AIBU to be aghast at friend with bottle feeding....

[Babylon1]

I don't know whether I ABU or not here....

Don't want to drip feed, so here goes.....

Friend has a baby just over 5 months, was EBF for first 6 weeks then mixed BF/FF until approx 10 weeks then FF........ Fast forward to now, and friend has told me that for babys last feed at night, she adds an extra couple of scoops of formula to "bulk out" the milk so baby sleeps longer, and she's been doing this for quite sometime.

Am I right to think that this is not good practice? I've never done it with my DCs and it just doesn't sit right with me.

I'm struggling to fill up ds1 with my milk and she suggested I add a scoop of formula to each expressed bottle (I'm finding it easier to express than bf thru the day times but bf at nights)

Any thoughts, is this normal, do others do it??

[Principality]

Very stupid of her.

YANBU

[EclecticShock]

I thought formula had to be made a certain way...

[alphabite]

Stupid but none of your business really.

[ragged]

I think it depends whether she's getting fluids from other sources, might well be at 5 months. And it's not as terrible at 5 months as it would be at 5 days/5 weeks.

[Northernlurker]

No others don't do it and she shouldn't be doing it either.

[MrsFruitcake]

YANBU. It isn't good and it says not to do it on the tin FGS!

However, plenty of people do all sorts of stuff with their babies, which I'd never have done with mine, perhaps through ignorance? A friend of mine used to feed her 4 month old crushed up farleys rusks and milk in a bottle. Now that IS bad!

[ujjayi]

I believe it can lead to dehydration and constipation.

[SCOTCHandWRY]

Couldn't this make the baby dehydrated? I'd say it's very much the OP's business to suggest to her friend that this may not be safe for the baby!

[Babylon1]

Thank you, and sorry alphabite, she made it my business by suggesting I do it

Which I wouldn't, but do i now make her aware she could be harming baby? She doesn't get any other source of fluids, just her bottles. Doesn't get cooled boiled water offered....... Should she?

[lisaro]

Isn't it too rich for their kidneys to process? Very stupid and dangerous.

[alphabite]

I didn't realise it could lead to dehydration. I take back my comment!

[strawberrypenguin]

Why doesn't she just use Hungry Baby milk for that feed instead, would keep baby full for longer and could still be made up correctly. I personally wouldn't do what she's doing.

[RightUpMyRue]

Clue is in the name. It's made to a formula. She is endangering her baby's health by not following the guidelines.

[ToryLovell]

YANBU it is dangerous as it can cause dehydration IIRC

[iguanadonna]

V bad idea - which is why the goddamn packet says so.

[Ilovedaintynuts]

It's not right but hardly life-threatening.
Several generations ago babies were raised on condensed milk and sugar water with a bit of whiskey here and there.
My own formula, as a baby was made correctly with 'one for the pot'
My mum had no idea how formula was MEANT to be made.

[Northernlurker]

I think you have to say ' Look this is a BAD idea' and ask her about switching to 'hungry baby' milk. If she gets all huffy with you then you'll know that at least you tried.

[BartletForAmerica]

It CAN be life-threatening, as was, even though some babies survived because/despite of it, giving them condensed milk and sugar water.

(I do have an 81 year old friend who was born premature and only got back to her birth weight at 3 months having been given Jersey cream!)

[BartletForAmerica]

Should have said that it was the cream that eventually got her back to birth weight, but I wouldn't recommend it to any premature baby now!

[Northernlurker]

ilove - misuse of formula can be life threatening and yes people did all sorts of weird shit years ago. Infant mortality was higher then too!

[picnicbasketcase]

Yep - she should change to hungry baby formula rather than messing about with the concentration. I'm sure any health visitor or doctor would tell her the same too.

[CherryBlossom27]

It's really bad, it can make babies ill can't it if there is too much/too little formula to water ratio?! If it was me I'd either give the baby a bigger bottle of milk or give them some baby rice at 5 months (although I realise early weaning and baby rice can be a bit of a controversial subject on MN).

[Get0rfMoiLand]

Why would anyone do this?

Of course it is a bad idea to have it in too high a concentration, I would have thought that was obvious.

And re 'mind your own business' - I think the application of 'your baby your rules' should be overridden when someone is doing something which is actually detrimental to health.

[ENormaSnob]

It can be life threatening.

Can cause dehydration which in turn leads to all kinds of shit that I can't be arsed to go into right now.