Breast versus formula

[Kimi89]

Quick question, will a baby sleep better at night if they have a bottle of formula instead of the breast?

 

[snowbee]

Early on no difference as their stomachs are so tiny they need to feed little and often. You might start to see a difference from 8 weeks from what I've read and people who have ff have told me.

For us breast feeding is easier (no faffing at night with bottles or having to carry loads of stuff everywhere) and cheaper, plus you get the benefits that come with bfing for both you and little one.

 

[Eryinera]

(And the nappies are a but less stinky too I've noticed too with breastfeeding lol)

 

[Shepherdess]

from what I know of parenting neither is better for helping a baby sleep they are all different. breastfeeding is much easier on a nighttime though. my lo was breastfed until 1 and was a terrible sleeper until 18m but my friends lo 3 weeks younger was ff and a terrible sleeper to, although hers did start sleeping through at 12m. I don't think that either situation was anything to do with milk

also babies waking regularly through the night is nature. I know we'd all like to get a good night's sleep but I think stories of people trying to fill babies tummies as much as possible in the hope of them sleeping better is ridiculous. babies are supposed to wake, it's just nature.

 

[Rose83]

I breastfed until 9 months with my son and then switched to formula (milk dried up as was pregnant again) and I believed it would make a difference. It didn't. Even with hungry baby milk, he was so used to a breast feed amount of milk that he couldn't tolerate the massive bottles a formula fed baby tends to have so it was still little and often.

My SIL formula fed from the start and she was honestly trying to force 5oz of milk down a two week premature baby every time it showed any sign of being hungry, despite telling me the doctors had said a 1oz feed would be fine for her. The result was that she ended up over feeding and yes the baby did sleep more at night, and the day, i never saw her awake for months! X

 

[Blueclass]

Dont make a difference i dont think.

 

[YorksLass]

No difference at all, apparently - just more faff involved with making up bottles when you can just whip out the boobs...
On a night, I think my daughter's main problem was tons of wind. We had to bounce her gently while upright, cycle her legs, do tiger in a tree hold, anything to try to relieve the trumps! Formula would just make stuff like that worse, I think - your milk is completely designed for your baby's inexperienced belly. Nights are just crap for babies... and therefore mums and dads too... it's a good job they're cute, eh?

 

[Dianeea]

Based on my experience, it does not make a difference. However, the nutrients it could give are very different. I am so happy seeing mothers out there who are giving breastfeed. I used to sing lullabies to make baby sleeps faster.

 

[BexTez]

I'm breastfeeding and it is easier ay night cause I don't have to make up a bottle or anything!
Only thing that would make it easier is that dad could bottle feed too so you could take it in turns, whereas it's exclusively me that gets up with her on the night! However when she's a little older I might try expressing so dad can help out at night

 

[Lime76]

In the first 2 months this doesn't make a big difference but after that it can make a difference. However, for me this would not be a reason to stop breastfeeding.

 

[russellmuscle]

I did bf in the hospital then switched to ff both times. My second is cmpa so we are on a special milk for that although perhaps in retrospect had I known I'd have probably continued bf and cut out dairy.

I can't say personally whether formula or breast are better for night although I do know a handful of my friends who bf who's baby was quite attached to the breast and they found it difficult to reduce the night feeding although a few switched to bottles and expressing.

That being said I also have friends with ff babies who still wake in the night. I think it just depends on your luck of the dice. Although I did ff breast milk is better over formula so you could perhaps bottle feed breast milk?

I didn't base my choice for ff on sleeping though. I don't think that should be a choice because neither is proven to help sleep last I checked?

xxx

 

[Jamie.d]

it makes absolutely no difference!

I've had both and would choose breast every damn time!
In fact i'd even go as far as to say that breast milk is a lot easier on their poor wee tummies and ultimately we had less colic/winding/reflux! and a much much happier, secure child the second time round...This is just my experience mind, but i'm convinced!

 

[CornishGirl]

I’m still breastfeeding at 16 months and my son has slept through since 7/8 months. I think it’s more down to the baby as my sisters ff baby sleeps the same. Could be genetics too maybe? (Have done no sleep training at all)

 

[MandyMom]

Quick question, will a baby sleep better at night if they have a bottle of formula instead of the breast?

Definitely breast milk is better than formula.

 

[elizabethsingl]

I think it only matters on the baby. I found that if I made sure to have plenty of fat at night, that my milk was higher in calorie and my baby slept better.