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Switching to Formula - Milk Protein Intolerance

lexmtownlexmtown
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Monday morning my pediatrician diagnosed my LO with a milk protein intolerance and asked me to eliminate dairy from my diet.  I am only on day 4 of elimination and going crazy.  Shed many tears last night even thinking about switching over to formula, but I am thinking it's what is best for our family (I have been making DH's life miserable over not being able to eat dairy).  

I hate feeling forced to switch, and my LO hasn't even been very fussy, but he has had mucousy and bloody stools so something has to be done.  

I've read that half of babies that have a milk protein intolerance also have a soy intolerance...so should we even attempt switching him to the soy based formula or skip straight to the hypoallergenic formula? I only ask because of the major price difference between the two...the hypoallergenic is twice the cost of regular formula.  I am going to try to continue dairy free until he is at least 2 months old, so should I begin introducing the formula now while still BFing, or switch cold turkey so I know whether the formula is better for him?  

How long does it take for you to see results in their stools?  I have not eaten dairy since Sunday and his stools are still mucousy and changing back and forth from dark yellow to green. 

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Re: Switching to Formula - Milk Protein Intolerance

  • alrighthamiltonalrighthamilton member
    We switched to soy formula because my daughter was really gassy and uncomfortable on milk based. She felt 100% better within 24 hours and her stool improved in about 48 hours. It is now army green and toothpaste consistency, which sounds gross but is normal per her doctor. The soy constipates her really badly, so we give her 1-2 oz of prune juice mixed with formula daily and that does the trick. We used 2 teaspoons of Karo syrup before she turned 2 months old instead of prune juice. Her doctor had her try soy before a hypoallergenic formula, and she did fine on the soy. I never breastfed, so I never had to transition from breast milk to formula.
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  • katieh1017katieh1017 member
    L is MSPI and on enfamil nutramigen. We tried soy literally for one day because she screamed the whole 24 hours and had hard poops. I would go right to the hypo-allergenic.

    Lillian April 17, 2012
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  • meliss008meliss008 member

    Regarding the cost of the formula- if he has the milk allergy and requires the Alimentum or Nutramigen, many times your health insurance will cover it. My son was on the alimentum because of his reflux and I received 10 cans a month through my insurance with no co pays. Definitly check into that! My friend's daughter had the milk protein allergy and her insurance paid for the alimentum as well. Good Luck!

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  • tarvos11tarvos11
    I have supply issues so I supplement with formula. What I do is make a bottle with half bm and half formula. DD is not a big fan of formula so I have to ease her  in to it. She's fine after the first "sips".  Please don't feel bad about formula. A happy momma is a happy baby. You do what's right for your family and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. I was formula fed and I'm a very productive member of society. You are doing great!!
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  • MrsHollingswrothMrsHollingswroth
    I am in the same situation.  My sons stools went from the seedy yellow to a green (sometimes yellow) mucus stinky smell.  I do supplement but only a bottle or two a day.  And I've been doing that since week 3 and he's now almost 7 weeks and it just started last week.  I went to the dr and she told me to try a different formula for sensitive stomachs but he mainly gets my breast milk.  I don't know what would have caused the sudden change.  I haven't changed my diet at all.  There's no blood, he has no problem going the bathroom, and he's not fussy, and he's gaining on average 9oz a week (big boy)  But some of his bm will be a green gelatin look to them.  Should I be concerned?!?  Or am i just over reacting
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  • lexmtownlexmtown
    My LO is not very fussy, doesn't have an issue going to the bathroom, and is gaining weight fine. The only thing that he has had was the slimy/mucous poo. I only saw blood in it twice.
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  • greyt00greyt00 member

    imagelexmtown:

    How long does it take for you to see results in their stools?  I have not eaten dairy since Sunday and his stools are still mucousy and changing back and forth from dark yellow to green. 

    That is the million dollar question!!!  I had 3 diapers checked after 1 week and they still microscopic blood.  Now I've been off dairy for 3 weeks and dairy + soy for 10 days.  We saw a pediatric gastroenterologist last week and he said not to bother checking until another month has gone by.  It doesn't make sense because you hear about the colicky babies (such as in the replies here) who feel better with DAYS of a diet change.  Why can't it be that easy?!  We've seen an increase with the mustard poo (though sometimes mucousy) though we still get some green ones (sometimes mucousy, sometimes not).  I'd really like to know how soon anyone else got results when it was JUST a poo problem and not crying, pain, etc.!  And I can't check it myself, has to go through the doctor.

    As for the diet issue with DH, every weekend we prepare a crock pot meal -- chicken breasts plus veggies or roast plus veggies.  The recipes have those cream soups in them and a few other ingredients which I can't have, so we eliminated it and it's not as good but it's still fine.  We're both eating it.  We also make potato salad every week and I made 3 pots of beans (froze some).  It sucks I know but I am hellbent on making this work.  Had the same problem with my first son and I threw in the towel pretty quick, switched him to Neocate.  Within 1 week his poo was clear.  That makes me worry that this one is allergic to something else... but per my gastro doc, I'm staying the course and waiting, since my LO seems OK and is not screaming.

    I only saw blood in the poo 3 times.  Once it was a tiny strand, and 2 other times it was a few specks.  You and I are having the exact same issue!


     
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  • twoitalianstwoitalians member
    What PP have said and I wanna add that my DS had better stools within 24 hours of switching to soy. It did eventually constipate him but we give just less than 1 oz of prune juice in his bottle in the morning and that keeps him regular.

    Remember happy baby equals happy momma equals happy family! I was also formula fed and turned out fine!
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  • lexmtownlexmtown
    My LO is not very fussy, doesn't have an issue going to the bathroom, and is gaining weight fine. The only thing that he has had was the slimy/mucous poo. I only saw blood in it twice.
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  • Rachel*NeocateRachel*Neocate member
    My DS3 has multiple food intolerances and i had to eliminate dairy, soy and eggs from my diet.  I know how tough it is!!!  I was very upset to remove dairy from my diet but I BF'd my other two boys and wanted to continue BF'ng DS3, after some time I got used to our new diet, and now I say that his allergies were the best thing that happened to my health because it really made me more aware of what I'm eating and feeding the kids.  We don't eat as much processed foods as we used to.

    BUT with that said, a change in your diet as big as removing dairy (and soy?) can be extremely difficult and you have to do what is best, as you said, for the whole family.  I'll give you a bunch of links for a dairy/soy free diet, recipes, ideas, etc.  and I also wanted to say that if you decide to switch to formula I personally think you should try a formula like Nutramigen or Alimentum instead of soy, because like someone else said half of all babies who have trouble with dairy proteins also cannot tolerate soy because their proteins are very similar.  

    Nutramigen and Alimentum are hydrolysate formulas, which means that they are still milk based but broken down into partial protein chains making them easier to digest.  Most MSPI babies do well on this type of formula.  However, you should be aware that there are some more sensitive babies (like my LO) who still cannot handle these partial protein chains.  These babies end up needing an elemental formula like Neocate.  Elemental formulas are broken down 100 % into free amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, so there are no protein chains to digest.  YKWIM?

    As with any diet and/or formula change it takes some time for everyone to adjust so try to give it at least two weeks.  I know for my LO his stools improved within a few days of my diet change, they went from lime green to yellow, but the mucous in his stools took weeks to clear up.  

    Here are those links, and good luck!  Hang in there! :)





    allergy-friendly cookbook: https://bit.ly/d9QVFL

    Elimination Diets Video: https://bit.ly/yL1gFN 


    Rachel Mom to 3 boys Augustboy02 - Sensational Sensory Kid Decemberboy04 -former reflux baby Augustboy10 - MFPI baby
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