2oz of formula and bf her after that...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll just bf before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll do 4oz of formula before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours.

(For a hot minute, she did sleep 7 or 8 hours, but she's back to max of 6).

kgail11

SwissMs99:

I didn't ask my pedi but from personal experience...it doesn't matter for Violet. Some nights I do 2oz of formula and bf her after that...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll just bf before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll do 4oz of formula before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours.

(For a hot minute, she did sleep 7 or 8 hours, but she's back to max of 6).

SHOOT! I'd take consistent 6 hour stretches any day!!!!

SwissMs99

kgail11:

SwissMs99:

I didn't ask my pedi but from personal experience...it doesn't matter for Violet. Some nights I do 2oz of formula and bf her after that...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll just bf before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours. I'll do 4oz of formula before bed...she'll sleep 6 hours.

(For a hot minute, she did sleep 7 or 8 hours, but she's back to max of 6).

SHOOT! I'd take consistent 6 hour stretches any day!!!!

True - it was 8 hours...and sometimes 9...not sure what I'm doing wrong now.

BLM10

it's not a sure-fire way to make baby sleep more but if you feel you must, go for it. but lots of older, ff babies still wake more often than yours.

RunningGal900

MissLadyTay:

When baby boy wasn't sleeping as well, I asked my pediatrician if giving him some formula would help him sleep longer. She said no. Only time and his own development will help him sleep longer stretches. Now, I'm sure someone else on here has a pedi who said the opposite, but the way my pedi explained it made sense. Good luck!

This. Per Kellymom.com, feeding formula at night to help with sleep is an OWT.

https://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-sleep.html 

cynnnabun

IDK. I think it's hit or miss. I think alot of things people say are OWT do work for a lot of people.

 I know alot of people who do formula before bed to get longer stretches.

I do cereal before bed and she sleeps 10-12 hours every night. People say the cereal thing isn't true but she went from 6 hours, to 8 hours (for the first 2 nights) to 10-12 all the time. So, it worked for us.