night time formula feed??

[Butterfly Child]

Hey everyone, im having real problems with DD during the night ive decided im going to try a formula feed during her night time feed tonight to see if it helps her.im finding DD just wants to comfort feed and be attatched to me alll through the night and its just getting to much. i need sleep lol
i bought heinz karicare stage 1. im just hoping thats the right one. shes 4 1/2 months old. Any tips on how to make this work.. ive got a few avent bottles. and one tommy tipee one (which is best?) any advise would be great.

[~clover~]

Its all trial & error I think hun.
I'd try to get a bottle thats close in shape to the bb. You don't want trouble with nipple confusion.
It is probably just a stage. She might be going through a growth spurt or something. Therefore needing more feeds.
GL

[tattoo_mama]

hey hun i use the tommee tippee bottles from the chemist they have ones for people who both breast and bottlefeed and the teat is soft and shaped like a boob, and it has an anti colic valve to stop them sucking too much wind and getting upset tummy, GL

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

I wonder how you went with the formula? Sounds to me like your baby is a very normal 4.5mnth old. At this age, many mothers finnd their babies are just so engaged with the world. They just can't bare to settle down and have a feed during the day. So much new to see and do! They make up for it by feeding all night. In addition - they are more aware of the world around them- they miss their mum at night, and any sensible baby knows that when mum's nipple is in their mouth she aint going anywhere! Often it's not the food he wants - but the connection to mum. There are several approaches to dealing with this that don't involve formula and therefore jeopardise your breastfeeding relationship.
The bottle is often held out as a shining beacon to tired new mothers - just give the bottle and all your problems will be solved. Your baby will morph into a perfect creature - gurgling happily and sleeping 10 hours at night. It just doesn't work like that! Often the formula seems to work at first - but then baby works outthat a full tummy doesn't substitute for a mum's snuggle - and mums find themselves up warming bottles all night!
If you need any more information - get back to us.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Yep that formula will be fine. It never agreed with DD (shes now on s26) but u will find what one suits ur bub. The tommee tippee closer to nature bottles are great for combining breast and bottle.

[Butterfly Child]

Hi,

I wonder how you went with the formula? Sounds to me like your baby is a very normal 4.5mnth old. At this age, many mothers finnd their babies are just so engaged with the world. They just can't bare to settle down and have a feed during the day. So much new to see and do! They make up for it by feeding all night. In addition - they are more aware of the world around them- they miss their mum at night, and any sensible baby knows that when mum's nipple is in their mouth she aint going anywhere! Often it's not the food he wants - but the connection to mum. There are several approaches to dealing with this that don't involve formula and therefore jeopardise your breastfeeding relationship.
The bottle is often held out as a shining beacon to tired new mothers - just give the bottle and all your problems will be solved. Your baby will morph into a perfect creature - gurgling happily and sleeping 10 hours at night. It just doesn't work like that! Often the formula seems to work at first - but then baby works outthat a full tummy doesn't substitute for a mum's snuggle - and mums find themselves up warming bottles all night!
If you need any more information - get back to us.

Thanks barb,
i tried her with the bottle she took to it for a few minutes but then refused it and so a gave her the boob, she just continually wants to feed 3 hourly sometime less even through the night . she sleeps really well during the day but at night she just wants to be up and her reflux isnt helping things during the night especially wen she brings up everythign she drinks i just dont no what to do, especially being on my own , i feel like im running out of options as to what to do. the only way to get her to sleep at all during the night is for her to be in bed with me... thanks barb any suggestions would be great im thinking of maby going to a sleep school for a week or so to get into a better routine maby that might help what do you think?x

[MantaRay]

Emma, that sounds so tiring hun. How does it go when she sleeps in bed with you - does she still wake often? If you are getting more sleep that way, is it an option to co-sleep for now? Often mums find it really helps them get more sleep because even if the baby still wakes, they don't really have to wake up - baby can feed while you sleep.

How long as she been feeding so often in the night for? That is a common phase at this age, so with any luck it is only a temporary thing. How often is she feeding during the day? Sometimes if you can manage to squeeze an extra feed in during the day, that can help - maybe when she is sleepy or in the bath when she is relaxed you might have more luck with that. And a dream feed is another option if you are not already doing this.

Do you think any of these options might help?

[emmakate]

Hi Emma,

I went through the same thing when my girl was about the same age; she's 9 months now and really only started sleeping through at about 7 months but every now and then she wakes during the night and only way to get her back to sleep is to BF. I did the top up at night back then with formula thinking if she's full she'll sleep through, arrgghhhh but NO she never did, so I stopped formula feeding at night as a top up as in the end wasn't working and waste of money as we ere never using the tins within the 4 week period that it says on the tin. In the end she just settled and changed herself in her own time and we have gotten use to it that she'll do it when she's ready.
I hope all is going okay for you and it will change, it's just a waiting game.

Emma

[Heaven]

Hey emma. My DD, also named Grace, is a couple of wks older than yours and we've just been through the same thing. I think it's a developmental thing, she's prob growing and learning something new. DD learned to roll over! And now the last week it's over and she is sleeping much better. Last night she slept 6hrs straight. So I would just hang in there. It will be over soon

[MantaRay]

Oh, how cute Heaven! Yes, it does seem to happen as they are learning a new skill - rolling, sitting, crawling, standing etc. When they stir in the night, instead of falling back asleep they start practising their new skill. I think it's a part of the development process. Luckily it doesn't last too long!!

[Heaven]

I just imagine her waking in the night not getting back to sleep because she's thinking 'Ok tomorrow I'm going to do it, if I just lift my leg over like this I'll be able to roll, right...I'm going to try that as soon as I get up!'

[Butterfly Child]

Emma, that sounds so tiring hun. How does it go when she sleeps in bed with you - does she still wake often? If you are getting more sleep that way, is it an option to co-sleep for now? Often mums find it really helps them get more sleep because even if the baby still wakes, they don't really have to wake up - baby can feed while you sleep.

How long as she been feeding so often in the night for? That is a common phase at this age, so with any luck it is only a temporary thing. How often is she feeding during the day? Sometimes if you can manage to squeeze an extra feed in during the day, that can help - maybe when she is sleepy or in the bath when she is relaxed you might have more luck with that. And a dream feed is another option if you are not already doing this.

Do you think any of these options might help?

Thanks M R i feed her every 3 hours during the day too still ive been trying to stretch her out to 4 hourlyto see if that helps but she wont have a bar of it. its getting really frustrating she goes down in her bed (the bassinet still ) and i rock her a bit and she eventually falls to sleep but as soon as it hits around 6-7pm she just wont have a bar off it ..arghh lol so i give up and end up co -sleeping , which is really bad on my back (injury slipped disc from wen i gave birth to her) but at least i get some sleep she was going so good the last 2 weeks in her own bed. and the last week its just been a nightmare lol

[MantaRay]

Emma, hopefully this is just a set back for you with the night sleeping. It does happen from time to time, especially around the developmental milestones as we have mentioned. It's really up to you whether you want to persist with the bassinet or try co-sleeping. Moving her to a cot might be another option - sometimes babies start waking frequently when they are constantly touching the sides of the bassinet. If you decide to go with the co-sleeping, there might be some options that can help with your back, such as using a side car co-sleeper or other aid.

It sounds like you are doing well with the feeding times, so I am sure this will all fall into place soon for you. Hang in there hun, you are really doing a fantastic job.

[~clover~]

If you can handle it, it does sound like co sleeping would be helpful.
My DS fed 2 hourly for a loooong time. Still does when he's sick.
BM is made for bubbies tummy to easily digest, so it goes through quicker than FF. Thats why they 'seem' to sleep better on FF. Its sits in their bellies longer.
It does get easier! I promise

[Jellyfish]

My bub is a couple of weeks older than yours and she is feeding almost 2hrly during the day but will sleep a 6-8hr stretch overnight. Could it be an option to try feeding more frequently during the day so that she is getting the same amount of feeds in a 24hr period but more are done in your awake hours?

It is hard. Every time I start to feel like I have things under control, she changes on me!