Goats milk formula versus cows milk formula - advice needed

[Dotty38]

Hi. I need to very reluctantly think about formula feeding my 6 week old DD. Basically for the last 6 weeks we've both had a n ightmare with breast feeding, starting with her not latching on until day 8, then her latch was poor so I was in aganony (this never improved), then continual thrush in me and her, developing into deep breast thrush in me (she still has thrush in her mouth and I'm sure I still have surface thrush now??), then two awful boughts of mastitis. And through this all feeding advisors, midwives, health visitors have all thought her latch looks perfect. I've tried to get to a breast feeding cafe but each time I've been too ill to make it. So I'm more or less comeing to the conclusion that I have to look formula feeding her as, a) I need to get better, b) she needs to get rid of the thrush in her mouth, and c) all of us me, DH and DD need to start enjoying life again and not feeling miserable about this feeding situtation.

So I'm wondering which formula to use. I have all ready been giving her one bottle of Hipp formula which she has in her evening feed (7ish). We had to do this when I came down with mastitis as was so poorly I couldn't manage to feed more than once in the evening/night. I have noticed since she's had the bottle of formula she only does one massive poo a day where as before she did smaller more frequent poos.

I want to do the best for DD in this situation. I know Goats milk might be more easily digested. I wondered if there was anyone with more info on this or experiences of using goats milk formula.

Thanks Mumsnetters!

Goats milk formula is not approved for use in Europe so you might find it difficult to get hold of. If Hipp seems to suit your lo then why not just stick with that.

Hi, Goats milk formula isn't officially approved for use below 1 yr old, although personally I would have snapped it up if needed over and above cows milk, as it's much less allergenic and easier to digest.
I would stick with the Hipp if it's working for you.

However, couple of other thoughts, get some powdered probiotics - Nutri do a good one, Ultra Probioplex - and put some on your nipple prior to feeding your daughter to encourage the growth of good bacteria in her mouth. You're prob already doing this, but air your boobs lots, and you could use a tea tree solution to wash your nipples as a natural anti fungal but be sure you thoroughly wash it off before feeding DD.
You could also take the probiotic yourself internally to try and rebalance the bacteria.i would also think about seeing a homeopath as totally safe for both you and LO & can be very effective at treating thrush & mastitis.

HTH ! well done for perservering though...

I substituted with my own goats milk formula in the states with my first.
We used powdered goats milk, added glucose syrup (for calories) & liquid vitamins to it. I had a specific recipe that I got from an old website/forum called HipMama, but I am not sure what those measurements are now.

She was/is a very healthy happy child and never had any allergies or digestion problems with the formula.
If you can find a recipe, it IS much easier on their tummies than cows milk formula.

Hi
Thanks for your posts. I know it's no longer approved for use under 1 yrs in the EU but you can still buy it direct from Vitacare over the web.

Thanks puffylovett for the thrush treatment advice. I'm taking super strong probiotics broke the bank to buy them! Also loading myself with live yogurt and those actimel drinks ect. Hadn't thought about putting some probiotic powered in LO's mouth. Will look up the Nutri product you mention. She's still being treated with Nystatin drops at the moment too. Hoping that she will get some of the probiotics in my milk too.

I'm not suprised we're finding it hard to shift as I've bascially been pumped full of antibiotics since the day she was born, can't belive it really as i'd never taken the bloody things before.

The reason I'm pondering goats milk formula is cos I just want her to have the best and want to research it to feel i've made an in formed decsion if i can't keep going with breast feeding, i suppose i'm feeling awfully torn and guilty about it as I so dfesperately wanted to breast feed her long term. We bought the Hipp in a bit of a crisis rush when i was too ill to cope one evening and it seemed like the best option in our local shop.

oh here's another thought for you - candida thrives on sugar and yeast, so you could avoid all sugary foods (actimels are loaded with sugar btw) and bread & check products for yeast. I kow it's probably the last thing you want to think about right now.. here's some ideas though..

bfast have shredded wheat or weetabix instead of toast
lunch have soups or jackets spuds instead of sandwiches or even some wraps are yeast free

basically if you stop feeding it and pump yourself full of probiotics you maximise your chances of getting rid of the thrush.

(TBH I personally if I'd needed to would have gone for the goats formula - DS is 2.2 and on goats milk now with the odd breastfeed thrown in - but I couldn't get hold of it at the time so when I needed the odd top up we went for Hipp organic)

oh PPS Nutri also do a product called GSOL, which is an anti fungal called saccromycese boullardii, really effective against candida. I did extensive research into this to ensure its safe while brestfeeding. It works brilliantly for vaginal thrush so worth a go for breast thrush too, and it's dead cheap..

HTH

There are also the Easy Digest and Comfort formulas which seem to make babies more comfortable if they struggle with normal formulas and they definitely give the correct nutritional balance. I have no real hard feelings for or against Goats Milk Formulas - I just know I am no longer able to advise it as it's not deemed nutritionally complete and has just as much lactose as cows milk formulas.

Having said that I do know parents that have used it and found it to be fine. That makes me think that it is probably not going to cause any long term problems in most cases - my Nan was raised on Carnation milk (or whatever the equivalent was then) and lived to 92 with no major health problems. My Mum and aunties were raised on similar - my Mum is 62 and both aunts are in their seventies.