Will weaning or introducing formula help her sleep longer??

[mendipgirl]

DD2 is EBF thus far, 20 weeks old and her sleep at night has really started deteriorating the last 3 weeks. We have gone from last feed at 7pm, dream feed at 10pm, one night waking (3-4am) and then up at 6-7am to 3 night wakings, basically every 2 hours. I find it so hard, especially when having a 2yr old DD1 to look after as well.

DD1 slept through at 12 weeks and was formula fed so am wondering if this is the difference? I really wanted to make it to 6 months but am really struggling with the lack of sleep. Should I make her dream feed formula instead or start giving her baby rice?

[SenoritaViva]

You could try either of those, don't know if it will fix it but anything is worth a try right?

[KnitterNotTwitter]

You could try that but for some babies suddenly doing this actually makes their sleep worse as it changes their gut flora .... Good luck what ever you try...

I think there is a sleep regression at about 20 weeks.... Maybe stick it out a bit longer and see if things improve on their own...

[RitaMorgan]

There's a sleep regression at around 4 months that effects many babies - it is related to development with them making developmental leaps during the day rather than hunger though.

This happened to us around 17/18 weeks and ds ended up waking hourly! It lasted a few weeks and in the end we moved him into his own room at 5 months and did the dreamfeed at 11pm and another feed at 3am, and if he woke in between those times DP settled him without feeding. I also stopped feeding him to sleep and DP rocked him to sleep with a dummy instead.

My ds was already having formula for the dreamfeed, and we weaned at 22 weeks - neither made any difference to his sleep I'm afraid! It was a developmental/behavioural thing rather than food related.

[LaWeasel]

Probably not, to be completely honest. I did find a bottle feed (but could have EBM in it or formula we used both) before bed helped. I think maybe she got a bit more in, because it was less sleepy than a cuddly bf.

However 12 weeks is pretty young to sleep through! It might just be that DD2 has a different schedule and nothing is going to make any difference to that.

So I would definately wait and see, I remember nearly weaning DD at 4mths and deciding to leave it 2 weeks to see if it was just a phase. 2 weeks later her first tooth turned up!

[mendipgirl]

maybe moving her to her own room would be a start (thanks rita), I might try that as a first try before changing the feeding. Sometimes I wonder if she would settle herself back to sleep if I didn't feed her as soon as I hear her.

[reikizen]

nope. sorry!

[EauRouge]

There's no evidence that a FF top up will make your DD2 sleep longer and early weaning should really only be done on the advice of a paediatrician. My DDs sleep very differently, 2.9 yo DD1 wakes up a LOT and 4 mo DD2 is very easy to get to sleep and wakes up less than her sister- both raised exactly the same way. I think it's just down to their personalities rather than what you feed them! Have you considered co-sleeping?

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

four month sleep regression. Would second cosleeping. Apparently it's not recommended to put them in their own room till six months due to sids risk.

[PippiLongBottom]

In a word no. I have vast experience with non sleepers.

[wigglesrock]

Dd2 was an awful sleeper, formula fed from birth, made absolutely no difference. Dd3 is 20 weeks and is having a formula feed at 6.30ish, dreamfeed at 10.30, up once through the night and then up from about 6.30am.

[TheRealMBJ]

No, it won't [sorry]. Many babies have a sleep regression at 4 months and again at 8-9 months.

[Ferncottage]

I think it really will help - the baby is obviously hungry. Try formula at bed time

[feetheart]

Not with DS - neither did a dreamfeed, starting solids, 3 meals a day, starting to crawl, starting to walk. At about 14mths he just decided it was time to sleep through -ho hum!

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

ferncottage, why is the baby "obviously hungry?"

That strikes me as quite a hurtfull (and ill informed) thing to say.

Formula is harder to digest so some babies sleep more on it. Lots don't and loose the bennefits of bf to boot.