To ask here for formula advice

[Orangepolentacake]

Posting here for traffic as I see similar threads in other parts have not had many responses

Need to switch baby from Hipp as it’s not going down well.
DC was on cow and gate (and was fine on it + infacol) but I found the ready made bottles had these white lumps in them, which they say it’s safe but I’m not comfortable giving him lumpy milk.
then switched to Hipp a week ago, following a transition of mixing formulas until he only had Hipp in the bottle. He drinks it fine but, since on Hipp only, seems hungrier, to have more wind, squirms a lot, is upset more after a feed, brings back up a lot more and it’s just the cheesiest smell when he does bring it back up. So I’m thinking we need to change formulas again.
I need to be able to have the option of the ready made bottles.
thinking of switching to SMA or kendamil, any advice?

I second the advice about paced bottle feeding, give it a try. it’s unlikely to one particular milk over another causing a problem, they are all so similar they are practically the same.

None of the formulas are like breast milk, they are based an a cows milk protein. That’s something I they say to sell it to you.

If your baby has reflux, Kendamil may not be the best choice. It was far too rich for mine and made him worse.

thanks for the info @Janedoe82 - I’m aware it’s tightly (and rightly!) regulated so all formulas are of equal nutritional value, and that if something is found to be of benefit to babies then all formulas must have that, and that labels such as “organic” don’t mean much when it comes to formula due to the amount of pesticides residue allowed, etc. ingredients can however be different and come from different source eg DHA can be from fish or plant source, so formulas aren’t all exactly the same. I’m also observing how it affects my baby/his reaction and there is a difference.

Are you a medical professional?

@IamnotwhouthinkIam glad to hear your LO got the hang of BF! I couldn’t BF for medical reasons so stuck in the formula minefield
that Hipp cheesy vomit stinks so bad!! I found Kendamil does 200ml bottles - in tesco and waitrose, 10p cheaper in tesco (£1.20) I think they don’t have the bottles on their website tho.

Thanks all for the advice on paced feeding - I was already doing aspects of it but not all (need to change bottle angle) so will adapt. I also try to burp him every 30oz (as much as possible), have stayed with size 1 teats (we use MAM bottles) although he’s 3 months old, and keep him upright for some time after a feed. Haven’t paid attention to whether temperature makes a difference but will - he is happy to drink straight from the fridge but maybe that’s not a good thing

I didn’t check with a midwife/HV if I could change formula as I wasn’t changing type of formula (eg cow’s milk to soya), only brand and, honestly, I would’ve changed it anyways - I’m not comfortable with those lumps in cow & gate and how they responded to it so have lost confidence.

agree that 2 changes in a week aren’t ideal and maybe I should’ve given Hipp more time but it just stinks so bad of cheese

senior30 Not a medic but I manage AHPs including HV and Midwives and I am trained to advise on infant feeding. And I know that you can change milk whenever you want.
For decades formula manufacturers have told nonsense to Health Professionals, especially HV and Midwives to get them to subconsciously promote their formulas and keep mothers using their product. There is a reason they are no allowed in hospitals, doctor surgery’s and family centres anymore!

The size one teats may actually cause more of a problem, I found with my youngest when we switched to the next size up the colic decreased almost instantly and we always pace feed too. May be worth a try while you give the new milk time to settle. Also if you have a savers near you they usually have pre made kendamil for £1

Mine preferred formula warm rather than straight from the fridge. Also have you tried powder version rather than ready made?
It's just trial error I'm afraid.

I only managed 2 weeks with the Hipp too OP - that cheesy smell made me feel like I was going to vomit. Good to know the premixed Kendamil exists - I know powder is so much cheaper but new parent exhaustion + screaming baby makes pre-mixed formula so tempting if you can manage to afford it imo (especially since you aren't supposed to mix formula in advance now).

Btw don't tempted to change from the size 1 Mam teats imo. Several of our local HV's said DS should be on size 2 when he wasn't even 3 months yet and that persisting with them would help his wind (their idea being that quicker feeds = less air taken in, in fact according to them even newborns are given size 2 teats in hospital). All size 2 Mam teats did was turn my DS mild (mostly silent) reflux, into true reflux eg. masses of vomit after every feed, sometimes even up to an hour or so later😢It made little difference to his wind and his esophageal sphincter must have gotten irritated/damaged because of it as his reflux didn't then ease for months even after going back to the slower teats.

We always used room temp or slightly warmed formula too - didn't make a difference to mine, but maybe it will your DC. Paced feeding DID help a little bit though - although trying to get DS to stop drinking even for short pauses, let alone stopping to try to get a burp! was never the easiest😂Also try very, very slightly untwisting the bottom of the Mam bottles once they are filled - we didn't realise you needed to at first to help let any air in the bottle out (you can hear the difference in the vents then as they drink vs being screwed tightly shut - but you need to be careful obviously not to untwist too much and have the milk leak out instead😱).