Is this terribly bad for my baby?

[Hopefully]

Caution, this is a very PFB question! DS is 19 weeks. He has always had various gut problems (many many posts from me on this subject).

He is BF, but has one 6oz bottle during the night (he usually doesn't finish it). For about 8 weeks he has been incredibly constipated, only going once a week, being truly uncomfortable for 24 hours beforehand, and producing really really solid tar like poo when he does go.

Soooo... DP has started adding an extra oz of water to his bottle, so it's 6 scoops formula to 7oz water. DS has about half to two thirds of the bottle usually. This has magically solved his gut problem, daily poos, hardly any discomfort, but now I am panicking that extra water is a Bad Thing. I know extra water is not advised for EBF babies, but do you think in this situation it is ok?

formula should always be made up correctly otehrwise baby will not be getting the nutrients he needs from it.

if the formula is constipating him then I would suggest trying a different brand, or just breastfeeding him, which would be the best for him

Formula milk should always be made up correctly according to the tin.
Have you tried different milks? Or even just water?

I agree with thisisyesterday.

I have always added one ounce of extra water if my babies are constipated. If your baby is primarily breastfed and that is his only bottle, I can't see what harm it could do.

I bet if you asked your HV she'd say carry on.

Hopefully, if you think your baby needs more fluid to counteract the constipating effect of the formula, then you might want to thing about dropping the formula...or if you really don't want to drop the formula, to give him less formula and breastfeed him afterwards. Not sure why he has the bottle if it constipates him - and it does sound as if he is uncomfortable with it

While this is yesterday is right - formula made up incorrectly affects the composition of it and thus the availability of its nutrients - I can't think this would make a measurable difference with one bottle a day in a otherwise breastfed baby. It's more an issue with his comfort, I would have thought.

If you were worried, you could give him an ounce of water on it's own (or with a bit of baby juice if he's old enough), but speaking personally, as it's his only formula of the day, he's going to be getting the vast majority of his nutrition from your breast milk, so I'd carry on with what you are doing, if I were you.

Hopefully, for what it's worth, the GP advised me to add an extra ounce of water to DS feeds to cure his constipation. In the event, I found switching formula worked better (we were on SMA but found aptimil didn't cause constipation so moved to that).

Same as BlameItOnTheBogey, switched from SMA to aptamil and constipation solved.
Good luck

Thanks for the opinions, much appreciated. Plus the fact that plenty of you answered makes me feel a bit less PFB! Currently use Hipp Organic, but might try one of the brands that come in cartons (to save wasting a box) and see if it makes him a bit less constipated.

Have tried giving him a tiny bit of plain water and he turned his nose up at it! Although a friend suggested trying it in something other than a bottle, which might be worth a shot if he stays constipated.

Although the formula has definitely made his poo more, erm, solid, I'm reluctant to assume that dropping it would actually make him less uncomfortable - he only went about every 4 days when he was EBF and was uncomfortable for 12-24 hours beforehand, and when he was virtually sleeping through for 2.5 weeks (and therefore not receiving any formula, from about 12.5-15 weeks) he was still uncomfortable

every four days is not uncommon in an EBF baby, hopefully. It's within the range of normal.

tbh I would look for other reasons that he might be having discomfort. If he was uncomfortable even before you gave him the formula and now the formula is making him constipated and his poos are tar-like I would wonder whether there isn't a reaction to lactose going on?