New mom feeding/formula problem question

Hi ladies,

DS is almost 2 weeks old...he started out on Similac Advance in the hospital and did fine. OF course that changed once we got home!! He appears to lose his breath or wheeze when I am feeding him. I am not sure if this is because he is still getting the feeding thing down or if it is reflux or a milk allergy. At times he will also be fussy right after he feeds or will wait a little while after and become fussy (during these fussy times it appears to be gas -pushing his legs up, grunts, face turns red) but I am not sure if they are related. When I spoke to the ped she told me to switch to Sim Sensitive which we have done over the past 2 days. I do not see a huge difference yet...How long do you give a new formula? She said she wanted to see how he does with this before seeing if it is something else. Anyone have any insight as to what this may be? Also we have been putting gas drops in his bottles but have still seen the fussiness.

I feel so helpless and hate waiting it out as the ped wants to do but also need to take into consideration that he is only 2 wks old! Help!!

Message edited 6/10/2011 2:08:52 PM.

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

it could also be the nipple you're using.
DD did much better w/ the playtex ventaire bottles than w/ the similac/medela bottles/nipples from the hospital and also than the dr brown's.

we started out on similac advance and then went to gerber goodstart gentle(ped's rec b/c DD was constipated a lot).

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

Are you using the ready to feed, or powder?

My kids would spit up and refuse to eat the RTF. They did great on powder.

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

I tried DD on 3 diff formulas by 5 weeks. I didnt call the ped to ask, I just read alot online, and it was trial and error. I finally just put her on Enfamil Nutramigen powder and she was like a different baby. We saw a significant difference in about 4 days. All of her bowel issues/pain were 100% better.

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

With DS #1 I switched his formula at 4 weeks but my ped said to give it 7-10 days. And it wasnt until more than a week later that I saw the vast improvement.

We switched DS from Similac Advance to Good Start due to gas issues.

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

From a ped. dietitian:

Most babies at this age (until about 14 weeks) have issues with gas due to a minor lactose senstivity due to immature gut. I often find better success with enfamil gentlease...
Sim. Sensative is a intact protein, lactose free product, where gentlease is a partially hydrolyzed product with reduced lactose. The broken down proteins make digestion easier on baby's belly and the reduced lactose helps with the gas issue, but still keeps some lactose in the formula to keep the enzyme lactase working in the gut.
The other difference is that the enfamil brand is 60/40 whey to caesin (like BM) while sim is mostly caesin. Caesin is the curd of milk so its more difficult to digest.

I swear by gentlease....best formula out there IMO

Re: New mom feeding/formula problem question

DS was on Similac from the hospital - he was a preemie and in NICU for 10 days. About a week after he was home he became the fussiest gassiest crankiest baby !! His Dr. suggested switching to Enfamil Gentlease and within 2 days he was PERFECT !!

Now at 8 months old I am scared to try to put him on regular enfamil before transitioning him to milk, but am going to have to try !! Hopefully he grew out of his sensitivity now that he's on food !!

Good luck !!