Not sure what to do about formula!?

Question

I breastfed my child until she was 2 months. At the time she was not sleeping or eating well and crying all the time. Her doctor recommended putting her on soy formula to see if it got better. Within a few days she was acting like a normal baby. She is now 4 months old. I was reading the ingredients of the formula and come to find out the first ingredient is corn syrup solids. It seems to be a LOT of sugar for a baby to be eating to me. I told the doctor about it and she said if I wanted to switch to a regular formula to try it. Now I don't know what to do because I don't know if my baby can tolerate the regular formula. I never knew why she was having problems with the breast milk either. Either something in it was irritating her OR she wasn't getting enough.

Answer 1

Go the the store and check out the ingredients on other formulas. You may be surprised that most of them have corn syrup solids as the first ingredient. Breast milk has lots of sugar in it also.



My first daughter was on soy and the doctor said to try the regular formula every couple of months. Once she was able to handle it I kept her on it. My second daughter was on Nutramagen formula, corn syrup solids was the first on this one also. This was a hypo-alergenic formula. When she was 7 months old we were able to switch her to Gentlease Lipil formula. She is 1 now and we are transitioning her to cows milk.



Both of my girls had alergies when they were younger, but by the time they were 1 they both went to cows milk with no problem.



Try the other formula for a day or two and if she can't handle it, go back to the soy again.

Answer 2

I had the same exact problem with my daughter, only she was not breastfed. All she did was cry hysterically, she never slept, she threw up almost everything she ate. My husband and I had enough, we took her to the Emergency room on two different occasions who told us she had severe colic. Her doctor was also not listening, so after going through 4 different formulas, gripe water, gas drops and everything else we decided to take matters into our own hands and we switched her to Isomil Advance Soy formula and since then she has been a completely different baby, she hardly cries, she is sleeping better and so on.

Whatever is in the ingredients, it will not harm the baby, if it could it would not be on the shelves to purchase to give to your baby, if it were bad for them then the doctors would not recommend soy as well. As a matter of fact if you go to the store and look at the ingredients on other formula's you would be suprised to find that most have corn syrup solids as the first ingredients, it has really no more, no less than other formulas so stop worrying, it will not harm your baby.

Answer 3

if your baby was having a problem with breast milk that would indicate that she didn't like something you were eating.



Anyways, you can try switching to a regular formula or maybe looking into a different brand of soy formula.



My son is 4 months and is using the Similac Isomil formula. We tried regular milk based formulas but found he was lactose intolerant, so we are on the soy.

Answer 4

I am not in any way a doctor or nutrionist, but babies need sugar. They need a lot of things that might be seem bad to us right now, like fats and carbs and all that. My little sister (who is 15 mos) has been on soy since about the same age as your baby. She is lactose intolerant and she's had no problem and is growing fine(very tall actually for her age) and has never had any nutritional deficiencies. I would just stick with the formula you have now, because you don't want to mess up your baby's tummy by switching. When she gets a bit older when you can try solids I might switch and try to give her some juices and less formula. Whatever you think is right, its your baby! If she seems fine now, why change? You could try a different soy forumula as well. I dont know what she's on but my lil sis is on Similac Soy toddler formula. Good luck!

Answer 5

Yeah, I think you got some rotten advice from your doctor.



It's normal for a 2 month old baby to not sleep, cry, and eat all the time. I'm surprised, but not shocked that you weren't asked to look at an elimination diet for YOU when you were nursing. Once I cut out chocolate and broccoli my children were fine with nursing. I could eat them again by the time baby was 4 months old. Some women cut out dairy and experience the same thing.



You're so smart to be questioning now. You can try switching formulas, you can always switch back, but you might even be able to relactate.

Answer 6

I would suggest buying a small can of the regular formula and trying it to see if your baby tolerates it or not. If so, then switch over. If not, stick to the soy. I've heard that the Enfamil Lipil Gentlease works well for a lot of babies who don't tolerate the regular formula as well. Good luck!

Answer 7

Well, if you do it, switch over slowly. Another option is neutramagen--it's hypoallergenic, so it's expensive, but I don't know that it's made with so much sugar. Being slow is the key--if she has 4 oz bottles, make 1 oz of the new formula and mix it with 3 oz of the soy. Do that for 3-4 days, then increase it to 2 oz, then 3, etc. Or, switch to a different brand of soy formula that has less sugar. It's possible that organic soy formulas may be made with less sugar.

Answer 8

Firstly it isn't too late to relactate.



Secondly if at ALL possible get her off of soy formula, there are many many concerns about soy formula from the phytoestrogens, to the high levels of aluminum. Many governments from Israel to France have very strongly warned against the use of soy formula and the amount of soy in children's diets as they grow as well.



Adoptive Breastfeeding & Relactation

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html



SOY FORMULAS

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp#T031004



When It Has to be Formula: Optimizing the Health of Your Formula-Fed Baby

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/226/optimize-health-formula-fed-baby/



Soy: Who Needs It?

http://www.todaysparent.com/baby/breastfeeding/article.jsp?content=20030807_101250_216#soywho



Known Contaminants Found in Infant Formula

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_2000_May-June/ai_62141685



Phytoestrogens in soy-based infant foods: concentrations, daily intake, and possible biological effects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9492332&dopt=AbstractPlus



Soy and Children's Health: A Formula for Trouble?

http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2002/110-6/niehsnews.html



Artificial baby milks:

how safe is soya?

http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/briefings/tessasoya03.html



Paediatric Group Position Statement on the use of

Soya Protein for Infants

http://www.bda.uk.com/Downloads/soystatement.pdf#search=%27soya%20infant%20formula



Soy formula may inhibit intestinal development in babies

http://nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=56963-soy-formula-may

Answer 9

I agree with wi mom and if you do relactate you could try an elimination diet that is what I have done and my baby is very happy since I went dairy and soy free he has even started to put weight on better it is a significant sacrifice but it is worth it here is a list of other things found in infant formula http://www.naba-breastfeeding.org/images/Contaminants.pdf

Answer 10

I THINK IF THERE IS TOO MUCH SUGAR FOR YOUR LIKING THEN YOU SHOULD SWITCH HER. THE WAY I WOULD DO THIS IS TO GIVE HER ONE BOTTLE OF THE NEW FORMULA AND THEN THE REST HER NORMAL ONE SLOWLY INCREASE THE NEW ONE UNTIL SHE IS FULLY ON THE NEW ONE. THIS WAY IF YOU SEE A CHANGE IN HER BECAUSE YOU HAVE SWOPPED YOU CAN STOP. ALSO YOU WONT OVER DO HER BODY WITH THE NEW ONE IF SHE CANT TOLERATE IT X HTH

Answer 11

My unqualified opinion would be "don't mess with success". If your daughter is doing well, keep on with what you are doing. In another month you'll be starting cereal and then fruit and she won't be taking as much formula once she gets on solids. Then you can watch her sugar more closely. If its not causing problems now, don't worry about it.

Answer 12

at 4 months old she should be able to handle regular formula. that have one that has comfort proteins, i would suggest trying that one.

Answer 13

Try switching her to Carnation Good Start. It is a very gentle formula that breaks down into smaller proteins...they call them comfort proteins. She may react better to that. Good luck

Answer 14

I use Good start it's easy to digest for babies tummy. You ain't going to know unless you try giving her formula but i would do Good Start.

Answer 15

Try switching, if there's a problem switch back, that simple!

Answer 16

Talk to a lactation consultant. Perhaps you would be able to re-lactate. Breast milk is best for baby.