Formula Questions for a Rookie (Long)

[Indianamom2]

Long story short: Ds#2 is 8 months old. He's tiny. Lately, he's been increasingly fussy when nursing later in the day. He's also not very wet the last couple of days (at least not like he used to be). I really think my supply is just not keeping up. I've thought this for quite a while, but I don't know how else to explain him not having as many wet diapers as I know he's not potty training yet!

So, over the last couple of weeks, Ds has finally decided that a bottle of formula is not his enemy and has even drained about 7 ounces in one sitting. (I started with 2 oz, then 4, then 6+) I have been nursing just as many times a day as before. For example, I'd nurse him before his afternoon nap, again when he woke up about 2 hours later, then about an hour after that I would give him a bottle followed by solids for dinner, then nurse him before bedtime (around 7 pm). He usually wakes up between 3-5am to nurse again and is up for the day a little after 7 am.

Lately, he's been really fussy while nursing after his afternoon nap and before bedtime. He acts like he wants to nurse, but he tries and just gets mad. Usually, I end up just having to lay him in his crib and he will fall asleep for the night. I know he's not starving because he does devour his solids, but I just don't think he's getting enough breastmilk anymore at all, especially in the later afternoon/evening.

So this afternoon, after he was really fussy while trying to nurse after he woke up from his nap, I gave him a 4 oz. bottle of formula, which he drained. Then a little while later, I fed him his solids for dinner. When I tried to nurse him before bed, I brought a bottle up, just to see what would happen. I tried nursing first, but he was very unhappy and frustrated. So I gave him the bottle and he quite happily drained the whole thing (6+ oz) and promptly fell asleep.

I am more than ready to and perfectly fine with weaning. I really think it's in his best interest at this point. He's 8 months old and just barely 16 lbs. He was almost 8 lbs at birth and in the 50th% until around 3-4 months, then he rapidly dropped off to the 3-5th% where he has remained. He's tiny. He has just now almost doubled his birth weight. He seems to be handling the Enfamil GentleEase formula just fine. So my questions, after all this are:

1. Is the Target/Walmart brand that is comparable to GentleEase just as good? Anyone had any problems with it that they did not have with the Enfamil brand?

2. Rookie question, but do you have to heat the water on the stove/bottle warmer or is it okay to use hot tap (city) water?

3. How much does an average 8 month old eat per day? Am I correct that it should be somewhere between 20-30 ounces at this point? I'm just trying to remember off the top of my head.

4. Anything else I should know?

I am going to wean as slowly as possible, though I know once I start supplementing more, my supply will go quicker.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the novel!

[maestramommy]

Okay, I have a girl, but we went through pretty much the same process as you. Here are some numbers.

Laurel is turning 9 months next sat. On my digital scale at home she weighs 18 lbs, give or take.

I nurse her 3 times during the day, once or twice at night. She takes 3 bottles a day, usually 4 oz each. Twice a week when the sitter comes she takes an extra 2-3 oz after her nap. Occasionally she will require 5-6 oz in a bottle to be satisfied. She eats solids, but the amount varies a great deal. Some days she eats a lot, other days she eats very little and only wants milk. I *think* this happens when she is teething, but her teeth have been popping pretty quickly since 7 months (she has 7), so it's hard to tell.

I think I read here that by now an 8-9 month old would be eating between 24-32 oz, but that seems like a lot.
I heat the water in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. I've been doing 30 seconds for 4 oz, but have been decreasing the time so as to get her used to cooler milk. Right now I'm doing 20 seconds for 4 oz. Our microwave isn't full powered. I use the filtered water from the tap.

No suggestions on the formula since we use Similac organic. Laurel hated the Gentle Ease, but downed the Similac no problem.

[Indianamom2]

I thought what we were going through sounded a lot like your experience, Melinda.

And may I say, HOLY MOLY!....7 teeth! Ds just got his first 2.

It's funny that Laurel doesn't like the Enfamil, but liked Similac. Ds was just the opposite and wanted nothing to do with Similac.

To each his or her own!

Thanks for replying.

[sunshine873]

My one piece of advice is to try to get him to take the bottle at room temp. It doesn't have to be warm, and it will make your life 10 times easier if you don't have to warm the bottles up! (Thank you NICU nurses for teaching me about this & getting DD used to room temp!) I fill bottles up in the morning with cold water from our fridge filter, and within a short amt of time they're at room temperature. Then if I'm out & about, the bottle is good as is & I just add the formula powder.

[MolieMuts]

We started DS on Enfamil GentleEase and switched to Wal-Mart and Grocery store generic later on. DS didn't have any problems with it, but neither of my boys have had any problems with any food/drink! The only difference was that the generic foamed a little more when I mixed it. We also just used water at room temperature. I don't remember exactly, but I am pretty sure DS was taking a 6 oz. bottle at that time.

[maydaymommy]

My one piece of advice is to try to get him to take the bottle at room temp. It doesn't have to be warm, and it will make your life 10 times easier if you don't have to warm the bottles up!

Wisest thing I have ever done = use room temp water for bottles.

I would call your ped's office and ask about using your tap water. We fill a Brita pitcher and leave it on the counter near the bottle making stuff. A great thing is that you can make the bottle full of water and take it with you and just add the powder from a little container (they make special ones for this) while you are out.

I don't know anything about the brand of formula you asked about. But, with ds1, he was on Enfamil ProSoBee (?) which is soy-based. We switched to Wegman's store brand of it and had no problems. The industry is well-regulated enough that the store brands are fine, from what I have been told.

Good luck!

[momtobeoverseas]

Do not use hot tap water- the warmer the water, the impurities in your pipes become more soluble in the water. Always use cold water and either heat it up to leave it out for a while till it reaches room temperature.

[maestramommy]

I'm wondering at around 9 months, how many oz does a baby get in the middle of the night? I am nursing, but lately I have so little milk at 2 or 3 am that it's just ridiculous and Laurel keeps getting up, so I give her 4 oz of formula. If I just wanted to skip the nursing and give her a bottle, how many oz does it typically take to satisfy? Should I just stick with the 4 oz?

[sunshine873]

I'm wondering at around 9 months, how many oz does a baby get in the middle of the night? I am nursing, but lately I have so little milk at 2 or 3 am that it's just ridiculous and Laurel keeps getting up, so I give her 4 oz of formula. If I just wanted to skip the nursing and give her a bottle, how many oz does it typically take to satisfy? Should I just stick with the 4 oz?

I was told that a 9 month old is physically capable of going through the night without eating. It just kind of becomes a habit to wake up and then they expect to be fed too. You could try to do away with that night time feeding. If you want to keep feeding her, I think the amount would differ for each DC.