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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Baby won't drink CMPA formula... help!

26 replies

Moorelewis · 16/06/2021 19:03

DD is 4 weeks. After an awful start with breast feeding and low supply, I decided to switch to formula. Turns out she is allergic to normal formula. Been trying her on similac alimentum. She won't have more than an oz before screaming and then dozing off. She's had less than 9oz in 24 hours. I just cannot get her to drink it. Any ideas?

OP posts:
Original poster
Moorelewis · 16/06/2021 19:05

Forgot to mention that this happened the other day and I gave in and gave her regular formula which made her really unwell. So that's not an option.

OP posts:
SilverGlassHare · 16/06/2021 19:09

Have you weaned her onto it gradually? So starting with say 7oz of her normal formula and 1oz of the CMPA formula, then 6oz and 2oz etc, until she’s on mainly the CMPA stuff? It should only take 3 days or so. Also, has a GP or dietician seen her and prescribed?

DS didn’t love his CMPA formula at all, we tried a couple of varieties before we found one he would accept. And he never drank as much as he had of his normal formula.

Storysaurusandcrochet · 16/06/2021 19:10

Are you on Facebook? Check in with the CMPA groups on there, I'm sure* people are advised to add a drop of vanilla extract to make it less vile.

But do check, I breastfed my CMPA baby and can't remember properly

Eileen101 · 16/06/2021 19:11

There are some really helpful CMPA groups on Facebook for advice. A common suggestion is to add a bit of vanilla extract to it because non dairy formulas apparently taste so bad. Are you under a paediatric dietician? Can they prescribe a different one to try? Ours said that if I decided to combi feed after all, there were different formulas we could try. We were prescribed SMA alfamino.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 16/06/2021 19:12

Are you 100% it’s CMPA? My boy had an awful time feeding. I said over and over again. Kept being fobbed off. Turns out he had silent reflux. Started omeprozle and he was a different baby. Unfortunately it took 4 months for anyone to listen. Covid didn’t help. Just another thought x

Original poster
Moorelewis · 16/06/2021 19:13

@SilverGlassHare that's what I tried but the normal formula gives her explosive diarrhoea and she's in so much pain. My milk supply is practically gone aswell so I can't give her breast milk. Health visitor contacted GP who prescribed, we are being referred to a dietician. Honestly it smells awful, we've tried aptamil pepti one too, which was worse as it's like water and she just threw it up! It's so stressful isnt it?

OP posts:
Original poster
Moorelewis · 16/06/2021 19:49

Thank you @Eileen101 and @Storysaurusandcrochet I'll check out the Facebook groups now and give the vanilla a go! @Whatelsecouldibecalled I'm pretty sure, both HV and GP agreed reflux wouldn't give her explosive diarrhoea and a rash.

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Whatelsecouldibecalled · 16/06/2021 19:56

@Moorelewis ah poor baby. Sorry I just read the screaming part. Hope you get some help soon

Bananarice · 16/06/2021 19:57

I would go back to my gp and ask for a different formula. There are few out there and you dd needs one she can tolerate. Yes, the formula smells and taste terrible but not all medicine taste nice. Looking at the milk as medicine helped me.

Freshair85 · 16/06/2021 19:58

Have you tried the SMA soya milk formula, can get it at pharmacies etc. My DD gets really bad eczema from cows milk but this has got rid of it and she happily drinks it no problem

Original poster
Moorelewis · 16/06/2021 19:59

@Whatelsecouldibecalled thank you Smile @Bananarice that's the thing, it definitely is helping her, I just don't want her to starve! Especially as the aptamil one is supposed to be the one they tolerate best.

OP posts:
Anuthanamechange · 16/06/2021 20:06

Hi, we had to do this too. From what I remember the aptimil one is expensive and GPs go for a cheaper one first. Our GP prescribed it straight away as she said there’s just no point when this one is the most likely to be tolerated. They all taste vile apparently!!

luckyrabbits · 16/06/2021 20:06

My baby was breast fed but had a sever allergic reaction despite it being secondary through my milk. She ended up in hospital where she was put on special milk to use for top ups. The only way we could get her to take it was by leaving her for the day with a childminder. She managed to get her to start drinking it and I think it was easier because it wasn't me. After that first day we continued combi feeding until she was 8 months.

Anuthanamechange · 16/06/2021 20:07

Oh and you can buy it from a pharmacy, but it’s expensive. However, if you don’t have a prescription and baby is hungry you probably should do this.

As a note, they always had to order it in, so you’ll need to make sure you build that time in for repeat prescriptions.

luckyrabbits · 16/06/2021 20:07

She was on Nutramigen. Smells horrible!

zaffa · 16/06/2021 20:08

@SilverGlassHare

Have you weaned her onto it gradually? So starting with say 7oz of her normal formula and 1oz of the CMPA formula, then 6oz and 2oz etc, until she’s on mainly the CMPA stuff? It should only take 3 days or so. Also, has a GP or dietician seen her and prescribed?

DS didn’t love his CMPA formula at all, we tried a couple of varieties before we found one he would accept. And he never drank as much as he had of his normal formula.

DD was much older when we found out but this is what I had to do. The CMPA milk is much thinner and less appealing than normal formula or breast milk.
Anuthanamechange · 16/06/2021 20:09

Just realised I missed one of your messages about aptimil. That’s a shame.

I remember my little boy in the same way. It’s heartbreaking.

zaffa · 16/06/2021 20:10

Sorry Op just read the rest of the thread - I'm so sorry that sounds just horrendous. I would absolutely go back to doctor for advice on this - the taste of it is horrible so hopefully there is something you can add to make it more appealing

thenonsensepotter · 16/06/2021 20:14

If she's having digestive issues from regular milk please don't try switching to soya. It is really common for babies to react to that too and it could be just as bad- speaking from experience as I tried it with my DD who has CMPA and I felt like I was just putting her through more discomfort.

Have you tried gradually mixing it, so a quarter of the new formula, then half etc? You can also add Strawberry Nesquik powder to it to make it taste nicer for them- I discovered this on a CMPA facebook group, it's a good alternative to vanilla extract and safe for baby.

Storysaurusandcrochet · 16/06/2021 20:44

@thenonsensepotter I came back on to say the same thing! Because it's the milk protein the baby's allergic to, the protein strands are so similar that really frequently little ones will react to both.

Adults tend to be allergic to the sugar hence they tolerate soya better.

PixieDust28 · 16/06/2021 20:47

Oh bless her and you.

Definitely go back to the GP.
You could phone 111 tonight and mention she's only had 9oz as she's so little they will get an on call doctor to call you back, maybe they could even prescribe something tonight for you x

SilverGlassHare · 16/06/2021 21:02

I think we started with nutramigen, got moved onto something else then ended up with neocate. All of them stunk and were horribly thin, though I think neocate wasn’t quite as bad. DS also screamed and screamed on normal formula but also guzzled it greedily because eating eased his silent reflux (that was caused by CMPA). Our paediatrician advised trying to add nesquik milkshake syrup(!) which we did try, but DS hated that even more. I’m really sorry I can’t suggest anything else, OP, it’s so hard watching them struggle.

I found DS wanted to “snack” on his bottles - so he’d want 2 oz, then an hour later, another oz, then 2 hours after that, another oz. he really wasn’t eating enough and went from 75th percentile for weight to 25th percentile, but the HV and GP weren’t concerned even though I was so worried. I think it contributed to me developing terrible PND! I cured him of the “snacking” by getting him into a stricter routine (this was when he was 5 or 6 months old though) - so he got his bottle at a certain time, drank as much as he wanted, but then that was it until his next one was due. As he wasn’t a very hungry baby, it didn’t seem to bother him (he wasn’t yelling for his bottle for hours, I mean) but he did start taking more at each bottle feed (plus eating a bit of food too).

Bananarice · 17/06/2021 07:46

Anything that some other people says helps, is asking your partner or someone else to feed baby for you. Some babies say no to the bottle while they can smell their mom.

That didn't work for us. I mentioned of thinking about it like medicine because a lot of children hate medicine and it is a struggle giving it to them. There are creative ways (that didn't work for ds1) out there.

Even with nutramigen (sp) you can get on prescription something to make it thicker. If you get worried about babies weight, or lack of wet nappies you would need to call for help. I forgot the exact number of wet nappies so I would advise asking gp or health visitor for when to worry. Then write it on a piece of paper and put it somewhere safe.

Original poster
Moorelewis · 17/06/2021 12:46

Contacted the GP and health visitor who said to persevere. Tried adding vanilla, still won't drink it! I feel so stressed. Health visitor said as long as she's having wet and dirty nappies, which she is, then hopefully she will get used to it. I have an appointment with GP on Monday incase things don't improve.

OP posts:
Emheaven1 · 01/01/2022 16:00

Hello lovely, just come across your post and I’m wondering how it went with getting your baby to take the formula? We’re having the same problem and I’m so worried xx