I normally breast feed but find that at night my baby feeds more regulalry - like every 2 hours. Breast feeding is really time cnsuming and tiring at night it means I dont get any sleep and it's making me depressed, s it okay to give a few formula feeds at night. Will it make my baby sick?
2006-11-07 21:17:44 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Just one bottle will introduce foreign bacteria to the GI tract and changes the pH of the gut. The gut is "open" until sometime between 4-7 months of age, meaning things will pass directly into the bloodstream, and it isn't a good thing to introduce anything to the gut besides breastmilk during this time. While most babies do fine with formula supplementation (and it is sometimes necessary), there are risks associated with it. Some of these risks don't show up until adulthood.
One way to make breastfeeding at night less tiring is to nurse lying down. You can shut your eyes and catch a few winks while you breastfeed your baby. You may even want to consider taking your baby to bed with you all night to get a good night's sleep. Cosleeping is a lifesaver and it is very safe, although like crib sleeping proper precautions need to be taken.
2006-11-08 01:42:23 · answer #1 · answered by I ♥ EC 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, that is fine and don't let the health visitors pressurise you and tell you that 'being a mother is a 24 hour job' like they tried telling me, at which stage I asked them if they had any kids - and guess what - the answer was NO! So, do what suits you both. An overtired mother is no good for herself, or to her child. So combine both, and you'll be fine. Be aware though, that if the baby drinks from the bottle, he might get more wind, so may need more winding than when you are breastfeeding. If this causes tummy pain, get Infacol from the chemist (supermarkets sell it too) and put a couple of drops in the bottle to soothe his tummy. Drinking from the bottle is a little different from the booby suction, so don't be surprised if it takes a little bit of getting used to by your baby - he'll soon get the grip. Also try expressing - I tried the pump, but wasn't that good. Manually (with my hands) was no problems, so I combined breast only at first, then at 2 months breast+expressing+formula, and this worked fine. Your baby won't be sick. If he gets uncomfortable he may not like the brand, so change it. I found Cow & Gate (there is a separate one for easy digestion as well if you find probs with the 'ordinary' Number 1 Cow & Gate, and Aptamil is great too. My advice is NOT to buy Hipp Organic, this made my baby extremely constipated, but every baby is different. I posted a question here a couple of weeks back regarding Hipp Organic and a lot of mothers had bad experience with this brand, so stay clear of it. So, all in all, carry on with breastmilk, but giving formula at night time will not have a negative affect on your baby. Hope this helps, and enjoy motherhood.
2006-11-07 22:11:41 · answer #2 · answered by ribena 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should be fine. My last two kids were so hungry that I thought I'd had them surgically attached at one point! I used Milupa formula, it's the closest formula to breast milk on the market and was recommended my midwife (who was quick to point out that she wasn't the breastfeeding police and a happy Mom equals happy baby).
I breast and bottle fed no problem and despite the myths baby doesn't automatically 'go off' the breast, although you may find they don't latch quite as quickly, use a good bottle-the Avent ones are good, with a newborn teat and you'll be fine.
Don't be made to feel guilty about doing what's best for you physically and mentally, at the end of the day you are giving your baby a fantastic start by breastfeeding and if formula helps go for it.
2006-11-07 21:37:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
babies have a harder time digesting the formula. Also she will more than likely start to like one more than the other and shell either not want breastmilk anymore or she wont touch the formula. ALSO if you stop breast feeding at night-- or anytime of the day and dont pump instead say goodbye to your milk supply... before you know it youll be forced to formula feed all the time.
If your baby wakes up in the middle of the night to feed-- its a lot easier to whip out your breast and feed it .. instead of getting up and warming some water and making a bottle... did you think about that yet? Common sense says that getting up to make a bottle X tmes a night will mean more work for you and less time sleeping. What makes you think formula feeding at night will make your life easier vs. using your breasts???? the milk is already the right temperature.. and ready to go!
2006-11-07 21:21:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
before you look at the name I'm answering on my better half's account. I breastfed my first child for 6 months and it left me shattered however on my second child from the first week i started mixing... i would generally breastfeed during the day but give a bottle of formula for the nigh time feed, my baby was very content and slept right through the night after about 2 weeks of doing this.....my baby has never as far as i am aware ever been sick as a result of this.
2006-11-08 08:00:12 · answer #5 · answered by stash 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband was fed breast and formula milk. his mothers milk used to run out very quick and he was a very hungry baby so after the breast he had a bottle! Your baby probably hungry at night if you're not producing enough milk for him. Baby might protest at first but only at the new sensation of the plastic teat not a nipple. Once he realises its food, he'll be fine. Nothing wrong with breast or bottle or both. Babies need food, who cares how they get it as long as they are fed? Good luck hon
2006-11-07 21:35:25 · answer #6 · answered by PATRICIA L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Around 7 weeks seems like a common time for a growth spurt. You can absolutely supplement with formula, there's no law saying you can't, but just know that with starting formula you're running a very high risk of your milk drying up completely. Your body doesn't know to make more milk if you don't let the baby nurse as much as he/she wants.
2006-11-08 09:09:53 · answer #7 · answered by Dirtpuddle 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No it is fine to mix both bottle and breast..... bttle feeds tend to settle baby more than breast and you may find baby will go around 4 hours per feed on formula,,,,, but obviously breast is best,, but it is your choice and i have to say i combined the two all the way through
2006-11-07 21:48:45 · answer #8 · answered by Angie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did this with my babies at about 6 weeks of age breast feed & bottle as i didnt have enough milk at night. I was told it would dry up my breast milk ,it didnt it gave me more! It never made my babies sick. They should start sleeping through more with that last bottlefeed. Make sure you dont change formula without consulting your doctor or midwife.
2006-11-07 23:16:08 · answer #9 · answered by lee l 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hmm? my son was like a human vacuum cleaner. he sucked so hard, I was in pain by the 6th week.. I was forced to give him supplemental formula, otherwise he seemed to starve.. He just needed more.. I didnt worry about my breast milk drying up, he drank that up along with the formula.. As long as your babies pediatrician is aware of what you are doing and is ok with it.. and your babies health and weight are in order,, everything should be fine... goodluck! and congratulations on the baby! ^_^
2006-11-07 21:26:18 · answer #10 · answered by Mintee 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋