Home › Forums › Feeding Issues › General Feeding Issues › Starting Neocate – Help please!
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November 1, 2008 at 11:19 pm #58235
Anonymous
InactiveI just read the “Throwing Up Neocate” post and the great article about elemental formulas posted by Laura. I don’t want to hijack the other thread, but I have more questions.
Here’s our story, in short. DD is 8 months old, diagnosed with silent reflux at 2 weeks, also green/mucousy/bloody stool/gas/colic, etc… Eliminated milk & egg (ODD’s allergens) for 4 weeks – no change. Eliminated top 8 for 4 weeks – minor change. TED for 3 weeks – minor change. Got rid of the potatoes – normal BM’s and decrease in reflux – phew! That was June 26 and it’s now November 21st. Added a few new foods (beef, carrots, grapes and brown sugar) but it’s just a really long process. Confirmed allergy to milk (anaphylactic) and potential reactions to a host of other things.At our nutritionist appointment yesterday, Amelia was officially labeled “failure to thrive” after losing weight this month. The nutritionist said it was mostly just a “label” to help us get the formula paid for.With all that said, I want to be done BFing – I could go on and on with the reasons, but the best thing for DD, for me and for my family is to put her on formula.The nutritionist said to try Neocate first and gave me a sample can. I mixed 2 oz. with breastmilk yesterday and she took it fine. I didn’t see any side effects – bowel movement today was fine.Tonight I tried 3 oz. with 3 oz. (I hadn’t read anything on here yet about the slow transition) and she threw it right back up (all over my MIL…).Okay, that was long, but here’s my question:I REALLY don’t want to and don’t think I can pump enough to just start giving her bottles exclusively (and then putting gradually increasing amounts of Neocate in).Is there any other way I can do this????The P.S. on all of this is that she’s only on Zantac and I have to call our new ped. (another long story) on Monday to make an appointment to have her switched to something stronger.Thanks for any input!-MandyDD Ada 4/06 (ana to milk/egg)DD Amelia 3/08 (reflux, MFPI)November 2, 2008 at 1:48 pm #58252InactiveIt could have been something in the breast milk. I will keep the transition the way you are doing it, maybe 1/2 ounce increase a t a time.
Are you giving any probtioic? if not woudl consider startig her on it soon. Kirkman probtioitc is a good one and so is Klaire lab infant formula and Costum Probtioic. Those are hypoallergenic. Google them to get more info. I would also conider some digestive enzymes. I buy Houston brand and Enzymedica. You start adding a bit at a time to her formual or food. Enzymes helps break down the food, which most children with sensitive guts can digest very well. It has helped my DD with the vomiting.you can buy them at: http://www.iherb.com or http://www.theapexstore.combest of luck,LeoNovember 2, 2008 at 8:13 pm #58269hellbennt
KeymasterNovember 2, 2008 at 8:49 pm #58273InactiveMandy,
Oh my gosh..your story is just like mine. I did the exact same thing except I only went down to eliminating the top 20 or so, not the full blown TED as my ped recommended against it because she doesn’t see it as healthy. Anyway, at four months McKenzie was diagnosed with FTT because of no weight gain in one month. I am still BF her but I think I am about to be done…I bet for a lot of the reasons you are. It has been a long 9 months ( my daughter is 9 months and I have been on this restricted diet for almost 9 months). Anyway, I am getting off course. Here is what I did and it is totally not what everyone tells you to do. I just gave her a straight bottle of Neocate. But I did the one WITHOUT the DHA/ARA. The other one gave her tummy problems. She took it just fine. The other thing is I started with giving her the formula after BFing her and then eventually (a week later) just started alternating formula with BM. She now gets one full bottle of neocate and one 1/2 and 1/2 and the rest BF. But I think once she hits nine months (Tuesday) I am going to start to wean completely. good luck. I hope it all goes well for you.
November 2, 2008 at 10:59 pm #58279InactiveThanks for the replies!
I ordered the Klaire Labs probiotic and will start it as soon as I get it.I gave her two bottles of 1 oz breastmilk, 1 oz Neocate today and then nursed her after she was done. She did fine both times and then took a bottle of 5 oz breastmilk and 2 oz Neocate tonight.I’m concerned because her stools were loose today and seem to have that same appearance as when she was reacting something I added to my diet (green, mucousy). The ‘odor’ is the same as it used to be and my MIL said when she changed her tonight she had a bad diaper rash, not just in the anal area – all over. I’m scared that she’s reacting to the Neocate…I guess I just wait it out and see if she gets better? (She was ‘normal’ prior to starting the formula and I haven’t added anything to my diet, so I know it’s not something in the breastmilk).Ugghhh… I’m so jealous of all those moms who can just breastfeed carefree and not even worry about what they eat…Emily – Yes, there are so many reasons for weaning (my husband was in tears the other day at the thought of being able to go out to dinner with me…) Amelia’s loss of weight was the final straw for me, so I really hope this formula works.-MandyNovember 3, 2008 at 9:24 am #58299InactiveI recently started my DD on the Klaire Labs probiotics and she has tolerated them very well. So, hopefully your DD has no problems either. Her stool does make me wonder if she’s reacting to the neocate. Although, give it a few more days b/c maybe it’s just her body getting used to it. Have you noticed any changes in her sleep or her fussiness throughout the day? IF she were reacting to the neocate it could be b/c of a few things…
1. Neocate is made on lines that also make milk based formulas in addition to other things. With your DD being as allergic to milk it may be a possibility that she’s reacting to trace amounts of milk that may have gotten into the neocate.2. Neocate contains corn syrup and maybe CORN is affecting her? Some say they can’t react to corn syrup b/c you react to the protein and corn sryup doesn’t contain the corn protein b/c it has been cooked out. BUT it’s possible. There is a mom on here whose DD was allergic to corn and corn syrup…IF you do suspect that the tace amounts of milk in the neocate is the problem, there is Elecare. It is made on its own lines and there is no possibility of contamination. HTH!November 3, 2008 at 8:16 pm #58330InactiveA rash on my dd’s privates means yeast infections. We use the probtioic to help clear it up, but sometimes it needs a round of nyastin cream.
i hope the probitoic helps.LeoNovember 4, 2008 at 10:39 pm #58351InactiveAmber –
Thanks for the Neocate info – I’ll definitely keep it in mind. I think she’s doing better today, her BM this morning seemed more ‘normal’ and she was less gassy. We’ll see how it goes over the next few days.Thanks again everyone!MandyNovember 6, 2008 at 10:02 pm #58416InactiveMandy,
How are things going? Is the gas and stuff better?
I am the same way about weaning. My birthday is Nov 12th and for my birthday, my DH and I said tonight that for my birthday I would try to wean and be proud of myself…that would be my present. This crazy diet is just dragging me down…and now I have been sick and lost some weight and am not making milk like I was, and to top it off, I have to force myself to eat things I hate that make my stomach hurt (from the flu bug I am still not 100% over) just so I don’t lose any more weight. Urgh! But at least you were able to make it 8 months EBF. My DD had weight gain issues at 4 months, and I have been supplementing with about 8-10 oz of formula a day.Good luck!November 7, 2008 at 9:10 am #58421InactiveI am so NOT a doctor, but when i put both boys on neocate (Dylan especially) it got worse before it got better. Some of it, (I think*) was all the old things in his system that were just cleaning themselves out. He did not get rash so that is different, but more fussy, etc… I too, just did a cold turkey fully bottle Neocate and never looked back but that could have been why we had a tough transition? Not sure, but will tell you after two weeks with both, Brand New Babies, happy, sleeping, etc…..
If the rash persists and even with yeast cream or the probiotic it does not get better, or if it gets worse, I wouldn’t rule out not tolerating the Neocate. Although it is rare, it does happen, so it is not impossible.Hang in there! You BF ladies doing TED get my highest praises! You have done amazing jobs with your babies going as long as you did if you do decide to stop. I believe wholeheartedly that it is an amazing thing to do for your child (BFing) but it is not the only thing your child needs, so if it makes things better for the whole family, then sometimes we make tough decisions that benefit everyone.Hang in there!!Ann MarieNovember 8, 2008 at 10:17 pm #58492InactiveJust wanted to adresss the green poo issue. I was alwasy todl it was normal to have green poos from a child who is on an elemantal formula. Jedd was on Alimentum and he had green poos. Runny green poos.
Oh and just rmember that formulas will sit in the system for longer than BM will. So yo uamy see that less fomrula is taken or the feeidng are being demended for less often.November 11, 2008 at 5:01 pm #58558InactiveMandy,
I hope you were able to transition in the end.
My DS was the one who threw up the first bottle of Neocate. He continued to spit up more (and bigger volumes) than we were used to for the 2 weeks he was on the Neocate, and I was told that was b/c it’s more watery than BM. The blood in the poop went away but only after we completely eliminated breastmilk. The poops were dark green and absolutely revolting, which is normal. He would only go every other day. Now we’re back to breastfeeding, but I still need to supplement with Neocate b/c my volume suffered. Since we never figured out what he was reacting to, GI said to only
avoid soy, dairy and egg (and I’m avoiding gluten and fish and nuts due
to older DS’s allergies). Fingers crossed he doesn’t start having blood in his poops again, but if he does I don’t think I could go back to TED, which didn’t work for us either. I am very tempted to ween now that he’s biting my nipples and I need to
follow each feeding with a bottle anyways, but DS is only 5 months
old.I am in awe of you and all the moms out there who have been dieting for so long and I know it takes a toll on the whole family.
Let us know if the Neocate or Elecare ultimately works for you. I didn’t realize Elecare was less likely to be contaminated by dairy–this forum is amazing.
Michelle
November 13, 2008 at 3:31 pm #58648InactiveMichelle,
I have been supplementing with Neocate since four months due to supply issues I think were associated with my restricted diet. I was determined to make it to six months since that is the time that everyone talks about being so important. In the end I didn’t nurse and then give a bottle…that got to be just too much…I was nursing four times a day (three if she STTN) and giving one full bottle of neocate and one 50/50 mixed with BM I pumped. It has been a crazy road…I now am down to two nursing sessions a day (OK this is an experiment I just started) and am eating what I want (not hog wild, but still what I want…I had cake on my birthday. ) and the rest is formula. I know it is hard what you are doing. It has taken a toll on me and my family. The hardest for me was when I got the flu bug. I was throwing up and the only thing I wanted to eat was crackers, but I couldn’t. That was the bottom for me, so my husband told me what I needed to be telling myself. BF did not make me a good mom…loving my children did…and with all the restrictions I have had on myself, and the toll it was taking on me…it was effecting how well I could take care of the girls (no enery, always, tired, etc) so if we have to wean completely, I am so proud I made it to nine months…if not, well that will be even better. Good luck to everyone!!!
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