Changing from Nutramigen to normal formula

[BelinaTheChicken]

DS2 has been on prescription formula full time since stopping breastfeeding a month ago. He has a milk protein intolerance (diagnosed at 6 months) but have slowly introduced milk products and now at nearly 11 months he eats everything dairy, so the dietician has recommended that we try him on normal formula before going to normal milk when he turns 1. Should I go straight to full strength formula? or weaken it? Not sure the best way to go

TIA

We changed over by mixing the non milk formula with normal formula in ever decreasing/increasing ratios, so start with 1 oz normal, 5 oz non-milk (in one bottle!) for a couple of days, then 2 oz normal and 4 oz non-milk for another couple, etc etc until we got to all normal. I think we took two - three weeks to do the changeover but if your DS is already having dairy products, maybe you could do it more quickly.

I wasn't sure if you could mix formulas? Did your DC have any reaction? And were they eating any dairy?

I'll be glad to get rid of the nutramigen, it stinks. Was going to start tonight, but I've given him nutramigen for his last feed and put him to bed, so I can keep an eye on him tomorrow when I start on normal formula. I had wanted to wait until he was a year and change to normal milk, but the dietician has been decreasing his prescriptions, so last time I only got 4 tins, and they go so quickly as he still has night feeds. I'd buy it myself but there is no way I can afford the ridiculous price they charge for it!

Oh, I hadn't heard that about not mixing formulas. Our dietician, who I thought was great, always recommended blending them from one to the other. (We tried quite a few in the first 2 years!) In fact one time I think she gave me whey powder - so just straight milk protein - to add to his Neocate just to rule out any other factors like lactose intolerance, before then doing the mixing thing.

The first time we tried (when DS was about 1), I thought he did get some reaction after about 2 weeks. More vomity and refluxy. It wasn't conclusive though. No he wasn't eating anything else. He was part bottle/part gastostomy tube-fed at the time. He had oral aversion so wouldn't eat anything solid. The second time, when he was nearly 2, was much better.

Agree with you about those non-milk formulas. Neocate smelled like sweaty meat.

Think I'll trust your dietician, it may have been that you can't mix formula with breastmilk? He has had two bottles today, 8 ounces with 7/1 nutramigen to normal, no reaction so far.

I think nutramigen is more like Iams cat food

Really not sure about the mixing formula thing - although I know we were advised to do it. Maybe check with your dietician and see what her/his reasons are? But if your DS has been ok so far today, that's great.

Good luck! It's nice to have one less thing to worry about if it all goes ok .