Powdered formula vs. cartons - constipation

[Zacharysmummy]

Hi, I started topping up DS at 3 mo having been ebf before that. I give one formula feed before bed and have been using cartons of ready to use but last week switched to powder (mainly for cost but also someone said the cartons are sweeter and he could develop a sweet tooth?). He is now 5 mo and still mainly breast fed apart from this one bottle a day. Since switching to powdered formula he has been waking in the night in terrible pain and I've also noticed a hard tummy and irritability in the day before he poos. The night waking is no new thing, he's been waking every 2-3 hours for the last couple of months and I've been bf'ing him but the last few nights he's not interested in the breast just wants a real good back rub to sort out his wind/ constipation. Poo's haven't changed an awful lot, a little thicker and grainier but still semi-liquid so I'm a bit puzzled as to if it could be constipation. I'm going to revert back to cartons from today until I see my HV tomorrow and receive some MN'ers words of wisdom in response to this post! Thanks x

i think formula just makes them windy. dd was bf for a week with no wind, when i had to stop and switched to formula she suddenly had agonising wind.

which formula are you using? SMA is notorious for constipated windy babies.

I remember moving from all cartons to powder at home and cartons out and about due to cost and that did cause constipation but no wind.
If this 'sweetness' thing is why you are changing then I wouldn't bother - just stick with what is working. Both taste the same to me.

Am using Aptamil, the main reason for changing to powder was cost and to be able to use it for weaning rather than opening a whole carton to mix in with the solids but to be honest I've been using ebm for this up to now (only started friday though!)