diluting the formula feed more water and less formula yes or no?

10 replies

bubblegumcheeks · 16/02/2006 08:31

anyone got advice on diluting the formula feed so as to have more water and less formula dd 11 months and waking for feeds at 3am every night want to dilute the bottle as tried giving eater but she screams till I give her milk.HEEELLLLPPPPPP

OP posts:

ShaysMummy · 16/02/2006 08:33

i would think in this case it be ok, as long as she has enough milk in the day (mine drinks about 1/4 of his daily milk need during night-nightmare-i cant stop him)
i added more water when he was constipated which was fine.

bobbybobbobbingalong · 16/02/2006 08:33

Give her the formula - waking for a night feed at 11 months isn't abnormal.

fisil · 16/02/2006 08:33

Yes, do it. We did it with ds2. Very gradually. I dropped one scoop at a time. I made it my rule that I wouldn't drop the next scoop until I couldn't remember when I last dropped a scoop (usually about a week, I guess). By about 50% he wasn't waking up any more!

fisil · 16/02/2006 08:35

It might not be abnormal bob, but it is imo not conducive to good parenting during the daytime! When we did it ds2 was 4 months. I need my babies to sleep through the night, or I'm a nightmare mummy.

bobbybobbobbingalong · 16/02/2006 08:40

I didn't realise that the idea was to dilute it to a point where they stop waking for it. I apologise and take back my remark.

fisil · 16/02/2006 08:51

Kelly1978 · 16/02/2006 09:17

I've accidently given mine diluted milk in the past and they refuse to drink it! We use those avent containers for premeasuring the powder, and half asleep I haven't got it all in the bottle. Good luck with it.

LucyJu · 16/02/2006 11:32

The alternative i've heard is just to cut down on the amount you give, an oz at a time. By the time you get to 1oz, the theory is they'll stop waking. Only for babies at least 6 months old though.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 16/02/2006 11:43

I was advised to dilute formula for ds, as he was a big boy and wanted feeding every 2 hours at times when newborn and sometimes he would guzzle 9oz!

I wasnt sure about the idea of diluting at a young age, so I didnt.
When he was around 5 weeks, I started to dilute a little in the night feeds - say if he wanted 9oz, I would only give him 8oz of powder (8 scoops) Not sure if it was working, but with the help of good bedtime routine and diluting milk he dropped one feed in the night (He only woke twice in the night anyway).
I still wanted to reduce the milk for the one feed in the night, so over the next week I reduced the 'ounces of feed'.
Ie I gave him 8 oz of water and 7 oz powder (7 scoops)
Thought it would take another few months to drop the feed, but a couple of weeks later he didnt wake for the feed!I was so scared and shocked that he hadnt woken LOL!
Maybe it was just luck, I dont know.

He has slept through ever since.
Good luck and dont give up!

Original poster

bubblegumcheeks · 17/02/2006 02:55

thank you everyone for your input I think I shall try that and see how it goes.

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