Formula top-up leading to poo problems

[DeeLite]

DS is twelve weeks old and has been EBF until this week when I introduced a supplementary top-up of 4 ounces of Aptamil at 7pm due to very poor weight gain despite near constant feeding. His weight has improved but he's waking more at night (three times instead of twice) and pooing every time he feeds (instead of twice a day in the morning).

He seems very contented but I'm not so happy about changing three dirty nappies (often with leakage onto clothes) a night as it wakes DS fully and takes him ages to get back to sleep.

I am tempted to go back to EBF for purely selfish reasons - i.e. to get more sleep - but I suppose his weight ought to be the overriding factor.

Is all the pooing normal or is it a sign that his tum does not like the formula?

'Tis a well-known effect of formulas with added LCPUFAs, DeeLite - I think you might find some info on the pack or at least the website, about stools becoming softer. Some parents say it's really like diarrhoea. You could check this with the HV.

Options:

• back to full bf and working out what the issue might have been with weight
• change formula to one without LCPUFAs
• investigate nappy brands to choose one that's super-non-leaky

Hope this helps a bit.

I would look to change the formula, try SMA instead. Sorry but you're right baby's wright gain is more important than your sleep for now.

You should be able to get nappies that don't leak though, what are using?

Going back to exclusive bfing is not for selfish reasons if it means that your baby's poo gets back to normal.

As Tiktok says, the solution could be go back to exclusive bfing and get help and advice to deal with the weight gain - have you seen an expert bfing counsellor? Have you had the baby's latch checked?

I know nothing about formula types except that the one I gave to my dc1 (one bottle a day as he wasn't gaining weight according to the charts) bunged him up. Boots own brand green packet nappies are more leakproof for dc3 than any others I've tried but she is still ebf so very liquid.Also think about a bigger size of nappy to avoid leaks.