formula before bed?

[emilykstew]

I have a six month old who has been almost exclusively breastfed, aside from maybe 4-5 formula bottles.  The other night we spontaneously went out to eat so I didn't pump, but had the sitter give her a bottle with formula.  She drank about 7 oz before bed, I came home and did a DF, and she slept better than she has since she was 3 months old!  (She's been up off and on since 4 mo, she'd slept through the night since 7 wks.) 
Anyway, I'm wondering if this is more than coincidence.  The person who sat for us is a mom and she said she hated to tell me, but that babies sleep better on formula, and I think I've heard that before. 
I'm considering doing a bottle just before bed only, at least until her solids are firmly established.  I'm wondering if I should do it for her bedtime feed or her DF.  I also know I have to make sure she burps real good before sleeping after formula...
Thoughts?

[Shiv52]

The person who sat for us is a mom and she said she hated to tell me, but that babies sleep better on formula, and I think I've heard that before.

This isn't actually true.  There is no evidence that formula helps babies sleep better/longer than BFing.  True, it can be heavier and harder to digest than BM so can be in their tummies longer.  If you read many many of the posts on here both BF and FF mummies have issues with NWs and type of milk is never the culprit!  Some BF mums actually find formula causes more NWs because of the more difficult digestibility.  So its one of those things that MAY help your LO sleep better, but long term may not.  Some mums do find a FF at night time does get them a longer stretch of sleep than they have been getting but some don't.   


But there is absolutely no harm in giving it a go.  I think I would probably do the bedtime feed as a bottle of formula and keep the DF as a BF as it would be easier to burp her at bedtime when she is still awake? 

HTH xx

[Khalam's Mama]

I used to find that whenever I went out in the evening and left DS1 with a sitter(DH, my Mum etc) he would sleep for longer. He used to have a bottle of EBM. I always wondered if it was the bottle itself that helped him get more, more easily (Maybe my supply was down in the evening). Or I have found if DH settles him to bed he sleeps better evn if I have BF 1st (so no bottle). Wonder if he doesn't wake looking for Mama.

Conversely I have found that when I had to give DS2 formula at 4wo because I was on meds he did not sleep any better. If anything he had more gas.

I would do the bottle at BT too. It will leave you either more milk to pump at an earlier time, or more full breasts for a good DF. It is also good for your supply not to go too long overnight (so DF to morning instead of BT to morning).

[Lolly]

You may find it's because they actually drink more from a bottle than they would at the breast too! Breastfeeding is hard work compared to a bottle, most bottles have a constant drip which makes it much easier to get milk out of so they do often take more at a bottle feed. It could be a combination of harder to digest formula and a slightly bigger feed!

Laura

[*Kara*]

A good friend of mine always did a bottle of formula before bed with her two girls and swore that they slept better for it - I don't think that's the case... I think Shiv and Laura are right - they take more at a bottle feed

I read somewhere in one of my 4000 baby books that breast milk is out of the tummy in about 1 hr where formula is 90 mins to 2 hours... either way, not 7-8 hrs time for either so doubtful that the source of milk makes much difference in length of sleep at night.

[Lolly]

Actually, now I think about it my two formula fed babies must have missed the "formula makes you sleep better" lesson

Laura

[Shiv52]

Actually, now I think about it my two formula fed babies must have missed the "formula makes you sleep better" lesson

Laura

LOL!!   Both mine are EBF and DD1 STTN from 6 weeks to about 5 months and it all went to pot but did improve about 8 months.  DD2, well she is 14 months and still not STTN.....yawn!!!

[*Kara*]

Actually, now I think about it my two formula fed babies must have missed the "formula makes you sleep better" lesson

Laura

They must have been playing with my kid cause she didn't get the memo either

[Mama_Mia]

My LO has always been FF and also per docs instructions had cereal in his bottle at night, but he never sttn until 13 months old and its still not consistent.