Formula top up for four month old?

[starkadder]

Hello all!

So, DC3 is 4 months old, very happy, healthy, HUGE (99th percentile) and hungry.

He needs feeding every 2.5 hrs during the day and at night too, although has been known to do a 4-5 hr stretch after being put to bed at about 730pm. Not recently though. Also, he is such a guzzler that he does suffer a bit from wind - although he is now much better than he used to be.

Anyway, I am back at work and am exhausted. Am considering giving him a top up bottle of formula at either the 730 or maybe 1030 feed.

I feel a bit anxious as with dc1 and dc2 I ebf till 6 months and then weaned and bf till I stopped bfing at 14 and 12 months respectively, when they were ready. Neither one ever had any formula. I don't have an issue with formula - at least I think I don't - I just never needed it.

So - MNers - my q is - is this potential bottle of formula a good idea, a bad idea or basically not going to make much difference? Tell me what I need to know or consider.

[hollie84]

I gave both mine an 11pm bottle of formula. To be honest didn't make a huge difference to length of sleep but it did mean I could go to bed early and DP could do that feed.

[micah]

I think if you are at the end of your tether, and your sanity is more important than continuing to exclusively breastfeed, then go for it.

For me, introducing that bottle of formula meant the end of breastfeeding (I did try to mix feed, but once she got the hang of bottles she completely refused the breast). I was absolutely determined to breastfeed up until I went back to work at 8 months, and it would have destroyed me if I hadn't managed it. So I didn't even try bottles, fortunately. So by the time I did, I was mentally ready to take the risk of it ending breastfeeding.

So if you are prepared to take that risk, try a bottle as a last feed. It likely will help with your exhaustion, and help him get a bigger chunk of sleep. Risk: benefit as always!

[hollie84]

I think 1 bottle a day is extremely unlikely to mean the end of breastfeeding! You can always drop it again if you are concerned about a bottle preference.

[starkadder]

Thanks guys! I am still not sure about and am not sure why I am not sure iyswim.