Feel so guilty

[Annahilditch]

My LO is a month tomorrow and we are really struggling with nights. She never goes longer than 2 hours between feeds even though she can go 3.5 hours in the day. The night before she fed every hour and last night she was up until 3. My husband works night so I really struggle with nights on my own. After speaking to some friends I decided to give her one formula bottle last night at 12 and even thought she didn't go to sleep till 3 she didn't feed again till 5:30. She had a 5 minute comfort feed on the breast at 1:00 but that was it. However I feel so guilty for giving her the bottle. I'm terrified she will get nipple confusion of my milk supply will diminish. do you think she's just going throight a growth spurt and I should perserve with EBF. I dread nights now. I'm not a great sleeper in the day and feel guilty about all the things that need doing in house and my poor little dog that gets no attention now. Sorry for the giant rant. I'm
Just so tired it all seems so gloomy at the moment

 

[Elmo5]

How do you handle the difference between day and night?

Do you have dimmed lights at night, very quiet? Bright in the day, and noisy? This can help them to distinguish the difference between the two.

Frequent feedings in the early days are common, but they do get much much better. They will go more frequent for a few days at a time due to growth spurts but normally revert back.

If you do use formula at night your supply will reduce as there will be no demand for it at that time of the day. Here is a link https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-sleep/ . Did you know breastmilk also contains hormones that peak at night to help your baby rest?

Also they do become much more efficient feeders as they get older - e.g less than 10mins.

Formula never gets quicker or easier at night!

 

[Elmo5]

Forgot to say forget about the housework and relax, it is such a short period of time in their life. Before you know it she will be trying to vacuum for you.

 

[J22]

Hi. I just want to say I totally understand your situation. My LO is now 3.5 months and although people kept telling me in the beginning that it'll get better, at the time I just couldn't see light at the end of the tunnel. BF is very demanding, but also very rewarding if you can stick at it. The first weeks bacame a haze as I was so exhausted, and I was feeding for maybe 45-60 mins each time at night and the pain was horrible for me for atleast the first 4 weeks, and I was at the point of giving up many times.
We did try a bottle at night to give me a break in the early days. it lasted a few weeks then she decided she hated it! So now it's all boob
It really does get better and yes, there are growth spurts which you just have to crack on and get through - they only last 2-3 days usually.
Just to make you feel better; my LO wasn't a good night sleeper and last night she went 6hrs, then 3hrs between feeds. There are ups and downs with feeding. I've done many nights with feeding every 2hrs but the feeds are much shorter now, she tends to feed no more than 10 mins at a time.
On the other hand, don't beat yourself up about it if you can't do it, but I just wanted you to know there is light at the end of a very gloomy tunnel at the beginning.
HUGS xxxx