Any advice on Formula for "Hungrier-Babies"? Does it cause constipation?

[GeoBraMum]

Hello,
I'm combination feeding by nearly 4mo DD and for some reason switched to the formula for hungrier babies...she reverted to waking every 2 hours a night. I'm wondering now if its causing constipation? Our nights are very bad. She wakes an hour after going to bed and will only stay sleeping while I hold her...anytime I lay her down she stirs and cries, needing to be picked up again.
Any help on this would be welcome. Is it wind?? Stomach problems?? Teething even??
Thank you.

could be the famous 4 month sleep regression....

not got a link but should come up if you google it.

babies wee brains are apparently v busy at this age and they have agrowth spurt too :)

Thanks for that. I've googled it and found a few sites.

My DS did wake up loads at that age, but it did settle down eventually. I was going back to work when he was about 6 months and i remember being worried I'd be shattered!

yes, hungry milk can be constipating as it is harder to digest

If you're breastfeeding have you been able to feed her in bed at all? If she's stopping crying when you're holding her then it sounds as if she wants some comfort.

Hi aGog1, yeah I do feed her in bed at night and she'll fall seemingly sound asleep but again, when I put her down, she wakes. I try winding her really well before putting her down incase this is the cause of her restlessness but it just doesnt seem to work.

Maybe it is just comfort, I'd like it to be that rather than her being in physical pain! But I just dont have the strength anymore for hours of standing holding her & patting her back, plus I need sleep!!!

Hopefully its (yet another) phase that will pass!!

Thanks for all the feedback, it helps

Have you tried feeding her in bed, lying down? If you didn't want to co-sleep you could put her on a cot-sheet ready to transfer over when you had finished feeding. If you are doing this though, you mustn't swaddle her, you need to be aware of her movements so you have a continuing awareness of where she is.

Here's some information on sleep issues/night-feeding from evidence- based website Kellymom which might help: www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/sleep.html

She's still quite young, I'd be willing to bet that her little digestive system is working overtime with hungry baby formula. Babies are designed to feed little and often, through the night too. If you are able to get any help with feeding lying down - is there a breastfeeding support group nearby, or could you call a breastfeeding helpline- you'll be able to limit the nights spent patting her back (I've been there ). Personally I found feeding in bed and co- sleeping solved the sleepless night issue for me and I would recommend you look into it ( there's lots of info on Kellymom and a great book by Deborah Jackson on it) but then it's not for everyone. Look at the information and see whether you think it might work for you.

Good for you, by the way, for keeping the breastfeeding going. I think with that and the fact you're really making an effort to tune into what your baby needs, you're really on the right lines to finding a solution that works for you both.

And you're right on something else too - it will pass !