My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

BF baby fretful after first bottle of formula - coincidence?

2 replies

Kathryn1967 · 25/08/2005 09:26

Hi, I'm newish on Mumsnet (been lurking for a while whenever baby permits!) and wonder if anybody can help with this query.

DS is nearly 9 weeks old and isn't a fantastic sleeper. There's no pattern - occasionally he'll sleep for 3 1/2 hours but more often it's 2 and for the past couple of weeks 1 hour feeding, 1 hour sleeping is not uncommon. So.... I finally let myself be persuaded by all the people who tell me to give him a bottle of formula last thing to knock him out. Last night he took two ounces of SMA Gold at 10.30 - wouldn't take any more. Then he breastfed. Fell asleep at 11 (on the breast - v. bad habit, I know... will deal with that in a month or so) and woke up at 1.00 v. fretful. He seemed to have really bad wind - his little tummy was gurgling like nobody's business and he didn't want to lie down at all. In fact, he didn't even want to feed and that, I can tell you, is a first. He's finally OK now, after a couple of massive poops - feeding and less fretful although still inclined to be clingy. The query is: could this be connected to the formula or could it just be a reaction to his first DTP which he had yesterday afternoon? I've checked (as best I can with baby attached) and I can't find tummy upset listed as a side-effect of the jab, but is that still more likely than a reaction to the formula?

All answers gratefully received by this guilt-ridden mum...

Kathryn

OP posts:
Report
Tommy · 25/08/2005 09:31

try not to feel guilty - you're doing everything right for your baby! IME babies have funny tummies, are unsettled, don't sleep etc for many reasons and none. May have been the formula, may not have been.
If it's any help, my younger son fell alsepp on the breast until he was over a year old so I wouldn't worry too much about that either!

Report
KiwiKate · 26/08/2005 09:29

Them falling asleep on the breat is not problematic at this early age. it is very natural and I know many mums who kept this up till around the one year age mark, and never had any problems. At your baby's tender age they will not form "bad habits". More likely to feel secure and comforted and be good sleepers later on.

Not sure about the effect of the bottle. Why not try dropping the bottle for a few nights and see how you go (or if you are desperate to keep up the bottle only give a small amount and build it up).

BTW feeding every two hours at this stage is also not uncommon (search other threads on feeding and see it is fairly usual). He may well be going through a growth spurt and need more of your bmilk than usual?

Regarding feeding, go with your instinct and don't be pressured by other people. they aren't the ones that have to deal with an unsettled baby at 1am!!

Good luck

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.