formula advice desperately needed please

[justonesherryformedicinalpurpo]

LO is 10m. Up until now was eb. She started using me as a dummy in the night. I would let her fall asleep on boob and then once I tried popping in her dummy she would scream blue murder and would only be happy once latched on so I've started giving her formula for her night feed and in the night. She's had a few bottles of formula here and there since 8m if I've needed to go out and has been fine with it but since having formula at night and throughout the night she's had a terrible poo explosion the next morning and it's definitely not a coincidence.

I've worked out that she's having 21-26oz of milk in the night. I've tried giving her 4oz (still with 7oz water) for her night feeds but she just wakes more so ends up still having same amount of formula.

She guzzles it down which makes me think she's still hungry but I don't know! Is it too much water, too much formula? I've thought lactase intolerance but she's had a bit of dairy here and there since 6m.

I'm at a loss! Can anyone help? Thank you

How many feeds is she having at night? How much is she having in the day, and dies she eat well?

At 10mo she doesn't need anything at night, so I wonder if you need to concentrate on upping her food / milk in the day and then night-weaning completely.

That's a lot of milk overnight for a 10mth old. Try cutting down how many ounces in a bottle rather than adding more water. I don't think it sounds like a dairy intolerance, more likely just a very full tummy.

I think you need to try and encourage self settling rather than keep feeding at night. Easier said than done I know.

I'm no expert as new to bottles myself. But my understanding is that at that age they only need a total of c20-21oz during 24 hours. So would explain the massive nappies maybe - just drinking too much? Certainly my dd went right off solids for a couple of days when we switched to formula - she has never once said no to milk the greedy guzzler. Once we rationed her appropriately all was fine!

I can see that it might be really hard to not offer milk if she's waking and crying but think you might have to do as pp suggested and night wean.

I'm not sure you should be mixing different amounts of formula with water.. Even over water to formula. I would try her on smaller bottles in the night or just offer water.

However as others have said she should be easing off her night feeds so how does she sleep without a feed to help her drop off?? Can she get to sleep on her own during the day? If you always have to feed her to sleep maybe try waking her ever so slightly before you out her down and gradually remove the link between milk and sleep? It'll be easier to teacher her to fall asleep on her own during the day and then hopefully she'll transfer the skill to night time.
K

Yes I think I will have to offer water only instead as hopefully she'll learn that's all she'll get and won't wake up as often. Let the night weaning begin!

she does eat well in the day. Three decent sized meals, a snack or two and 4 bfs.

thanks for all your tips all!

Could you give her a bowl.of porridge 30mins before bed, so at least you know she isnt hungry when she wakes in the night? I found it makes it easier standing firm on the water only front.

If you think she might be lactose intolerant, then giving her watered down milk won't help. Lactose intolerance means that the gut can't breakdown lactose as it isn't making enough lactase to break down the lactose in the milk. The lactose remains in the poo and draws water into the poo, making it runny. Temporary lactose intolerance after a bug seems to be quite common and a few weeks on lactose free formula (available without prescription) is all that's needed for that type of lactose intolerance. Though you should probably see a GP if you want to try out lactose free formula.

But I agree that is a huge amount of formula, particularly at night. My 10 month old doesn't have any at night, which seems more common. But I can't usually get her to drink the recommended 1 pint a day, so we're at the opposite end of the range.