Baby allergy? Drs shocking recommendation

[whoops2024]

Just shocked.

Since birth no formulas have been kind to my DD (mostly terrible poops diarrhoea, blood, mucus or constipation)

She's so far been on-

Cow and gate
SMA Althera
Aptamil Lactose Free
Nurtimagen 2 LGG
currently on Aptamil Pepti 2

But still symptoms are awful. ATM she is congested, watery eyes and mucus poop again.

I called dr to say this isn't working either. He knows she's 6 months and he mentioned changing the formula to Alpro unsweetened oat milk!!!!! I was like sorry what? I don't mean I need a milk for weaning I need a formula for her feeds! He said yes try that. I'm absolutely shocked that a dr has recommended that as a substitute to infant formula!!!

I challenged this and he said "I have run out of options, so continue with the Aptamil Pepti 2 until you hear from dietician" so I asked him to expedite the referral!

I'm shocked! Upset! And having to deal with a poorly baby! Sorry had to vent!!!!

@whoops2024 I see she's had 3 hydrolysed formulas already. They should've stopped after Althera and Nutramigen and switched to an amino-acid formula. Did she react to breast milk as well? If so, so the swap to amino-acid should've happened at point already. Demand Neocate or Alfamino formula. They're amino-acid and completely dairy free.

That being said, it does also take time for the gut to adjust after a milk change, especially after so many changes. It can take 4-6 weeks for the previous milk to leave the system fully and for reactions to stop.

I've had one boy on Pepti, now outgrown his CMPA, and one boy who's currently on Neocate.

Ask for neocate or aptimel pepti. Also ask for liquid omperazole. CMPA is horrid and I wouldn't wish it on anyone!
My son completed the milk ladder at 18months but still has issues with too much dairy

My son and DIL have used Kendamil for their older child and now for their twin daughters, who were 4 weeks premature - and it seems to suit them all very well. It is more expensive, but would be worth a try, @whoops2024. I hope you can get a resolution - you must be at your wit’s end.

Have you tried goat or sheep milk based formulas? I believe nannycare and Kendamil both do one? Not sure how easy it is to find in the shops, but widely available online.

All of the formulas you’ve been recommended by the doctor appear to be cows milk derived which is clearly an issue for your little one.

In very rare cases it could be one of the additives in the formula she’s reacting to, but that’s unlikely so I’d definitely try the goats milk formula first as that will be the simplest solution.

You’re clearly trying your best to find a solution for your daughter, I’m sorry it’s been such an uphill battle x

No, the protein is very similiar to cow milk so baby will likely be allergic to both.

The closest to human breast milk is elephant but they don’t sell that at TESCO!

Another vote for neocate and I'm sorry your GP gave you such bad advice. Sorry if I missed the info, but is your baby gaining weight well? Mine was so nobody was too worried, but life was pretty grim for six months. She's 15 months now and almost everything has settled down. Still waiting for that call from the allergy clinic...

Actually that's incorrect! Neocate is the same as Aptamil Pepti 2 if that doesn't work then Neocate won't either. The next one is oat milk because it's totally natural.

My daughter went through exactly the same. It was the dietitian that told us oat milk was the next option. She was only 4 months old!

Wishing you the best OP.

Thought I might mention that my cousin had to switch to goats' milk for her little girl, but I'm not sure how old the baby was at the time.

Oh god you poor thing and your poor dd!!

I agree with ppl that the amino acid formulas like neocate should have been the go to after nutramigem didn't help! My dd didn't have capacity but she was lactose intolerant but because formula had made her so poorly (she was also much younger when swapped over) my comment straight to neocate when I said I suspected lactose was the issue. I am lactose intolerant at all times but when I am run down or poorly it escalates to full blown dairy allergy.

As for jot breastfeeding, the twunt poster giving you grief is just trolling. I didn't either. Never even tried for both personal and medical reasons. And anyone wanting to troll me for it had better ensure they have chosen their burial plot!

Hope you get sorted soon!

They can have plant based milk before 1 my daughter had to say 4 months old! She was allergic to everything else! But to be trying that many formulas in 6 months is ridiculous! You have to give each once at least 4 weeks to leave the system unless there's a life threatening reaction (which is why my daughter was on oat milk at 4 months)

SMA Soya formula (previously Wysoy) his has now been discontinued. There is a rice based formula called Arize that can be prescribed, but your best bet is probably neocate or sma alfamino, as these are completely broken down amino acid formulae.

I am afraid @cosylemur you are incorrect. Aptimal pepti 2 is a hydrolysed whey formula. Neocate is amino acid based

I don't think GP's are expected to know a lot about all the different types of infant milk. However she / he should have referred you to somebody who did.

milk is their primary source of nutrition until 1 and now you wouldn’t change babies to milk at 6 months (it’s actually a bit dangerous)

a lot of allergy babies are give prescription milk until 2

No, neocate is an amino acid based formula (from coconuts I think? )

Hi OP!

I don't know if this is useful but they sell goat milk based formula in Waitrose. Might be helpful if it's a cow milk protein allergy?

Are you sure it's a milk allergy? These are all symptoms of IBD. Can you ask for a calprotectin test and check it's not elevated? I don't know if calprotectin tests on babies are reliable but it's worth asking.

Calprotectin is not reliable in under 2s.

Ah OK, wasn't sure. But as a parent of a child with IBD, the mention of blood, mucus, runny eyes etc set alarm bells ringing for me.

I agree. It may be a different problem not an allergy to milk. But it does need to be investigated further.

And yet so many of us did it with wonderful results. I'd be looking at who paid for the studies "proving" that expensive formula is necessary until 12 months ... I bet it wasn't farmers unions.

OP I’m a GP and during training we have literally no teaching on baby formula. Not a minute. I breastfed my own kids so I don’t even have personal experience of formula to draw on. Everything I know is what I’ve picked up from patient experiences over the years. Dieticians and health visitors are the ones who know about this stuff.

You didn't say you did. I think people are deliberately being provocative and disingenuous.

My DD was breastfed (no judgement here) but self-weaned at around 9 months. At first she drank formula but reacted to this so ended up trying Goats milk and then settled on Soya milk, something I regret now, it was a while ago. So from my perspective, Oat milk would be a good option when combined with a balanced diet.

However, are there lactose free formulas you can try first?

If baby has an allergy then the breastfeeding mother would have to cut that out her diet in order to stop baby being ill so that won't solve the problem if she doesnt know what it is...

My little one switched to alpro soya toddler milk at 1 year which has added vitamins etc in so that miiiight be ok for a 6m old.