Formula keeps them full for longer?

Question

My baby girl is 5.5 weeks old and every day from 2 or 3pm onward she is screaming for another feed (she's exclusively breastfed) within an hour of each feed ending (and they only last about 10mins!) right up until she finally goes down in her bassinet about 8-9pm. It's sooo hard and stressful on my hubby and I when we're trying to cook dinner, eat, shower, etc.

I've heard that formula can keep them fuller for longer, so I was thinking of giving her one bottle of formula each afternoon before hubby and I need to start getting our evening routine going. Will this keep her content for at least longer than an hour? Has anybody done this? Did it work? Thoughts?? Please, I'm at my wits end every evening 😩😩😩

Answer

I would try pumping breast milk and topping her off with an ounce or 2 after each feeding. It should extend the time between feedings. They call that evening time the witching hour when babies are fussy so formula may not change anything just FYI. I would try wearing baby to get things done. Baby may just want to be held. Also, baby is cluster feeding before bed which is normal.

Answer

Kellymom.com

1. There is no evidence that it will help. Some babies will sleep worse, due to reactions to the formula or solids (tummy ache, etc. are not uncommon), particularly if baby is younger than around 6 months. Three studies have indicated that adding solids or formula to the diet does not cause babies to sleep longer.

2. Formula requires a baby’s digestive system to work overtimeas baby tries to digest something not specific to the human body. Formula is harder to digest than human milk; thus formula-fed babies tend to go longer between feedings (see this page for more on this subject). While this may seem like a benefit, it’s probably not something we want for our babies’ bodies unless there are no other alternatives. There are also risks to formula use (see What should I know about infant formula?). It certainly has a place in infant feeding but probably shouldn’t be used whenever mom’s milk – either directly from the source or expressed – is available.

Answer

Sounds like she is cluster feeding, babies cluster feed on formula too. It can keep them full a little longer. Try pumping to see how many ounces she is getting ... ounces should add up with their weight, or else they'll burn thru calories quicker ... my son was doing this around 4 weeks and he's formula fed

Answer

I pump so baby gets bottled breast milk, if he drinks 4oz of breast milk he's hungry again in about 1.5 hrs, if he drinks 4oz formula he goes about 3-4 hrs before he's hungry

Answer

As someone who has formula fed baby since day one (combo until she was five weeks) then strictly formula I can tell you no it won't keep her fuller longer. But as people said she may just not be getting enough. Give her breast first then top her up with formula. My baby still woke up every 2 hours for formula. When you see posts where women talk about their baby sleeping all night it's usually just because the baby is able to do it. Once my daughter dropped her night feed at 8.5 months and we Sleep trained her I NOW have a baby that at 9 months can sleep 12 hours from 6-6am but the fact that she's in formula has nothing to do with it.

Answer

My girl was breastfeed for the first couple weeks and wanted to eat every 2 hours. Since then she has been formula fed and usually eats every 4 hours. That being said my friends baby is formula fed but she still wants to eat every 2 hours. They were almost the same weight at birth 7 lb 14oz vs 7 lb 13oz and born just 4 days apart but they are night and day. Every baby is different so I would just give it a try and see if it works for your baby or not. Good luck! :)

Answer

Have you read about cluster feeding? Super frequent feeding in the afternoon/evening is a totally normal (if frustrating) developmental phase that can happen during physical growth spurts or mental developmental weeks (Google Wonder Weeks).

I mean, there's nothing wrong with supplementing with formula if that's what you want to do, but I think it's a similar thing to when people start their baby on solids to help them sleep longer-studies show that it doesn't make a difference, but it sometimes seems like it fixed the problem because by the time you're frustrated enough to try it they're just about to move out of that phase anyway. Good luck.

Answer

They call this the witching hour for a reason. It happens to babies breast or formula fed and it's normal. Cluster feeding is also normal to increase your supply as baby grows. I'm a mom of three who breastfed all of boys for their first year. I'm still nursing my 14+ month old. The first six months is filled with the most adjustments, but the first year I'm general is tough. Baby's interrupt your plans, for dinner, intimacy, and many other things. So do kids. This is basic parenting. You need to adapt. A moby wrap will help. Good luck

Answer

Every baby is different. My Lo had feeding issues so she was on formula and breast milk at different times and she still kept the same feeding schedule. Breastfeeding can vary bc you don't know how much the baby is getting. Have you worked with a lactation consultant?

Formula keeps them full for longer?

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