Should I or shouldn't I?

[stacie-leigh]

Hi everybody, I hope you're all okay.

I am just looking for a little advise really. I had my baby girl on January 16th and I have been exclusively breastfeeding. My baby girl, Keira, seems to have her days and nights completely the wrong way around, like any other baby I imagine. The problem is that Keira is wanting to feed all night, from midnight until 6am we are awake. She seems to feed for 10 minutes then fall to sleep, so I wind her then put her back in her Moses basket and she wakes up a few minutes later crying for more food. This cycle happens about 6 times during the night. So I was thinking of giving her some formula milk before bed. Am I wrong to do this? I don't think my husband is keen on the idea but I'm not very well and could really do with some sleep.

Any advise is appreciated

 

[CeriB]

I don't think it is advisable to give a bottle so early on if you are hoping to exculsively BF as it may cause confusion. Also, my HV said that formula is not more filling than BM its just harder to digest.

Erin had no concept of night-time for at least the first 2wks, even after that I don't think she really gets it. It is a lot better now though! She 'sleeps' from 10.30-2, wakes for a feed, then, say, 2.30-5.30, wakes for a feed, then 6-8.30 (these times are all ish and never the same!).

I don't think you can hope for more at this stage. Just go with it and maybe take it turns between you and OH so you can get some sleep. Does she have long between feeds? Try tickling her feet or lightly blowing in her face to wake her if she falls asleep whilst feeding. You can also try stripping her down to her nappy or changing her to wake her up a little bit.

Its ultimatley your decision though - HTH

 

[littlepne]

How does she feed during the day? You could try to feed more often during the day, I had to wake LO to feed sometimes after 3 hours. Also, at night time I'd feed her in a darkened, quiet room.

As PP said, try to keep her awake during feeds - I was also advised to strip her to her vest and change her if she fell asleep. Eventually it would get almost impossible to keep her awake so then I'd let her sleep.

Another thing you could try if she starts around midnight each night, is trying to pre-empt it - get some sleep in the evening and try waking her earlier to start feeding. You could do it slightly earlier each night to try and bring it to a bit better time for you.

I was told offering formula may not always make them sleep better, and my sister told me a story from when her DD was tiny, she'd fed all night and still wasn't happy - so they tried topping up with some formula and she threw it all up (all over the bed!). It may work - there's nothing wrong with trying.

Don't know if I've been any help but

PS: Congrats on a birthday baby! I started contractions on my birthday - she wasn't born till 3 days later though!

 

[barbarap]

had similar scenario myself.
if i was you i would wait until the baby is weighed and see how she's doing on your milk only.
my little girl lost over 10% in the first week, I introduced formula as a top up and she's been gaining weight steadily and is a much happier child.

 

[Tacey]

Would you consider cosleeping? It makes the whole night feeding thing far less of an issue. I don't think I'd be breastfeeding now if we hadn't started.

 

[mamaofthree]

Would you consider cosleeping? It makes the whole night feeding thing far less of an issue. I don't think I'd be breastfeeding now if we hadn't started.

Ditto! This was what i was about to say... so long as you change duvet to sheets and remove pillows and dangers co sleeping is great, and in other countries where they co-sleep they don't have the problems we do with sleep deprivation. Also, baby and mum co regulate body tempretures so baby is infact less likely to over heat. Illness, alcohol, and drugs are a no no...and your baby must not be a prem/low birth weight infant. Look up the fsids info, but i'm sure you'l find there are many benefits with co-sleeping....of course everyone is different.

x x x x

 

[iHeartbaby#1]

I had problems with my milk supply so i started supplementing formula when LO turned a week old. He was also given a pacifier his second day in the hospital because he loved using my boob as one so much.

My baby has been on two different bottle nipples and two different pacifier nipples plus breast and i haven't had ANY problems with nipple confusion. He's a little under a month old too, so I was beginning to wonder if nipple confusion was a myth haha. I suppose every baby is different though so it's up to you if you wanna risk it.

 

[stacie-leigh]

Thank you for your replies everybody. I have been having a think about the whole situation and I think I may attempt to express my own milk so that my husband can feed Keira too. I think I could end up continuing to express so that we can share feeding time

 

[littleblonde]

Formula feed babys have the exact same issue with days and night mixed up. 1st i think you should sort out the days and night. Make days bright and noisey, play lots and talk lots. Then nighttimes boring and dark, no eye contact. try and stary upstaits. They soon get that night times are boring and day times are fun. you could try feeding more during the day.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I had this situation in the very early weeks - exactly the same - up from 12 til 6 just constantly feeding!

There is nothing wrong with trying a bottle, it may well help, we tried it and what it did was make the cycle carry on for longer for the constant cluster feeding, because she was trying to up my supply.

Eventually I just pushed through and rode it out and finally my supply was enough to keep her happy and we started to get more sleep. I think at this early stage most babies have no idea if it is day or night, doesnt make it any easier for you though at 4am!

You are doing a fantastic job

 

[venusrockstar]

It is not a good idea to introduce a bottle before 6-8 weeks and breastfeeding is well established because it can have an effect on your milk supply.

It is normal for babies to cluster feed more at night.

If you can, try keeping your baby awake. Tickle their feet, set them down on a cold hard surface, change their diaper, use a cold wet washcloth and touch their back with it....that way they are doing the "snacking" and take in more milk before they get sleepy.

 

[jess_smurf]

your coming out of a growth spurt give it a day or two and it will calm down i would also try and get a night time routine bath feed bed x