To suggest that ff babies are generally more content than breastfed babies?

[mrsb26]

...because they are fuller for longer?

Following on from an article I read recently regarding a study that suggested that of its recipients, the ff babies were generally deemed to be more calm, easy to settle to sleep etc than breastfed babies.

I know this is bound to be a taboo subject, but I must say, as a breastfeeding mother myself to a 4 month old dd, I have considered whether she'd be more satisfied on formula. She's not the easiest of babies and, to me, seems fussier and more demanding than her formula fed peers.

For example, she is really hard to settle to sleep for naps. She will sometimes feed to sleep, but not always (I know this is a debate on itself). I have never been to the shops or out for a walk for half an hour without her fussing (even if it's just for a little bit). She will sit on my knee or go to someone else for five minutes tops before fussing and starting to cry.

I'm not doubting the benefits of the quality of breastmilk, obviously. I guess I just feel like I'm filling up a tank that's emptying as quick as it's filling^^ and that she's never fully satisfied. I know breastmilk is digested quicker, but still.

She has no issues re: reflux, tongue tie or anything either.

Of course there are behavioural differences amongst all babies, but as a general rule, what is your opinion? Interested to hear from anyone who has perhaps breastfed one baby and formula fed another.

I don't agree.

I've had two babies, both ff from a few weeks.

Both still needed to be fed on demand in the early weeks.

Ds2 is really fussy, eats little and often, Wakes several times during the night, fights his sleep.

My bf baby was happy and slept well until four half months when she was having a growth/development spurt and keeping up with feeds was driving me crazy. On advice of health visitor I introduced apple puree and carried on bf happily. I know they don't advise that now so I can imagine people with bf babies struggling when they need feeding v.often due to a growth spurt before they're allowed food. If apple hadn't been introduced to mine when it was, I suspect I would have felt comfortable enough switching to ff if it saved my sanity by stretching out the feeds. 1999/2000 btw.

I think the premise here is incorrect.

Baby not crying/fussing much does NOT automatically equate to "contented".

When babies cry they are communicating. Don't forget that. You wouldn't describe an 8 year old who never spoke as "contented" would you?

Studies like this drive me up the wall. How can you make such a claim? All you know is that THAT baby was settled and more so than the other baby you compared them too.

I have fully bf all 4 of mine. Not one of them have been unsettled or unhappy. My friend who formula fed her 3 who are similar ages had very unhappy unsettled babies that woke up in the night for years (I am talking 3-4 before they slept through)

We wont know what the situation would have been like if I had ff and friend had bf as we cant change the situation and find out how those 7 children would have reacted to that.

So YABU However if you wish to ff then go ahead and make that choice because its right for you. Not because some study claims it creates a more settled baby.

I completely totally one hundred percent disagree. Whatever study you have read and posted about I think is utter drivel. My little boy was combi fed for 5 weeks and settled no better on formula than he did Breast milk. He's now been Breast fed for 10 months and weaned for 4 months. He's the happiest little boy in the world. Whether you formula feed or breastfeed is up to the individual, but what do you suppose happened before formula was invented or available? Was the world full of babies who didn't sleep or settle for long?

I also think that BF ing is what nature designed. Yes, maybe babies do need to feed more often, maybe they don't feel so satiated. But as a result the opportunity is created to communicate with mum often and (hopefully) to see that they will be responded to as a result. This creates attachment, trust, development of sense of self and agency. Which surely must count for something in contentment terms.

An isolated and un-content (in-content?) baby isn't going to lie quietly in a corner FFS. If your baby is unhappy you can be pretty bloody certain they'll let you know about it!

Summernights. Have you never seen footage of orphanages in China or some of the eastern european countries? That is exactly what babies do they lie quietly in the cot as they have learnt that they do not gain anything from making a noise.

^^ agree with this, it doesn't take a baby long to realise that if no one comes when they cry they go into shut down mode to preserve energy. It's a survival tactic. At the end of the day a baby has few needs, to be fed, held and warm. Breastfeeding meets all three demands. To suggest method of feeding alone is responsible for contentedness is pathetic. All sorts of things affect a baby's behaviour. Developmental leaps, teething, individual personality. Imo as a society we are obsessed with feeding babies. How, how often, weaning early. As though the only reason a baby may not sleep or be crying is down to hunger needs. Babies are still human beings, they feel fear and pain and being held and close to their mom is natural and normal and nothing to do with feeding.

Formula is very filling, but it causes a whole host of other problems. I would therefore believe the opposite is true, and my personal experience certainly supports that.

What?!

I think you mean it sometimes can cause other problems Sadmother?

I BF 2 babies. One was extremely demanding, the other not. There could be something in what you say, I don't know. But then there is the bonus of free ready available milk, especially at night or out and about. No faffing with sterilisers etc. Just stick your boob out. Also much easier to comfort and keep quiet, just stick your boob out.

not read the whole post but my experience:
dc1 - BF for 10 days, agony so turned to FF
dc2 - FF from birth
dc3 - BF for 6 weeks, and at 6 weeks he still weighed the same as he did at birth so switched to FF.

dc2 was the hardest baby, very difficult to nap, very much a livewire. however I think that had nothing to do with how he was fed, just his personality.
I wonder if the concept of 'content baby' is more to 'content mum'? I'm not saying ff feeding is more enjoyable but, from my personal experience, I hated feeding dc1. it was agony. I was unhappy so naturally she was unhappy. once I switched to ff I felt I could relax and enjoy feeding my baby more, so she would be more relaxed too. With ff you know how much your baby has taken so there is that element of if baby is fussing after an hour, you know its not down to hunger and explore other reasons. with BF, you may automatically offer the boob as a source of comfort, and baby learns to associate fussing with boob which studies can in turn interpret as less contentment. OP you say you cant even go for a half hour walk without fussing, that must be exhausting. BF relies predominantly on mum and that can be extremely hard work. At least with FF, if you've had a shitty night you can hand the baby over to someone else for a few hours and catch up on some kip and the world does seem a much better place when you are refreshed. Happy mummy = happy baby.

Just feed how you choose! No one cares really no one cares!

I have never noticed in a difference in behaviour between bf and ff babies in terms of contentment. However in my specific case I gave my DC a bottle of formula before bed as my milk supply was very low in the evening and they settled really well. It saved my sanity!

All four of mine were exclusively breast fed and all four were very content babies that slept well from an early age. It's luck of the draw

Haven't read entire thread but YABU, IME. Two babies, both BF, DS1 was a crap sleeper and really demanding, DS2 was a great sleeper and extremely placid (he is, however, now the world's most stubborn three year old). Totally child-dependent.

When I was bf my two they never slept. When I changed to formula one slept better, but not great, and the other was brilliant. I know other people who have bf and had great sleepers. in my opinion, a bf baby with a jolly disposition will settle well if the mother has good milk supply, but if it's crap like mine, then they will stay awake and cry a lot constantly

In my experience Yanbu. The number of bf babies I know of who don't even sleep 2 hours in succession during the night never mind straight through at 6 months is quite amazing.

I'll carry on feeding my baby poison formula, ta.

I have two EBF DCs. DD was a horror, clingy, slow and frequent feeder, terrible sleeper, would not settle for anyone but me. DS the complete opposite. Very chilled baby who was happy in anyone's arms, fast and infrequent feeder, great at falling and staying asleep.

It's just luck.

I only have one, he was mix fed for six weeks (breast refuser so I expressed, nothing I or six feeding advisors did could get that boy to breastfeed!) but formula since then. He is very content and a typical 'easy' baby. Sleeps through the night, very laid back, barely cries. I don't think it has to do with feeding though, I think it's his personality and my 'luck'!

I have friends with bf babies who are equally laid back as well and one in particular who is a brilliant sleeper and very very easy to settle and she has never had any formula.

It's down to the baby I my experience, nothing to do with how they are fed, I do find derogatory comments about ff a bit hurtful and unnecessary to be honest, I truly believe breastfeeding is best and would have dearly loved to do it but my DS didn't get the memo and I was very very upset about it.

Isn't it amazing how so many assume that a baby's behaviour is down to the method of feeding alone? my MIL is like this. IF baby is crying it MUST be hunger or feeding related because babies cry for no other reason

Developmental leaps, teething, personalities, illness, don't theae contribute too??

And just want to throw in that babies are absolutely supposed to wake and feed frequently!! It isn't a sign of discontentment, it's what nature intended and is thought to be a protective factor against SIDS.

Formula or breastfed, who cares but please don't assume that simply feeding one way or another is solely responsible for a baby's behavioue!

Sorry but I think this thread is really goady.

I wouldn't give my own experience either way on here. What are you hoping to achieve OP?

Let's support mums to be happy with their own choices and not sink to playground 'my way's better than yours' click bait.

Fwiw there is always a cost/benefit analysis to be made in any parenting situation. Anything that's cost a great deal of pain or effort needs to be balanced against the benefit it gives. For different parents that answer is wildly different.

Measuring that benefit is another matter (which is why research and empirical evidence is always good, and anecdotal opinions need to be acknowledged as such)

After a few weeks on the edge and bleeding nipples I ignored the advice of my midwife and started giving my DD some formula just for one feed in the evening. I still BF for all other feeds until she was weaned. She was more settled in the evenings that she had previously been and I was more relaxed. The way my midwife reacted you would have thought I was giving her a bottle of Stella.

As long as the baby's needs are being met, they are putting on weight and are happy and healthy it doesn't matter a flying fig whether they are BF or FF.

Who can tell in a class of reception kids which ones were EBF? I don't deny the health benefits for mum and baby but we should not make mums feel that giving a baby formula will make their child somehow inferior.

YABU and I can only imagine the frothiness if someone had said "BF babies are more content than FF babies".
Babies differ and has very little to do with how they're fed. If we're all doing anecdotal evidence (which is for the most part pointless and has no bearing towards factual evidence) my DD was EBF and has always been a happy baby and toddler (a few tantrums here and there aside). The FF babies I know are grumpy babies

Also I hate the "it doesn't matter how they're fed". It mattered to me how I fed my child, it mattered greatly