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Infant feeding

Is it ok to add cocoa powder to (dairy free) formula (for 13mth old)?

32 replies

SquidgersMummy · 26/09/2013 20:53

So my dd has been ebf until now - she is 13mths old and a bit of a booby monster. She has a boob at 5, goes back off till 6, has the other then gets up at 7. She likes to nap at 10 and 3 and if I'm home she feeds to sleep. If I'm at work she manages but has a top up when I get in. Feeds to sleep at night. She eats wells but just likes booby Smile Sadly I have to stop feeding asap really - to have any chance of a sibling I need to get back to ivf asap. I was hoping she'd self-wean but it ain't going to happen. We have night weaned but my periods haven't returned which has just increased my anxieties and the medical advice to stop bf'ing to try to conceive. I dont think a pint worth of calcium is going in as she wont take cows milk. DD has eczema and though seems fine after eating cheese/yoghurt/ice-cream any skin it has touched because itchy with hives. Cows milk or normal formula quickly results in red blotches on the skin and she doesnt like it anyway. So we are waiting for an assessment re poss milk allergy. We see paediatrics next week. In the meantime my GP has given me a tin of nutramigen lipil 1 to try (ie hypo allergenic stage 1 formula). Now if we present this as 'milk' DD is going to know it bloody well isn't. I was wondering if from the start we add a little cocoa powder - or whizz with blueberries - and say its milkshake. Unfortunately she loves being fed to sleep and can only sleep otherwise in the buggy or car...(yes, I know)...I am totally dreading it. Fortunately DH is working fm home at the moment so I wonder if we present it as a new exciting thing with daddy?? I really can't see how it's ever going to work...she loves booby and I don't want to deny her. It's been really hard nightweaning but she has accepted it though has to lie tweaking my nipple instead. Please wise people tell me how to do this without tears, hers or mine. X

OP posts:
SquidgersMummy · 26/09/2013 20:57

Forgot to say - cant they just give me calcium supplements instead?? She's good with water.....

OP posts:
beepoff · 26/09/2013 21:31

Have you tried goats milk, cheese etc instead?

Will she drink water?

If yes I'd try goat's cheese, yog etc in the day and see how she reacts, and try to cut down to just a morning and evening feed at first.

TBH most people I know who co-sleep have a bitch of a time cutting down on feedings, you've done well to night wean but if you did that you can cut down some daytime feeds too.

I know one child who self weaned at 1 and refused any other kind of milk. She's slim but absolutely fine and healthy.

gretagrape · 27/09/2013 08:44

Our cocoa powder tin has a warning saying it might contain milk so you'd need to check the label of yours.

Might be worth checking the Allergies threads for tips - I've heard of some people adding vanilla extract to sweeten the formula.

NothingsLeft · 27/09/2013 23:10

Have you tried expressing and mixing it gradually with the formula?

May be try 70/30, then 60/40, 50/50 etc. I personally won't try cocoa powder die to the caffeine content. Some people find mesquite works but you would need to check the labels for dairy content.

NotAQueef · 27/09/2013 23:21

Cocoa powder would be quite bitter. Not sure I see the value of adding it in terms of taste.

nickelbabe · 27/09/2013 23:25

as long as you use bournville cocoa powder you'll be fine.
but do Google food with calcium in, because you might ne okay.
but to be honest, I would carry on BFing for as long as possible

EnglishRose1320 · 27/09/2013 23:32

As she is over a year could you not try her with the cows milk you can buy that is lactose free? My son has that and it tastes nearly the same as standard cows milk- can not think of its name- if I wasn't already in bed I would go and look in the fridge. My son hated giving up bf and we had a bit of a battle- didn't give up till 2.5, and he still does the tweaking nipple thing now and again at 3.4, so all I can really say is good luck.

nickelbabe · 28/09/2013 12:18

because if she's been drinking breast milk with no problem, then it's more likely to be cow's milk protein than lactose

EnglishRose1320 · 28/09/2013 12:35

You could try powered goats milk, my ds had that before e went on the lactofree stuff, that would cut out the issue of cows milk protein as well. We used a brand called 'nannycare' I think.

trixymalixy · 28/09/2013 12:38

We were recomme ded to mix Nutramigen with nesquick to get DS to drink it.

trixymalixy · 28/09/2013 12:47

It was a dietician who recommended nesquick btw.

trixymalixy · 28/09/2013 12:48

Also goats milk not recommended for dairy allergies as the proteins are very similar to CMP.

EnglishRose1320 · 28/09/2013 12:51

I would prob give it a go if it has been recommended to you, nutramigen smells horrible so I imagine the taste isn't great.

EnglishRose1320 · 28/09/2013 12:53

My ds is lactose intolerant and is fine with goats milk but I'm afraid I don't know much about allergies to cows milk protein

Parmarella · 28/09/2013 12:58

Cocoa powder is bitter and contains cafeine like stimulants. Not suitable for babies.

galwaygirl · 28/09/2013 13:00

nickelbabe did you miss OP saying she needs to get back to IVF to try and have another child? So advising her to continue to BF isn't very helpful.

OP, nutramigen tastes gross alright - our DD was fine taking it though, we did mix in formula but switched to 100% nutramigen fairly quickly and our DD was a lot younger so less fussy about the taste I'd imagine. I think mixing in something dairy free to make it taste nicer sounds like a good idea. You could then cut down on the quantities of the additive gradually.

Best of luck with the next cycle of IVF - I remember that stress so well - it worked once for you though so hopefully it will work again! Xx

nextphase · 28/09/2013 13:10

At 13 months, the dietician recommended we use calcium enriched Oatly.
Have you considered moving to a non dairy milk, rather than formula?
Take proper advice, but it was Oat milk recommended to us (don't use rice milk). There are other nut milks, or maybe even soya? I would have thought any would be better than nutragmen, which I understand is foul.

nickelbabe · 28/09/2013 13:51

galway - I guess it did come across as dictatorial, it was only was i would do.
And yes, i did miss the bit about IVF. :)

nickelbabe · 28/09/2013 13:52

jsut re-read the OP and it took me ages to find the ivf part. Blush

HavantGuard · 28/09/2013 13:59

I would try her on other things (on medical advice) like fortified oat milk or lactose free milk. I would really avoid adding anything to her milk to make it more palatable as you could find yourself stuck doing it for years! Whatever you choose to use could be given in a sippy cup so there's no confusion.

nickelbabe · 28/09/2013 14:06

you can get loads of nut milks, too ,which are also fortified with calcium. we have almond milk (which is good on cereal and in cooking), and hazelnut milk (which is great as a drink and on weetabix, and also as milkshake or hot chocolate)

nickelbabe · 28/09/2013 14:07

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SquidgersMummy · 28/09/2013 14:23

Dear all - thanks for the ideas. Well I mixed up a cup of the Nutramigen and FFS I have never smelt or tasted anything like it...no amount of anything could make it pleasant though I would imagine a small baby would take to it and then just be used to it. However I like the idea of the calcium enriched oat stuff or goats milk. We have a hosp appt on thurs so I will be really insistent we need to see a dietician. We need to stop the feeding to sleep anyway as it makes naps difficult these days. I will report back on what they say at the hosp. Many thanks all Thanks XX

OP posts:
NothingsLeft · 28/09/2013 14:25

Breast milk has more lactose in than cows milk so a lactose free milk won't help the problem.

Nut milk are high in salt and none of the non dairy milks, kara, oatly, nut milks are suitable as a substitute under two years as they are not calorific enough.

From a year, they need 300-500mls a day to meet their calcium needs, rather than a pint.

Artandco · 28/09/2013 14:41

Nothing- over a year they don't actually 'need' any milk as can gain all calcium from other sources ie green leafy veg. An alternative milk ie oat milk is just so they have something similar and many are fortified with calcium as mentioned above.

Maybe try goats milk/ cheese and see how she goes with it also. Nut butters, avocados, are all easily calories for young children if needed.

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