You don’t have to be a health expert to know that when it comes to baby feeding, breastfeeding is the best option for most babies. Besides usually being less expensive than buying formula (aside from your time, of course!), breastfeeding provides a whole host of health benefits to both mom and baby. But let’s be honest — if you have a baby who’s still waking frequently at night, the benefits of breastfeeding are probably among the last things you’re thinking about during those middle-of-the-night feedings! Instead, you’re probably thinking about how tired you are, and wondering how on earth you can get your baby to start sleeping more at night. You may be even feeling like you’re a worse parent because of it.
Some breastfeeding moms may find themselves wondering if formula is the solution to their problems. They wonder if adding a bit of formula to their baby’s diet might encourage sleep. And a few particularly exhausted moms may toy with the idea of switching to formula altogether as the solution to their babies’ night waking. Nicole remembers being told that her son was waking at night because “Breastfeeding isn’t enough.”
Will Adding or Switching to Formula Help Baby Sleep?
We can answer this question in two words: probably not. If you’re breastfeeding and having issues with your milk production, and if your baby isn’t getting enough to eat as a result, then formula may help your baby sleep better, simply because it would give her the nourishment that she isn’t getting from nursing. However, this isn’t a problem for most nursing moms. In fact, oftentimes, when moms think they’re experiencing low milk production, they actually aren’t. If your baby is nursing just fine, then adding a bottle of formula in here and there, or switching to formula altogether, isn’t likely to help her sleep any better.
The logic behind assuming formula will help baby sleep is easy to trace. Formula takes longer for a baby’s system to digest than breastmilk; for this reason, formula-fed babies tend to need fewer feedings per day than do breastfed babies. What’s more, babies tend to drink more from a bottle than they do from a breast. Add all of this together, and it’s easy to assume that formula-fed babies must sleep far better than breastfed babies since they won’t wake as much from hunger.
The truth is, baby sleep isn’t as straightforward as that. This line of thinking assumes that the only reason a baby wakes at night is out of hunger; that’s simply NOT the case. This excerpt from our article “Will Starting Solids Help Baby Sleep?” explains why the causes of a baby’s night waking can be complicated:
“But (as any parent who’s cross-eyed with exhaustion can tell you) hunger isn’t the only reason a baby wakes at night — far from it. Many babies sleep poorly at night due to sleep associations, or perhaps because they’re experiencing a sleep regression. In these cases, hunger has nothing to do with a baby’s night waking.
Keep in mind too that as babies grow, they need fewer and fewer nighttime feeds. By 4 months, most babies need 1-3 nighttime feedings; by 6 months, (the earliest age that experts recommend starting solids), that number drops to 1-2. Keep in mind, this is provided your baby is receiving all of their necessary daytime calories! So if your baby is waking frequently during the night, the problem probably isn’t hunger (or at least, it’s not just hunger). And that’s why there’s no actual link between feeding your baby solids and having him sleep better. If he isn’t sleeping well, it’s probably because he’s formed bad sleep habits, not because he’s constantly hungry.”
Of course, this article references solids, but the same principles hold true for formula. There’s no real link between adding/switching to formula and having your baby sleep better, simply because hunger isn’t the only reason a baby wakes at night. Our client base alone is proof of this, since our Helpdesk contains accounts for both breastfeeding, formula, and mixed feeding babies alike.
And here’s an interesting side note: even if formula helped your baby sleep a little better, your own sleep might not benefit at all. A 2010 study revealed that breastfeeding and bottle feeding moms get the same amount of sleep. Time magazine summarized the findings this way:
“It’s true that formula takes babies longer to digest, while breast milk is processed fully and quickly because of its composition. But even if bottle-fed babies are sleeping longer, their moms are not, say the researchers.”
So even if adding or switching to formula helped your baby sleep a little better (and odds are it won’t), research suggests that it wouldn’t do anything at all for your sleep. After all, a parent getting up at 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. is waking twice just like a parent waking at 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Should You Switch To Formula?
Some breastfeeding moms reach a point of desperation and begin wondering if weaning their babies completely to formula is the solution for a better night’s sleep. This isn’t a strategy that we recommend. Instead, we recommend that you continue nursing and begin to work on establishing good, healthy sleep habits with your baby.
Another side note: other breastfeeding moms may consider making the switch to formula for a different reason — they may be feeling pressure to switch because their babies aren’t gaining weight “properly”, or maybe even because a pediatrician has started using the “failure to thrive” label when discussing their babies’ growth. This can be scary for moms; on the one hand, they want to breastfeed, but on the other hand, they fear their baby isn’t getting enough nourishment. If you’re in this position, you may be wondering, “Should I just give up nursing and switch to formula?”
Before you take that step, consider Diana’s story. She was exclusively breastfeeding her daughter Bella, even though multiple doctors and nurses tried to convince her to switch to formula due to Bella’s small size and “failure” to gain weight. Despite all the pressure, Diana continued to breastfeed and searched for other ways to explain and treat Bella’s “condition”. Diana shares that Bella endured countless medical tests, and that she and her husband spent thousands of dollars searching for answers. And then something unexpected happened:
“Today we went in for our last appointment at Children’s. The doctor was pleased to see Bella gaining weight and doing so well. He turned the computer to show me the curve she was on, and how she was still under the 10th percentile but very healthy as all the tests had come back normal. And then?
He pulled up another screen. “And this is the WHO (World Health Organization) chart for breastfed girls/boys, we’ve just recently started using it. So as you can see, compared to other strictly breastfed babies, Bella is in the 50th percentile for height/weight. Which is right on target. It looks like you guys are good to go.
I.WAS.FLOORED.
All the months we spent worrying about her weight – when probably for at least the past five months or so she’s been fine. Right where she should have been as a breastfed infant. She never had to go through most of those horrible tests.”
If you’re considering switching to formula out of concern for your baby’s growth and development, consider consulting the WHO chart and asking your doctor to look it over with you.
Should You Supplement With Formula?
Other breastfeeding moms want to continue nursing but wonder about “topping off” with a bottle of formula sometimes (like right before baby goes to bed for the night). It’s perfectly fine to combine formula feeding and breastfeeding if you are okay with it. You can even mix powdered formula with breastmilk. Keep in mind that any amount of breastfeeding is beneficial for your baby.
That said, there are three things to be aware of when you “top off” with formula:
- If you regularly offer bottles of formula while nursing, it may affect your milk supply, since nursing is a “supply and demand” process. Your baby will need less breastmilk if he regularly gets a bottle of formula each day, which will lead to a drop in supply.
- If your baby is a newborn, switching back and forth between breast and bottle can cause nipple confusion which is when your baby may become frustrated at the breast when they go back and forth between breast and bottle. Consider waiting to offer any formula until nursing is well-established (usually in the first 4 – 6 weeks); at that point, nipple confusion shouldn’t be a concern.
- Remember that formula is harder to digest than breastmilk and contains ingredients that your baby may not yet be able to digest easily. This means that formula can lead to digestive issues, like gas and constipation. And those digestive issues can make your baby’s already-problematic nighttime sleep even worse!
Change the Sleeping Habits, Not the Food Source!
While there are a few families we’ve come across who notice a marked improvement in sleep after night weaning, ultimately, changing your baby’s food source probably won’t help him sleep any better. Don’t let that discourage you, though! Even though the solution to your baby’s sleep issues might not be as straightforward and simple as adding or switching to formula, rest assured that there is a solution. And we can help you find it! Why not try a personalized, one-on-one consultation with one of our expert sleep consultants?
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For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.
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If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.
Learn More About Mastering Naps
For those persistent toddler sleep struggles, check out The 5 Step System to Help Your Toddler Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your toddler sleep through the night and enjoy a better daytime schedule.
Learn More About The 5-Step System
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Jasmin says
My son has been exclusively breast fed and now is almost 8 months. My son was born at 9 lbs. 6 oz. and at 6 months was 18 lbs. 3 oz. (almost doubled birth weight) My pediatrician said I could stop breastfeeding and switch to formula because there was no benefit of breastfeeding after 6 months. So weird, I thought doctors would be happy moms were breastfeeding as it is healthier.
I had many people tell me that he needs more than just breast milk and that I have to suppliment formula. I got a free sample of formula and tried giving it to him and he gagged – not just wouldn’t take it, actual gag reflex. It smelled really bad too. I cannot believe how many people use formula when there is a free natural food for babies first year or two. I also can’t believe how many doctors recommend formula. One person who said I had to use formula was told by her doctor to use formula because her milk wasn’t enough. She said that she bottle feeds, then an hour later breastfeeds.
Adding solid food hasn’t helped him sleep either, so it isn’t hunger. He is up twice a night, generally. It is ALL about how I put him to bed. I put him to bed awake for about a week and he slept through the night. I wasn’t consistent and he gets up now because I nurse him to sleep. My choice and his teething is why he is up. I feel bad hearing him cry even a little, so we keep getting up. I am a tortoise and so is he, so we are taking our time. I enjoy breastfeeding and can’t believe how fast he has changed from a little infant to be crawling, sitting himself up and standing, and having two teeth!
Emily DeJeu says
@ Anna — thanks for giving such a detailed account of your experience! It’ll likely prove really helpful to the moms who are experiencing what you have. Good luck to you, as you start trying for baby #2! Very exciting!!
Emily DeJeu says
@ Ashwini — it’s amazing how different siblings can be, isn’t it? And of course, the differences impact sleep, too. Thanks for sharing your experiece!
@ Andrea — What a happy birthday that must have been for all of you 😉 Further proof that all kids are different, AND that nighttime waking often involves more than just hunger.
@ Em — thanks for sharing this message of support! Sounds like breastfeeding has been a really positive experience for you and your son 🙂
Anna says
We are in the middle of debating this with our nearly 10 month old. He LOVES his food and I still can’t seem to satisfy him with BF overnight. He still wakes up at least once (teething so has been more). We introduced formula when I had no milk for one feed and needed to get him off to bed. It didn’t help him sleep ANY longer than 4.5hrs, which at first was really annoying but solids had/have the same affect. Nothing seems to fill my hungry boy. My DH has tried feeding him formula before bed so we can get a better gap, well if my baby smells milk on me it doesn’t work. We are going to try different formula to see if its the taste as want to start weaning him off me as starting to try for number 2. For us formula doesn’t make him sleep longer or affect anything from his normal routine. We just want to do it so its not a ‘blame new baby for me losing Mummy’.
I agree with Andrea with it being a brain thing. My baby knows if he cries I’m there and will comfort feed off to sleep. If just makes noises I wait and either the noises stop (gone back to sleep himself) or I do have to go in and check what I have to do.
We introduced solids at nearly 4 months due to me not satisfying him with BF alone. The first night got an 8hr gap then was back to his usual 4 – 6hr overnight gap. I just go with the flow with my baby.
We will keep trying with formula as don’t want him to miss out on anything.
More sleep well it will come whenever it does 😉
Em says
I just wanted to send a message of support to all moms who are up at nights but especially if you’re breastfeeding and wondering if it’s worth it, look at it this way: I breastfed my son exclusively, including 2/3 wakings a night for months but he’s now nearly 2 and I have only been up with him 2/3 times (touchwood) in his life due to illness. That includes his first few months in daycare after I went back to work. Plus he sleeps and naps (for now) like a dream. I now have a three month old and am happy to do the same again. So much nicer to do a quick and peaceful feed with a sleepy, happy baby than be up nights with a sicky, upset toddler. Those antibodies are not just helping your baby now – they could also earn you both a lot more sleep later!
Andrea says
I too was tempted to try a bottle of formula a night, and even starting solids early. My son never slept longer than 2hr stretches some nights, in all of infancy (under 12 mo). I just continued to nurse him to sleep and we moved him out of the family bed at 12mo. Then *poof* two weeks after his first birthday he started sleeping thru the night, all night 11-12 hrs long. He started solids at 8mo and weaned at 18.
I totally think its a brain thing not a belly thing. Some kids are ready early, some need to take their own time. Patience and consistency are the keys, not necessarily what you feed/how you feed your baby.
Ashwini says
I have a pair of almost 10 month old twins. I used the mixed feeding method until they were 6months old when I had to get back to work. Now, they are exclusively formula fed with 3 solid feeds a day. Yet they wake up 2-3 times a night; sometimes to feed and at other times due to teething pain. Formula, breast milk or solids haven’t really made a difference. They were each born with a different sleeping pattern and even today, it remains different.
Emily DeJeu says
@ Teryn — that’s a good philosophy! Enjoy it while it lasts 🙂 Congratulations on having such a champ sleeper!
Teryn says
I def thought about adding a formula bottle before bed to see if that made a difference… but at exactly 4 months old she slept 10 hours, then 11, then 12, sometimes 13. I know how lucky I am, that an exclusively breastfed baby is sleeping that much. I also know this may not last. I am enjoying it while it does :o)
Emily DeJeu says
@ Emily — sounds like you have a big challenge on your hands! It can be so hard to break those sleep/feeding associations, can’t it? You’re not alone, of course; I’d say most of the parents who contact us about their babies’/toddlers’ sleep are struggling with sleep associations.
I completely understand about not being able to stand the CIO method. Although, it sounds like in your daughter’s case, it proved useful 😉 Maybe you do need to plan another short vacation!
Best of luck to you, Emily!