most of milk in eve or night

[~emmalou~]

ds has reflux to a mild degree, we had to put him on solids at 4 months and now aged 6 months he is on 3 generous solid meals a day.  In the day he hates his bottles and screams at them. so he has say 3 oz in the morn, 4 oz at lunch, 4oz at 5pm (I give solids afer his bottle).  We have just switched him from lactose free prescription milk to follow on formula (so far so good )  Problem we have is that he drinks 6oz at 7pm, then 6 oz at 10pm for DF then wakes at 4.30 for another 6 oz......if he doesnt get the 6oz he screams the place down as hungry..............

Is there anyway to remedy this or should i just accept he is a bit relfuxy (which is loads better) and thank goodness he gets the goodness of milk even at night

Poor dh has to get up with him as my night meds make me zonked for 8 hrs!

[Lolly]

I would think he is not drinking so much in the day because he is getting the milk in the night. If you want to turn it around you could limit his night bottle for a few nights and see if he can be settled after a slightly reduced feed. If this works try dropping another oz and see if he will just settle. If you can reduce his night oz he should take more at that first feed - that's the theory anyway!

We did this with DD, limited the night milk then around 8 months just offered water if she woke and she did accept the water and then stopped waking pretty much.

If he is waking at the same time it could be that it's become a habit that he expects rather than a pure hunger driven waking, especially if he is eating well in the day. If your follow on formula is just straight forward formula have you thought about trying a reflux formula instead? If the reflux is bothering him at night that would help. We have used Enfamil AR with my two with good success.

Laura

[~emmalou~]

hi thanks, that sounds a reasonable plan. am shocked as he has just took a 6oz bottle, we skipped the morn bottle as he refused it and just had breakfast. he necks the night bottles, so will reduce by an oz tonight, and up the df by an oz, do you think thats the better feed to have a good amount, or should i be cutting both the df and the night feed??

thanks again x

[Lolly]

I would start with the night feed personally - it would probably be too much of a drop to do both at once. I think slowly would be the best way forward. It will take longer but if he eats well in the day, has his minimum 20oz of milk with his bedtime feed and DF at least you know he is getting enough calories in the day.

Laura

[koe2moe]

emmalou, wishing you the best of luck to get rid of night bottles. .. i wish i could get some meds to give me some restful sleep at night, myself  I think u got some excellent advice from Laura

Laura, I just wish I had this kind of advice earlier on how to get rid of night bottles gradually.  I was told multiple times not to feed.  When you have a screaming baby in the middle of the night, all you would want to do is to get him back to sleep.  I'm now weaning off night bottle by going cold turkey, tonight will be night 3. DS is now 16mo. Anyways...

good luck emmalou!!  

[~emmalou~]

thanks ladies, have noticed last two days he is eating more and more? maybe 6 month growth spurt???

Will def reduce one of the feeds in couple days. thanks again ladies xx