Baby 4.5 months, should I switch to Aptamil 2 or start weaning?

[confusedperson]

Hello. My DS2 is nearly 4 months and 2 weeks. Used to sleep through the night (9-10pm to 5-6am) from 2.5 months. He is on Aptamil 1. For the past couple of weeks, he takes 7oz x 4 daytime, then last milk around 10-11pm and starts waking up hungry around 4am if not earlier. Last time as the last feed he had 10oz (!), I thought he will sleep through the night but not, 5 hours later he was hungry.
Didn't want to start weaning until at least 5.5 months, so have been thinking maybe to switch Aptamil 2? Or start solids in between feeds? What do you think?

More milk first

At that age a lot of babies have a growth spurt and want more milk. So the best thing is to give him more milk. If you wanted to move to hungry baby milk, that might (possibly) help - but only he knows !

Maybe you could get an extra feed in during the day? Every 3 hours rather than every 4.

Mine (breastfed) was going 8 hours at night between 2-4 months, then started needing an extra nightfeed. I started solids at 5 months but it made no difference to his nightwaking, didn't get back to one night feed til 6.5months, and now at 7.5 months I'm trying to drop that.

Milk, milk and more milk!

I'd stick with the 1st milk, as it's the most complete in terms of nutrition. And just up the feeds.

DD was even more of a milk monster at this age, we just carried on feeding on demand until she showed the signs she was ready for weaning. You're looking for them to be able to sit up unsupported, be able to get hand to mouth easily, be showing an interest in your food, and be around 26 weeks old.

I thought 2nd milk was not recommended until at least 6 months? Because it doesn't contain enough of the right nutrients for a young baby?

Why not speak to your HV? FWIW, I think it is quite common for a baby who has previously been sleeping through to start waking at about 4 months - try posting on the breast and bottle feeding board as there are lots who know a lot more than me on there.

HTH

More milk. They change their sleeping patterns all the time in the first year due to growth spurts, developmental spurts, hunger, thirst, teething, illness etc.

Even with the increased feeds, it sounds normal and not even remotely excessive.

Introduce solids when your baby is sitting reliably, has no tongue thrust reflex and can pick up and bring things to his mouth, chew and swallow.