Tips for introducing formula?

[Anonymous]

My son is 5.5weeks and on 7.5mg of Prevacid daily for reflux. The reflux is relatively well controlled, although we have bad days too, for no apparent reason.

I’m BFing, and had started to introduce dairy back into my diet on a limited basis with no obvious issues from him. I hadn’t been restricting anything else. Our pedi. suggested trying him on Gerber Goodstart formula, to see if he would tolerate tht better than just breast milk, becuase it’s oly why protein, instead of the whey/casein protein mix found in breastmilk. (he made this suggestion becuase we do hve our bad days, but for no apparent reason).

My fear is that just giving him a straight formula bottle when he’s only had breastmilk will aggravate his stomach. So, I’m wondering if there is a good way to start introducing formula slowly so it doesn’t shock him?Or, am I being overly worried and should i just give him a bottle of formula to try and see what happens?

[Anonymous]

My suggestion is… if you have enough breastmilk I would NOT give formula. Breast milk is the easiest for babies to digest. I am afraid too that by adding formula it will make him worse.

If your baby has a hard time breaking down proteins then he might not get too sick right away from the dairy you consume or the dairy in the formula. But that undigested protein can build up and then cause problems several days later.

Breastmilk is best! You might consider taking some digestive enzyme supplements to make the proteins in your milk be more broken down so that they are easier for baby to digest. Of you could give the supplements directly to your baby. My children were helped tremendously from taking a digestive enzyme supplement plus probiotics. You can read my blog (see signature) to learn more about what we found to help our children.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Martha. My only problem is that eventuallynim going to have toi introduce some formula, especially when I go back to work. So I’d like to find something that works sooner rather than later.

[Anonymous]

True! Well, then I guess you could start with the Good Start formula. But if that causes problems, I’d go to a formula that has the proteins extensively broken down in them. Like Enfamil’s Nutramigen or Similac’s Alimentum.

[hellbennt]

Can you block feed; feed from one breast & pump from the other? save up some breastmilk?

you can try formula, of course, especially since you’re eating milk protein currently & you’re not seeing it affect your baby…

Reasons a breastfeeding mother might think her baby is reacting to something in her milk:

*poop that is not ‘normal’ mustardy yellow, seedy breastfed baby poop

*mucous in poop; mucous can look like: snot, jelly, cottage cheese, stringy like the inside of a banana

*foul-smelling poop

*stinky, foul-smelling painful gas

*straining and grunting to poop and, when baby finally does poop, it’s soft

[Author]

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