changing formula milk, is it ok?

[moosh]

DS is just over 2 weeks old and I think is suffering with colic. I read on a colic website that sometimes it can reduce the pain e.t.c. ifyou change the formula milk . My baby is on SMA gold but am thinking of trying SMA soya milk.
Can I just change straight away, bloody health visitor doesn't advise it, but cannot give me a valid reason why. Has anyone tried this either with this particular milk or otherwise and can offer me some advice. Thankyou.

Don't switch to a soya formula unless you have a diagnosis of milk allergy. It's not as good for babies as regular formula. Of course you can swap brands of normal formula, but soya isn't the same at all. It's for children with real allergies. What are your baby's symptoms?

Soya is not recommended for babies unless they really cannot thrive on regular formula - there are excellent reasons for this, and I don't know why your HV hasn't told you. If you type risks of soya formula SACN into Google you should get a link to a PDF which gives the latest government committee advice on this. Basically, it's high in aluminium which could be risky for the kidneys; it's high in sugar and has been the cause of severe tooth decay; it's high in phyto-oestrogens which are plant hormones.

This the Food Standards Agency info which recommends it only on the advice of a health professional.

Where I live HV's say it is ok to change your milk 'once'. And although they can't verbally say so they don't recommend SMA at all as it doesn't fill tummies up, apparently!

I breast fed and still had colicky babies(see your other thread) but used Aptimul (check spelling!) when I wanted to introduce a bottle.
It is the most expensive, though it was cheasper when I bought it from the local hospital.

No your not supposed to change to soya milk unless advised to. Have to admitt though that i did give it a go when i ran out of milks to try.

Have you tried Omnio Comfort by Cow and Gate ???
It is supposed to help with digestion. I gave it to my ds as he had a similar problem, and it really worked. It's a bit more exspensive than the toher milks and you can't get it in small chemists usually, but i definatly give it a g

Formula milks are all pretty similar IMO. I'd change all the time - depending on what I could find in the shop (mixed fed). Never did ds any harm. Nothing made his colic better or worse - not even breastmilk! But he just grew out of it.

Omneo Comfort contains potato starch, and its top two ingredients are glucose syrup and vegetable oil.

Yum.

If a baby isn't breastfed, then there is a lot to be said or sticking to tried and test brands of regular cows milk formula that have been around for a long time.

As SMA has exactly the same calories per 100g as its rivals, then I am not surprised the HVs aren't supposed to peddle ill-informed rubbish about it.

There is so little independent information about formula, and so little will among HPs to find out about it - however, anyone can read the sides of packets, and should do, IMHO.

Changed to Aptimil with DS and found it did improve the colic a little bit. My health visitor recommended it. Definitely don't change to Soya without a diagnosis.

Thanks for that have bought Omneo Comfort today had a good read up it was either that or Apatamel. He seemed to like the taste of it, but will not change again now .

A message for Moosh

Hi there I can see that someone has advised you about Soya Milk. I used it for one day and the consequences were awlful I spent the morning in A&E my son had terrible constipation at 9 weeks, he was in so much paid and I felt terrible, it's really not worth putting yourself and your LO through it. I'm also on Omneo Comfort and it's great you do get a lot more wind from their bottoms though but it all helps with the colic relief. I also use Colief drops they are about £10 and you can get them from a chemist - put 2 drops into your milk but you must wait 4 hours so prepare your feed well in advance. I also put the hoover on or hairdryer and this seems to work also, well it lets them get off to sleep until they have another spasm. If you can feed your baby upright as this helps him to digest more easily.

Don't worry about the colic he will grow out of it keep being strong and remember there are lots of women going through this. It will seem like a lifetime and it will have you in tears many nights.

Take Care

Ally

We changed a few times with DS. Used Hipp Organic to strt with (As it was Organic) then used SMA on a camping holiday as we were buying the pre-made stuff. Eventually switched to Aptimil as the Hipp stuff has a nasty cheesy smell about it. Also used those random sachets you get in the Bounty packs.

Had no idea HV's do not recommend changing formula.

For colic have you tried Infacol? Seemed to work really well for DS.

Both my son and now grandson suffer from colic. My daughter could not find anything that helped so she followed the good old remedy(used by me and lots of other'oldies') Put half spoon(2.5 ml) old fashioned WOODWARD'S GRIPE WATER in each bottle and it works wonders. Use this for 3/4 weeks and then gradually cut down(put in every 2nd bottle, then every 3rd and so on)Then leave it out totally and just give 5ml spoon after bottle if baby holding onto burps. Works great!!!

Oh, I thought aloha was back and then I realised this thread is from 2004!
( that aloha isn't back!}

Hi my little baby girl was suffering from reallyreally bad collic 3 months finaly my pediatrician has prescribed nutramigen formula milk and after just two feedings everything has just stoped she was absolutely fine she stoped crying and geinig weight very well i was very pleased with that formula milk shame my baby had to go tru that everything 3 months couldn't she prescribe it strightaway? But if your little one is suffering why wait until prescribed? You can get it online from everywhere its a great formula milk and it wont harm your baby im shure of that as it has only good nutrition suitable for delicate babys. I dont know? Its up to you maybe get some advice from your pediatrician