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Question for BFers - Formula before bed?

1stMate1stMate
in Parenting after a Loss
If you're a BFer, have you tried giving your LO formula before bed to help them sleep longer?  I'm considering this but I don't know if it's a step in the wrong direction.  Like, what if starting to give formula is a slippery slope?  I really want to BF for the whole first year, but he's still waking up every 2.5-3 hours at night.  I keep reading about babies sleeping 6 hours at a time!  Where do I get one of those babies?!
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Re: Question for BFers - Formula before bed?

  • chris21chris21

    I am a EPer and would need to use formula to supplement b/c I wasn't pumping enough to keep up with him..anyway I tried the formula before bed and my results were the same as if I gave him EBM..  so it didn't work for me.

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  • chikinyellowchikinyellow member

    We have started giving DS a bottle of pumped BM (about 3-3.5 oz) before bed.  He is out like a light and sleeps for 5 hours at once.  He then does a 2 1/2 hour stretch and a 2 hour stretch.

    If you don't want to do that, can you clusterfeed before bedtime?

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  • sdkrlmsdkrlm

    You shouldn't have to - your baby is only 2 1/2 months old - I wouldn't expect a baby to STTN at that young of an age.

    Avery will get up around 3-4 to nurse and go back to sleep.  

    I would not feed formula at night just to get your baby to STTN. 

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  • 1stMate1stMate
    I'm not looking for him to STTN, just sleep for 4 hours maybe?  You know, we used to give a bottle of BM before bed but we stopped when his reflux troubles started.  I think we'll go back to that this weekend and see if it helps.  Thanks!
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  • sdkrlmsdkrlm
    try cluster feeding at night (not sure if his reflux might be an issue with this) but Avery went through stages where she would feed every 30 minutes from 6-9 pm - frustrating, yes but it would help her sleep and it kept my milk supply up
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  • ll3414ll3414 member
    imagesdkrlm:

    You shouldn't have to - your baby is only 2 1/2 months old - I wouldn't expect a baby to STTN at that young of an age.

    Avery will get up around 3-4 to nurse and go back to sleep.  

    I would not feed formula at night just to get your baby to STTN. 

    I agree.  Also, any time you start supplementing with formula, you run the risk of your supply diminishing as well.  Hang in there - it will happen sooner than you think all on its own. (((HUGS)))

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  • mrs_ross07mrs_ross07
    I'll admit it, I've tried it. It doesn't work. I've also tried cereal in BM, didn't work either. I figure, he'll sleep when he's ready.
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  • summerbridesarasummerbridesara member
    I EBF for the first 2.5 months and then we started introducing formula for the bedtime feeding.  It was at that point that DD started STTN.  We eventually switched over to all FF.  That is just my experience though.
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  • yellowcaryellowcar
    We did it with DD and she slept through the night.  I have resisted doing it with DS to see if there was a difference.  He also sleeps through the night having BM before bed.  So for me, it did not make any difference, DD probably would have been STTN even w/o the formula.  I sort of wish that I hadn't started it with her, because any money you can save not buying formula is great.  Plus, I didn't keep up with pumping at the same time as she was getting that bottle, so my supply went down.  Once you lose a feeding, it is hard to get it back.
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  • sdkrlmsdkrlm

    here is an article on whether or not you should/shouldn't supplement with formula - https://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-sleep.html

    kelly mom is a very pro-BFing website - so it's definitely biased but it's really good information.

     

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  • valkazvalkaz

    Formula does not make them sleep longer.  It will only mess up your supply.

    Babies need to eat.  My DD didn't stop the overnight feeding until she was around 6 months old.

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  • dr.girlfrienddr.girlfriend
    If it helps, it's just in the last two weeks that Kiran started doing a 4-hour stretch, followed by two three-hour stretches, and then a 4-hour, 4-hour, and 3-hour night, and then a 5-hour, 3-hour, 3-hour night. ?We got 5 hours and 15 minutes the other night, it was so exciting! ?He's exclusively breast fed, so I think it happens when they're ready. ?I also asked the pediatrician about a formula feed at night and he said it was unlikely to help him sleep longer and would probably just give him more gas at night (he has big gas problems). ?I definitely sympathize, I'm waiting anxiously for those 6-hour stretches too! ?They are supposed to go 4 - 6 hours when they hit 13 or 14 pounds, and Kiran is just about that now.
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  • dr.girlfrienddr.girlfriend
    Oh, one thing I would recommend is making sure he's really done with nighttime feedings. ?Kiran will often stop and act done like he does during the day, but then when I offer the other breast he eats a whole lot more.
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