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nothing against mums who formula feed so please no comments regarding formula v's breastfeeding please.
DD is feeding around 3 times a night , DH wants me to try giving her formula for the last feed to see if she'll sleep longer, but i cant do it :( i never gave DD1 formula and never thought id give DD2 any either but were desperate.
so will it work or will it just give her a tummy ache??
I dont know if it will work I have mums who had b/f and f/f and soem of the f/f ones still wake the same if not more
anyway just wanted to give you soem :hug:
:hug: Big hugs to you Oliver - I know you've beem having a rough time with DD2 and sleep :hug:.
I've never tried formula either, but I've heard other mums on here say that formula won't necessarily make babies sleep longer. One mum I know, all of her kids have been formula fed, and none of them are great sleepers (or at least they weren't when they were younger).
:hug: I hope you get a good night's sleep soon!
I FF from 6 weeks.. it made NO difference to her sleep. A friend of mine has just done this to her 9 month old and it also has made no difference. HTH
i have started giving DD2 some formula at bedtime and it hasnt made a great difference. she is still waking up 4-5 times over night for a breastfeed. i have gotten the odd occasion of 5hours here and there though
:hug: you don't have to do it if you really don't want to...but you can try it & see if it works for you. we tried but it wasn't a success with DS - he just chucked it back up again & i had to feed him anyhow.
SIL has been giving formula to her DS, who is about the same age as your DD, since he was 6 months old & her DS has only just started sleeping better (one wake up a night) so i guess it doesn't work for everyone & they sort themselves out in the end? well, that's what i'm hoping because we're on 6 wake ups a night at the moment :(
I doubt it would work anyway olive. My DD is waking at least 3 times a night too. The fact that she's waking that much at this age tells me it's more for comfort than hunger. DD can't be that hungry that often at night IMO. So I doubt formula would help. I have tried filling her up lots before bed but it doesn't matter how much she eats, it doesn't make a difference.
I have given up trying to change DD and am just going with it and I have been much happier ever since. I was getting so stressed out trying to change her and it was never working for me so it just made it worse. Since I gave up I have actually been feeling more rested. I don't know how that works but it did?? I hope you can find something that works for you.
FWIW I don't think you're doing anything wrong, you DD sounds normal and you're doing a great job! It's hard work but I just keep trying to remind myself that it won't last forever and one day I might even miss the night time feeds (can't imagine it now, lol).
:hug: I don't know if I was any help.
:hug: Oh hun! Do what you want to do! I personally dont think it will help.
your doing an awesome job and it sounds pretty normal that she is waking. Maybe ask your DH to let you ahve a sleep in some morings instead of suggesting the formula!
:hug: xxxx
:hug: Olive - I know how hard it has been with DD2's sleep (or lack of). We have only just got DD2 to stop feeding overnight. She doesn't need it and she was waking just for comfort. I had to take a harder line with her as I am going back to work next week and I can't be up 3 times a night but honestly I don't think formula will make a difference as it does seem like she is waking more for comfort than hunger.
thanks lovelies, these are the answers i was after! will be showing this thread to DH tonight!
i dont want to give her any as i also doubt it will change things!
The only thing it will change is how you feel. I know it will make you feel terrible. Sure you're tired and things are tough, but adding guilt to that is not going to help. You are doing an amazing job love. The first years of a babies life i have found tough, but as you know it doesn't last forever. Soon M will be sleeping like a champ and you will hardly be able to remember this time.
M is getting all she needs from your amazing BM. Sure giving her formula may make her sleep a little longer, but only because it is more difficult to digest and will set in her stomach for longer. But i'm not sure sure that is a good thing.....
On the other hand, if you WANT to give her formula and feel it is the right thing for your family, then do it. Just be happy about whatever decision you make.
:hug:
My DH suggested the same thing a couple of weeks back, but one night I was out a bought some pre-made formula packs in the pantry just in case i didn't have enough EBM in freezer, he opened it, smelt it, and decided he couldn't give it too him and used the EBM instead...he just couldn't believe that it would be so strong in smell!!!
Just my little story to ad to your thread!!!;)
:hug: I think do what you want Olive. xo
She is breastfed even if you did decide to formula feed so it's not like she's not receiving the benefits of breastfeeding. If she was exclusively breastfed and 4 months old, that's one thing, but she's on solids and breastfed through the day.
I am pretty passionate about breastfeeding, but I am also passionate about sleep, especially if the deprivation is starting to be overwhelming. I think this is also about what you need - DD2 can sleep during the day if she is unsettled at night, but you can't. xo
Have you tried a small snack later in the evening? Say about half hour before her last BF
Olive, Alexzander was formula fed from a few days after birth & let me tell you it didn't help him sleep at all.
DS was BF and FF supplemented due to supply issues and continued to have FF at night when I went back to work. It made absolutely no difference to his (lack of) sleeping unfortunately.
DD is fully BF and she is also a shocker. I think I just breed bad sleepers ;)
Nope, it won't make a difference :hug: If it makes you feel any better, as you have probably read my threads, we've been going thru the same thing... frequent night wakings, and still feeding sometimes 2-3 times a night here and DD turns 1 next week!
However in saying that, the last week she has been MUCH better! :pray: not sure whether it's to do with the Osteopath we took her to see and/or the Brauers Sleep Relief spray we bought and give to her before night. :dunno:
:hug: i know it's hard. I know how tiring it is.... we will all get there in the end.
You're doing a great job BF'ing and your little girl doesn't need any FF.
BTW, we have tried that, and it didn't work....(AND it made me feel like cr@p but i was desperate that night :( ) and we have tried filling her up more for her evening meals, pasta etc but nope that doesn't work either :lol:
She'll sleep through when she's developmentally ready to.
I too doubt it will help. DS was breastfeeding up to 5 times a night at 11 months of age. I never thought I would sleep again!
We ended up putting him in his own room just before 12 months and substitued a few of the overnight feeds with water and within weeks he was sleeping 12-14 hours with no feeds. I have absolutely no idea why he decided then and there to stop the overnight feeds.
Solids and formula helped neither of my kids to sleep longer. DD is formula fed and a hoover when it comes to all things food and she still wakes at night for feeds.
Hi Olive,
DD was doing the same thing, waking 3 - 4 times a night so out of desperation, I tried a bottle of formula at around 8pm, followed by a later BF and she slept through. She wakes occassionally now, but nothing like it was before we gave her the bottle. Every baby is different, so maybe its worth giving it a try to see if it makes any difference for you. My DD didn't seem to get any sort of tummy ache or reflux with it and we all got loads more sleep, so it worked for me.
Hope you can get some sleep soon :hug:
Corelly
Hey Olive
You know what, you would probably find that even if you offered a bottle of formula at that age, she might well refuse it! (due to taste and the fact that it's not you).
I'm sure it wouldn't be the magical cure anyway.
Really hope she starts sleeping through very soon xxx
We tried it with Lewis when he was about this age and it did nothing. total waste of money...oh and i agree with others, it smelt disgusting and he hated it. don't waste your time and energy on it. i bet she starts sleeping better once she starts walking mate. xoxo
:grouphug: thanks everyone!
jungle as always you said just beautifully, thanks mate!!
i see for all the responces that it rare for it to work, nothing has been mentioned yet tonight, so will see how tonight goes, i did go and look but couldnt bare to even tough the stuff!!
:yeahthat: I have to spread the love to Nelle. Do what you want hun. You know DD best.:
I do both, DD's sleep is the same regardless of which she has. It doesnt give her a tummy ache though if she does have formula.
Are you going to try cows milk after she turns one? Seeming she is almost there you could completely skip formula.
Of course its up to you but just thinking its not long until she is over one so no point starting formula if she wont be on it for long IYKWIM.
Hope sleep improves :hug:
Maybe its those pesky teeth??
Have you tried giving her yoghurt or avocado or some other filling thing for supper? That might be as effective as a bottle and a lot less emotive.
V was only BF until 4 weeks and then FF from then on.....she didnt satart sleeping thor\\rough until well after 2 :o
M was BF until 7 1/2months and yes he had a top up of formula at night in the end and he slept 15 hours.
I really dont think it matters if you BF or FF...if your baby wants some TLC though the night their going to let you know. Hasnt DH realised every child is differnet and cause of that their need's are different?
:hug: hon. Follow your gutt..its hasnt told you wrong yet
well she slept better last night, im trying to teach her the joys of tummy sleeping! woke after 4 hours then 6 hours, i made the mistake of telling DH this morning that when i fed her at 4.30 her tummy was rumbling :doh: , but if shes like me my metabolism is quick so it wont matter what i feed her!
4:30am is pretty close to when my DD was waking up for her first bf at M's age, even though she was a good sleeper, so I wouldn't think that's necessarily uncommon? I tried to cuddle DD until 5am and draw out the first feed until then when she was little (for my sake). This is how we ended up partially co-sleeping! ;)
I know this is a good night for you, if you can replicate whatever you did, maybe that will help? On the other hand, perhaps this is a sign that she's getting better and eventually will do this often. :hug:
I wouldn't bother with formula at this age - formula isn't really needed after 12 months, so why introduce it so late into the piece? It's not for nutrition (cos your boobs are taking care of that if solids aren't filling those gaps) and if it's comfort she wants then why toy with what's going into her belly? That's a bandaid that anecdotally won't even stick. DH's hear all sorts of things, usually from other DH's who aren't first hand experiencing the wakings, either, so he needs to trust you and your instinct with this one.
My two are both BF, DS is still feeding and some nights will sleep through, others he will come to my bed for snuggles and babu. Giving him a banana won't 'cure' him from wanting me when he's feeling anxious or in need of reassurance.
If your DH wants to help, tell him he can explore other options and ideas as if formula didn't exist, because it's akin to changing the oil in your car when the fan belt's squeaking, i.e. two different events when the oil may not even need changing ;)
If she is on solids introduce a suppertime meal or a bigger dinner, DD2 was the same and it was driving me crazy, she refused formula but loved the extra food, she is finally sleeping through again.