formula for BF
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Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: formula for BF
Posted By: bun_in_the_oven
Subject: formula for BF
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 10:39am
DS is 8 months old. I am looking to return to work and may need to start him on formula.. I dont have the energy or time to keep expressing throughout the day (please dont judge me)
how do you know what formula is right..
any ideas or starting advice
He happily takes a bottle of BM now
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Replies:
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 10:52am
It can sometimes take a little bit of time to figure out what is right...what I would suggest is get some of the sachets from the supermarket for a start, and start swapping some of the BF for FF....watch for excessive spilling/wind/dirty nappies, especially runny ones. They're the biggest indicators that they don't agree with your DS. He may also refuse to take more - remember that formula is more filling than breast milk - it's not as easy to digest - and so he may not feed as often on formula as he does while BF. If he refuses to take formula at all, try mixing it in with EBM and slowly weaning him onto the formula that way.
We use Karicare and haven't had any problems, but I know other mums on here have, and some use S26 and some use Nurture. I think a lot of mums say to stay away from the Gold stuff though, especially when first introducing formula, because it's harsher on the tummy.
Good luck!!
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Posted By: KazS
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 11:59am
Found the same as above - my girl is on Karicare but not the Gold one - she refused to drink it most of the time and when she did it would make her wicked constipated
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Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 12:25pm
We did what minik8e suggests and got some sachets. We found the karicare one gave him lots of wind as it was quite frothy - probably that gold one. We also tried the Nuture one and that went down well and he was happy with that and as a bonus it's often only $14.95 so worked out well for us too.
If anyone judges you for giving your baby formula at 8 months they deserve a kick in the shins (or somewhere else..) as that's awesome to have BF to 8 months!
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Posted By: skp
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 3:00pm
We are on the karicare goat one, it seemed to be more gentle on DD stomach
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: RicKer
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 4:07pm
We are also on karicare goat. Its the only one DD could tolerate
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Posted By: mumoftwins
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 4:30pm
It is a good idea to start your DS on the "from birth" formula rather then going on to the age appropriate one. Once he is taking it no problems then switch to the next step.
I'll be honest here and say I can't for the life of me remember why that is....think the newborn formulas are easier to digest then the next stage up ones.
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Posted By: bun_in_the_oven
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 5:34pm
great idea will start with the sachets... many thanks
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Posted By: princesspumpkin
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 6:57pm
I agree with starting with the from birth one, it's a lot more gentle on their little tummies .
My DS uses the nurture one (I had to go and have a look, all I could remember was it has a giraffe on it!), it's been the best one for him since he was quite little (we always had to supplement, managed to bf til 8 months but still needed a bit of extra help!).
Sachets are great to work out what's going to sit best, and I agree about the gold ones, the probiotics in them tend to make bubs a bit constipated at first, my naturopath said that it passes though
Good work for bfing for 8 months, you're a
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Posted By: mummymonster
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 7:59pm
DS is on S26.
We started on the sachets, remember once open the can has a 4wk life time.
We never had any problems with introducing DS to formula, he was about 3 or 4 mths.
We were told that you should start by getting DH (or someone else) and having mum no where around. The theory is that if mum's there, baby may think they can get the good stuff if they refuse the bottle.
However no one told DS. First bottle DH tried to give it to him and DS said NO. Came into the kitchen where I was, DH said 'he won't take it look', and DS promptly started munching away - go figure.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 19 April 2010 at 9:43pm
Oh, totally agree on the from birth stuff too...the girls are still on that formula as they just didn't take well to the stage 2.
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Posted By: mollycat
Date Posted: 03 May 2010 at 2:28pm
darnit - wished I'd seen this thread before today as just bought DS a tin of formula. He's never had formula but he's the hungriest baby ever AND is growth spurting at the moment...just can't do it any more (on meds AND pumping twice a day to keep up).
Bought a whole tin of age appropriate. He's a bit of a guts so here's hoping he copes okay...
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 03 May 2010 at 4:07pm
Having tried expressing for the feed while I was back at work with A & knowing how hard it it, no one can judge! You've done 8 months so that is awesome.
Don't worry too much if he will or won't take it. When he's in care he'll learn to take a bottle from someone else & that he happily takes a bottle is half your problems solved.
------------- Kel
http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 04 May 2010 at 9:30am
You have done a FANTASTIC job of BF for 8 months! Expressing for feeds is not easy and going back to work is hard enough without putting pressure on yourself to do that as well.
The main difference between the from birth and the 6 month plus formula is that more of the protiens etc are taken out of the from birth so that babies can easily digest it. There is no reason (apart from cost) to move onto the 6 month formula's. They have them because they are not allowed to advertise formula for babies under 6 months so they make another formula so that they can advertise iykwim. That's also why the from birth formula is never on special.
If you wanted to continue BF and not express you could do formula during the day and save BF for first thing in the morning or at night. My DD is at daycare and won't take a bottle (formula or EBM). Which is frustrating for me (as I do express, so I don't become engorged, and then usually have to throw it out!) but she seems to cope just having a bit of milk (100mL on a good day but usually only 20-30mL she has water when she refuses milk) and solids while she is there. She catches up on her feeds when I pick her up. She is only there 2 days a week 8-3.30 so is missing one BF while she is there. Might not be an option for you but thought I'd mention it as it seems to be what DD is doing which is not what I intended!
------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 04 May 2010 at 9:36am
I was told by my midwife to stay away from any gold formulas we tried one once and it was a disaster. I think they are just a little too rich.
We stuck with S26 and had no problems with it :)
------------- http://lilypie.com">
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS
MC April 2010
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Posted By: mollycat
Date Posted: 04 May 2010 at 3:22pm
Well, all went smoothly. We're basically only giving Ryan formula to supplement him when he's especially hungry (he eats like a professional basketball player!). I've been back at work 2 months and express while I'm there which has worked up until this point. I was also expressing first thing in the morning but frankly I'm TIRED of being hooked up to a milking machine while I try to eat my breakfast AND feed Ryan his breakfast. I'm done! I'm happy to express once during the day - at work, it's like a mini break iykwim.
But....no upset tummy and he drank it fine so really pleased.
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 05 May 2010 at 8:53pm
Thats great its gone well!
Must say I've read this with interest as I develop infant formula. And I personally would start on the follow on if the bub was over 6 months .... not that it would do them any harm to continue on the birth one, but the birth formulas are not developed to be easier on the tum or anything (they have very similar ingredients - apart from the golds - so shouldn't be "easier" on their tums than follow on) - there is just a different make up of vitamins / minerals to suit the "average" requirement in that age group and slighlty different macronutrient levels (ie more fat for younger bubs). So I would think its better to start on one and stick with it than start and then change.
I also would go for a gold, due to all the extras in there that make it "closer" to BM (if tolerated of course).
And I would buy NZ made (Heinz Nurture or Karicare) as the others can be more expensive just cos they're shipped into NZ, not cos they're better (and wouldn't you rather have NZ dairy products too?!). I've found the frothiness of Karicare not so good with young bubs but OK with older bubs. So mine have mainly had Heinz but drink both (and Morgan did have a Novalac one when we first started as she slept better on it - a hungry big bub).
Hope that helps calrify a few things!?!
------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs)
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