Formula feeders, help!

cbrust

First off, I have discussed this with our pedi and nurses and they have been no help. We've now decided to look for a new pedi based off our experiences with this office.

DD was on similac advance from day 3 and tolerated it well until about day 10 when we noticed she was fussier and seemed uncomfortable. She grew increasingly harder to burp, started spitting up more and would cry out in what I assume to be pain. We tried gas drops but that didn't seem to help at all. We then started her on similac sensitive and noticed a difference in 2 feedings, she seemed happier and was far easier to burp.
Then she became constipated, she went from thurs-sun without popping and when she did it was hard and she was definitely in pain trying to produce a BM. She didn't poop again until today, same story, writhering in pain trying to go.

The pedi office said to put her back on the similac advance because "gas pain is better than constipation." Okaaaay, that sounds like a great solution! (Sarcasm).

I don't know what to do now. Does anyone have suggestions for a new forumla? I don't know if I should try a soy based or a hypoallergenic next. I put in a few calls to other pedi offices and am waiting for call backs but I wanted to hear if anyone has been in this boat before?

dlallain

Try a soy based formula. Maybe the senisitive has a strong milk base.

dlallain

Also it may just be the similac brand. It took a friend of my 3 months 3 brands and 4 different types to figure it out. He's now on Gerber sensitive

SurprisePartySue

I've had the same experience but with Enfamil. We did gentlease (spit up more) then soy (constipated) we are now with the nutramigen. She's done great with pooping, we still have spit up and gas pain but not as bad. It's expensive but so far we've had the best results with it. She's been on it since Saturday and it seems each day gets better.

Snikle512

I liked good start for my babies. They did best on good start and if I have to formula feed that's what we will be using.

cnbean

I will also throw out there that it can take a baby a week or so on a new formula to get their bodies used to it. It may just be that her body is still trying to adjust to the new formula. 

cbrust

Thanks for your input ladies!
I just talked to my mom and apparently I had the same issues when I was a baby and I ended up having a dairy/soy allergy so she had to use nutramagin for me. I wonder if I passed that on to DD?

chillypenguin

Does she show any signs of reflux? DD1 and DD2 both have reflux requiring meds. It took me a while to figure out if it was formula problems or reflux, but I am thinking it's reflux again. She has been on Zantac for a couple weeks, but I had to call the pedi today about switching meds because it is not helping. If Prilosec doesn't help, we are going to try the hypoallergenic formula. But reflux meds might help if that ends up being the problem.

cbrust

@chillypenguin she has spit up a few times,not projectile but pretty forcefully. She has some symptoms for silent reflux (sudden crying, wet sounding burps, frequent hiccups, difficulty burping, noisy breathing) but the pedi didn't think it was a reflux problem. Basically the nurse told me today that "all babies are fussy and I shouldn't be concerned." yeah, no. I know the difference between a fussy baby who's fussy for no reason and a fussy baby who is in pain. 

chillypenguin

cbrust said:

@chillypenguin she has spit up a few times,not projectile but pretty forcefully. She has some symptoms for silent reflux (sudden crying, wet sounding burps, frequent hiccups, difficulty burping, noisy breathing) but the pedi didn't think it was a reflux problem. Basically the nurse told me today that "all babies are fussy and I shouldn't be concerned." yeah, no. I know the difference between a fussy baby who's fussy for no reason and a fussy baby who is in pain. 

Ugh, that must be so frustrating! Hopefully you can find a new pedi that will work with you! That does sound a lot like silent reflux, which both of mine had/have, they never really spit up much. We are still dealing with those symptoms, but the only time she was constipated was on soy formula (we are currently back on Similac Sensitive). Hope she feels better soon!

theoryofwhat

DD started on Similac and tolerated it well at first then had a lot of issues about 4-5 days later. Fussiness, gasiness, and constipation. We made the switch to Enfamil and, while it took a couple of days for her to adjust, it has been absolutely awesome.
Before making a switch to a soy formula it's generally recommended that you consult a pediatrician first.

Gripe water and a bottle change (Avent to Dr. Brown's) also helped ease her gas pains and her formula transition. GL!

stephierd81

We exclusively formula feed and we've been on enfamil advance newborn since the hospital and LO has a little gas but BMs are normal and never spits up. FWIW.

jjones59

I agree with one of the previous posters, it takes a few days for a little ones body to get used to formula, I'd wait at least a week. Don't switch a lot because then their bodies don't get used to it well. My DD did end up on Soy, but takes milk well now as a 3 year old. We did try her on nutramigen for a while but she couldn't gain weight off of it, it was too thin. 

ho11yday

I'll second trying a different brand. DS did better on Enfamil than Similac and horribly on anything labeled sensitive. Tbh, some of the problems have been due to a dairy intolerance.

undercoverst

My husband has been doing research on formula and found that some people use one oz of coconut water in replacement of one of the oz of water and it helps with constipation.

dlallain

I work in a preschool, totally not important but I hate the smell of almost all similacs products, maybe it's just a prego thing lol

theoryofwhat

dlallain said:

I work in a preschool, totally not important but I hate the smell of almost all similacs products, maybe it's just a prego thing lol

Haha I think all formulas smell pretty much gross. Only ones that don't smell too terrible are the premixed, which are just not economical to buy for babies older than like 4-5 days old.

ohwhynot85

My pedi put Lucy on Similac Alimentum. Ridiculously expensive but its working. She presented with these same symptoms plus she had blood and mucus in her stool. Its definitely helped her. Its due to protein sensitivity according to her Dr. and has reduced her spitting up, fussiness.