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Jet Lag and Breastfeeding - Maybe Formula?

AnnaFlemingAnnaFleming
in Breastfeeding

I don't know what to do.  I made the HUGE MISTAKE of taking my 7.5 month old to France.  He had major jet lag on the way there and never slept well our whole 14 day trip.  (He woke up every 2-3 hours every single night.) 

Now we've returned to the US and will be with my inlaws in California for two weeks and then go to parents for three weeks.  He's now jet lagged on the way back and still waking every two hours. 

Because he is eating so much at night - I haven't been able to pump very much.  This means that I'm the one who feeds him during all the night feedings and I can't really do anything during the day. 

I'm so exhausted and don't know what to do.  I'm thinking about using formula.  However, my goal was really to breastfeed for one year and not use formula.

I'll feel like a real failure if I start using formula, but on the other hand I would rate my life as "miserable" right now.  I feel like it's my fault that he's having such a tough time now because I'm the one that took him to France.

What would you do?  Any words of advice or encouragement?

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Re: Jet Lag and Breastfeeding - Maybe Formula?

  • MamiJamMamiJam member

    Jet lag, just like with adults will pass with time.  Is he reverse cycling or waking every 2-3 hours day and night?  When he wakes at night, can you try to extend the length of time between nursing sessions from 2 to 4 hours, not nursing and just rocking him back to sleep.  I'd try slowly extending the time between nursing sessions until LO is STTN- if that's your goal.  Hang in there, if I was in your place, I wouldn't go the formula route- JMO.

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  • Lucky_N_LoveLucky_N_Love member
    First off don't feel like a failure if you end up having to use formula but I would not jump straight to that. I could be wrong but I would imagine it not being an easy transition to go cold turkey to formula so keep that in mind. My only advice is don't get frustrated but keep trying to get him on a more regular routine. This may offer a bit of help for you. Not sure if you are but when you are pumping try to do at the same time you are feedinf little one. Do it on the opposite breast so you can multi task a bit and give you more time with baby or to sleep. I does take some practice or assistance but it does make life a bit easier. Good Luck
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  • At1stsightAt1stsight
    You can do this! Like others said, jet lag is just a phase. It sounds to me like you were blessed with a good STTN and so doing every 2-3 hrs at night sounds so awful now. DS didn't STTN (one 4-5 hr stretch, followed by wakings every 2-3 hrs) until 6 mo and didn't sleep a full 9 hrs until 9 mo., so I wouldn't have batted much of an eye at getting up every 2-3 hrs at your stage. Hang in there - if he was a good sleeper before, he will return to that routine once he's had enough time back in the states. You can do it!
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