Changing formula - bad idea?

[newmum234]

My baby is 3 weeks old and is currently on Aptamil 1. He seems to be doing well on this generally, but he sometimes arches his back, scrunches his legs and screams as if struggling with wind and/or constipation after some feeds.

I’ve read good things about Hipp Organic formula and would like to give it a go. But is it risky to switch formula now, given that Aptamil seems to be (mostly) working well? Do you think I should try Hipp or stick with Aptamil? I just want the best for my baby.

Arching back and screaming sounds a bit like silent reflux to me. My son did this, doc prescribed infant gaviscon and he's fine now. Try giving them a call.

At 3 weeks old his body is still adjusting to the outside world and how to process that. I wouldn't change formulas yet. However the symptoms you describe could be something else such as silent reflex so I would discuss that with your HV before making any changes.

All the standard infant formulas here in the UK are much of a muchness so changing really isn't a problem if you want to. Aptimil and Cow and Gate are actually made by the same company and they just charge a premium for the fancy Aptamil tin based on parents paranoia that more expensive = better. This is a really good, unbiased document talking about the different brands www.firststepsnutrition.org/infant-milks-overview

Thanks - there just seem to be lots of threads like this one that sound really positive about Hipp:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/599848-want-to-change-formula-milk-which-is-recommended

But I’m scared to disrupt what he’s used to!

My baby did a bit of this early on, but has seem to have grown out of it.

I spoke to a paediatrician in hospital about this and he said babies oesophageal sphincters are still new and developing, and they generally grow out of it. I left mine and stuck with the same formula and it seems a load better now.

That said mine wasnt too bad and not every feed, so I was fairly happy to just ride it out.

That said mine wasnt too bad and not every feed, so I was fairly happy to just ride it out.

That’s the same as me - so am wondering if it’s worth disrupting him for.

I’m just worried that Hipp is a ‘better’ formula than Aptamil and would like to give him the best one possible. I think it’s the ‘organic’ bit that makes it sound better!

If you generally buy and eat organic then go for it. If not then I'd wait and see/look into silent reflux. You are always going to find threads with people swearing by some product or method so you just need to make a decision and give it a chance to work.

We started on the aptimal but had same issues so switched to hipp organic half the price and no problems I'm expecting my second so Iv gone straight to hipp organic x

We switched from cow and gate to hipp due to silent reflux and the milk did help. She had it very bad though and didnt sleep for the first 7 weeks until we got ranitidine.

She carried on with hipp and it was great for her.

It sounds like he might have reflux. Changing formula isn’t risky although I don’t know if it will help if it is reflux. DS used to be combination fed - he had breast milk, ready made aptamil or cow and gate when out and about and mamia powdered formula at home. Didn’t seem to make any difference which he’d had and he happily drank them all 🤷‍♀️ A friend tried an anti-reflux formula which I know a lot of people will nay say, but it did seem to work for them.

Thanks - am really torn! Do you think Hipp is ‘better’ for babies then Aptamil? I don’t want to keep him on a lesser milk for the next six months just because it’s what he happened to be started on.

Should I mention to my health visitor that I’m planning on changing, and do I need to phase it in slowly or just change straightaway?

Also, how can I know for sure whether my baby has silent reflux or whether he’s just straining to get some gas out?

Is it normal for babies to strain and gurgle after feeds or should they be more silent and content?

As pp said, all the formulas are much of a muchness, or certainly their 'starter' formula is. Changing formula isn't a bad idea, it's just a change. I think HVs advise changing as little as possible. Why not try a comfort formula?

Is it normal for babies to strain and gurgle after feeds or should they be more silent and content

I honestly think its something that gets better over time.

It COULD be reflux, so speak to your doctor if you're really concerned.

I also looked into HIPP Organic, but it was the height of panic buying and I couldnt get it anywhere so was kind of forced to stick with SMA. That said, its ok now and my son kind of grew of it.

He was last fed at 1pm (100ml of Aptamil) and then went to sleep. He woke about 10 minutes ago and started angry-sounding crying! How can I tell if this means that he’s hungry or in discomfort because of reflux?! DH is feeding him now and he seems happy again. He wouldn’t normally demand more food so close to the last feed, but perhaps it’s a growth spurt? I’m totally crap at understanding his cues - it’s so so stressful!

Do you think Hipp is ‘better’ for babies then Aptamil?

No I definitely don’t think one formula is better than another. There’s been various documentaries on this looking into how formula is marketed and how naturally some parents will think a bigger price tag must mean it is better than a cheaper version. Hence why I gave mine mamia in the end, we must have saved a fortune. All formula has to contain certain ingredients that are proven to be things babies need, it’s very strongly regulated. As pp said, cow and gate and aptamil are in fact made by the same company. If any of the added extras in the formula that warrants the higher price tag were proven to be necessary and particularly beneficial they would have to legally be in all formulas. Organic formula is more expensive in the same way that regular organic milk is - it’s more expensive to produce, so it will cost more. Whether you think it’s worth it depends on whether you think feeding cows food grown free from pesticides makes a larger than marginal difference to our health?

I’m totally crap at understanding his cues - it’s so so stressful!

You’re not crap at it at all! It’s so hard figuring out what babies want - all you can do is go through your list of what he might want and if you’ve tried it all, that’s all you can do. He’s still so young so ‘what he will normally do’ will keep on changing. It’s hard to keep up with it!

So if he fed at 1, and woke with angry sounding crying at 3.30ish i'd say its hunger, especially if he now seems content being fed. Newborns generally dont go for very long without feeling hungry.

I didnt learn cries until recently. I just went off times.

Thanks @Letsallscreamatthesistene. Praying it’s not silent reflux as from Google it sounds like quite a difficult one to diagnose and fix!

You're welcome!

A glimpse into my life - I went to tesco for an hour leaving 7 week old with husband with the strict instructions of 'feed him at 4, so hes ready for a 6pm feed before bed'. Husband didnt feed him at 4 because he 'forgot' and I came home to screaming baby. Yay.

I changed formula around that age and when I asked my HV about it, she said that my baby probably wouldn't notice much difference other than the effects after (we changed from first milk to comfort and then back to first to take baby Gaviscon). We then changed to a completely different brand and got an anti reflux milk. What's the worst thing that can happen?

What's the worst thing that can happen?

True!

My baby was really pukey on formula, but on hipp was loads better. But all the wind as everyone else is saying is normal and will most likely pass eventually. They have immature Digestive systems