CMPA baby not satisfied with milk

[Anothersleepdeprivedmum]

Hi everyone. My LO is nearly 7 months and was diagnosed with CMPA at 9 weeks. She has been on Similac Alimentum ever since.

She’s never slept through the night and wakes every night between 1 and 2am for a feed. I know that many babies still need a night feed at her age but a lot of other babies seem to last much longer into the night before needing a top up. She’s weaning really well and loves her food and takes around 24oz of formula through the day. She’s starving when she wakes in the night and no amount of soothing will get her back to sleep. I’m just curious as to whether the milk doesn’t fill her enough to see her through a longer stretch at night.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? If so, how did you deal with it? Thank you

DD1 had severe reflux, medicated to the highest level for her weight. We trialled six weeks of Neocate to see if it was CMPA, but it was ‘just’ the reflux.

We weaned at 17 weeks with the dietitian’s support, who explained that during the first few months of solid food there may be additional milk intake at night to compensate for day feeds being replaced with milk. Anecdotally, a lot of friends with previously good sleepers (which DD1 was categorically not) did talk about increased night wakings at 6/7/8 months ish.

However, DD2 is now on omeprazole for silent reflux due to her daily intake being only around 14-16oz per day. She is, touch wood, a good night sleeper who refuses to feed from 6pm until the morning. Surely she should be hungrier at night to make up calories from the day when she can’t drink much at once.

Baby sleep seems to be at least 60% guesswork to me!

@Anothersleepdeprivedmum when we were on similac alimentum LO woke every night just once at the same time I think it was more of a habit! Now we are on a different formula he wakes every 3 hours again!

@Timeturnerplease how did you know it was “just” the reflux? We are on Omeprazole and SMA Alfamino and wondering if it’s “just” the reflux a normal formula might fill LO up a bit more

@MiniStar After the six week trial period there was no improvement in symptoms - in fact, she was throwing up more and refusing feeds. Swapped her back onto a more gentle milk (HiPP old recipe, though I wish I’d known about goat as that’s done wonders for DD2) with highest dose of ranitidine and Carobel to thicken did it for us. She eventually grew out of vomiting liquids at around 13 months.

@Timeturnerplease oh wow really - we have been on similac for 6 weeks and Alfamino now for 1 with no difference I’m very tempted to go back to a gentle milk but not sure what the repercussions would be! I feel like because he was only 4lb6oz at birth his little body maybe needed some time to get used to it and by week 6 they just assumed it was CMPA - he is less unsettled the older he gets but just refuses the milk now I have to give it to him whilst he sleeps - EXHAUSTING!

@MiniStar If you’re thinking of a gentle milk I highly recommend goat. DD2 was looking to have similar issues and the combination of goat milk plus omeprazole sorted her out in days. HiPP changed their recipe sadly, or I’d have used that, and she didn’t get on with Kendamil but Kendamil Goat suits her beautifully.

Thanks everyone for your replies and words of support ♥️ It sounds like it’s nothing to do with the milk and I just have a little one who really likes her night feed 😭😂 xx

Does she only have one night feed? If so then she’s a pretty good sleeper.