Should I give my Breastfed Baby Formula at Night or before Bed? (2024)

FAQs

Should I give my Breastfed Baby Formula at Night or before Bed? ›

There is no hard and fast rule as to when you should start supplementing your breastfed baby with formula at night. You can start at any time that feels right for you!

No, despite what lots of people might tell you, giving your baby formula or solid foods will not help them sleep through the night. Waking up at night is normal for babies.

The bedtime bottle is often the last bottle to go. It can be a central part of your baby's bedtime routine, and a source of comfort as they fall asleep. That can make it a tough habit to break – but you have plenty of time to make the transition. It's best to stop giving your baby bottles between ages 1 and 2.

The short answer is yes if the bottle is prepared correctly. Dr. Wisniewski says it's crucial to follow the formula manufacturer's directions when adding it to breast milk and always talk to your pediatrician or provider's office before changing your baby's diet.

Newborns and young babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry. This is called on-demand feeding. After the first few days of life, most healthy formula-fed newborns feed about every 2–3 hours. As they get bigger and their tummies can hold more milk, they usually eat about every 3–4 hours.

Breast milk provides sleep-inducing hormones and appears to help with breathing and colic issues in infants. It is easier to digest, which may contribute to more frequent night wakings. On the other hand, formula is harder to digest and may help your baby sleep marginally longer.

Most babies are able to sleep through the night – or sleep for at least six hours without waking up to eat – sometime between 3 to 6 months of age. Healthy babies who are born full-term are generally able to sleep through the night without a feeding starting at 3 months of age or when they weigh 12 to 13 pounds.

For formula-fed babies, you can think about phasing out night feeds from 6 months of age. If your baby is formula fed and aged over 6 months, they're unlikely to be waking at night because they're hungry. This is because infant formula is digested more slowly than breastmilk.

If bottle feeding, slowly decrease how many ounces your baby drinks at the first overnight feeding. If breastfeeding, try shortening the duration of nighttime feedings by 1 - 2 minutes each night until it's more of a snack than a full meal.

Follow your baby's lead and resist the urge to force them to take more ounces, or stretch their wake window longer in the hopes they will become hungrier (overtiredness is not worth it- trust me!). One thing you CAN do to optimize your bedtime feed is to offer it to your baby while they are alert and awake!

Is it OK to go back and forth between formula and breastmilk? ›

There's no rule that says you have to choose between breastfeeding and formula. It's not an all-or-nothing approach…and you can most certainly do both!

Is it OK to breastfeed during the day and formula feed at night? Yes! Combo feeding is a great way to extend your breastfeeding journey. Feeding your baby can happen many different ways.

If possible, Simpkins recommends establishing a good breastfeeding routine for at least a month to build a plentiful milk supply. Then, gradually replace nursing sessions with supplemental breast milk or formula bottles. If done over a few weeks' time, it can help avoid issues such as clogged ducts or engorgement.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends feeding babies only breast milk for the first 6 months of life. After that, they recommend a combination of solid foods and breast milk until a baby is at least 1 year old. Then, babies may begin drinking whole cow's milk.

Changing from breastmilk to formula side effects like gas, upset stomach, and even constipation is possible if you make the change quickly. Wait three to four weeks before supplementing or switching from breastfeeding to formula. Wean your baby off breast milk gradually to allow their bodies and yours to adjust.

breastfeeding at night can be important for keeping a mom's long-term milk production steady and strong and may actually mean less pumping during the day for working moms?

Say Goodbye to Milk before Bed

There are a few reasons that milk disturbs sleep, one being its sugar content. Milk actually has a lot of sugar in it–about thirteen grams per serving. A spike in blood sugar levels causes hyperactivity, making it harder for a child to relax and fall asleep.