I’m a little confused about research surrounding infant sleep and formula. I’m reading that it has been debunked that formula fed babies sleep longer. But the reason that breast milk — even when exclusively pumped — is protective against SIDS is because the formula sits longer on the stomach and the babies sleep deeper, yes? So I’m just not sure how those two things are both true.
Anecdotally, almost every person I know who formula fed had a unicorn sleeper. I can’t think of anyone who had a good sleeper that was breastfed aside from my friend who cosleeps.
I’m really struggling with sleep deprivation with my 10 week old. I have a headache every day and am starting to feel nauseous from being so tired. She ends up in the bed with me every night around 4 am when I can’t take anymore. I’m really not comfortable with cosleeping and want to stop. The anxiety and guilt around it are really eating at me.
I’ve ordered some formula and it is coming tomorrow. I’m going to try a bottle of formula at bedtime and see what happens for us. But the research around it just doesn’t make sense to me?
Edit: I just wanted to say thank you. I got a lot of good advice and encouragement on this post. We switched something up and my daughter slept a six and a half hour stretch. She hasn’t slept that long, or even close in over two weeks, I feel like a new woman. I could click my heels I’m so happy. What I did was take 2 ounces from my morning feed (the only time I can make extra) and gave her a “top off” in the late afternoon around 4 pm. That way she was getting extra calories late in the day without it affecting the melatonin she needs from the evening milk. God, just from one long stretch of sleep I’m feeling like a whole new person.
Anecdotally, almost every person I know who formula fed had a unicorn sleeper. I can’t think of anyone who had a good sleeper that was breastfed aside from my friend who cosleeps.
I’m really struggling with sleep deprivation with my 10 week old. I have a headache every day and am starting to feel nauseous from being so tired. She ends up in the bed with me every night around 4 am when I can’t take anymore. I’m really not comfortable with cosleeping and want to stop. The anxiety and guilt around it are really eating at me.
I’ve ordered some formula and it is coming tomorrow. I’m going to try a bottle of formula at bedtime and see what happens for us. But the research around it just doesn’t make sense to me?
Edit: I just wanted to say thank you. I got a lot of good advice and encouragement on this post. We switched something up and my daughter slept a six and a half hour stretch. She hasn’t slept that long, or even close in over two weeks, I feel like a new woman. I could click my heels I’m so happy. What I did was take 2 ounces from my morning feed (the only time I can make extra) and gave her a “top off” in the late afternoon around 4 pm. That way she was getting extra calories late in the day without it affecting the melatonin she needs from the evening milk. God, just from one long stretch of sleep I’m feeling like a whole new person.