Giving formula at night to BF baby....

[Jayneypops]

I have read a few things about the benefits of giving 1 formula feed at bedtime and am wondering if anyone here does this?
I can't remember which website it was but there was a study that found that it can help babies sleep longer as takes longer to digest than breast milk, so providing bf is well established it suggests it can be a good idea?

 

[Rachel_C]

Why would it be a good idea to trick your baby into sleeping longer? Formula doesn't contain more calories than breastmilk so your baby would be getting fewer calories overnight than she needs. I imagine formula fed babies must adjust to this (my oldest was FF and certainly didn't wake any less than her BF younger sister did!) but if baby is mostly BF I don't think the body would realise it was being tricked and baby would just go without the calories.

 

[luna_19]

Those night feeds are also so important for your supply and your milk is fattier at night so even though more sleep would be nice it is probably not what is best for either of you

 

[staralfur]

It had the opposite effect for my LO. It upset her tummy right before bed and she actually somehow slept less.

 

[summer rain]

There are other studies that suggest otherwise, and that mums who EBF may get less sleep in terms of hours in one stretch but it is better quality sleep as breastfeeding produces 'sleepy hormones' for mothers too. From personal experience I can tell you it didn't work for us (tried it with eldest). Also there are implications to giving formula on a daily basis, if given occasionally or as a one off the evidence is less clear-but definitely if given every day it can cause significant negative changes in the good bacteria in the digestive system, which could cause or contribute to allergies and health problems in the future xx

 

[Kelskiii]

I had to introduce formula due to LO losing weight, this bottle was given at nighttime no specific reason I just started giving it her on an evening. LO did not sleep for longer at first, she sometimes sleeps for 6hr stretches now. I set my alarm to pump milk during the night to keep up my supply. I am trying to wean LO off the formula bottle at present as she is starting to gain weight.

I was also advised by a lactation consultant to introduce some formula until LO was gaining weight as formula has more calories than breast milk.

 

[summer rain]

Formula doesn't contain more calories than breastmilk, it's the other way round..and the hindmilk may even contain considerably more, was this an IBCLC? As I find it hard to believe an IBCLC certified lactation consultant would suggest that.

https://kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/change-milkfat/

Formula has on average 67 calories per 100ml, breastmilk has 75 Xx

 

[Snowleopard79]

I introduced a bottle of formal at night as my LO suddenly starting feeding lots at night(going from just once a night. I was drained, exhausted and didn't feel my supply was keeping up with him, I never felt remotely ful!!! It has helped and he is back to one feed per night. I feel much better too.

Go what feels right for you xx

 

[Perplexed]

It works that way for some but not all people. My aunt started giving her bf baby a bottle of formula at night in hopes that she'd sleep more but she didn't. Depends on the baby really.

 

[susannah14]

Personally I think the "formula=fuller baby" thing is a myth.

To me, the drawbacks of introducing formula greatly outweigh any perceived chance of baby sleeping longer.

Are there any studies that claim formula helps babies sleep longer? I'm not sure but I don't think so. Personally, mine was sleeping in 7 hour stretches at 7 weeks and I wasn't giving formula. It's anecdotal though.