Worried about DS's reaction to formula.

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

DS is 8.5 months and breastfed. Over the past few weeks I've tried to introduce the odd carton of formula to ease the burden on me as he is a crappy sleeper and to take account of the fact he starts nursery after Christmas.

The Hipp brand left him really unsettled the few times we used it so we tried Aptamil last night. He drank it and an hour later started crying in discomfort. Eventually he threw it all up and DH and I had to take turns sitting up with him holding him upright, literally all night.

He has cow's milk in his porridge with no obvious issue. Could there be something else in the formula upsetting him? Is it possible it's the bottle? It's a Tommee Tippee with a size 3 teat.

I'm panicking about nursery and work now. I only work three days but they are long days so I will leave before he wakes. DH needs some milk to give him. DS doesn't seem keen on expressed milk and I don't think I could express enough on a regular basis.

I'm half wondering about trying cow's milk for those three mornings even though he will only be 10 months. Is that ridiculous?

Any ideas of what I should try next?

[HuggleBuggleBear]

I don't know about reactions to formula but just wanted to let you know my experience. I returned to work when my son was 9 months, 3 days a week. Nursery tried offering milk in a bottle and in a cup, he refused it all and never drank milk during the day when apart from me and just breastfed on my return. I was really worried but the nursery staff didn't see it as much as a problem and ensured he was offered yogurts etc during day. He dropped day feeds all together at about 14 months. I was concerned how he would be without milk but he just accepted as I wasn't there.

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

I'm frightened he might just do that huggle and will want even more milk in the night. I'm exhausted with his night wakings and looking after my 3 year old and I'm terrified of how much worse that could get when I'm working too.

May I ask did your DS increase his night wakings when you went back to work?

[BertieBotts]

At 10 months I wouldn't worry about it, just let him drink water in the day and he will BF in the evenings and at night. TBH I think if they're going to reverse cycle anyway, then they do it whether you give formula or not.

Or you could look for hypoallergenic formulas?

[Lookslikeimstuckhere]

I tried feeding DS Hipp organic (made him vomit every feed) and Aptamil (he would either cry in pain after feed or just vomit it all back up again). In the end I tried Cow and Gate which he took to fine with no problems. Sometimes just one little ingredient can not agree with tiny tummies!

[HuggleBuggleBear]

No he didn't wake more for feeds in the night. At that age he had one night awakening and this just continued, no change when he started nursery. I was worried about reverse cycling as he was a big feeder, hour long feeds, every 2 hours until 7 months etc but he honestly was fine. Always wanted a feed as soon as we got home from nursery and then no change in feeds. When I was at home he fed coz I was there it was like out of sight out of mind.
I've got a 9 month old daughter and I'm returning to work in three months, and I've found she wakes regularly through the night (terrible sleeper) and this doesn't change if I feed her loads during day.

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

That's interesting to hear huggle. DD had long been sleeping through by this point!

I'm tempted to try again lookslike perhaps with an anti colic bottle too.

[Lookslikeimstuckhere]

If you were tempted to try other formula then I would try without the anti colic bottle first, as otherwise you won't know whether it's the formula or the colic that's causing the issue (if indeed it is either of those things!!)

Good luck!

[HuggleBuggleBear]

no harm in trying other stuff, what about a cup instead of a bottle?

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

He'd probably go for a cup in the morning. DD has a cup of milk in the morning and he loves to copy whatever she is doing.

Don't think it would help in the night as he'd have to sit up and wake up to drink it so that full night's sleep I dream of will have to wait until DS decides to grant it.

[feeona123]

Maybe the flow is too fast? I haven't moved on from the first teet with tommee tippee x