Advice please

[Caroline]

I am currently bf Kayleigh and i really don't wabt to stop, however she is a hungry baby. On a night she often feeds from 5,30 to /8.30, will sometimes sleep till 10, but may sometimes feed betwenn 8.30and 10. I change her for bed, then she will feed til about 1.30 am.

Sleeps for upto 3 hours, then feeds anything fom 2-2.5 hours. Sleeps 2-3 hours, wakes feed 1 hour sleeps 1 hour then is up for rest of day feeding for 30 mins every hour to 2 hours (max).

Due to fact i desparately need sleep i am thinking of giving her a bottle of formula about 11pm to see if it helps her sleep. (i had to do this with Alisha 'cos she fed 24/7) but i am having difficulty doing it cos i feel bad.

What would you do? Any suggestions? Do i keep going in the hope it will get better soon. She is 7 weeks and 4 days old, ticker wrong for some reason.

 

[Arcanegirl]

Cant really suggest anything for you but do what you think is best for your sanity and dont feel bad for putting yourself first.

 

[Jase]

I am currently bf Kayleigh and i really don't wabt to stop, however she is a hungry baby. On a night she often feeds from 5,30 to /8.30, will sometimes sleep till 10, but may sometimes feed betwenn 8.30and 10. I change her for bed, then she will feed til about 1.30 am.

Sleeps for upto 3 hours, then feeds anything fom 2-2.5 hours. Sleeps 2-3 hours, wakes feed 1 hour sleeps 1 hour then is up for rest of day feeding for 30 mins every hour to 2 hours (max).

Due to fact i desparately need sleep i am thinking of giving her a bottle of formula about 11pm to see if it helps her sleep. (i had to do this with Alisha 'cos she fed 24/7) but i am having difficulty doing it cos i feel bad.

What would you do? Any suggestions? Do i keep going in the hope it will get better soon. She is 7 weeks and 4 days old, ticker wrong for some reason.

its not a bad thing if she has a happier more alert mum, your doing whats best for your baby and if it works she will be more rested, its a win win

 

[bexxie]

Hi Caroline

Firstly you are doing well BF her and if you have to gove her a top up of formula dont feel bad this will make her feel fuller for longer and will gove you BOTH a bit more sleep and if you are rested this will be better for your milk supply too.

I am only doing two Bf a day and the rest formula and amelia is happy with that,it is down to what suits you both better,dont feel guilty if you give one bottle they advise it sometimes.

I think you are doing great.....just go with what feels right

 

[beanie]

Its up to you hun. The only issue could be that it might affect your milk supply especially if she is going through a growth spurt. Formula doesn't always mean more sleep, it never worked for Seren sadly

However if you feel it would help you then go for it, at the end of the day you know what is best for you. It really does sound like growth spurt - these can last a while, but she is getting to the stage where things should start to settle down soon. If you do decide to use formula I would recoommend letting her feed off you first and then give he the formula, so you are still making milk, or express instead. And I definately wouldn't feel guilty!!

 

[Caroline]

its the length she feeds during the night thats killing me, i'm was hoping that she might not feed for so long during the night, maybe an hour rather than 2 hours+.

I gave in last night, after feeding her for 4.5 hours solid, i gave her a bottle, she took a full 4oz, then i fed her for another hour.

She slept from 1am- 7am, fed for 45mins then slept for another 1.5 hour.

I'm glad i did it now 'cos i actually human this morning, and much more tolerant of the other 2.

Will see how she goes tonight, but if she has long feed in evening i'll give another bottle and feel so bad.

Thank you everyone for your comments, it really helped.

 

[Kina]

Don't feel bad, you got a load of EBM off so give her that instead of the formula!

 

[Caroline]

well i froze the EBM in the morning lol, but i did give her a bottle again lat night, however it made no difference last night, she woke after 4 hours for a feed, no problem thought would just be a quick feed then back to bed, it was her uual 2 hour feed, so not sure if i'll bother tonight. All the time she has a bottle, she looks at me as if to say whats happening!

 

[rusks]

ah bless i do sympathise. i sometimes feel as though i will never have a good night sleep again.

you must do whatever is best for you and don't feel guilty for giving a bottle. i expressed for 5 weeks and it made me miserable and i spent less time with luke, when i went onto formula i was much happier and therefore so was luke. you have given your little one an excellent start, well done.

 

[Caroline]

i don't think i'll bother with the bottle tonight it made no diff last night. She did bring a fair amount back tho. I might try it earlier tonite otherwise, i'm not sure. gonna play it by ear, normally she munching, but at the mo, sat on my knee having a good nosey about.