'hungry baby' milk, new to FF, bit confused!

[greenefingers]

hello ladies, id really appreciate some advice from someone with formula-feeding experience. DD2 is 6 months, I had been BF but didn't seem to have enough milk so have gradually been moving to FF. I never did this with DD1 as i had a lot more milk in those days! so don't really know what i'm supposed to be doing feed-wise. could i ask a few questions:

1) what would be an average amount of ounces at this age? she had 25oz yesterday but only 18 today.
2) Shuold i offer her water with her meals (she's on 3 small solids meals a day and milk feeds at 7, 11 3, 7 and DF).
3) Should she be having a 'number 2' milk now? SHe had been on Aptamil Number 1 but i'd got it into my head that she needed to go up at 6 motnhs so sent DH out to buy Aptamil 2. It says on the box 'for hungry babies, to deal onset on weaning'. I don't think she's a particulalry hungry baby, and i'm not trying to delay weaning, so should i not give her this? she's going to have to have it tonight as my box of Number 1 just ran out!#
4) Am I supposed to introduce a sippy cup at this age or wait longer?
many thanks for all your advice
anna

[*Liz*]

Hello 

I BF until 6 mths as well, I think ex-BF babies often take a little less formula than their long term FF peers for a while as they are not used to the volumes. 6oz 4 times a day would be about average. They say 20-14oz of milk once you are weaning. J tends to get nearer to 15oz, but apparently that is fine as his is teeny.

I would start offerinf a drink of water with her meals. It doesn't matter if she takes any yet, but will hopefully get her used to it before she needs it. They send ages taking 2 sips  so it won't affect your feeds. The only time she might need more water is it it gets very hot. So I would start giving her a cup with water at meal times - then you introduce the sippy at the same time. Certainly don't bother with the sippy for milk for ages and ages yet though.

Aptimal 2 is for hungry babies. It basically contains rice ceral to get them to go longer between feeds. You do not need to use it at all, and if you do remember it can be VERY constipating for some los. You can go to a 3rd stage milk if you like that is for 6 mths plus and apparently has a bit more iron and calcium in it. But most health professionals say it is not necessary and the 1st stage milk is fine to continue on until you stop formula all together. It is a bit of a formula company marketing ploy. I now use SMA 3 for J, but only because I realised he HATED the taste of the amptimal 1.

HTH

[greenefingers]

hi again liz! thanks for that, you seem to pop up on every board that i post on! thanks for the advice. i#ll try her on water at meals today in a sippy cup.

COMPLETE disaster last night! she's been sleeeping through for weeks now. I finished my box of number 1 at bedtime so her DF was Aptamil 2, took 7 ounces. Was awake 2.30, 3, 3.30.. etc etc I gave her 2 ounces in the night but she still didn't settle. she didn't want any this morning but i think that's probably because she usually only has 2 ounces at the 7am feed and she'd had that at 3 am. I don't know if it was a reaction to the DF aptamil 2 but it seems quite a coincidence if not. I understand what you're saying about it being for hungry babies, and she isn't one really! I think i'd better get myself back down to boots today for some of the normal stuff. unfortunate as DH bought 3 boxes of Aptamil 2, wonder if i can freecycle it!

better gom girl is waking up. thanks for your advice, again!
anna

[KathrynK]

hi Anna
don't worry if she won't take water with meals for a while, it takes ages for them to get used to it. Alex looks at me like I'm mad when I try to give him water most days, and he's nearly 10mo  Just keep offering and she will get the hang eventually.

I think you were thinking about Aptamil # 3- that's the follow on milk for 6mo+, specially formulated (so they say) with vitamins to support weaning. We've just started using that one, Alex has been on the Easy Digest since birth due to reflux, but has adapted to the #3 milk with no problems at all 
You don't have to change to a follow on milk; Sophie was on SMA Gold and stayed on that until she switched to cows milk at 12mo. The only reason Alex is having the follow in milk is to get him off the Easy Digest stuff
hth
Kathryn

[*Liz*]

Hey Anna - I do tend to wander around the boards a bit!!

Can you just return the 2 other boxes if they are unopened? I would have though you could with a bit of a 'my DH is so daft and brought the wrong one'.

[KathrynK]

our Sainsbury's doesn't do refunds or exchanges on baby milk, even if unopened. 
I had the same problem with 2 tubs of Aptamil Stage One when we experimented with it at 16 weeks to see if Alex's reflux was able to tolerate the "normal" formula- nope (and yes, we had 3 tubs of it  )

I took it to baby clinic and gave it to the HVs to offer to another mum who used that one- they were very grateful!

[greenefingers]

i think my SIL is using it so i should be able to pass it on,she has twins so needs as much as she can get!!