Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Babies: 0 - 3 Months
New Discussion

Feeding Formula at night to BF baby

Sept9th05Sept9th05
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Has anyone tried this? I have been BFing since day one and have been doing well, Supply is fine, pumping at work has been going well too. My DD is 12 weeks and gets up 2-3 times per night which is just exhausting when having to get up early for work too, I just need more sleep!! (Which I am sure all of you can relate too : ) I am thinking of feeding her formula at night so she may possibly sleep longer intervals. Anyone try this or have any advice for me? I would still pump to keep supply up and I gave her 1/2 milk and 1/2 formula tonight before bed and she drank it very well. I just need to sleep...

Thanks!

Kathleen

Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers
Lilypie First Birthday tickers
Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
Report Reply to Post

Re: Feeding Formula at night to BF baby

  • jonnygurl76jonnygurl76 member
    i don't understand why you would make extra work for yourself--formula fed babies don't sleep longer or better than BF babies, that is a myth.  the only way you will get more sleep is if your DH/SO feeds LO a bottle and you sleep through the feeding--which will cause engorgement and affect your supply.  getting up to pump kind of defeats the purpose of getting more sleep...
    photo IMG_3757_zps3e266e57.jpg Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker "Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight." - Johnny Cash
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • CurbsideProphetCurbsideProphet
    Can DH give her a bottle of BM so you can get a longer stretch of sleep? Have you tried feeding her right before you go to bed? I would not add formula unless directed to by a pedi for some medical reason. 
    imageimage
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • DawnJM25DawnJM25 member

    I EP but I have to supplement with formula for 2 bottles per day.  We do one in the afternoon and one at night so DH can do one night feeding.  I've experimented with times, etc., and LO does not sleep any longer with formula or BM- he still gets up after exactly the same amount of time.  You could always experiment if you want to, but even when I supplement with formula I still pump to keep my supply the same (it's a little low anyway, so I don't want to push it!)

     

    Report Reply
  • andthatmakes4andthatmakes4 member
    It still seems like a lot of work for you since you are going to have to get to pump.  I supplement with formula on occasion and my daughter sleeps longer after having formula rather than my breast milk.  From what I've read and heard its because the formula takes longer for babies to digest therefore satisfying them slightly longer than breast milk.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker imageimage
    Report Reply
  • OUKapOUKap member
    Sometimes it is easier if H gives a bottle of BM in the early morning. I also pump but I find it less stressful since H handles the feeding, diaper, putting her back to bed.
    DS 7/6/09
    DD 9/4/11
    EDD 9/1/15
    Report Reply
  • Sept9th05Sept9th05

    DH will get up to give a bottle of BM if needed, I think getting up to pump is WAY easier than getting up to nurse (bc then i deal with diapers, screaming child, etc...) nursing takes longer and pumping takes 15min and I dont really need to pay attention to what I am doing. I have heard that BM gets digested withing 2hrs and Formula takes longer to digest so they dont get hungry as quickly..... I guess I will see how tonight goes... thanks!

    And I dont see why I would have to call a pediatrician to add formula into the mix?

     

    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
    Report Reply
  • OUKapOUKap member
    LO is up to sleeping 5 hours at night and she is bf, so it doesn't matter how long it takes to digest it.
    DS 7/6/09
    DD 9/4/11
    EDD 9/1/15
    Report Reply
  • pete0121pete0121 member
    My DD has some medical problems and she's very little and needs to gain weight and my supply is not that great.  I FF 3 bottles over night and she does not sleep any longer than when I BF her over night.  But, I will say that FF is easier at night than BF and if that what works best for you...then do it!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • lanboblanbob member
    I did breast milk with cearal starting @ 8weeks with my 2 oldest and just waiting two more weekz for our new Lil Man to start.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • CurbsideProphetCurbsideProphet
    I was not saying you should ask your pedi about it. I was just saying I would not use formula unless there was a medical reason to do so.
    imageimage
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Phil413Phil413 member
    DD is EBF except for the last nighttime feeding. In our experience, she started STTN at 7 weeks. This may be a coincidence, but I know she slept better and longer as soon as we started supplementing this last feeding. DH feeds her and puts her to bed while I pump so as not to skip this feeding, and she sleeps longer stretches than if I had BF her. It works beautifully. I recommend it!
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • wenbowwenbow
    My DH has breast envy, so we had been doing this since day one until very recently.  DH loves to give him a bottle, and I wasn't pumping, so we feed similac advanced like they had given us in the hospital.  It seems to be just fine, except he spits up worse from the formula which eventually can cause waking just to change sleeper.  DH got that under control, though.  Now that DH is back at work fulltime, I get up and breastfeed, and we only give formula if he's hungry and I'm fresh out of breastmilk.  I think I need some breastfeeding tea.  Does anyone know a good one?
    EDD 9/01/11

    my nursery progress

    image

    Report Reply
  • Bridezilla to beBridezilla to be

    imagelmlorenz12:
    It still seems like a lot of work for you since you are going to have to get to pump.  I supplement with formula on occasion and my daughter sleeps longer after having formula rather than my breast milk.  From what I've read and heard its because the formula takes longer for babies to digest therefore satisfying them slightly longer than breast milk.

     

    this.....its your baby, and you need to do what you need to do. FF babies DEFINITELY sleep longer than BF babies. Its not a science, or anything but for the most part it is true. Try it. You need to do what you need to do to survive! Haha, and to get sleep. Good luck to you :) keep us posted.

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker image. image. image
    Report Reply
  • Bridezilla to beBridezilla to be
    and you do not need to ask a pediatrician in order to give formula. If you need to supplement, just go ahead and do it. it cant hurt to try!!!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker image. image. image
    Report Reply
  • kar5162kar5162 member

    Honestly, some babies sleep and some don't.  DS was EBF and slept 10.5-12 hours straight at 3 months (6 weeks adjusted since he was a preemie).  DD is 5.5 weeks and sleeps up to 10 hours straight and is also EBF.  I was FF and slept 8 hours straight at 10 days and was sleeping from 8-8 solid at 6 weeks.  Our friend's son was FF and woke up at least once a night to eat until he was ~9 months and still woke at least twice a night until closer to 13-14 months.

    My guess is it has nothing to do BF or FF - some kids are good sleepers, some are not.  With being back to work, it's more commong that the babies wake overnight - they want more time with mommy/daddy.

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"