>I look around at formula fed babies and find that they are sleeping through
the night at earlier ages. What is it?  Are formula feeding moms doing the
Ferber thing and letting their babies scream at 6 months?
>
You must be really tired!  Not a full night's sleep in four years, I don't
remember how I did it either.  Remember though, even if it seems all of the
breastfed babies you know are not sleeping, it doesn't mean all breastfed
babies are wakeful and all bottlefed babies sleep well.  I remember when my
first child was born the secretary in the office I worked in (I was an
engineer before children) had a daughter who was still up several times a
night often for an hour or more at a time.  Mom was very proud of the fact
that baby was on whole milk by 2 weeks and skim by 1 month.  The child had a
lot of asthma and allergies.  She was my first exposure to bottle fed
babies.  I have several babies of moms in my practice who have babies who
sleep 4 to 8 hours at night.  These babies are in the first months of life.
Most of the babies do seem to wake however.

Perhaps your child is accustomed to feeling secure at night, knowing you are
there.  The formula fed babies, while not necessarily allowed to "scream",
maybe weren't responded to as quickly and soon learned that it was necessary
to calm themselves, because no one was there to help them.  You didn't
mention how long your baby was up at night.  If it is just a few minutes,
perhaps he can start sleeping on the other side of dad and only nursing back
to sleep if he really needs it.  It might, at least, get you some sleep.  I
am sure Kathryn Dettwyler could expound further but, I seem to remember that
ours is one of the few cultures where we expect that babies will not wake at
night.  I don't know about you, but I find that I often wake at night and
then return to sleep after getting a hug from my husband ar giving one to my
child when they were sleeping with us.  If you get a chance write down how
you are feeling, you may need it when your babies are older and no longer
want to sleep with mom, and you miss them!

Good Night,



Linda Pohl, IBCLC
Phoenix, Arizona USA
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