[Ashj]

Hi,My son is nearly 6 months old now and he is currently breastfed. He also has solids of a moring and evening. I've found my supply has dropped slightly as I've just got my period for the first time. My milk seems to be at its lowest on his last feed of a night. My question is, should I top him up with formula after the breast? If so which formula is the best to use? He has his last feed at 7 and sleeps unil 2-3am, I'm told he is meant to be sleeping through at this age but he seems hungry so I just feed him. Can anyone give me some advice please??

[lucky 2]

Hi, it isn't abnormal for a baby of this age to have a night feed, mine what having 1-3 feeds a night at that age.
Breastmilk volume is usually depleted in the evening and highest in the morning, this is what happens in nature and is not abnormal.
If your baby is a bit fussy with the breast in the evening then if you switch from side to side, maybe 4 sides instead of 2, your baby will drink more milk.
This will help supply as well.
I'd suggest your baby doesn't need anything other than breast milk and solids if he has been growing normally to this point.
I think it's fantastic that you are letting him have the breast if he wants it.
All the best.

[Guest_**Leprechaun**_*]

to actually answer your question - I went with Nan HA gold. Was really easy on my DD's tummy and easy to digest.

If you feel like you need to give your bub a top up - don't' let anyone tell you that you shouldnt.

[Girlo]

Hi

I am going back to work and will be introducing formula for my 7 month old. The council nurse/midwife recommended Nan HA but said any with the "HA" are good. Apparently the ones with "HA" mean a particular protein has been broken down, making it easier to digest.

Whilst many children still wake during the night at this age, there are also many that sleep through. If you feel your baby is hungry then a top up feed may help you all!

* edited for spelling

This post has been edited by Girlo: 20/04/2012, 10:20 PM

[Livsh]

Hey,

Just wanted to chuck my two cents in..about the sleeping not the formula! Have you tried giving a 'dream' feed at around 10 pm (formula or breast)? We did this with the twins and I credit it with getting them sleeping through from 11 weeks.

If you think your milk supply is dwindling and want to try formula then most of them are pretty standard. One thing I would say though is to express for every breast feed you miss, it helps keep the supply up.

[jules77]

My 6 month old is no where near sleeping through!!

He fed tonight at 7pm, then had a little sleep, fed again at 9pm, is currently asleep.

I expect him to wake around 11 pm for a feed and will probably wake again around 3am and then 6am.

I personally wouldn't mess around with formula when he's having a great stretch of sleep from 7-2am!!

He will sleep through when he is ready - totally normal for babies to wake during the night for many months.

[Jenflea]

Sleeping from 7 pm till 2 or 3 am IS sleeping through the night according to the experts. It's classified as more than 5 hours in one stretch. It might not be a nice long 12 hours, but some babies never sleep that long in one hit without waking. My 2yr old has done it maybe twice in her life.

[bluedragon]

Sounds perfectly normal to me. DS was doing something similar at that age and still feeds at night at nearly 11 months. He has a feed around 11pm and on a good night will then sleep through till 5. You could try offering a dream feed at 10-11 and see if that extends his next feed to later in the morning.

I wouldn't think there was an issue with your supply unless baby was distressed/fussy at the breast or wanting many feeds in the evening. If it were me I wouldn't be introducing formula because that could then introduce or exacerbate a supply issue. Your supply will also be adjusting as he increases his solids intake.

Just remember that the definition of 'sleeping through' is about 5 hours at one stretch.

[Princess.cranky....]

OP formula dose not make a baby sleep though the night. DD3 was formula from 6 weeks and is my worst sleeper. I had to go to sleep school with her and she did not start constantly sleeping though till recently (19months old).

It's normal for a 6 month old to be still waking though the night. Sleeping from 7pm till 2-3 am is a very good stretch . 7-8 hours in a row is sleeping though the night. He is just doing it a bit earlier and needing to some food after a long sleep. And I bet you would be looking for food after 7-8 hours sleep!

If he is happy, contented, has good output (lots of wees/poos), gaining weight then you have plenty of milk and don't need to top him up with formula. By all means start formula if you intend of weening but don't if it's only to try and make him sleep though.

Re formulas- All are made to the same strict standards and there is no one formula that is the best. Also every baby is different and what might work for my baby won't for yours. Start with the cheapest which is Hinze and go from there.

[*~*MagicHour*~*]

If this helps, my almost 6 month old son is almost fully on formula (long story but we are weaning him on due to trouble with breastfeeding) and we are using Nan HA Gold. He isn't sleeping heaps better than he was when we were bfing and he is nowhere near sleeping overnight. For instance, last night he fed at 5.15pm (formula) went to bed at 6.15pm, fed at 8.55pm (bf + small ff top up), fed at 4.40am (formula) and then awake at 8.00am (fed at 8.15am; bf + small ff top up). So as you can see, formula hasn't made a huge difference.

Just something to keep in mind