Aptamil pepti vs Nutramigen

[Impossibletofindausername]

So my daughter got given Nutramigen when she was 11 weeks old she point blank refused to drink it even by doing a scoop of each milk so the consultant said put her back on aptamil and keep going with the reflux meds however she’s getting worse so been given aptamil pepti to try is that as bad a Nutramigen? Should I do few scoops of each again? I’m praying she drinks this and fixes this nightmare feeding because she just refuses and screams

It sounds like you're in a really difficult situation. It's so, so stressful so you have my full sympathy.

Is your health visitor any good? I didn't find the GP to be very knowledgeable on CMPA however my health visitor was really good, very calm and had useful suggestions.

It might do you good to chat to someone in real life that can help offer some solutions? I'm sure it will be good for your stress levels as well as being practical.

It’s really stressing me out now, my health visitor is useless I rang her Friday when I was in tears didn’t even ring me back and still hasn’t. She didn’t even know what Carobel was so got no hope on CMPA. We have an appointment in 2 weeks with the feeding nurse but been waiting since March for it feels like it’s never coming.
Today’s been tough just can’t get her to drink this milk so won’t even know if it will help x

Is your GP any good? There is one GP at my practice who has a CMPA child himself. I only found this out recently. If I had known I would have asked to see him first as the GP I saw was useless. I have since checked my GP surgery website and the drs actually state any areas (eg dermatology, allergies etc) they have a special interest in.

You clearly could do with some support. It might be worth phoning your doctors and asking if there is a GP or nurse with a special interest in allergies that you can see?

Have you also joined the FB group? They have regional groups so if you also join your regional group they might be able to help you with how to get support locally?

Otherwise if you can't wait till the appointment the only other thing would be to turn up at A&E and literally refuse to leave until they help you. I have heard of people doing that with allergy babies, sometimes it's the only way to get them to listen. There is a risk of your baby getting dehydrated if she won't drink, so if you do turn up at A&E, emphasise how long she hasn't drunk for, how long since the last wet nappy etc. Dehydration can be so dangerous for babies they need to take that seriously and use a drip or tube feed if the baby is dehydrated.

I've also heard of one mum at the end of her tether phoning her HV and saying come with social services and take my baby away I can't cope, it really woke the HV up and eventually the mum got the support she needed. Although perhaps this is an extreme example so i wouldn't necessarily advise this approach.

Has she taken any more milk yet? Fingers crossed for a better night for you tonight.

Hey thank you for your helpful reply so my GP doesn’t have anyone specialising in allergies I’ve checked today. She literally wouldn’t have any more of that pepti tried one last time this morning so she’s back with aptamil and Carobel which she’s drank today. I do feel there is no support and the peads have been helpful but there is weeks in between appointments and now waiting for this feeding nurse . I’ve rang my health visitor today asking can someone watch her feed or anywhere I can go and her response was you’ve tired everything I’d suggest have to just try the consultant and said there was no one who would come try feed her
I’ve just avoided a and e because eventually you can “force” it in her just a nightmare process long ordeal fighting x

Is it CMPA?

Go back, ask for neocate and refuse to leave until you have a prescription for it. It's a hypoallergenic/amenio acid milk and much more acceptable to most babies.

Have they checked for tounge tie?

Also how old is she now?

They are just suspecting a CMPA, suppose it’s all trial and error isn’t it. She’s 4.5 months I’ve started her with a few spoons of food. As in more babies will drink it? This is my issue what ever I do I can’t get her to drink the hypoallergenic milks to see does it even help or is it just reflux 🤦🏼‍♀️.
She basically fusses/refuses to feed , and can hear her regurgitate milk, sometimes small bit of sick, bowels open once a day, usually happy chilled baby till feeding time , is starting to fight naps but unsure if that’s an age thing and she sleeps through the night

@evilharpy
Nutramigen make an amino acid formula. Its called Puramino. Its £38.75 for 400gs. I ended up buying it for almost a year as it was the only way I could get it as my gp surgery wouldn't prescribe even though the expert on CMPA at the hospital requested it. They specifically told me of the two amino acid formulas puramono eas more readily taken. If a baby is still fussy on an EHF They should go onto puramino or neocaye. The difference is normally noticeable very quickly if it's true CMPA.

That’s awful your GP not prescribing it however if I knew it was the answer to my problems I’d be buying it aswell. I just can’t get her to drink it no matter what I try or do even let her dry herself out last time and she still woke up and wouldn’t take it . X

The milks you've tried so far as hydrolysed not amino acid.

You could buy 1 amino acid milk to try its expensive but if you're just buying the one tub it's ok.

Yes I suppose I could do you know what the most palatable one is? Seen as she seems super fussy with the taste of these milks

We use neocate and my DN takes it really well. It smells a lot better than the Nutramigen does!

Have you tried adding sugar and vanilla essence, a teaspoon of sugar dissolved is 90ml of formula. I also found it was better to feed it slightly warmer than usual. Then reduce the sugar content gradually.
DS has CMPA and has recently developed an egg and soya allergy, I bf as much as I could but did have to mix feed. It’s very difficult especially when most health professionals just think the mother isn’t doing it right.
Have you had any input from a dietitian as I’ve found them to be the most helpful and actually suggest solutions that work!
Interesting that a pp said babies know it’s the milk that causes the problem as DS recently went through a total food refusal stage.

@Impossibletofindausername neocate was accepted well by my baby. Puramino is the other option. I am unsure if any one is better than the other in terms of taste.

I feel your pain it took me ages to get my DD sorted we tried Aptamil Pepti and finally we ended up on Alfamino and it was best milk ever and she really started to thrived, she would refuse all other milks really push to see a dietician if you can't see consultant they were ones who got us on to Alfamino in end. She is now 2 and has a full blown milks allergy but we really struggled in the early days.

Fingers crossed you get her sorted xx

@OctoberGirl91
THANK you for your reply, so we are seeing a feeding nurse in 2 weeks so hoping she has some tips however don’t want to jynx it last two days she’s drank her bottles okay with Carobel and minimal fighting on normal aptamil I honestly haven’t a clue anymore what it is because it’s so hit and miss we have more bad feeds than good but some days like today has drank two full bottles in one go . But if they suggest I need to try other milk I’ll certainly give it another go if an amino one tried to hydrolysed ones and no chance her drinking it. I tried the vanilla essence in and by the end of the day she wouldn’t even open her mouth to put the bottle in x

@mightmouses thank you for replying and your advice I’ll definatly suggest that milk if this feeding nurse thinks that’s what it is . I’m honestly unsure any more she’s drained two full bottles in one go today no messing and looked like she enjoyed them x

@fedupandlookingforchange
Thank you for your reply so I tried vanilla essence in aptamil pepti but by the end of the day she wouldn’t even open her mouth to get the bottle in she drank minimal of it all day so the next day back on normal aptamil and Carobel and she’s drank them not too bad I honestly haven’t a clue what’s going on.
Your poor son and his allergies can imagine it’s hard and your right there is only so much you can try to do I’m very sure you done your best with breast feeding. So we are seeing a feeding nurse in 2 weeks let’s see does she have any wise tips x

@QuestionableMouse
Maybe that’s what I’ll try next if they suggest another milk because these hydrolysed ones got no chance her drinking . She’s definatly a fussy little madam and also don’t blame her they do stink 🤦🏼‍♀️ X

@Impossibletofindausername I hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon. It can be a lonely road. Keep the pressure on your health care providers to get to the bottom of it. Sometimes they don't listen first time so you need to be persistent (I've been in tears a few times with frustration, just trying to feed my baby something that won't make them ill!!) You're doing a great job. I don't think there is anything else we can do for you until you try an amino acid milk but come back if you have any other questions XX

@mightymouses

Thank you for your advice and support I’m sure we will get there soon

Have you tried the vanilla yet?

@questionablemouse

Yea no joy at all, she had two sucks and then wouldn’t open her mouth again 🤦🏼‍♀️ Back on aptamil and Carobel which since trying pepti she’s drank okay better than she was

Saw a paediatric consultant privately last week as 7mo seemed to have allergies. Plus weight loss...

I've been lucky enough to BF so far but one of the things he said was that in the absence of anaphylactic reactions it can be better to just feed the baby what they will take and treat the symptoms caused with e.g. omeprazole

My older child had CMPA, mostly breastfed and loved neutramigan (freak) and hated the amptamil... so no other useful tips

DS is loving weaning - not long until that kicks in although the mess and trying to avoid constipating is a pain...

You can do this!

Aw that's a shame.

At her age you're not far from weaning, at least.