Formula just a night?

Brittlamarche · May 2014

My LO is 8 weeks old and still up every 2 hours like clockwork to eat. To say I'm exhausted is an under statement. The dr said we can try some rice cereal before bed but that is just going to constipate him. I have also tried a noise machine and it didn't work. Now I'm considering just giving him formula for night time so hopefully he will stay full longer. I don't want to fully switch him to formula but I am loosing my mind. Any tips are appreciated.

babym6705 · May 2014

Have you tried a paci yet? Maybe he is just comfort sucking?

TheBorg7of9 · May 2014

With my boys, they slept better when I made sure to feed them often during the day. Waking them up from naps to feed them every 2.5 hours if necessary.

Brittlamarche · May 2014

He isn't too big on the paci. I have tried different ones and found one he will take but he just isn't a big paci guy. He eats every 2-3 hours during the day currently.

lilies&orchids · May 2014

Are you swaddling? I think it was around that time that we started swaddling again - there was a brief period of time where he hated it. He resisted it, but then slept so much better.

As for the formula, my BF son sleeps way better than my FF son ever did, so I personally would not count on that. Like PPs said, formula can cause tummy issues and has no guarantee of increasing nighttime sleep. You run the risk of now mixing bottles every 2 hours vs pulling your boob out. Plus, if you are giving formula, you would need to pump during that feed to keep your supply up.

Hopefully a paci or swaddle will help! Or pumping like theresat858 said so that you can get a stretch of sleep. Good luck!!

Brittlamarche · May 2014

I'm trying so hard to stay positive and stick with the BFing. My first son was BF until about 5-6 weeks and then I gave up and went to formula and it made things easier.. Not gonna lie. But I don't want to give up this time. Hopefully he will take a turn at 10 weeks and get better. I haven't tried swaddling but I will. I live in az and we keep the house at about 78. Would you swaddle with long pant and long sleeve pajamas or just a onesie?

Brittlamarche · May 2014

Ok I'll try it. Thank you!

mommatotwo2 · May 2014

Everyone else has given great advice, and I just wanted to add, Hang in There, you can do it Momma!! My Mantra for every tough day of this past 11.5 months was the best advice I ever received on this board- "Never Quit on a Bad Day". Every day it gets easier and your long term goal (whatever it may be) will seem more achievable!

lilies&orchids · May 2014

Yes, just a onesie or diaper at that temp. We used halo sleep sacks with the Velcro swaddle or swaddlemes.

TheAnalyticalMommy · May 2014

I second having dad help at night. My husband would take a shift at night and even though I'd still wake up to pump while he was feeding the baby (I only did it at the same time because i'd be engorged), I would be able to close my eyes while pumping, and then put everything away before my husband was done with the baby. My LO would take about an hour to feed and put back to sleep vs 15 minutes pumping...

SunflowersBride · May 2014

I bedshare with my DS and it makes nighttime feedings really easy. I believe he's going through the 4 month sleep regression, so he has been up to nurse every 2 hours the last couple of nights, but I haven't felt overly tired because I just get him latched and go back to sleep.

CNYBride05 · May 2014

Um, my girls are 9 MONTHS old and still waking every 2 hrs... This is life with a baby. We were supplementing for a while for other reasons and whether they had formula or BM, their sleep was no different.

Brittlamarche · May 2014

I tried the swaddling last night and it seemed to help! Between that and the noise machine (not sure which he liked or if it was both) he slept for about 2.5 hours at a time. So not a ton more but it did make a little difference! Hopefully we are on the headed in the right direction!

map94612 · May 2014

I have a 6 week old and he is usually up every 2-3 hours as well. We started to give him a bottle of breast milk before bed every night. When doing this, we make sure he is full- basically he will start to refuse the bottle. Sometimes we have to warm up an ounce at a time until he gets there. This wasn't a miracle solution by any means, but it has given us some 4, 5, and even 6 hour stretches sometimes. When I was home with him, I also tried to feed him every 2 hours unless he was sleeping.

We also use the swaddle. He sleeps best with the swaddle so he doesn't wake himself up with his hands.

BootsOrHearts · May 2014

I don't know a single 8 week old who sleeps through the night.

My little guy starting waking up once a night at 3 months and STTN at 4 months and he gets only breast milk, no formula.

All babies are different unfortunately some sleep better than others, it has nothing to do with BM or FF or rice cereal, sorry but there's no quick fix except to try and nap during the day when baby naps!

Brittlamarche · May 2014

I don't expect him to sleep through the night right now. I just want him to go like 3 hours instead of 2. I also considered switching for formula bc my first baby was formula and slept wonderfully. I know every baby is different but I was/am desperate. I am sticking with it tho and don't plan on switching to formula any time soon. We have made it to 2 months so my next goal is 3 months. Trying to stay positive

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