breastfeeding during the day, and formula during the night?

Question

im just wondering the best way to go about this. my son is 2months old and i have breastfed him from day one, but now i would like to introduce just one bottle of formula a night as ive heard it fills them up for longer and makes them sleep better. not only that he doesnt seem to be settling very good after breastfeeding and is up every 2 hours, i need a break. and im willing to try anything.!
please help... what is the best formula to buy REGARDLESS of the price. as long as its good & healthy, im happy???



i dont want anyone to criticize me for this, i know breastfeeding is best but this is my personal choice.
thanks heaps to all in advance

Answer 1

i started using formula a little after a month because one day i had to go somewhere and i didnt have enough breast milk pumped for her daddy so i started doing what youre doing (formula at night) and a few weeks later my breast was producing less and less milk since i wasnt using as much and then soon it all dried up. so make sure it doesnt dry up unless you dont mind. my daughter only like good start the purple kind. on tv today there was a new kinda of good start in the green can.

Answer 2

*sigh* you know there is verifiable scientific evidence that formula at night will not make a baby sleep any longer or better? And that sleeping too deeply for too long is a SIDS risk?



There is no "best" formula, it has nothing to do with price. No one can look at your baby and see what they will have the least amount of side effects from, particularly given that the long term effects of formula are unknown. Todays formula are completely different than those of even 10 years ago.



However if you must use formula then you want a milk based formula, not soy. Soy is very strongly recommended against by most health organizations and governments world wide, though as usual guidelines in the US, Canada, etc lag behind.



The good about hydrolyzed is that it is less likely to cause allergies and a few other problems. However those are never sweetened with lactose and formula sweetened sucrose (like corn syrup) are more likely to cause tooth decay. And corn is an allergen in and of itself.



http://www.prematureoptimism.com/linkBlog/?p=65





When It Has to be Formula: Optimizing the Health of Your Formula-Fed Baby

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/226/optimize-health-formula-fed-baby/



Bottle-feeding Index

http://askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp



EVALUATING THE SAFETY OF NEW INGREDIENTS

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309091500



Formula for allergenic babies

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309091500

Answer 3

you're no longer the only person who has struggled with this determination. I even have an 8 month previous wholesome joyous little boy. I even have been working finished time for the reason that he became into 10 weeks previous. for the reason that that element I even have pumped for the duration of the day 2-thrice so as that he would have milk for the following day. i latterly weaned myself to no pumping and nonetheless bing waiting to to feed AM and PM and on the weekends. Now that's demanding on Monday to no longer pump yet I make it by. I additionally provide him formula for the duration of the day whilst he's at daycare. i be attentive to which you will discover out what works right for you. Take care!

Answer 4

I totally understand. I can tell you from doing this myself that it doesn't actually help them sleep much longer, but it can fill them up a little longer because it's harder to digest, so it makes the next feeding not last as long since they are still somewhat full from the formula. It does help that way, so I got a little more sleep. Every minute you can get helps!



I use Enfamil Lipil personally. I like that I can buy it in single serve sleeves instead of a whole container. After opening formula powder, it should only stay around for a month because it's not sterile. Using the single serve sleeves, which make 4 ounces each, is convenient because you don't have to measure. Plus if you keep your formula water out at room temperature, you don't even have to worry about how to warm it up, since that's around the temperature breast milk is at anyway. You could also use the single serve ready made bottles since you said money isn't an issue, but it is cheaper to go with the sleeves over the ready made. Good luck getting some sleep.



Also, as people have mentioned, your supply will be affected by the bottle, but that doesn't mean it will just stop. My baby gets a bottle 3 nights a week from her dad while I get a little sleep. Yes, my supply is affected, but your body makes as much as your baby will eat as long as you breastfeed. So don't worry, you can do both.

Answer 5

Co sleeping will SO help! I did this from age 2 weeks to 7 months, and it was the best choice I made besides nursing. I was a zombie before that from waking up to nurse and comfort my daughter. I'll attach a link for you about it.

About adding one formula bottle at night; sure formula is harder to digest, so babies won't be hungry as often, but that's a problem. It's harder to digest, so you might end up with one unhappy, gassy child. My friend has 4 month old twins, and breastfeeds. She gives one bottle of formula before bed. It was done in the hopes that they would sleep a good 5 hours before waking, and sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't! There is no guarantee.

Your son may be high need, like my daughter. She fussed at that age until she was held, so that was another reason to co sleep. There is nothing wrong with being physically close to your child, so don't let people tell you that. Comfort is a very valid need for an infant, just as much as hunger or pain.

My daughter is now 16 months and has been sleeping happily and fuss free in her crib since she was 7 months. Co sleeping does NOT mean you'll have a 6 year old in your bed.

Answer 6

Even if you bottle feed it's likely that he'll still wake up every few hours. He's still very young and needs to eat more often. I agree with others. Try co-sleeping. That way you don't have to get out of bed, you can just whip out the boob and snuggle up with baby and you're both happy. You can sleep and breast feed, he'll unlatch when he's done and you don't have to worry about messes. Plus it's likely that your baby will sleep easier with you close by than alone in his crib. You'll sleep better too.

Answer 7

If you are sure you want to introduce formula and not just expressed breastmilk, you could try Carnation GoodStart. It is supposed to be better digested than Similac or some of the others. My son had it and he thrived (I couldn't nurse for health reasons). Formula is a pain in the butt, though, and I can't see how it will help your baby sleep longer.... but I wish you all the best!



Good luck!

Answer 8

I am in no way criticizing you for your choice....but just so you know if you do not nurse during the night your supply will dwindle. I had to pump for my twins (they were too small to latch on) and I was told to pump every 2 hours to keep up my supply. I was exausted after several weeks of doing this so I only pumped during the day. My supply dwindled down to like less than an ounce for 20 min of pumping.

I see nothing wrong with giving your child formula, but you might want to pump at night too when you get up to feed him formula so you do not dry up

But formula...i liked infamil formulas.

Answer 9

I did this too... my daughter was breastfed all day and then got 1 bottle of Similac right before bed. Some people will say that it doesn't work, but it really helped my baby sleep longer! And, I got some sleep too!

Answer 10

ah dont know where you live but when i was mix feeding i used farleys first milk, although be warned my babe who breast fed every two hours also fed every two hours after a formula feed! however if your son does that it may be worth trying stage two milk for hungrier babies. you could also try expressing milk to feed before bed so that he is filled right up. i found that my daughter would not take a propeer feed at night as she would keep dozing off then disturbing for tiny feeds all night! i feel your pain though i breastfed until two weeks ago (shes 18 weeks now) and she fed every two hours until 11 weeks. those weeks are just a blur! i mix fed very well for a number of weeks and she was and still is thriving. as much as i miss breastfeeding (had to stop on return to work) she has been sleeping all night since i started weening her on to formula. Woo Hoo enjoy your sleep when you get it and dont feel too guilty about one bottle of formula you've done well to breastfeed at all.

Answer 11

dont listen to those girls that are pro breastfeeding only... i breastfed my son til 5 months and i was hospitalized and couldnt feed him for 2 weeks because of the antibiotics in my system, so he had to eat formula... now i love having the little break and not having to wake up every 2-3 hours to pump and worry if i have enough milk for the next day while at work... anyways, i pump milk and nurse him before work and he eats formula with his cereal and oatmeal, and he sleeps all night..the formula is recoimended by hospital we wer ein (because he refused to eat formula since he was breastfed for 4 months, and the nursery said try Similac Isomil with Soy milk..) He loves it!!! i still nurse him, but he eats about 1-2 bottle of soy milk a day... he never was constipated or had that distaste look on his face, like with the other formula we tried...

good luck!!

Answer 12

You may have a harder time waiting so long than he will.

When my twins were @ 3 months old, I was afraid they would both sleep thru the night and I would explode, so I introduced a bottle to one so I could adjust gradually. She never woke for night feeding again. The next week I tried the other one on the bottle at night, and she also stopped waking for night feeding. That showed how much they liked those!

Do what you need to do and ignore the holier-than-thou crowd. My twins are 32 yrs old, with no damage done!

Answer 13

Once you slow down on the breastfeeding, then you will have to go to the bottle for all the feedings. Keep that in mind. Your body will only produce milk if it is being used. There is nothing wrong with a bottle and you are right....he will sleep through the night likely if you can get 8 ounce bottle down him before bed. Good luck and I'm sure you are tired. :)

Answer 14

It may not help him sleep longer, often it will upset his stomach or constipate him, making him more restless. It is quite normal for him to wake up every 2 hours, have you tried co-sleeping. I found that we both get more sleep that way. Baby seems to sleep better when close to you. Google cosleeping for safety concerns.

Answer 15

I understand fully. Though you may not have to give a bottle at all. I found it very helpful to mix a little pablem with some breast milk, and give about a teaspoon to my son. Not too thick though. But it stays with them a lot longer. I was a little leary on it at first because they tell you not to until they are 6 months but my mother asured me that she was feeding me pablem very early!!

Good luck and happy sleeping.

Answer 16

It's normal for him to wake this often, that's what you signed up for when you had a baby i'm afraid! Is risking an upset tummy and constipation really worth it for that little extra sleep? The only thing I can recommend is that you co-sleep. That way, he doesnt have to fully wake to get fed so will settle quicker after.

Answer 17

I use similiac with iron. I started with that at 4 months at night. My son is 7 months now and I use parents choice at walmart, which is only $10 compared to $25 for similiac. But I would use the good stuff while your son is younger and then as his body is able to handle more things you can switch! Congrats!

Be careful with cosleeping! It is a REALLY HARD habit for baby to get out of!! They will always want to sleep with you!!

Answer 18

Pru is right on with his/her answer...it may well make baby upset- formula is much harder to digest and many, many babies struggle when going between the 2.



Cosleep- and nurse on demand. I did this for both of ours and with our youngest, went back to work when she was 10 weeks old...no problems being sleepy or tired at all.



Google it- so many nursing moms do it- it is a relief!

Answer 19

I find that enfamil is the best one , when they spit up it doenst smell so bad and the pampers aint so bad either....... and there is nothing wrong at all with giving formula, i also started formula from day 1 ........there is no reason for anyone to even try to make u feel guilty.....good luck to u and hope u get more sleep at night

Answer 20

Enfamil Lipil has the best taste, they are all the same with ingredients

Answer 21

start by introducing him to 1 bottle at a time. It's up to you to do whats best fo ryou and your baby, screw everyone else and what they think

Answer 22

We used enfamil, and when he gets a little bit older, you can put some rice cereal in there to thicken it up a bit.



Works like a charm ^_^

Answer 23

dont breast feed you lose your boobs!!!