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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

neocate - flavouring or gradual weaning?

38 replies

narmada · 03/02/2011 09:42

DS 15 wks has been prescribed neocate due to suspected milk intolerance. Surprise surprise, he utterly hates it.

Paed has suggested gradually weaning him onto it by upping the ratio of neocate to aptamil every 3 days, longer intervals if he is not liking it. I am not convinced this will work as i don't think the problem is habit but rather the disgusting taste which surely he is instinctively likely to want to avoid as it is bitter and metallic. I raised the issue of flavouring with the paed and he said he wasn't keen on that approach...

Has anyone got similar experience they could share?

Stopped BF at 5 weeks owing to health issues and can't do relactation this time around - which I did with DD1 :(

OP posts:
macmama · 03/02/2011 12:21

Gradual weaning has worked with both of my DD's (DD1 allergic - introduced at 5 months while still BFing, DD2 suspected intolerant, introduced at 6.5 months while still BFing.

Perserverance is key ? keep trying everyday. at that age it won?t take long.

Original poster
narmada · 03/02/2011 16:56

thanks macmama, gives me hope!

OP posts:
VLST · 03/02/2011 20:57

My DD is now 10mths and was diagnosed with dairy allergy v early. I BF and cut dairy out of diet, which helped a lot but was then advised to go onto neocate, which I just COULD NOT get her to drink. I tried to mix it with expressed milk but even gradual weaning didn't work. I gave up completely with it and was then advised by a paadiatric nutritionist to try her on aptamil pepti, which is the prescription dairy free aptamil formula. And she took to it straight away and we haven't looked back. The nutritionist said that she doesn't know why paeds always prescribe neocate when this does the same job and tastes so much more like normal milk. So it may be worth exploring this option if you really struggle with the neocate. Good luck.

LeighNutricia · 04/02/2011 11:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

Original poster
narmada · 05/02/2011 17:50

VLST, I think he went straight for neocate as pepti still has milk proteins in it and he said we may have ended up having to transition to yet another milk (e.g., neocate) if it hydrolised didn't do the trick.

Thanks Leigh for your response. He is now managing 4 parts necoate to 3 aptamil, but I am finding he is vomiting larger quantities with neocate as it is quite thin, so I have been adding carobel to make it stay down.

OP posts:
QueenOfFlamingEverything · 05/02/2011 18:25

LeighNutricia have you asked MNHQ before coming on here advertising the company that makes these formula milks?

Is this sanctioned by the company you work for?

LeighNutricia · 08/02/2011 16:57

Thanks for the help, yes we are currently talking with Mumsnet

HingCogNeeto · 08/02/2011 18:41

hope not

Hmm
HingCogNeeto · 08/02/2011 19:07

Leigh, can you tell us more about the subject of your talks with Mumsnet, please?

Smile
MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 08/02/2011 20:05

I know nothing about this - but I shall ask if anyone has spoken to anyone and report back.

Gumps · 08/02/2011 20:13

Gradual weaning worked here too but it is the foulest tasting thing ever! Have you tried it? Ds is now 2 and been off it for over a year but I will never forget the smell.... And I swear when he vomited it it made my carpet go a strange colour.
Still completely worth it and can happily report after a hideous time with silent reflux and dairy intolerance ds is a happy normal child (who can vomit on demand and still detests milk but can eat all other dairy!)

QueenOfFlamingEverything · 08/02/2011 20:56

Yes please do Justine Smile

I hope very much that MNHQ have not sanctioned a formula company's brand promotion under the guise of advice.

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 08/02/2011 21:05

Ok so have found out that one of our sales folk talked to this company today. They requested to answer questions directly asked about Neocate on our talkboards. Sales person said that she'd put the request through to me, which she now has.
Our policy on formula companies hasn't changed.

QueenOfFlamingEverything · 08/02/2011 21:06

Was the request granted though?

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 08/02/2011 21:08

No - they posted before they spoke to us.

LeighNutricia · 09/02/2011 10:58

Hi JustineMumsnet It would be great if you could get in touch to discuss our reason for comment in this thread
Here's my contact email [email protected]

Leigh
Nutritionist @ Nutricia

Original poster
narmada · 09/02/2011 14:41

As the OP, i have to say even I found it a bit odd to be responded to by formula manufacturer. i am FF very very reluctantly and I don't really agree with any formula advertising...

OP posts:
QueenOfFlamingEverything · 09/02/2011 18:23

narmada - I'm relieved you have come on and said so Smile. I was concerned you'd be offended at my taking issue over it on 'your' thread.

I appreciate that allergy-suitable formula is something its quite hard to get advice on, and being in a situation where its necessary must be difficult. But I think its unacceptable for Nutricia to come on MN giving unsolicited 'official' advice under their brand name (which also makes other formulas and baby food) thus raising awareness of the company as a whole.

I am not even sure if it is legal tbh.

Original poster
narmada · 09/02/2011 19:50

NOpe, queen, not at all. I am about the most passionate BF supporter I know, think the lack of funding to support it is shocking. I find myself in a horrible situation - have severe PND and it was so bad around week 5-8 of my son's life that I had to essentially hand over large portions of his care to others. So I stopped BF feeding him. Of course I am glad that formula is there as otherwise what would he have done when I was so unwell? But essentially I hate everything about formula feeding and so it would appear does my son!

I went through the positive but extremely challenging and tiring process of relactation with DD1 after feeding problems and PND again that time, but we have decided as a family that that's not feasible this time around as I was/ am too unwell really, I need DP to do some of the night care and my son also has health issues which make feeding even more challenging than it might otherwise be :(

So definitely not queen, I am not at all offended.

OP posts:
Original poster
narmada · 14/02/2011 10:31

oh god, he is really strugling with the neocate, won't have it flavoured or in any greater concentration than 50/50. It's really getting me down :(. We thought he was getting better but it turns out he had a cold which was obscuring the taste. cold gone, won't touch it again!

OP posts:
pommedeterre · 14/02/2011 11:26

Isn't there another one of these milks? Nutramigen or something similar? Maybe he could try that and see if taste any better?

cardamomginger · 14/02/2011 12:42

Normal Nutramigen is made with (highly processed) cows' milk, so is unsuitable for children who are extremely allergic/intollerant. Like Neocate, Nutramigen AA is a completely dairy-free milk. But I doubt it tastes any better Sad.

Pancakeflipper · 14/02/2011 12:55

Oh poor you. This dairy intolerance is a minefield and I have found it hard to get straight answers with the consultants...

So he's about 4 months old your baby? Which is hard cos' it's milk he's needing. It honestly gets better when weaning....

Do you know if it is deffo dairy and if it is lactose or the protein intolerance (there are 2 different reasons why people are intolerant to dairy.).

There is a soya based formula available in good big supermarkets. I am not advertising formula but you are on formula and I wasn't aware this type was available and wish I had. We put my boy onto this for a few weeks whilst we were struggling with him. This might be an option for you but discuss with the consultant/dietician etc...

Or try the other brand cos' if it's one type of the intolerances he should be ok on it....

There is a banana flavour Neocate and I have heard of parents putting in some strawberry milkshake juice. But I doubt you can do that with a baby so young? My boy was 1yr 8 months when we had to stop dairy and he switched happily to the plain version.

Speak to your consultant. You cannot go on feeling alone with this. And have a chat with your HV if they are helpful. Mine couldn't do anything but knowing someone was there to chat to really helped.

Original poster
narmada · 14/02/2011 16:57

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Whether or not he has CMP intolerance is a bit of an unkown really - he was BF for 5 weeks, has always been really snuffly since birth and seems to have huge amounts of mucus. He is also really unsettled and wakes up writhin ans crying in his sleep with what appear to be stomach cramps, but like all things baby, I can't be sure. He's on max dose of proton pump inhibitors for reflux, and has had a blood test for milk intolerance, however, the paed said that this can yield false negatives and the only real way to diagnose intolerance was to exclude dairy and see if he was better...

I would flavour the neocate if it worked but his sense of taste and smell is obviously v acute (bit like me, and his older sis) as he is having none of it. He already h as some minor feeing aversion issues so I don't want to make things worse by forcing the issue..I think I better get on to the paed, can't really wait till may for next appt.

OP posts:
Original poster
narmada · 14/02/2011 17:00

pancake we did consider soy but paed said don't bother as there are questions about little boys' future fertility and also many who are CMP intolerant are also soy protein intolerqant. Glad it worked for you, tho!

OP posts: