Want to try formula but worried about allergy.

[OhWhatAPalaver]

Dd2 is 17 weeks, Bf with the odd bottle of ebm. I'd really like to try her with the odd bottle of formula (bf is lovely but I've had mastitis twice and I'm permanently shattered) but I'm concerned about a possible reaction. Dd1 reacted to something in aptamil baby porridge (amongst other things) but was a bottle refuser so never tried her with formula.
Dd2 has very mucusy poo all the time and she suffers from reflux/colic often. She is also snuffly most of the time. Because of this I'm concerned she might have an allergy or intolerance to something I'm eating, I don't drink cows milk but will eat cheese, cake etc.
Saying that dd1's poo was really normal and I never suspected she would be allergic to anything but lo and behold she was! I realise I'm probably just being paranoid but I'd like to know if anyone else has had a very windy/refluxy baby who coped ok with formula?

[OhWhatAPalaver]

Forgot to add that both my dd's have eczema and dd1 needs an inhaler occasionally.

[Heirhelp]

If you baby has mucousy poo I think you should discuss the poo with your GP.

[OhWhatAPalaver]

I have, spoke to a hv as well and both say probably down to reflux but I'm not convinced. I really don't know what to do for best.

[Shurelyshomemistake]

GPs by and large are not very well informed about cow's milk protein intolerance.

Given strong family history of atopy in the form of eczema and asthma if you are going to give formula I'd consider giving hydrolysed or amino acid based formula.

[Shurelyshomemistake]

Am not a HCP but have painful lived experience of milk allergy in babies ;)

[OhWhatAPalaver]

Thanks :) saw different gp who actually recommended going dairy free so I'm not going to introduce anything for a while now. I think when I do finally introduce formula I'll try the Nanny care goat milk first, heard good things about it being good for allergic babies!

[Shurelyshomemistake]

Be wary of nanny care goat formula. All mammalian milks ... DS couldn't tolerate it. Nor soya formula.

[Shurelyshomemistake]

All mammalian milks have similar proteins, that should read.

[Timetogrowup2016]

If your eating your dairy and bf she could be reacting to that ..giving formula won't change it .
Your need a hypoallergenic formula if she's allergic

[OhWhatAPalaver]

A couple of friends have had dairy allergic babies who have taken really well to the goat milk formula. Obviously not all babies will but I'd rather try that first rather than the hypoallergenic stuff. Just seems more natural to me. Fully prepared for the possibility of it not being ok though!

[Timetogrowup2016]

I don't understand.
Theirs dairy in your breast milk and baby is fine so why wouldn't they be ok on say cow and gate ?

[Shurelyshomemistake]

Because you are not directly consuming unmodified cow's milk protein through drinking breast milk. When people refer to dairy they are usually thinking of mammalian milk products, not human milk products. The proteins in human milk are different to those in other mammalian milks, and the body can recognise them as foreign proteins and mount a defence.

The stuff in Nanny Care is highly processed, it has to be to pass safety tests. Also, it is not approved as an infant formula, and is sold only as a drink for older children. I think the protein levels are probably different to those in approved formula milks.

It's not just necessarily a bit of i tching/ wheezing/ vomiting, being allergic to cow's milk. Even children with non-IgE allergy (otherwise known as intolerance) can get things like anaemia, delayed gastric emptying and digestive tract inflammation from cow's milk. Not to mention the risk of food refusal, which can take a very long time to unpick.

Honestly, given your family history I would go straight for hydrolysed milk or carry on breastfeeding/ supplementing with actual food - she'll be able to have stuff in a couple of months in any case.

Natural really isn't always best, and what seems 'natural' sometimes isn't particularly natural anyway.

this might be of interest

[OhWhatAPalaver]

Thanks for the info shure. I will be very cautious when deciding whether to introduce any formula at all. Nanny care has been approved as an infant milk now but I will still be very careful.
Time baby is not exactly fine. She has several symptoms of a possible allergy and the gp has recommended we go dairy free.