Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put my 6 week old on Soya Formula?

149 replies

lifesjoys · 05/05/2017 17:02

I'm dairy free as I can't quite cope with it, it gives me a bad stomach.

My son is on cow & gate comfort as he struggles with constipation but it hasn't helped.

I come from a family with dairy intolerance, I have a brother with a protein allergy from cows milk.

I also do not believe that as humans, we should be using another species milk, it's weird (but that's my opinion).

So I've been looking at SMA Soya to put my son on, wibu to make that decision myself without consulting a gp?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 05/05/2017 17:16

You will not get a dairy free one that is not soya at a reasonable price. Soya formula is not the best milk for that age of baby. See your gp

Original poster
lifesjoys · 05/05/2017 17:17

He's just not getting on with cows milk either, I feel we are now at the end of our options in regards to cows milk & need to look at a different type of formula completely

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 05/05/2017 17:18

That's why you need to see the gp

RatherBeRiding · 05/05/2017 17:18

OP has said she couldn't breast-feed. Let's not have another futile discussion on BF vs formula.

OP has asked for advice about using a particular type of formula not on whether she should have breast-fed, and given that that particular ship has sailed maybe the discussion should stick to the point.

WYBU to switch to soya without professional advice? Yes.

gandalfspants · 05/05/2017 17:19

Relaxation is a possibility. Otherwise you need to see a medical professional.

OP you talk about how much you expressed (which as pp said is no indication of how much DC would get from a direct feed) and say you'd like to express - it there any reason you can't feed directly? It does work much better for most people.

Original poster
lifesjoys · 05/05/2017 17:20

He would latch on perfect, suck & then cry.

He would continue to do the above, it didn't help that he was formula fed in hospital as he was in NICU.

OP posts:
Iamastonished · 05/05/2017 17:21

Sorry, I sounded snippy earlier on. It sounds like you didn't get the breastfeeding support you needed. I found it hard to begin with as DD wasn't keen to latch on, but I got loads of support from the midwives in the hospital. When DD started on formula after I stopped breastfeeding she suffered from constipation as well.

user1493022461 · 05/05/2017 17:21

He's just not getting on with cows milk either, I feel we are now at the end of our options in regards to cows milk & need to look at a different type of formula completely

How do you know its the formula? Just because your brother has an allergy to CMP doesn't mean your child does, that isn't how it works. And children who do are usually allergic to soy protein as well anyway.

gandalfspants · 05/05/2017 17:23

Sorry x-post there OP. Did you see a lactation consultant? Breastfeeding councillor? Nipple shields? There's lots of help out there if you want to try again.

I don't want to bang on, but while cows milk formula isn't biologically ideal for small humans, alternatives are even less so.

Original poster
lifesjoys · 05/05/2017 17:23

I don't assume he had an allergy to milk protein.

However given the fact I come from a family who all have issues with dairy (not protein), then it's highly likely my son could also suffer with similar.

I saw the HV yesterday who agreed it's highly likely his milk causing issues

OP posts:
Original poster
lifesjoys · 05/05/2017 17:26

I got 0 help in hospital, they weren't interested, so much so it took 24 hours for them to even let me meet my son! He had been discharged for hours but I kept getting told labour ward were holding off & then when I complained was told that NICU were the reason.

I gave up on expecting any support.

OP posts:
Chocolateorangegoblin · 05/05/2017 17:38

If the HV agrees with you that's it's likely the milk causing the issues and there is a family history of dairy intolerance then there is no reason why the GP wouldn't give you a trial of the proper formula for CMPI. As for not taking away from someone who needs it, your baby might be a baby who needs it!

Waddlelikeapenguin · 05/05/2017 17:48

He would latch on perfect, suck & then cry.
He would continue to do the above, it didn't help that he was formula fed in hospital as he was in NICU.

BF is much harder work for baby than bottle & if he was bottle fed previously he would find it harder work for less reward. It is possible to re-lactate & it is possible to teach a baby how to get back on the breast. It is hard work & requires really good support. LLL or lactation consultant would be my first port of call.

Anon213 · 05/05/2017 17:48

Im a single Dad, brought up my DS from birth, he is 15 now. He has a serious heart defect so was seen by numerous specialists. He couldn't tolerate normal formula, for reasons I cant remember, he just kept vomiting it up, and was put on a non dairy high calorie alternative. Apologies I can remember what it was called.

It worked and he is a 'normal' healthy teenager, heart problems aside. He has however remained a non dairy vegetarian his whole life. The few times he ever accidentally ate meat it always came back out quickly one end or the other.

So I think its fine but needs expert medical input and monitoring etc.

BarbarianMum · 05/05/2017 17:54

I'd suggest there is little point now telling the OP that she could have breastfed with proper support. The time for that was six weeks ago. Hmm

OP please go to your GP. My ds1 was allergic to cows milk and ok with soya and they still advised a specialist formula. And lots of babies that have problems with cow's milk have problems with soya too.

user1492768921 · 05/05/2017 18:01

Sounds like your baby is a normal baby and you're assuming him crying means he has something wrong with him? Babies cry unfortunately.
If your real problem is a problem with your son drinking cows milk then you need to try again to breastfeed. My DD did exactly that (crying while on the breast) for the first few weeks, it gets better. Don't put your son in danger because you 'disagree' with cows milk.

user1492768921 · 05/05/2017 18:05

barbarian you can still restart breastfeeding at six weeks.
I disagree that any baby doesnt suit breastfeeding. It's literally all babies know when they are born, they're born rooting for the breast. Breastfeeding is hard and obviously fed is best but in most cases it's the mum that has to stop not the baby unless there's very low supply which is incredibly rare.

allowlsthinkalot · 05/05/2017 18:05

But Barbarianmum she could definitely still breastfeed with proper support and she seems to want to!

OP, if you really would like to breastfeed then ask your hv to refer you to the infant feeding co-ordinator or find a lactation consultant locally. They will be able to help you reestablish breastfeeding. And Google relactation stories, there are some very positive ones online.

This isn't a breast vs formula debate, it's an op saying she doesn't believe that milk from another species is healthy for humans, that she would have loved to breastfeed but wasn't given the support or reliable information. She thinks it is too late. We are simply telling her that it isn't and help is out there.

watchoutformybutt · 05/05/2017 18:07

barbarianmum It's very doable actually. You might want to educate yourself on that. My daughter didn't start breastfeeding until she was 5 weeks old.
If the OP has strong feelings about human milk she should be supported to achieve this.

UppityHumpty · 05/05/2017 18:11

Any formula without milk protein can cause allergies too. In fact they tend to cause more allergies/problems which is why they are restricted.

If your DC is constipated try a little gripe water in the milk. That should clear it up if he doesn't have an allergy.

WindyWednesday · 05/05/2017 18:15

I don't normally post on bf topics, but I started bf at 9weeks after failing as I couldn't get the right advice. So totally doable if you want to. However suck, cry is normal for newborns who are learning to feed.

If you don't agree with cows milk, then I think you should try bf.

Still not sure you aren't trip trapping along. But hopefully the op is genuine.

Tiddler7 · 05/05/2017 18:17

OP, if you ever consider giving BF another chance, LLL are great help.

www.laleche.org.uk/

BarbarianMum · 05/05/2017 18:18

Well when i couldn't feed my 5 month old for 24 hours (hospitalised with food poisoning) I almost lost my milk supply and it took weeks to get it back properly despite ds being previously ebf and despite the support of both my HV and a breastfeeding counsellor. It was extremely difficult and stressful and he had to be topped up with every decreasing amounts of formula in the meantime. Which was fine for him because his allergy had been diagnosed but the OPs son has not. And having a few idiots telling me how easy it would be to re-establish breastfeeding with a poorly and hungry baby wouldnt have helped at all.

BirdInTheRoom · 05/05/2017 18:19

You can buy a formula called SMA HA in boots - it is designed to prevent cows milk protein intolerance and is much easier to digest than normal formula. Don't give your son soya - it is not recommended for boys and can cause problems with fertility.

Otherwise go to the GP and ask to be prescribed a hypoallergenic formula such as nutramigen or neocate.

WindyWednesday · 05/05/2017 18:20

Don't think anyone said easy but it is possible. Hard work, but possible.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.