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Original poster

This won’t ruin breastfeeding will it or irritate baby’s stomach ?

35 replies

TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 18:47

Dd is 10 months. Been BF and going fine. Weaning has gone well. But she’s too hot the last few days !!!!
Breastfeeds make her sweaty and uncomfy and then leads to restless naps and sleep 😩

She’s had the occasional bottle in the past but not much. We had a few of the aptamil 1 ready made bottles in the cupboard for emergencies.
I thought yesterday as she was so hot and grumpy I’d put one in the fridge then try her with that and she drank it all !! (It’s 7 oz in the bottle). She was cooler and then slept I think she may have been thirsty too she acted like it anyway ?

My friend who is a breastfeeding supporter said I’ve made a few mistakes that 1) it was too much I should have stopped at 4oz so this will stretch dd stomach, and 2 it will possibly upset her stomach (she seems fine but now I’m worried), that I should have pace fed (dd seemed thirsty I let her drink at her pace ) and that I should have given the right stage for her age not newborn milk …..
that she may get bottle preference (I was going to bf till 12-18 m)

So now she’s hot again and I’m thinking am I doing the wrong thing but she loved it. Have I really made all those mistakes I just thought it’s milk for babies you can surely mix and match !!!

OP posts:
IDontDrinkTea · 18/07/2021 18:50

Hmm… I’m not sure your friend has things right there.

Aptamil 1 is the correct milk for her age. Follow on milks are a total con, and were only invented as they’re not allowed to advertise first milk. You can use aptamil 1 until they’re ready for cows milk.

I’d also have assumed that at 10 months old your baby will have been weaning and drinking water for a while too, meaning her stomach will be used to more than just breastmilk. As a one off, I really don’t see the harm

Northernsoullover · 18/07/2021 18:50

I mixed and matched without apparent adverse effects. Its highly unlikely it will have stretched her stomach. Stop worrying.

godwingolly · 18/07/2021 18:51

Mine had bottles when I was at work at that age. She’ll be fine

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Aquamarine1029 · 18/07/2021 18:53

Your friend is being ridiculous. You know your baby best, not her. Stretch her stomach? Confused

Ignore the know-it-all. You haven't made any "mistakes."

DinosaurDiana · 18/07/2021 18:53

Have you been offering water ?
I used to give mine the odd bottle, it’s fine.

Original poster
TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 18:53

@IDontDrinkTea

Hmm… I’m not sure your friend has things right there.

Aptamil 1 is the correct milk for her age. Follow on milks are a total con, and were only invented as they’re not allowed to advertise first milk. You can use aptamil 1 until they’re ready for cows milk.

I’d also have assumed that at 10 months old your baby will have been weaning and drinking water for a while too, meaning her stomach will be used to more than just breastmilk. As a one off, I really don’t see the harm

Yes I thought stage 1 was 0-12 m 😬 but then I googled and saw there’s stage 2 for 6m + but I can’t see much difference! We just had the 1 here and i thought worth a try.

Yes she has been weaning fine doesn’t have a massive appetite and with blw sometimes is throwing more on the floor than she eats 🤣🤣 and she has sips of water but not huge amounts. I have no idea how many oz she gets from me ! Sometimes she has really long feeds so she may get 7 oz of breastmilk who knows !! So the 7oz formula shouldn’t stretch her stomach but she said formula is heavy and hard to digest this is why it could irritate a baby who isn’t used to it.
She slept lovely after it though and was cooler and happier

OP posts:
VaguelyInteresting · 18/07/2021 18:54

I ummm... I don’t think stomachs stretch like cheap wool...
Ignore your friend. Your kid will be eating chocolate buttons off the floor in the park in a few months anyway.

Original poster
TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 18:56

@DinosaurDiana

Have you been offering water ? I used to give mine the odd bottle, it’s fine.
Yes she has a beaker and has sips of it but she seemed to really really love the milk I think I will just go with it and give her some more as it’s so hot ! She seems absolutely fine and settled afterwards plus I don’t understand when she’s having food why this one thing would be ‘too heavy/ irritating’ she’s not allergic so it’s fine ??!!
OP posts:
missnevermind · 18/07/2021 18:56

If you think of it as a drink rather than a feed would that help. At 10 months she has a sippy cup for juice and water. Think of it as an extension of that.

Original poster
TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 18:56

@VaguelyInteresting

I ummm... I don’t think stomachs stretch like cheap wool... Ignore your friend. Your kid will be eating chocolate buttons off the floor in the park in a few months anyway.
I was seriously worrying I’d have damaged her stomach the way she said it !!
OP posts:
5zeds · 18/07/2021 18:59

If she’s weaning already I can’t see why it makes any odds at all.
FWIW I gave mine a bottle at bedtime and bf the rest of the time with no issue at all and fed for a looooong time.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 18/07/2021 19:00

Your friend sounds like a drama llama. :p I introduced occasional formula to my DS at 6 months. No tummy issues, and I breastfed him until 20 months. Were your DC 10 DAYS old, I’d advice you to be a bit cautious about introducing formula before breastfeeding is established, but at 10 MONTHS to be concerned sounds bonkers.

DramaAlpaca · 18/07/2021 19:02

Your friend doesn't know as much about breastfeeding as she thinks she does.

What you did was fine.

Original poster
TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 19:03

@5zeds

If she’s weaning already I can’t see why it makes any odds at all. FWIW I gave mine a bottle at bedtime and bf the rest of the time with no issue at all and fed for a looooong time.
That’s reassuring as I want to bf for a bit longer but if she likes formula too it could def make my life easier!!!

She honestly looked so happy to have a cold drink

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 18/07/2021 19:04

Honestly, if your baby slept better after having a full bottle, I would carry on with that.

First stage milk is fine right up to them being fully weaned and on to cows milk.

Dd had follow on milk because it was cheaper, but ds stayed on first stage as it was prescription milk and it didn’t go up.

FTEngineerM · 18/07/2021 19:07

It’s not you, it’s peer supporters/the messages that come from them.

I can remember being almost frightened of over feeding DS at the bottle and him never wanting breast again turns out, he’s fine and doesn’t overeat.. ever.

Actually he’s been on the bottle for 4m now (did 8 BFing) and he still try’s to latch on if we’re chilling in bed in the morning or something 😂

You’ll be fine, they’ll be fine.
Sounds like a great idea to me.

thelastgoldeneagle · 18/07/2021 19:10

Very worrying that your friend is a bf supporter. She needs to update her knowledge and get more training. Shocking.

Shallysally · 18/07/2021 19:11

Your baby drank the formula, was cool and happy and slept better as a result.

Babies tummy’s don’t stretch, if she had been full then she would have stopped drinking.

I mix fed my DD almost from birth and she was fine, this was due to reflux and she had a “stay down” formula to supplement.

Please don’t worry, as long as your baby is happy all is fine Smile

AlitheAllosaurus · 18/07/2021 19:13

I’m a midwife, your friend might have a point if your baby was a newborn, she’s not, she’s 10 months old. She can definitely handle 7ozs of formula without any problems, pace feeding is recommended for newborns, a 10 month old can pace themselves, you won’t have done any damage and if you wish to continue giving the occasional formula feed then go for it. You gave exactly the right feed too, first milk is recommended until 1 year of age, not follow on milk at all! Maybe your friend needs to refresh their knowledge and be a bit more supportive

Brenna24 · 18/07/2021 19:13

Follow on milk was only invented because they brought in laws to ban the advertising of milk for babies up to 6m and has very few differences to to 0 to 6m formula. It doesn't matter which you give. Your supply will be well established by now so it won't affect your supply. And you baby is now getting used to a variety of different foods and amounts, so 5hat is hardly going to matter. Plus she will stop when she is full enough. Your friend is talking utter rot. Keep doing whatever makes your baby happy.

Mine is still breastfeeding at 3.5 years old and some days utterly stuffs herself with other stuff (including ice cream in this weather).

Original poster
TooHotForUs · 18/07/2021 19:21

@AlitheAllosaurus

I’m a midwife, your friend might have a point if your baby was a newborn, she’s not, she’s 10 months old. She can definitely handle 7ozs of formula without any problems, pace feeding is recommended for newborns, a 10 month old can pace themselves, you won’t have done any damage and if you wish to continue giving the occasional formula feed then go for it. You gave exactly the right feed too, first milk is recommended until 1 year of age, not follow on milk at all! Maybe your friend needs to refresh their knowledge and be a bit more supportive
Thankyou so much ! I really appreciate the advice. I think if I’d tried to take the bottle to pace feed she would have cried as she was clearly enjoying it !!!!
OP posts:
dannydyerismydad · 18/07/2021 19:36

If mixed feeding works for you, then that's all that matters.

Breastfed babies can be really fussy in the hot weather though as they like to feel little and often to stimulate the lighter, refreshing milk, so don't worry about a change in feeding pattern either.

BertieBotts · 18/07/2021 19:43

She's 10 months old... she's on solids! It doesn't matter what she has in the way of formula.

Your friend is being completely ridiculous, and I trained as a peer supporter - she is talking rubbish. What she is saying is potentially applicable to much much much younger babies.

sylbunny · 18/07/2021 19:45

Both my children have had a bottle of formula in the evening (to allow me to do other things) since a young age and I've breastfed them both. I can't pump so formula was my only option. My eldest I breastfed until she was 2.5 yrs old and I expect my youngest to do similar! I'm very very pro breastfeeding and will always suggest to friends that they try to give it a go for the first 6 weeks - which usually leads to longer. Unfortunately some pro-breastfeeding folks can be a bit snobby about it and think any formula is wrong and will do all sorts of damage when honestly fed is best and any degree of breastfeeding is fantastic.

MrsPatrickDempsey · 18/07/2021 19:55

I am worried about the knowledge of the so called breastfeeding supporter friend more than anything you have said about your baby.