Formula top up upsetting my 16 week old, please help

[JJ1471]

Hi there,

I'm really hoping that someone can help me, I'll try and be brief.

My 16 week old was exclusively breastfed until about a week ago. We had trouble getting him to take a bottle, but have persevered and are now at the stage where he will take a 10.30pm feed of formula (C&G) with no problems.

Previously we were down to one night feed, when he appeared genuinely hungry and would settle easily afterwards.

Since the formula top up he has been awake every couple of hours through the night, screaming, not really hungry, and very difficult to settle. I can hear his tummy making noises and he looks very uncomfortable.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? Is it possible that the formula is upsetting him? Is it worth switching to another brand? And if so, which ones are worth trying? Or is there anything else we could try?

Thanks a lot,
Jennifer

Can you use ebm instead of formula?

Unfortunately I've never been able to express very much breast milk at a time, I struggle to get 1oz out.

What kind of breast pump are you using?

I'm no expert but perhaps your baby is lactose-intolerant (is allegic to cows milk). I am and find milk gives me horrible wind, cramp and general horribleness in the stomach and guts. I gurgle and bubble, it's not pretty.

Could try a lactose free formula? It's made from soya I believe. I don't know any brands, sorry, as I don't live in the UK. If you were in Mexico (where I am) I'd tell you to consult your paedatrician about it; but perhaps in the UK it would your GP or Health visitor.

I hope someone qualified can come along to help you.

you could try a different formula but that is no guarantee that the same thing or something different won't happen. as catita said, he could be lactose intolerant and soy formula should only be used after consulting a gp.

However, it is totally NORMAL for babies to start to wake up more around 16 weeks ang it has nothing to do with your milk supply. It is usually misguided hope that formula will make a baby (continue) to sleep through. A baby at 16 weeks have a whole host of brain and body development going on which is more likely to be causing the wakings. Could you adjust your sleeping arrangements a bit to accommodate these wakings?

He won't be lactose intolerant, that's for sure, or he'd be unable to have breastmilk (which like all animal milks has lactose in it). It's possible he is cows milk protein intolerant - not usually a permanent condition as babies become more able to tolerate it as they grow.

You'd have to try a non-cows milk formula, or a hypoallergenic formula where the protein is already broken down (both should only be used after a proper diagnosis of his condition, though).

I agree - it does sound as if the formula is making him uncomfortable. Is just bf him not an option?

erm yes TT is right. i think my posting time made me do it. it is one of my pet peeves when i hear people say tiny babes are lactose intolerant.

Thank you for all your help and suggestions.

When he is waking several times in the night, he just doesn't seem to be that hungry. A couple of weeks ago when I was doing one night feed, he was desperately hungry and chomping away on everything that touched his mouth while I jiggled him into position to feed, these times he isn't that bothered about feeding.

His evening stretch of sleep is only from around 7.30pm-8pm until 10.15pm or so. One of the reasons for the 10.30pm formula feed was so that when we've got it going my husband could do this feed and I could get a longer stretch of sleep. Also I felt this is when my supply is at its lowest.

I am also ready to begin phasing out breastfeeding, I've struggled with it since day 1 and am very pleased to have made it this far. I don't intend to give up completely just yet (although I realise that this is the first step) but I don't see myself going beyond 6 months. He'll need to have formula then won't he, as he can't have cow's milk?

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply,
Jennifer

I've just tried to start doing the same thing with dd2 (5m) so I can have an early night before the many night feeds. Unfortunately, dd doesn't want to take it - the most she's taken is 1 oz and every time she's been really sick later in bed (never normally sick) so it obviously doesn't agree with her (Aptimil).