Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

Hi ladies -

Please help! My DD was EBF until a month ago until she was in the hospital and I had to go home to sleep leaving her with no expressed milk (was having milk supply problems too - long story). Anyways, my milk supply still isn't what it used to be and so I've had to top her up with a little formula at her bedtime feed if I've got no expressed milk stored (at most 1 bottle, 3-4 nights a week).

Recently she had lots of gas, much more frequent stools, mucousy stools, blood in her stools, etc and her doc thinks she's got a dairy allergy. She told me to put her on hypo allergenic, lactose free milk (Nutrimagen) which she HATES. She won't take it at all. I'm doing my best to build up my milk supply but I feel like I need a backup because my body just isnt cooperating.

Did any of your DC's not take to the lactose free formula after already having regular dairy-based formula? How did you get your child to take the formula? I really hate to mix it with my breast milk because that's hard enough to come by these days and I hate to waste it if she won't take it.

BTW her Ped also said under no circumstances am I to give her soy-based or goats milk based formula, so those aren't options.

Re: Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

bump....anyone?

Re: Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

When we switched my DS to Gentlease he hated it too, it took a while, but he did eat when he was hungry

I will say, he was never a big eater tho (never more than 6oz!)

Re: Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

I'll be honest, it makes no sense to me that you were EBFing her with no problems and then she all of a sudden developed a milk allergy. I would think about getting a second opinion... but that's only because I don't really know the details of milk allergies

ETA: I would definitely try Gentlease first, that helped a lot with DS and DD when I had to supplement. As for your supply, try mother's milk tea and fenugreek supplements, eat oatmeal, and drink a dark beer if you can tolerate it.

Message edited 5/3/2010 6:23:02 PM.

Re: Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

I would try gentlease It is reduced lactose and partially hydrolyzed proteins. I find it to be more similar to breastmilk and is my first recommendation to moms. BC it is not 100% hydrolyzed it doesn't taste or smell as bad. If you don't need a hypo formula don't use one.

Re: Switching to Lactose Free Formula - and DD hating it

My DS has a dairy allergy and I BF. He had to take formula to try to clear up the allergy while I removed dairy from my diet and it was very difficult to get him to drink it. He refused the Nutrimagen completely, even when mixed with 1/2 breastmilk. We switched to Elecare and although he didn't really like it, I was able to get him to drink it. I did have to mix it at first to get him used to it and then gradually increase the ratio. I fed him facing away from me so he wasn't near my breast and distracted him with the TV or a toy. Sometimes I had to walk around the house while feeding him to get him to drink it.

Did you doctor advise you to take dairy out of your diet as well?