Hypoallergenic formula - who makes it and is it of any benefit really? - Tiktok? Hunker?

[mears]

I want to research this a bit more and thought you guys (and anyone else) might know.

My sister is wondering about it if she finds herself unable to cope breastfeeding twins exclusively.

Also, have you any thoughts about the breast/bottle bottles in mothercare I saw today? They are meant to mimic breastfeeding to allow baby to switch easily between both?

I don't know much about hypoallergenic formula, I'm afraid.

I do know about the breast bottles though - if they're the ones I trialled for MN that time?

They have a very soft outer teat part and a pretty rigid plastic "spike" inside the teat (not a spike, obv, but a pointier bit). This means that the baby feeds with his lips up against a malleable surface and I think it probably is more like a breast than a rigid Avent teat.

They're a bit fiddly to put together and clean and they don't fit in an Avent steam steriliser (which I inherited) all that well - the bottle's too wide, iirc.

I think the stuff about allowing babies to switch between breast and bottle is rhetoric, largely, though.

When's your sister due? Have you spoken to Marsy and some of the others on the multiples thread about exclusively bfing?

I read the other day (in Fresh Milk - have you read it? It's a great book!) that a woman's body initially produces enough milk to feed twins, then things settle down if it transpires she's only feeding a singleton - which I thought was interesting. Might that be encouraging to your sister?

No I haven't read it - will have a look for it.

Sis is only 19 weeks at the moment but she is covering all her bases. I have already done a thread seeking breastfeeding experiences of mums with twins and 'spoken' to Mars.

She was given a copy of the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer (posted a thread about that too) and I am concerned about some of the information in it, such as timing of initial feeds and the introduction of a bottle by three weeks to ensure baby will take a bottle.

I think she wants to have a masterplan incase she cannot keep up with the demands of feeding two babies.

I am going to be helping her in the first week but I obviously won't be telling her what she must do.

Just want to be ahead of the game

Oh, lord, the sodding BW - her Eat Activity Sleep You time (EASY) routine

As you know, babies often fall into the "Snooze On Boob" pattern, which doesn't fit into any routine that anybody who writes books about this subject dictates - it also has the ironic acronym of SOB

Sis likes routine - is used to project managing!

I think she just wants to make sure that she has an alternative if it gets too much.

Hopefully babies will be easy feeders and fall into a routine quickly of their own accord

My understanding of hypoallergenic formula is not great, but I gather the protein in it is broken down so it is 'semi-digested' with the idea that the baby will not have an allergic response stimulated by 'normal' formula. I don't think even the manufacturers claim it is 'better' than normal formula except in instances where the baby has already had a clinically significant allergic response to normal formula. Mothers report it smells and tastes disgusting but babies usually don't seem to mind.

If you sister decides to use formula, I can't think of any reason why she would go for hypoallergenic rather than bog standard - and my preference would always be for a tried and tested old brand, although virtually all the manufacturers add novel ingredients now which as we know are not tested long term or even especially thoroughly.

The claim that the 'breast bottles' simulate breastfeeding is utter twaddle. I mean, just look at it, and think about how a baby uses his entire jaw in breastfeeding and how the milk lets down. They are an attempt to make money out of the breastfeeding mother market, which irritatingly to them uses a product which brings in no profit at all.

I looked into hypoallergenic formulas for my baby and to be honest didn't like what I read. It was some time ago (4 years) so things may have improved since. Sorry I don't have any specific links for you.

My DD1 turned out to be allergic to lots of common foods and an allergist put pressure on me to stop breastfeeding and use formula. I decided to do an elimation diet and continue feeding for personal reasons but also because I didn't like the sound of the hypo formulas.

It appears thet they are even less well tested and trialed than regular formulas and tend to have a higher incidence of heavy metals in them. Hypoallergenic formulas contain much more glutamic acid and aspartic acid than the non-hypoallergenic formulas.
Also they taste pretty foul.

Is your sister considering this type of formula because she suspects an allergy problem may occur?

don't know much but remember using goat milk formula when weaned my DS of bf because he did not take cow milk very well in the begining.

Here's a link that may have helpfull info.

www.talkallergy.com/webpages/features/feature_dairy_free_infants_toddlers.htm

Thanks for the link Slim - the information is good however Goats milk formula is nolonger advised for babies.

My sister is just 'planning ahead' in her project manager style.

One of our nieces has a number of allergies which started with nuts and she carries an epipen. She had severe excema as a baby and also has asthma. She was breastfed and my sister worries if the same thing happens with her babies she would not want to go down the route of elimination diet.

I personally do not think she needs to plan as extensively as this however she does realise that even one bottle of formula can increase the risk of allergies so is therefore thinking ahead for damage limitation.

I am going to have to work hard at supporting her with her choices - she will not want to be feeding babies all day to get milk supply established which, as we know, is what it feels like in the early days, even with one baby.

She has different thought processes tham me

I know nothing about this subject mears, just wanted to say tell your sister there is no such thing as routine with newborn babies!!!

Some 'hypoallergenic' formula is only partially hydrolysed, so is actually not suitable for babies with confirmed cow's milk allergy. It's supposed to be easier to digest so apparently some babies with digestive problems do better with it. It does smell and taste awful.

If there is a confirmed allergy and an elimination diet is not an option then you have to go down the route of formula synthesized from raw amino acids. I haven't tried this (went down the elimination diet route) but apparently it's even worse than the hydrolysed one, as well as really quite expensive.

Thanks for the responses.

I hope that things will work out well.

Sis wants to breastfeed but doesn't want it to take over her life which is something that I think is necessary to accept in the first few months.

We will be having dicussions before the babies are born but I think that we may have differing views on what is 'normal'.

Mears, she does know that having twins might affect her just a bit, right?

Good luck with the discussions. If anyone can do it tactfully, you can, I'm sure. Harder in RL than on MN though, imo.