Spewy baby after formula feeds

[AngeChica]

DS is 18 weeks and I am gradually weaning him off BF, I intend to keep breastfeeding first and last thing, and at night, if my supply will let me. I am using SMA Gold. He has always intermittently posseted up BM but it seems much worse with the formula. He guzzles the bottle very quickly and gets really upset if I try to take it away to wind him mid- bottle. I'm using the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles with the medium flow teat. I wind him as gently as I can and keep him upright for 10 mins after the feed. However he still seems to bring up loads and can do so unexpectedly quite a while after the feed.

Beginning to wish had stuck to BF now, but my attempts to express have always been pathetic so I wouldn't be able to manage that. I just feel like a bottle feeding novice and any advice would be gratefully received. Should I switch brands? He is producing a lot of drool at the moment (teething) can that make them vomit more? Cheers

can you go back to breastfeeding?

try a variflow teat , it might be too quick with a medium flow

also, bottle feeding is a differnt type of sucking to breast so he might be gulping a lot more too quickly...

I'll preface this with a disclaimer that I'm not an expert, but my DD has a cow's milk protein allergy whose initial symptoms sound similar to your DS's (vomiting after formula feeds - usually around 2 hours after the feed as the milk reaches the lower gut).

It could be though that he's just finding the formula a bit harder to digest than breastmilk and that he will get used to it.

If it is an allergy to cow's milk protein, then switching between regular formulas won't help (as they all contain cow's milk). Your options would include:

• keeping up breastfeeding as much as you can (probably worth doing anyway until he stops having problems with formula)

• switching to a hydrolysed protein formula such as Nutramigen - you would need to get that prescribed by a doctor or dietitian

Soya formula wouldn't be advisable given his age, and the fact that many babies who have a problem with cow's milk protein also have a problem with soya.

If you have any questions ask away

Of course, it may NOT be an allergy, hopefully someone else can give more advice.

Hi AngeChica,

My DS was on SMA Gold as well... He was okay (except for having to strain to poop and usually fairly solid mostly green mixed with yellow poop) but in the last two weeks, started puking a lot after his feed and gradually eating less and less. He also sounds like your DS (Mine is 13 weeks by the way...), hated being winded in the middle of the feed and shrieks like a banshee but if I don't burp him, he throws up quite a bit afterwards and like your son, sometimes quite a while after his feeds (so it looks like curdled milk instead of fresh milk). Anyway, out of desperation, we changed formula to Cow & Gate.

Since then, he has definitely thrown up a lot less. SMA Gold is the 'richest' formula out there. I've tasted both and Cow & Gate does taste a lot more 'watery'. However, he does these crazy poos on C&G. More like BF poos - very yellow and seedy but a lot runnier than BF poos. And twice a day instead of once a day! I have since found out that it's the prebiotics in C&G milk that causes that. He has also started drinking more milk since on C&G. And when he does posset, it's more clear-ish than curdled milk and nowhere near the amount he used to throw up. It does take a few days for you to see the difference it might make in your DS. There's no harm getting a small tin of another brand of formula to try for a week and see if it makes a difference. We are going to keep him on C&G for now as he does seem happier on it.

GL!

Ax

AngeChica, you could go back to full bf. Were you weaning off bf to go back to work?

Thanks folks. will also have chat with health visitor this week I think.