mixed feeding at 11m - is BFing confusing the issue?

[SeratoninIsMyFriend]

I recently went into hospital for an operation for four days so DS, who was fully BF until then, was moved onto formula for the duration and I expressed a little in hospital. We agreed to see how it would go and if my supply went that would be ok. When I got home I just latched him on and the supply quickly re-adjusted; I think DH had thought we would just accept that BFing was over and he'd had a good run, and keep him on bottles. DS has feeds at 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10.30pm.

Around this time DS dropped the 2am feed he'd been clinging onto, though I think he did this a week or two before hospital but then we went on holiday and he was hot and woke up and to keep the campsite happy I fed him in the night ... He has been a shitty sleeper since his birth, and I think DH feels that it is the formula that helped him sleep through and would like to maintain the status quo.

Problem is that since I got home and reintroduced BF at mid-morning (bar Mon & Thurs when he's at nursery) and 6pm, he has started waking at 4am, when he was sleeping til 5.30am. DH resorts to getting him and cuddling him in bed (I am still sore from my op and cannot lift DS) and finds DS sucking hard enough on DH's skin to leave bruises. Apparently he wasn't doing this when all 5 feeds were bottles.

DH feels that with my returning to work part time and the age of DS, regressing to interrupted sleep is just silly if we can avoid it, and he feels BFing is the most likely cause. He has fully supported BFing but I get why he thinks it is a sensible time to knock it on the head. I could probably now just feed DS at 4am and he would go back to sleep til 5.30, but part of me agrees we have had it tough enough with the sleep thus far. However part of me also wanted to feed DS for longer, for the various benefits, because he's def my last baby and I didn't manage to feed DD so am stupidly chuffed I got this far AND given that the milk is still there it seems daft to give up if we are still both happy carrying on.

But it's not all about me. So do any of you think the waking early / suckling on DH is because we have reintroduced BFs, and I should stop, or is there another explanation?! Or shall we consider option 3 and just not let him get out of the cot at 4am, regardless of what feeds he has.

Sorry this is all so muddled!

Well I don't think he's sleeping to badly for his age even if waking at 4 am. It's most likely not related to the formula anyway. How would you feel if you stop feeding and he still wakes up?

If he goes back to sleep with a short feed why not just feed him back to sleep?

I agree that he want hungry if after a couple of nights with you're DH getting up with him he then slept through. But if he's continuing to wake he's probably hungry our thirsty an still needs feeding. Some babies do go through periods of better sleeping only to regress back again totally normal. Small children often need night time parenting for years it quit unrealistic to expect them to sleep for 12 hours a night. If you think about it most adults don't go that long without fluids.

Have a read of Dr Sears night time parenting.

I know all of that, but am lured by the thought of sleeeep, I would be annoyed if I stopped and he still woke up!

What about a compremise then, you have a well established supply and ovusly coped with a few day's break so why not just try one Bottle at dream feed time. You could then go to bed early then to and get a bit more sleep and leave your DH to do that feed.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

Oh hang on I re-read your post you are mixed feeding is that right?

In which case it probably does have nothing to do with the breastfeeding. He's just not the worlds best sleeper, but if you have a look around you'll find plently that are a lot worse.

I'd just feed him back to sleep to be honist it's probably the quikest way to get him back to sleep. DD still woke for a night feed untill she was just over 2years some baby's just still need it. My friends FF baby also needed a night feed untill she was 2years as well so it doesn't matter how they are fed.

Has you DH tried just giving water at that time at all.

Do read Dr Sears though he has some good things to say on baby's and sleep. I feel your pain it is hard work when they don't sleep to well.