whats the deal with follow on milk?

[nicnic01]

Hi,
My dd is 6.5 months. She was exclusively BF for first 5 months then gradually switched to bottle at the same time as gradually introducing solids. She is now on 3 meals a day (not huge portions but getting better) and 3 or 4 bottles a day. SHe has a breakfast bottle of 6 oz, 5oz at about 3, 6 oz at 7. (she has milk/cheese/yoghurt during the day with her meals too). However she is not a good sleeper and often has a 4th bottle at about 2/3am or sometimes manages to last till 4/5 when she has her breakfast bottle early then a few more hours sleep.
I just wondered if follow on milk or "goodnight" milk is likely to make a difference???? She is currently on aptimil.

no not really I think it has more iron in it rather than more calories.

Nah... IMO follow on milk is a con, just the formula companies to get you to spend more money. My ds, who was a brilliant sleeper, was still having a feed at night until he was about 7/8 months old by the way. I think your dd may need a bit more time before she can go 7-7 or whatever you're aiming for. At that age I used to give ds a dream feed at about 11pm and then he'd need another one at 4/5am, so I think you'd be fine to carry on with what you're doing.

They also developed them as they are not intended as a replacement for breastmilk from birth so they can advertise them whereas they can't advertise breastmilk replacement formulas

www.sacn.gov.uk/reports_position_statements/position_statements/sacn_statement_on_good_night_milks_- november2008.html tells you what the specialist advisory committee to the department of health think of the safety of goodnight milk....not much! There is no evidence these milks help with sleep, either.

Your baby's sleep/waking sounds normal for her age, in fact...not sure what you are expecting? Don't mean to sound harsh, but many babies of her age wake at night.

I don't have any experience of Goodnight Milk, but isn't it formula with cereal? I don't know.

But, I do know that babies do get hungry during the night. This is absolutely normal.

Are you breast feeding at night? If you want to keep your supply, then my own experience is that by feeding at night somehow keeps it going.

DD and DS both who were b/f until they were 13 months, would wake up for a feed. Then again, I know several people who b/f and their DCs would sleep through at 6 months...