Needing to supplement infant formula, what is best for baby besides Similac, etc.?

[Dianne-TX]

I've seen the goat milk formula on Dr. Sear's website. Does anyone have experience with that? What other alternate, safe formulas are there to use? Similac Advance seems to make him restless, not fussy, just restless and gassy sometimes. Thanks.

[BikeBookBread]

If you are looking for brand suggestion, we had really good luck with Nestle GoodStart. Very gentle, no constipation, little gas.

[Homeschool4us]

I've seen the goat milk formula on Dr. Sear's website. Does anyone have experience with that? What other alternate, safe formulas are there to use? Similac Advance seems to make him restless, not fussy, just restless and gassy sometimes. Thanks.

I had absolutely zero problem switching from breast milk to formula. I used Carnation Good Start (Now it's called Carnation Good Start Supreme DHA&ARA). I did try Similac and she screamed with tummy ache after one 2oz bottle. (My husband had to get his hair cut on the way home from hospital and I just wasn't that comfortable with breastfeeding and completely pumped after 2 weeks. She had zero problem using the disposable Platex Deluxe bottles, silicon nipples and the drop-ins bags) Even the bags I had frozen milk in worked well with these bottles. I've had several others switch to it when they were having trouble with formulas and have had great results. My sister-in-law was having a time with reflux using Similac and Enfamil. She switched to Carnation and problem was solved.

 

I had so much problems with first dd with colic and reflux. (she wasn't breastfeed) Carnation wasn't available at that time and we had to end up mixing Nutramigen and ProSobee for a happy medium at all. Very expensive and didn't have near the results I've seen with Carnation.

 

Good luck.

 

Emily

[abbeyej]

If I had to supplement and was going to use a commercial formula, I would go with "Baby's Only" from Nature's One. They have diary, lactose-free, and soy options. They do say "toddler formula", but that's not actually a statement about the nutrition or safety of the product.

 

I did have a friend who made her own formula with fresh goat's milk (similar recipe, I believe, to the one on Dr. Sears' site). Her son is 10 now and quite healthy -- but then, lol, so are many kids raised on commercial formulas that I would personally avoid. :)

[MomLovesClassics]

I have seen some Earth's Best in the store. I am not familiar with it and have never used it.

[Sherry in OH]

If you are considering using a commercial brand - Similac, Nestle, or Carnation, use store brands instead. They are manufactured by these three companies, the only difference is the label. The "big name" the store brand compares itself to is the company that manufactures that store brand.

[BikeBookBread]

If you are looking for brand suggestion, we had really good luck with Nestle GoodStart. Very gentle, no constipation, little gas.

 

I had absolutely zero problem switching from breast milk to formula. I used Carnation Good Start (Now it's called Carnation Good Start Supreme DHA&ARA). I did try Similac and she screamed with tummy ache after one 2oz bottley

 

Carnation and Nestle GoodStart are the same thing as far as I know.

 

Ditto on the screaming after Similac with PDG. We used Avent bottles which really seemed to help with the gas problems, too. (Don't over-tighten them.)

[amy g.]

Miss Bossy was always underweight. I knew she had allergies, so we tried to supplement her with this

 

http://similac.com/baby-formula/similac-expert-care-alimentum

 

and she just wouldn't drink it, so at 4 months, we started her on mashed sweet potatoes, and her weight rose enough to no longer be scary. I think she is still pretty thin.

 

Miss Happy was about the same size. At 6 weeks, she still had not regained her birth weight. I tried giving her this

 

http://www.amazon.com/Earths-Best-Organic-Formula-Canister/dp/B001BM4JLC

 

She drank it, but she broke out anywhere spit up or BM touched her skin. We again tried Alimentum, but she refused to drink it. That stuff must taste awful!

 

She started gaining when I gave her 4 oz of pasteurized goat milk a day. I still nurse her on demand.

 

At her 4 month check up, she was 50% for height, weight and head circumference. Her doctor was thrilled.

 

I hope you find something that works. I know how stressful it can be.

[Dobela]

Avent bottles were just what my ds needed. My dd however did best with the Dr Brown's bottles and the playtex disposible bottles. Those Brown's are weird looking but work just amazing! They have wide nipples or small nipples available.

 

It is more expensive, but sometimes the premixed liquid versions or the concentrated liquid versions of the formulas reduce gas as well. With dd once all we did was switch from powder to the concentrate and her gassy problems went away. In fact, it helped so much her pediatrician wrote a prescription for it so her insurance would help pay the extra cost.

 

If you are using powder, you can also add a drop or 2 of the gas drops like Mylecon to the bottle before shaking. That keeps the bubbles produced by the shaking/stirring down to a minimum as well and can reduce gas problems.

[Ellie]

Nutramagen is dairy free, soy free, and wheat free. It's mighty expensive, but if you're concerned about any allergies/intolerances, this might work.

[Liz CA]

Nutramagen is dairy free, soy free, and wheat free. It's mighty expensive, but if you're concerned about any allergies/intolerances, this might work.

 

There are some who caution against feeding soy formulas to infants.

Check out the http://www.westonprice.org or com?? website. I think they have a recipe there for supplementing. If I was home, I'd copy it out of my NT book. If you want it, please PM me and I get it to you later this evening.

[Pretty in Pink]

If I had to supplement and was going to use a commercial formula, I would go with "Baby's Only" from Nature's One. They have diary, lactose-free, and soy options. They do say "toddler formula", but that's not actually a statement about the nutrition or safety of the product.

 

This is what I used with my last infant and it was great. It is labeled 'toddler formula' because the company encourages exclusive breastfeeding during the first year of life, but it is a great formula.

[Mergath]

If you are considering using a commercial brand - Similac, Nestle, or Carnation, use store brands instead. They are manufactured by these three companies, the only difference is the label. The "big name" the store brand compares itself to is the company that manufactures that store brand.

 

There are other differences as well. I can't remember where I saw it, but I once read a chart that compared everything in several different brands of formula, and there were different amounts of various nutrients in all the different brands, store brands too. As long as the formula contains DHA and ARA (am I getting those right? lol) I don't think it makes much of a difference.

 

You can supplement with fish oil too, starting at eight months. I devoutly believe that every child who eats a western diet should take fish oil daily. It's done amazing things for my dd.

 

And to the op, I also loved Dr. Brown's bottles. I couldn't breastfeed because I was taking medications that made it impossible, and when my dd was a newborn, she'd scream so much after feedings that we took her to the ER once because we were convinced she was dying. After we switched to Dr. Brown's bottles, we didn't have any further problems. They're amazing.

[cillakat]

First I'll offer up commercial formula information

 

Second recipes for raw cow milk formula and goat milk formula. Please do not add cow *or goat* milk as a supplement without appropriate nutritional modifications.

 

Third - other tidbits....starting solids to offer the most nutritional support etc etc

 

Consider feeding, if possible, the supplement at breast in a lact-aid (rather than SNS) to support

• breastmilk supply

• proper development of jaw, tongue, palate, oral musculature

• breastfeeding skills.... a baby who feeds at the breast gets better at breastfeeding

Commercial Formulas

in order of preference

 

Organic Earths Best

uses lactose as the sweetener which is the

sugar present in breastmilk. Lactose is the fuel baby's brain requires. It is superior to all other sugars in terms of *feeding a baby*.

 

Baby's Own Organic

While the label indicates 'toddler only', it actually *is* made to the same formulary that guides the mfg of all infant formula. When the company was a small startup, the process of FDA approval was too expensive. Calling this infant formula a 'toddler formula' was a way to get the first organic formula to the market without excess expense.

 

Contains 65% Organic Brown Rice Syrup & 35% Naturally Occurring

 

They don't have ARA and DHA, but imo that's not a bad thing. Those EFA's can come through breastmilk and be added to supplements if needed *using fish oil*

http://www.naturesone.com/documents/chart.pdf

http://www.naturesone.com/dairy.php

 

 

If it's necessary to use a regular commercial formula due to cost/availability, I'd use

1)whichever one is mostly whey protein (goodstart for sure and maybe one of the other majors has introduced one - not sure on that)

2)after whey (being the most important) choose whichever one uses lactose

3)dont' buy into the ridiculousness of 'less fussy/less gas' formulas that are lower in lactose/lactose free. It simply isn't true.

 

Nestle Goodstart - any of them- The whey protein in

goodstart is easier to digest.

 

Isomil or Similac I'd go with whichever is sweetened with

lactose - other than that they are fairly similar. I would avoid Organic Similac: it is the only formula sweetened with sugar and there's some concern that this isn't a good idea as it gives a sweeter taste than other formulas.

 

homemade infant formula

 

time contraints might get in the way but if it's manageable, this would be my first choice.

 

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com/childrenbabyhealth/healthyinfantformula.php

 

 

HOMEMADE FORMULA RECIPES

 

 

Milk-Based Formula

Makes 36 ounces

Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow's milk but leaner in casein (milk protein).

The addition of gelatin to cow's milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good-quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (available from G.E.M. Cultures 707-964-2922).

 

 

• 2 cups whole milk, preferably unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows
  
• 1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below)
  
• 4 tablespoons lactose*
  
• 1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**
  
• 2 or more tablespoons good quality cream (not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows
  
• 1 teaspoon regular dose cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil*
  
• 1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil*
  
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil*
  
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil*
  
• 2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes*
  
• 2 teaspoons gelatin*
  
• 1 7/8 cups filtered water
  
• 1/4 teaspoon acerola powder*
  

 

*Available from Radiant Life 888-593-8333

**Available from Natren 800-992-3323 or Radiant Life 888-593-8333

Add gelatin to water and heat gently until gelatin is dissolved. Place all ingredients in a very clean glass or stainless steel container and mix well. To serve, pour 6 to 8 ounces into a very clean glass bottle*, attach nipple and set in a pan of simmering water.

Heat until warm but not hot to the touch, shake bottle well and feed baby. (Never, never heat formula in a microwave oven!) Note: If you are using the Lact-Aid, mix all ingredients well in a blender."

 

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com/childrenbabyhealth/healthyinfantformula2.php

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com/childrenbabyhealth/healthyinfantformula3.php

http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com/childrenbabyhealth/healthyinfantformula4.php

Adding supplemental solids

at 4-6 months to support optimal nutrition for the supplemented baby

 

http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/64/1/Feeding-Babies

 

<<A wise supplement for all babies—whether breast fed or bottle fed—is

an egg yolk per day, beginning at four months. Egg yolk supplies

cholesterol needed for mental development as well as important

sulphur-containing amino acids. Egg yolks from pasture-fed hens or

hens raised on flax meal, fish meal or insects are also rich in the

omega-3 long-chain fatty acids found in mother's milk but which may be

lacking in cow's milk. These fatty acids are essential for the

development of the brain. Parents who institute the practice of

feeding egg yolk to baby will be rewarded with children who speak and

take directions at an early age. The white, which contains

difficult-to-digest proteins, should not be given before the age of

one year. Small amounts of grated, raw organic liver may be added

occasionally to the egg yolk after six months. .....snip......

 

An unfortunate practice in industrial societies is the feeding of

cereal grains to infants. ......snip..........Some preindustrial

societies give a gruel of cereal grains, soaked 24 hours, to babies

one year or older. Soaking in an acidic medium neutralizes phytates

and begins the breakdown of carbohydrates, thus allowing children to

obtain optimum nourishment from grains. It also provides lactic acid

to the intestinal tract to facilitate mineral uptake.

 

At the age of about ten months, meats, fruits and vegetables may be

introduced, one at a time so that any adverse reactions may be

observed. ...........snip.............. Above all, do not deprive your

baby of animal fats—he needs them for optimum physical growth and

mental development. Mother's milk contains over 50% of its calories as

fat, much of it saturated fat, and children need these kinds of fats

throughout their growing years. >>

[amy g.]

I'm not sure why my doctor told me I didn't need to add all of the things listed to Miss Happy's goat milk. I think she said it was because we did not need a formula to replace breast milk, just some extra calories. She only gets 2 oz. in the morning and 2 oz. in the evening, since she still nurses so much.

 

Thanks for the information on egg yolks. I never thought of giving her those. I have some hens on grass that give eggs with dark orange yolks. I bet she would love those.

[Pretty in Pink]

Regarding DHA & ARA and Baby's Own:

 

There are two basic groupings of fatty acids called (1) essential fatty acids or “precursor fats†(as found in Baby’s Only Organic® pediatric formulas) and (2) non-essential fatty acids which can also be “preformed fats†(as found in Baby’s Only Essentials® DHA and ARA Fatty Acid Supplement*).

 

Baby’s Only Organic® pediatric formulas contain two essential (precursor) fats: Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) and Linoleic Acid (LA). Alpha-Linolenic and Linoleic fatty acids are called “essential†because the human body cannot make these fats and therefore it is essential to derive them from food sources. Alpha-Linolenic Acid is an omega-3 used by the body to make Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). Linoleic Acid is an omega-6 used by the body to make Arachidonic Acid (ARA). DHA and ARA are called “non-essential†fatty acids because full-term, healthy infants, children, and adults can manufacture these from Alpha-Linolenic and Linoleic fatty acids.

 

Baby’s Only Essentials® DHA and ARA Fatty Acid Supplement is made with preformed DHA and ARA long-chain fatty acids. This means the fats are already available in their final forms and the body does not need to manufacture from precursor fats, Alpha-Linolenic and Linoleic fatty acids.

 

http://www.naturesone.com/dairy/frequent-questions/

[extendedforecast]

You can supplement with fish oil too, starting at eight months. I devoutly believe that every child who eats a western diet should take fish oil daily. It's done amazing things for my dd.

 

Sorry, OP, I don't mean to hijack your thread; I just have a quick question:

 

Mergath, would you mind elaborating about the benefits you've seen in adding fish oil to your DD's diet? You can PM me if you'd like.

 

Cindy

[wapiti]

Sorry, OP, I don't mean to hijack your thread; I just have a quick question:

 

Mergath, would you mind elaborating about the benefits you've seen in adding fish oil to your DD's diet? You can PM me if you'd like.

 

Cindy

If it's not too personal, please post - I'd love to hear too :)

[wapiti]

Nutramagen is dairy free, soy free, and wheat free. It's mighty expensive, but if you're concerned about any allergies/intolerances, this might work.

My dd is on this. It smells like cat food (like those packets of Tender Vittles that we fed my kitty about 30 yrs ago), and tastes pretty gross. But she drinks it. She has a problem with dairy so there really aren't many options (a large percentage of babies allergic to dairy are also allergic to soy). I believe Alimentum is roughly the same as Nutramigen. It is very expensive so I wouldn't use it unless there was a known problem.

 

For just a few ounces here or there, I'd probably go with a regular formula unless there's an allergy. GoodStart is a fine choice. You may have to try a few different formulas if your baby is picky - consider asking your ped for samples (they usually have a closet-full).

[cillakat]

ooops wrong place. too many windows open.

 

:)

K

[Dianne-TX]

Thanks everyone. I got the Nestle Good Start and so far so good. I also started Fenugreek pills to improve milk production to see if that helps. I've had this trouble with my other two. Start out good, but then it tapers off. I even fed on demand this time or woke him to feed him. I used the Dr. Brown bottles with my dd7 and they were amazing. So, I'm using them again this time. I felt like a commercial with my dd when we would go out because people would ask me if those bottles really work and I just sang it's praises. :)