Does formula real help a baby sleep longer? Can't do this anymore.

[kwills55]

I need help. Has anyone swapped from bf to ff at an older age (2 months+)?
My LO is such a good baby, doesn't cry unless there is a reason and is generally a really happy little thing, but I am exclusively bf her (and my oh gives her a bottle of my expressed milk in the evening) and I just can't do it anymore.
She is 3 months old and still feeds 2-3 hourly day and night. Most of the time it is 2 hourly in the day and 2.5-3 at night. I am just so exhausted.
I know babies feed often to start with but we're 3 months in and I feel like I still have a newborn!

I have plenty of milk and can express 125ml from one side no problem, she takes about 110ml at her bedtime bottle which isn't bad for her weight as she is 4.8kg (10lb 12) so I just don't know why she feeds so often!

Just wondered if anyone else has done this and whether it worked... I really really don't want to give up bf but if I can ff her overnight just to get more sleep I feel like I have no other option right now. Just want to cry with exhaustion

 

[Springflower]

Oh lovey, its so hard I know. I started combi feeding at 3 months, my lo just never stopped feeding. I was exhausted and couldn't care properly for my other lo and i was starting to feel resentment.

What I do is bf through the night and during the day mostly start every feed with a bf and then switch to ff. I am 100 times happier and my lo is just as content. In fact I suspect she is happier as she actually sleeps now.

Yes I really wanted to bf completely but it didn't work out that way. I was determined to get to 6 months and then switch but she's 5.5months now and I very happy to continue as we are. I think its important to find what works for you.

X

 

[Springflower]

Also don't make any decisions when you are exhausted. Have a cuppa and a think. You don't want to make changes and regret them.

 

[shanny]

perhaps try it !! my baby has the odd bottle every now and then (expressing taking too long)

i still bf most of time it has had no diverse affect on either of us - just a bit more time 1/2 a week

not convinced it fills him up anymore.................

 

[Lawgirl]

My LO did something similar. As it got to the afternoon, the time between feeds got shorter and shorter until she had drained all my milk. Despite the advice that my milk would adjust, it never did, so I would have a hungry fretful baby by early evening. Now she has one, sometimes two formula bottles in the evening.

Formula doesn't necessarily make them sleep longer. Last night she had 5 oz at 7.30pm and was screaming for another feed at 10pm. admittedly, she then went until 3.30am, but I think that is more her learning to sttn, rather than the formula itself.

 

[kwills55]

I'm pretty sure there is milk left because I get 125ml from expressing when oh is giving her the evening bottle, and in the night after she's fed I often hand express a bit for comfort as I seem to produce far more than she takes at night and I get another 60-80ml... Just don't know why she won't take more feed and sleep longer. She's a big girl now!!

Think we're going to try half my milk and half formula in the bottle tonight and see if it makes any difference. Xxx

 

[Dragonfly]

The ingredients in your breast milk help your baby sleep and you too.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/...-breast-milk-helps-babies-sleep-at-night.html
https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/prac...-/10086265/breastmilk-confirmed-as-sleep-aid/

 

[Piper84]

Formula will fill up your baby's stomach for a length of time that is usually longer than BM does, AFAIK

 

[LegoHouse]

I must constantly have morning breastmilk because my son never sleeps lol

He honestly still sleeps like a newborn, but I've never really suffered with it until I found out I was pregnant again. Now I am shattered lol

 

[summer rain]

In my experience it doesn't work. With my eldest when giving him formula I may as well have given him red bull, and he wouldn't sleep at all until he had got the formula completely out of his system. As dragonfly has posted links about, BF gives better quality sleep overall. By all means try formula but research potential effects on gut flora first, as the general opinion is that it takes 2-3 weeks after giving a single bottle of formula for the guy flora to go back to as it was before, if you're giving formula on a daily basis the gut flora will not have any chance to return to normal. Opinions on the health implications of this vary but it's important to look into it so you don't regret anything later. Good luck! Xx

 

[LegoHouse]

I really should have added that my daughter was on formula top ups for 2 months and it didn't make a shred of difference other than making her upset because she had tummy ache x

 

[ttc bubby no2]

I haven't ever used formula but just wanted to say that feeding through the night 2-3 hourly (or more) is still normal at that age. It is very exhausting and hard but it does eventually get better.

Have you tried co-sleeping? I think that is what helped me get through the 2nd time a bit easier as I slept and fed. Since you have just the one (I assume) you can try to nap in the day too if you get a chance.

 

[Piper84]

Bedsharing is also an option. If done safely it is a godsend for feeding. I think my 4 mo wakes 2-3 times a night to feed, but I barely notice as I just have to shuffle towards her and feed her and we go back to sleep.

 

[aliss]

My BF baby sleeps much better than my formula baby AND I don't have to get up and make bottles at night.

Bottles can make a bad sleeper worse.

 

[kwills55]

Has anyone got any tips for bed sharing/co sleeping then? I'm getting the impression this so quite normal and it is me not coping with it rather than anything she is doing wrong. I'm scared that I am going to get pnd because the lack of sleep is making me really emotional I need coping mechanisms.

I have tried napping in the day but she only naps for 30 mins max in the day so by the time I got to bed and asleep it would be time to wake up!

 

[Piper84]

Has anyone got any tips for bed sharing/co sleeping then? I'm getting the impression this so quite normal and it is me not coping with it rather than anything she is doing wrong. I'm scared that I am going to get pnd because the lack of sleep is making me really emotional I need coping mechanisms.

I have tried napping in the day but she only naps for 30 mins max in the day so by the time I got to bed and asleep it would be time to wake up!

LO#2 has a BabyBay (https://cdn.hans-natur.de/images/ba...asiert_0_0087ea9860cfeed87ecbcdf19b7c0ad7.jpg) but with LO#1 I just had him in bed next to me on the outside (not in the middle), arranged so he couldn't fall out. I used one, flat pillow and had the duvet over my waist and LO#1 on duvet, me with a long-sleeved pyjama top and LO#1 in a sleeping bag. I can't think of any other details but there are some great resources online.

 

[snowfia]

I would recommend bed sharing if you're up for it. I was hardly ever tired when DD was younger as I didn't have to get up in the night to feed her. Also, bed share for naps if you can. If you're tired and she's going to have a nap, lie down with her on your bed and she might sleep longer being next to you both at night and for naps

 

[kwills55]

Ok thanks everyone, will google it and see if I can make it work. Might move into the spare room so I have more space as I'm a bit worried LO might manage to wriggle off! She's rather active.
Would love a co sleeper but can't really afford one. Thanks for your suggestions! Xxx

 

[Piper84]

You may be able to get hold of one cheap second hand. It's what we did and they're easy to clean.

LO#2 definitely sleeps longer with me next to her and LO#1 was the same.

 

[NurseSooz]

I tried giving my EBF daughter a bottle of formula to deliberately try and make her sleep longer. She still woke at her usual times to feed!