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Original poster

do bottle fed babies sleep longer than breast fed?

42 replies

RB1 · 30/12/2007 20:41

I have a six week old breast fed baby who sleeps for only 2 hours a time. is it because he isn't getting enough and would sleep longer if bottle fed? seriously thinking of changing to bottles even though not as good for baby. or am i just hoping to end the sleep deprivation?

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DanJARMouse · 30/12/2007 20:45

Carry on BFing if you can.

I BF DS (4.5wks) for 3.5 weeks and he has been on formula for a week.

Yes I admit he does sleep longer but I would have liked to carry on giving him the best milk possible for longer but with 2 toddlers and PND I was struggling too much and starting to resent my gorgeous baby.

If otherwise everything is ok, please persevere - it will get better xxx

sleepdeprivationandme · 30/12/2007 20:48

ds 1 and ds2 both slept for longer on formula. I have a relative who is a midwife and she says that they do sleep longer. Supposed to be as formula milk takes longer to digest, so gives the fuller feeling for longer.

I had the same dilema if that helps, and was so knackered I gave breast milk and formula for a while before going on to formula as both babies were very hungry, and seemed perfectly happy and were definatley much more settled on it.

I know the breast police say 'it is simply a case of supply and demand' but I have to say I disagree. It is also a lifestyle choice. Dont feel pressured into breast feeding all of the time if it is at the expense of your wellbeing. Goodluck whatever you decide to do. x

sleepdeprivationandme · 30/12/2007 20:48

ds 1 and ds2 both slept for longer on formula. I have a relative who is a midwife and she says that they do sleep longer. Supposed to be as formula milk takes longer to digest, so gives the fuller feeling for longer.

I had the same dilema if that helps, and was so knackered I gave breast milk and formula for a while before going on to formula as both babies were very hungry, and seemed perfectly happy and were definatley much more settled on it.

I know the breast police say 'it is simply a case of supply and demand' but I have to say I disagree. It is also a lifestyle choice. Dont feel pressured into breast feeding all of the time if it is at the expense of your wellbeing. Goodluck whatever you decide to do. x

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mumtoone · 30/12/2007 20:49

Switching to bottles is no guarantee your baby will sleep longer. It is quite common for babies of this age to want to feed 2 hourly. The potential problem with switching to bottles is that you could end up bottle feeding 2 hourly in the night which is even harder work than breastfeeding. I would hang in there as the night feeding should improve with age.

ReverseThePolarity · 30/12/2007 20:50

RB1, breast milk is slightly easier (and faster) to digest for babies than formula milk, so babies get hungry a bit sooner and may wake more often (although waking is not always linked to hunger and some formula fed babies wake just as often as breastfed babies).

Would you consider sharing a bed with your baby? It makes the night time feeds so much easier. If it's not something you'd consider, it might still help if you learn to feed lying down, so you can rest while feeding your baby.

smallwhitecat · 30/12/2007 20:52

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ReverseThePolarity · 30/12/2007 20:55

"Breast Police" - that's a new one; I've not heard that before.

cherryredretrochick · 30/12/2007 20:56

No no no no no no and no. Please carry on breastfeeding if it is because of sleep, the reason they wake more often sometimes is because they can digest breast milk so well that they are getting the perfect level of everything. If a bottle fed baby did sleep longer (which there is absolutly no evidence that they do) it is because there body is trying so hard to digest (picture self after xmas dinner). By bf you are doing so much more for your baby than giving it food. Also your baby will be getting exactly the right amount for them and it may not seem it now but this stage of there life is so short. Please think very hard before making any changes you are doing so much good for your baby and will look back with such pride.

sleepdeprivationandme · 30/12/2007 20:59

just got pissed off with having my tits groped by the entire health authority after having ds1.

ReverseThePolarity · 30/12/2007 21:01

Fair enough! I can imagine it would've been annoying!!

sleepdeprivationandme · 30/12/2007 21:03

It all just seems to be very much a case of whatever suits mum and baby. Every combination is different, and it takes time to work out what suits you both the best. It is very difficult when you are s tired though, everything seems so much harder. Get as much help as you can and rest as much as you can through the day though, whatever you decide to do!

cherryredretrochick · 30/12/2007 21:05

Hope I didn't come across as Breast police, know what you mean. I stopped feeding my dd1 after 4 weeks and then started again 3 weeks later as I was so sad. It was such hard work to start again and I would hate anyone to make the same mistakes I did. I am now a bf councellor, just please don't make any decisions in haste that wiould be so hard to reverse.

ejt1764 · 30/12/2007 21:06

DS - mixed fed - given ff from 4 weeks at night on advice from various well-meaning people - terrible sleeper, didn't sleep through at all when very small ...

DD - exclusively bf - regularly sleeps through the night (well, 11 - 5, which is all night as far as I'm concerned!)

Think it very much depends on the child ...

juuule · 30/12/2007 21:11

No - not in my experience anyway.

morocco · 30/12/2007 21:19

it's normal for babies to want to feed every few hours in the first weeks and doesn't mean at all that they are not getting enough milk. but it is hard. that said, the first 6 weeks are the worst and you are through that already so with any luck you will soon be seeing longer gaps between feeds.
to help you get more rest, have you tried night feeding lying down and co sleeping?

winestein · 30/12/2007 21:26

My bottle fed baby woke approximately every 2 hours for the first 14 months of his life. Oh how I wish I could have just proffered a nipple his way instead of the nightmare that entails bottle feeding!

I think sleeping patterns are individual to the child and feeding type makes very little difference. Of course there will be one or two who gave a bottle of formula and the baby zonked out for the next 12 hours, but in my experience that is not the case.

JingleyJen · 30/12/2007 21:30

breastfed DS1 & DS2
DS1 slept through before 12 weeks (12 hours)
DS2 didn't until 7 months

It isn't always the food the baby has alot to do with it.

sazzybeehomeforxmas · 30/12/2007 21:33

I think every 2 hours is pretty normal at six weeks, whatever they're fed. It gets lots better really soon - those 1st few weeks are a killer.

As to your question - my bf baby was sleeping 8 hours straight by 3 months, my ff friend's baby wasn't. I'm pretty sure it's down to the individual baby.

LittleBellasRingingOutTheOld · 30/12/2007 21:36

No

DS has always been a better sleeper than DD. He was breast fed. DD was bottlefed.

Agree with whoever said the first 6 weeks are the toughest. Once you've cracked them, things usually get easier.

stockingfiller · 30/12/2007 21:39

i swapped my dd to bottles it was more hassel than it was worth she slept worse, it also meant i had to wash and sterilise and make up milk before i could feed my dd get some extra support before you give up bf to make sure it is what you really wamt!

carmenelectra · 30/12/2007 21:46

dont necessarily think ff makes them go longer although i did until recently.

Mixed fed ds2 until was 11 wks as I didnt want to exclusively bf cos thought he would wake more. Not true. he was still waking a couple of times anight for a bottle (which i gave him at night to 'fill him up'). However, suddenly in the last month or 6 wks or so he has slept much much better, so i do think its just the baby really. I sometimes had to put him in with me to settle just so i could get some sleep but i never have to now(he is 14 wks)

I would do whatever you want to do and not bank on baby sleeping longer either way. I was getting seriously fed up of being woken quite a few times at night but now he sleeps lovely, without me seemingly doing anything different.

However, i have to disagree that bf is easier at night! no way is it! babies can often take longer on the breast(not always i know!).

carmenelectra · 30/12/2007 21:48

i found 6-8 wks the worst and now ds2 is no trouble at all, hes alittle darling!

i was really worried he was going to be anightmare baby!im not finding it difficult at all.

HarrietTheSpy · 31/12/2007 05:22

I BF'd DD exclusively for 6 mo - a great little sleeper during that period, not up more than the babies who were fed the bottle of formula at night. The co-sleepers were up in the night most of all. I'm afraid I don't know any babies that slept through consistently until they were closer to 9 mo. I think it's the luck of the draw. If you want to FF, do, but you might be disappointed about the sleeping.

mylittlepudding · 31/12/2007 05:41

NO! They don't! Not necessarily anyway. DD has always been a terrible sleeper. And at a year (and a week, now!) I can confidently say with her it makes no difference what you put in.

You must do what is best for you, of course you will, and sleep deprivation DOES make you desperate to try anything, but really, formula might not fix anything, just give you more to do in the night every two hours when baby needs to be fed.

kiskidee · 31/12/2007 07:04

"just got pissed off with having my tits groped by the entire health authority after having ds1."

this experience is absolutely no reflection of a person who is genuinely supportive and knowledgeable about breastfeeding. lumping those people with well trained, sensitive, hard working and in many cases, volunteers into the your 'breast police' box shows how little you understand about the dynamics of breastfeeding and the atrocious support that is rampant in the health service as well as constructive support that is available in too few places for new mothers.