Best formula ebf baby?

[Firsttimer1007]

Hi everyone, just wondering what formula anybody uses when combination feeding?
My ds2 is 17 weeks today and I have decided to replace the last feed at night with formula ( I have up til now been expressing this one but end up expressing whilst DH feeds baby which defeats the purpose). The last 3 nights i have expressed a bit then DH finishes off with aptamil, he takes anything between 3 and 5 oz of aptamil depending on how much I express.
However the last few days he has been pooing less (DS not DH...!) and generally seems crampy/constipated/more windy. My guilt at giving formula is kicking in and making me think the formula is making him unsettled, do u think it sounds like it is, or should I consider changing formula and if so which one?
He has a cold and I think he may be teething a bit too but I have noticed he is finding it much harder to poo, straining and getting very red and grunty when trying, whereas he was maybe doing 4-5 dirty nappies daily without even batting an eyelid!
Opinions appreciated!

The basic formulas are all the same (as in, none is "better" or "easier" for a breastfed or otherwise baby), so I don't think it matters which one you try. I don't think there is anything other than the normal infant formula which is easier to digest - the comfort/bedtime milks are all thicker so will probably make it worse.

If you'd prefer to express you could try expressing earlier in the day - I used to get most if I tried just before I thought DS might be hungry for a feed, especially if he is napping. It doesn't matter if you are "empty" after expressing as more milk is made on demand and a baby will always be able to get more out even if you can't pump any more.

It is normal for them to get more unsettled at this age though so it might just be a coincidence.

We used Hipp organic for our EBF baby for times when I was away. Tbh baby formula is so regulated they are all pretty much the same I believe.

More likely than not this is just one of those things and your mummy guilt brain is worrying you needlessly.

Is your baby teething? This can effect their bowels - nonidea why!
Are you feeding on demand? If not then baby might not be getting as much fluid as they want.
If you are worried ask your GP/HV.

Out of interest why do you want to replace that feed? I used to pump last thing at night & after the morning feed but only to top up the freezer stash in case i was taken ill or wanted to go out. Occasionally I'd pump, go to bed early and DH would do the 11pm feed but it rarely got me much more sleep so we gave up on it in the end!!
Good luck!

As an aside : Be careful with your supply - many of my mummy friends found out too late that mixed feeding can lead to bf ending sooner than they would have liked. Only after bf ended and they were upset did their HVs say it was common knowledge in BF support circles. Most of these mums would have changed what they did if they had known the risk but then hindsight is a marvelous thing!!

Mixed feeding is OK though if done with proper information. One bottle of formula at a regular time is unlikely to be a problem, but you must be strict about keeping all other feeds as BF especially if there is a growth spurt type situation, and not think "I can't produce enough, I'll just top up this one feed..." as that is misunderstanding how supply actually works!

Additionally it's fine to give a bottle (or a few) occasionally for a night out for example and this should not interrupt supply. Mixed feeding interrupts supply when you start using formula to supplement BF believing that supply is already low, or when there is a mix-and-match approach, BFing when you feel like it and bottlefeeding when you don't.

Thanks for replies... Lol mummy guilt brain is something I def suffer from! Yes I think he is teething, but with ds1 if anything this led to an increase in runny nappies, and these nappies we are having now are much more 'pasty'. Didn't give any formula to ds1 until I weaned him at about 6 months and even then i had a freezer stash to last anither couple of months so have nothing to really compare this to. Want to replace this feed firstly so I can get more sleep (he is fed in demand and demands it often!-still up twice at night too) and also with ds1 I expressed every morning and night and in hindsight I think I would have bf longer if I had made it easier on myself and not stressed as much about supply/topping up freezer, so this time I stopped the morning expressing last month and am phasing out this last feed very gradually as I am very prone to mastitis if I don't pump/feed as much...

Didn't see last two posts until I had types mine...do u think replacing one feed does lead to an overall decrease in supply overall? I did think this happened last time but wasn't sure if it was in my head/mummy guilt brain again!
Only intend to replace this one feed, but would be annoyed if it led to an overall drop in supply as I have worked very hard and have a good supply this time!

Ignore if this doesn't apply. I'm currently a mixed feeder. Recently switched from ready made to powder and my ds got all windy etc. A few days later it has eased, but I think there was a difference between the two, consistency wise and also making up the formula it's very difficult not to introduce bubbles.
Digestion of formula is slower, so the resulting effects seem inevitable.

I think you'll be fine firsttimer. Supply is not as fragile as we are sometimes led to think! As long as you keep it consistent and do it gradually like you have said, you'll be OK.

How has the last week been OP? Hope the mummy guilt has waned and the nappies improved.