Bedtime milk

[Cockney_si]

Cow & Gate are now doing a bedtime milk and I was wondering if anyone has tried it for their babies and if it has made any difference.

My 7 month has never slept through the night and doesnt really want a big feed during the night and sometimes settles with her dummy rather than a bottle. A friend of mine has a 6 month old and she has started using the bedtime milk and says that, although her baby isnt going through the night yet, she is more settled and goes longer.

My dilema is that my friend has always breastfed her baby and therefore the bedtime milk is the only other milk she has. My baby is on formula milk, Aptamil, and Im not sure how it will affect her if she has a different brand as a bedtime drink.

I would appreciate your advice and opinions, I am really tempted to try it, but wont if I hear of it being a very bad idea.

Thanks in advance.

[Stinkerbell]

Hi, I have 3 children and each one has had 3 different milks within the first year. the change of milk hasn't seemed to bother any of them at all. I was wondering though, have you started your little one on solids yet? I've always found (I know every baby is different) that if they have some baby rice or cereal around 5 or 6 o clock and then a bottle around 7, that usually is enough to settle them through until morning (it works with my 5 month old and also did with the other 2) As for the bedtime milk-it can't hurt to try.Whats the worst that can happen-you get a full nights sleep!!
good luck

[Cockney_si]

She is well on the solids now, having three meals a day. She pretty much has it as yours did, she has her dinner around 5pm and then a bottle between 6:30pm and 7pm and then shes off to sleep. She wakes at 11pm, which doesnt bother me, after a nappy change and bottle shes back to sleep again. But restless anytime from about 2-3 am.

My concern is is that I dont want to take her off the Aptamil as it has always suited her (we originally tried her on Farleys simply because my older daughter had it, but it didnt agree with her). A full nights sleep would be heaven lol Im worried being on two different brands would give her trouble.

[Tups]

When grandchild started waking in the night so my daughter decided to try a stronger milk for the night feed. To check it didn't upset her, she started giving it to her for breakfast a few times first. All was well so she has it at night. It's the Cow and Gate purple one. She's now 22 months old and drinks ordinary full cream cow's milk during the day but if she has cow's milk at night, she still wakes up! Keeping up the purple box milk at night ensures a good night's sleep!

[k8bailey]

I think if you want to try the C&G bedtime milk then go for it but she should have G&G in the day too, as mixing brands may cause problems like constipation.
We've had to change brand quite a few times due to suspected allergies, and every time we change baby takes a few days to adjust.
Does aptimil not do any kind of bedtime milk? would hungrier baby milk help any?

[redcrx]

do aptimil do a hungry baby milk?

id say just try that and see if it helps any.

[upsydaisy]

Oh we tried mixing aptimil with hungry baby aptimil at night once and ended up at the GP out of hours surgery as the little fella had the most terrible bellyache - maybe something like porridge or weetabix for teatime would be better for filling bub's tummy? I tried the C&G night time but he wouldn't drink it (its very thick consistency) Best of luck - our fella is almost 2 n STILL not sleeping through (so hope you have better luck x)

[Cockney_si]

Thanks for your answers, we have decided to give the hungry baby feed a go first and take it from there.

Upsydaisy, how old was your little one when you tired giving both types?

As mine has her dinner and a pudding and sometimes finger food as well at tea time, I think she does get full enough on that. Her solid meals arent a problem and seem to be enough for daytimes, we are just hoping to find something to keep her better settled at night times.

Shes in bed and settled after having had about 4-5oz of the hungry milk, so all keep your fingers crossed for us! lol

[aims1202]

At 7 months she doesnt need a bottle in the night, she will always wake up for it if you give it to her though. If you want her to sleep through then i would try stooping the milk at night. it will take a few nights for her to get used to but it'll be worth it for a whole nights sleep! when she does wake you could offer her water or just comfort her. personally i wouldnt bother with this night milk, manufacturers will make anything!
good luck

[warpig3]

Cockney si, my little one is exactly the same as you re sleeping patterns at night.

MY HV suggested that I give her 4oz water with three scoops of formula during the night for a few nights, then three oz water and two scoops of formula for the next few, then down to two oz water and one scoop of formula after that then just water. The thinking behind it being that they dont need the night feed and eventually wont bother waking up as you have weaned them down and off to a lower consistency and they cant be bothered waking up if its just water.

Good luck whatever you decide. I am half way through the programme so dont know if it will be sucessful but am keeping everything crossed.

[tracymort]

This might be worth you reading http://www.sacn.gov.uk/pdfs/final_sacn_stateme nt_on_good_night_milks.pdf

at 7 months it's alotto expect a baby to sleep through, in fact at 17 months I think it would be a surprise unless they've been trained into, which obviously has negative consequences on their development.
Just like other stages in their life they will do it when ready, they walk when their legs are mature enough to support so, they will sleep through when their brain has developed enough to self settle alone. Until then it's your job to help comfort and settle them without stress.
Personally I cannot stand the idea of goodnight milks, it's not going to do their digestive system any good whatsoever and I wouldn't do anything detrimental to a child's health for uninterrupted sleep. If breastfeeding replacing the vital evening feed with another milk is going to really affect supply.
Watering down bottles is also undesirable, Hyponatremia can result from doing this too much.
If you personally have a problem with your baby's sleep pattern then perhaps the books by Elizabeth Pantley are worth a look for kind suggestions.
But to me, as a mum of 3, she sounds totally normal to me.
Sleeping through is not some holy grail that a mum should judge her worth by, make the most of those lovely night time cuddles...they soon grow up!