Do not know what to do about formula. Any advice?

[LeoLeah77]

I'm so confused and have had nothing but problems with formula since I stopped breast feeding at 2 months. I'm so fed up with the damn stuff!!! Basically my LO brings up a lot of her feeds and the doctors won't do anything because they don't think she has the classic signs of reflux - the only symptom she gets is throwing up. So my HV suggested I try reflux formula. So I did that and got her onto SMA staydown milk. It's so thick that it wasn't coming through the teats and I told my HV that as me and OH are moving out soon I couldn't afford new teats. She told me to prick bigger holes in the teats with a big pin. So That's what I did. Only for it to have ruined the teats and make the milk come out too fast. So then I try getting new teats - I got number 2 teats and number 3 only for the number 2 to still have it getting stuck in the teats and my LO to be screaming furiously because she can't feed. And the 3's are ridiculous, the milk literally pours out without her even sucking and it leaves her guzzling and choking. I cannot use this formula with any of the teats, it just doesn't come out right at all. Not only that but this formula is that thick its making her even more constipated than she already was. I can't afford to be trying loads of different bottles either and can't see different bottles helping as I tried another brand already and the milk was also getting stuck in them too. Tonight I had to give her follow on milk out of desperation (I had a tub of follow on milk luckily) and she took it fine as it doesn't get stuck in the teats. I can't keep her on staydown milk surely? Feeding her with the bottle is becoming a huge stress and I can't see another option but to switch her back onto either her old normal SMA Gold milk or the follow on milk. I'm annoyed that the doctors and HV can't do anymore for me to be honest.

What shall I do? Put up with her being sick and put her onto a thinner formula or have a load of stress each time trying my best to give her the staydown formula? May I just add that when she's sick it does not bother her, it's just not pleasant and I have to change her out of clothes a lot!

 

[becky2002ukuk]

Try Cow & Gate...we found that it's a lot thinner than SMA and easier on the tummy too

 

[flamingpanda]

We use staydown and the only teats we found that work are the variflow ones. Once we switched to those we had no trouble.

 

[LeoLeah77]

Try Cow & Gate...we found that it's a lot thinner than SMA and easier on the tummy too

I tried her on cow and gate and she was even worse on it

 

[MrsKyliePaton]

Hey,
I haven't had any experience with stay down milk so can't advise on that, but I did have a sicky baby up until she turned 8 months, I was told just to keep her on sma gold, could you give her smaller feeds or does it not matter how much she drinks? I found she was less sick also when I weaned her onto baby rice and porridge and the like at 17 weeks, if she's struggling with the stay down milk and being sick doesn't bother her I would just go back to your normal and just have plenty bibs and clothes to hand lol
Hope this helps abit

 

[LeoLeah77]

We use staydown and the only teats we found that work are the variflow ones. Once we switched to those we had no trouble.

I use mam bottles and as far as I know there are no variflow teats x

 

[Soph n Chris]

Sometimes when yoinchange teats in take LO a good few feeds to get used to the new flow. How long did you try the number 3's for?

My Lo has just switched to follow on but before this was on comfort which is also very thick. We changed to follow on formula on Sunday and by the end of Monday he has stopped struggling with the new flow

 

[LeoLeah77]

Hey,
I haven't had any experience with stay down milk so can't advise on that, but I did have a sicky baby up until she turned 8 months, I was told just to keep her on sma gold, could you give her smaller feeds or does it not matter how much she drinks? I found she was less sick also when I weaned her onto baby rice and porridge and the like at 17 weeks, if she's struggling with the stay down milk and being sick doesn't bother her I would just go back to your normal and just have plenty bibs and clothes to hand lol
Hope this helps abit

Sometimes when yoinchange teats in take LO a good few feeds to get used to the new flow. How long did you try the number 3's for?

My Lo has just switched to follow on but before this was on comfort which is also very thick. We changed to follow on formula on Sunday and by the end of Monday he has stopped struggling with the new flow

I have weaned her onto 3 meals a day and one of those meals are always a baby porridge or baby rice. She doesn't sick up her solids but she's still sicking up her milk. I have tried little amounts and it makes no difference.

The 3's are way too fast, she chokes n screams n there's a puddle of milk around her rather than in her tum! It all dribbles out. I'm not switching bottles as I like the MAM ones, they suit her well. Just don't know what to do about these formulas.

 

[AP]

We had success with NUK size 2 teats, but, I notice a lot of people say SMA Staydown clumps up but we've never had a big problem(maybe an odd little clump appeared but nothing that stop the feed). Are you making it with refridgerated water and rolling it in your hands, rather thann shaking?

 

[flamingpanda]

In our experience Staydown only clumps if we make it incorrectly (tempting to do if you don't have chilled water from the fridge, we've been there! ). I know it says not to shake the bottle but I actually find it doesn't make much of a difference if you do, so long as you make sure you roll initially to mix the power round. If it's not fully mixed in then when you shake the powder coats the teat inside and will create a blockage. It can create quite a blockage in the variflow cross teats so it must be even worse with a traditional teat. Another thing I would say is give yourself enough time to roll it, let it settle, roll it, let it settle. We try and prepare it at least 30 minutes before it's needed.

Also Mam do have a cross cut teat (they're just not called variflow). They are designed for thicker liquids.

https://www.mambaby.com/us/the-prod...nd-accessories/mam-nipple-x-840-26980-us.html

Good luck!

 

[skunkpixie]

Heya. Have you tried comfort milk? Its gentler on the tummy that regular formula and not as thick as staydown milk (although it is a bit thicker than regular milk so may suit the size 2 teats). SMA do a comfort version. It will also help with constipation aswell. xx

https://www.smanutrition.co.uk/sma-...milk/product-1939.aspx?catid=21&accepted=true

 

[LeoLeah77]

We had success with NUK size 2 teats, but, I notice a lot of people say SMA Staydown clumps up but we've never had a big problem(maybe an odd little clump appeared but nothing that stop the feed). Are you making it with refridgerated water and rolling it in your hands, rather thann shaking?

Yes I make it with chilled water from the fridge and first of all I mix it with a tiny whisk and then I roll it in my hands. It's bloody awful stuff I hate it!

 

[stephanyox]

My LO had really bad reflux, throwing up at every feed and sometimes in between too, sometimes it was projectile, and like it's half digested. He was on aptimal, so we were told by HV's to put him on SMA stay down, i got told to do exactly the same as you with the teats and it ruined them too! it also made him really constipated, tried water but he was just in so much pain, we switched to cow and gate and he's been a little less sicky but it still happens. I, myself, would rather him being sick, than constipated, as it doesn't seem to bother him! But it is a pain with the amount of clothes you go through! We went to the docs who prescribed something for reflux which is given 3 times a day before a bottle, which we've only used a little because i dont like the thought of him being on lots of medicine. However, since starting solids, little man has been a lot more content, although he does seem to be sick a little bit still, its not as much x

 

[LeoLeah77]

My LO had really bad reflux, throwing up at every feed and sometimes in between too, sometimes it was projectile, and like it's half digested. He was on aptimal, so we were told by HV's to put him on SMA stay down, i got told to do exactly the same as you with the teats and it ruined them too! it also made him really constipated, tried water but he was just in so much pain, we switched to cow and gate and he's been a little less sicky but it still happens. I, myself, would rather him being sick, than constipated, as it doesn't seem to bother him! But it is a pain with the amount of clothes you go through! We went to the docs who prescribed something for reflux which is given 3 times a day before a bottle, which we've only used a little because i dont like the thought of him being on lots of medicine. However, since starting solids, little man has been a lot more content, although he does seem to be sick a little bit still, its not as much x

The doctors won't prescribe me anything because apparently she's not in pain when she's sick so they don't think it's reflux. They just think its cuz it's a liquid and its not thick and that she's finding it hard to keep it down because of that. :/

 

[stephanyox]

The doctors won't prescribe me anything because apparently she's not in pain when she's sick so they don't think it's reflux. They just think its cuz it's a liquid and its not thick and that she's finding it hard to keep it down because of that. :/

Alfie's not in pain with his sick, it's just because it's been projectile, i think thats the reason we were prescribed it! Tell your doc your just not happy with the way she is at the moment.. some babys do have sensitive tummys, which does make it harder to keep down milk.. we were prescribed ranitidine.. it's always worth asking your doc or HV if they would suggest this, or prescribe it if you think it's a issue for LO.. you know best x

 

[ke29]

SMA staydown sounds a right faff! I use Cow & Gate anti reflux and think its amazing! Did you try it for long enough? Just wondering if LO got constipated due to adjusting to a new milk rather than anything else. Sounds like SMA is much thicker so not sure why C&g would be the constipating one!? My Lo uses size 3 teats mainly but she can get milk out if a 2.

I'd be inclined to go back to your GP though and tell them you need a feed thickener so you can thicken follow on milk as the anti reflux formula doesnt suit her. My paed recommended 'Instant Carobel' which I believe you can also buy over the counter but your pharmacy may need to order it in.

 

[Ktothema]

Stay down is awful awful stuff. If you live in a hard water area then forget it, the stuff clogs. Aptamil do an anti reflux and that is meant to not clog and be a lot more gentle. Or like skunk suggests, maybe try a comfort milk instead.

Mam do variflow teats - they call them cross cuts. I saw some in our local kiddicare last weekend. But my ds will not tolerate any variflow teats. He just sucks hard, drowns then screams. The gps were reluctant to give ds anything but he thankfully had a giant uncontrollable screaming fit and vomitted all over one of them so is now on gaviscon and ranitidine!

 

[rory83coyotes]

I had two thought-1. lie to the dr and say that she is in pain so they will give the meds. He just takes your word anyway. "she is suddenly worse and screams and seems to be in pain" and 2. can you mix the regular formula and the stay down in the bottle so its a little thicker but not too thick. Kinda a pain but if it works it might be worth a shot.