To ask which baby formula is best?

[GabbyChalice400]

I've posted in Chat but not had much response. DS is on C&G but he keeps being sick after feeding and has the most terrible runny poos. I believe it's an intolerance but I'm finding it hard to get a diagnosis from the GP.

I just keep getting palmed off with Gaviscon, which only works temporarily.

I'm beginning to think maybe it's his milk and it might be worth switching to something else. I know that regulation surrounding baby formulas are strict, but are they really all the same/similar?

I just don't know what to do! Any recommendations would be great

Our Son was on SMA Anti reflux for a while. Really helped keep his milk down. Its thicker.

Then he became lactose intolerant... So now its SMA Lactose free. He's 13Months and still on the lactose free formula. We did try cows milk, he decorated the wall with it.

SMA has been a godsend to be honest, the reflux he had was cured with it. And now his intoral3nce

My recommendation is Kendamil first infant milk. It's made in only formula actually made in the UK. It's free from Palm oil and fish oils. It's whole milk and all round creamier nicer tasting and smelling formula milk. It's found by most big supermarkets but not in every one of their stores, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Booths, Morrison's, check the stockists list on kendamil's website for stores near you. Its £9.00 a tin. Sainsbury's 'Little ones' milk is manufactured by kendamil and is the same but made with ingredients sourced different from their branded milk, kendamil confirmed this by email and the little ones milk is £7.00 a tin. Also a whole milk and free from all the same oils etc

@NigesFakeWalkingStick
SMA do a perfectly good Lactose free formula. Don't tell people you can't buy Lactose free on shops. Our GP told us to buy it as its cheaper than prescription versions.

Alright @Pineapple1, no need to be so abrupt. A lot of shops don't actually sell lactose free formula around here.

Have you tried Colief adding to the formula? It really helped our dc.

Hi, I may try Kendamil too... I just looked on Sainsburys website and it's available. So hopefully you should be able to get it (I would say in bigger branches).

A bit late to the party, but we have been using Kendamil for 5 months now.
Little one wasn't feeding and we needed her to gain weight and fast and as it's the only formula made with full fat milk, decided it could be the best option.
Channel 4's Dispatches had a documentary on infant formula when I was pregnant and like others say, most baby formulas are the same in terms of content, the main difference is branding and price!
We initially bought in Asda then they stopped doing it.
One of our larger Morrison's sell it, but we now buy directly from Kendamil (they're based in Cumbria) and we normally receive it within 3 days so we always know when we're running low.
As not a lot of people have heard of it, if you'd rather have the comfort of knowing you can get it locally, I'd trawl your local supermarkets to confirm you can get it without having to order directly x

@GabbyChalice400 how are things going with the hipp?

Could it be a cow milk allergy cmpa my daughter was put on a special formula as on cow milk formulas she was contsipated and vomiting full feeds bloated tummy and rashes. I'd look in to it

Hi everyone, he's been on it since Friday night and he's been sick a couple of times; rather than every feed so there's an improvement..

It does apparently take around about six weeks for the old formula to completely leave their system so you may see problems for a while yet but that sounds like a bit of an improvement.

If I remember rightly the hipp is partially hydrolysed which breaks down some of the lactose so I think that's why some babies probably respond better to it.

The colactase drops break it down even further. These are a cheaper version of colief and I found them better as you don't have to wait so long for them to work you just put them in the milk and they work immediately.

Thanks @rarfy. Just give him a feed and he's been sick again I might try some colief drops.

He's having terrible crying episodes as well. I feel like tearing my bloody hair out

Is he struggling with wind as in does he get his burps up OK, does he pump lots and lots?

Have you tried infacol for colic? When does he cry?

My dd was never really a sicky baby so I can't speak on that really. She would sometimes spit up a bit when being winded but not much. I always thought all babies were sick when feeding so it surprised me when she wasn't really.

At the moment I'm also in consideration between Hipp Organic and Kendamil Organic.

But...

Hipp Organic has palm oil.

Kendamil Organic has no added DHA.

The DHA discussion has been long running and there are different opinions. But I found out that February 2020 all infant milks will have to have DHA added as EU regulations are changing in the UK regardless of Brexit outcome.

Kendamil First Infant Milk does have DHA.

However, it appears extremeley close and identical to Sainsbury's Little Ones First Infant Milk.

Who Knows....?

It sounds like your baby may have cows milk protein allergy. This is relatively common. My son had it and his symptoms were: eczema under six weeks, colic, runny poo, frequent poo, not settling and gurgling tummy when settled. Initially he was prescribed a partially hydrolysed formula and it worked a bit, however, when he was finally prescribed an extensively hydrolysed formula his symptoms cleared literally overnight and now he has no issues with allergy or intolerance to any food at all.

What I would say is that I had to push and push to get the treatment and the right formula for my son. I just knew something wasn’t right. The prescription formula is very expensive and this may be why GPs are reluctant to prescribe it.

Ask for a referral to a paediatrician/paediatric dietitian if you feel something is up.