Is SMA staydown the same as other comfort milks?

[Worrisome]

I'll keep it brief as feeding lo, but is it the same principle?

 

[OmarsMum]

Hi hun, Comfort formula have a component that babies cant digest & it helps in loosening the stool. As for stay down, it has a thickening agent to keep the milk in the tummy.

 

[bathbabe]

SMA staydown isnt a comfort milk. SMA staydown is to help babies with Reflux. Comfort is to help babies with colic and constipation. As far as im aware SMA doesnt have a comfort milk.

 

[Worrisome]

Thanks nmwb78 and bathbabe. Wondering if I should switch Millie, she is currently on Cow and Gate comfort but I am almost sure she has reflux, maybe you could tell me if I'm right.

She is very mucusy and rattly after feeds (not all the time)
Brings up watery clear mucus (a lot of it)
Pulls away and arches back
Struggles with flow of teats even newborn (on newborn with the comfort as cant cope with anything faster)
Brings back a lot of her feed, straight after her feed and also hours after, cottage cheese and mucus consistency.
Sneezes a lot and coughs
Wakes up sometimes to be sick, looks like it is sour in her mouth (acidy maybe)
Reflux runs in our family, my 6 year old has childhood reflux and also had reflux as a baby.

I am trying to persuade hubby we need to swap her milk, as I have swapped it twice now, he says we may cause more harm than good. But on the comfort milk she is going 2 days without pooing and when she does its an explosion, to the point where I bin her vests. She never had a problem pooing before.

It was so much easier when I was breastfeeding but I just cannot fill her and she becomes, a little obsessed with me lol. I was also on antibiotics which made her unsettled and they have just given me some more, so not really an option.

Sorry I'm waffling now, its just I'm panicking she is like my ds1, who unfortunately turned out to have autism (not that I would change him).

 

[OmarsMum]

It sounds like reflux hun. We switched 4 times until we found a good formula for reflux at 6 weeks. But it takes some time, my DS is already 13.5 months & he still have bad days. He was on Aptamil AR (but you dont have it where you stay).

 

[Worrisome]

Aw thanks nmwb78, I thought so, she has been quite bad today, I think the comfort milk is giving her tummy ache.

I am at her check up on Thursday so going to have a Dr listen to her chest, as like I said very rattly and will ask about the ar formulas that we have and see what they say.


The component that you mention that they cant digest is that what they bring up? As I'm sure Ive read about others on comfort bringing up lots of water. You see she brings up the mucus and the cottage cheese, but now on this milk lots of water also?

Thanks for your help hun, its so hard isnt it, when you see them in pain?

 

[OmarsMum]

It's normal for babies with reflux to bring up water only (I'm not sure if it's the comfort formula). We tried comfort formula before switching to the AR/stay down but it made his reflux worse.

 

[Worrisome]

Thanks hun. At first we thought it good, she didnt seem as bad but then when it was about 2 days in everything seemed much worse, I think it looked better because it was thick and not a runny sick lol. What I don't understand is how can it be making her constipated? She wont poo for 2-3 days and then its an explosion. I always thought it was to aide this.

 

[Lizzyxxx]

Hi, my son has reflux and so we tried SMA Staydown....it made him very sick...i assume from the teats being bigger and he was taking too much? His sick was watery with little cottage cheese lumps in it...i have stopped it now, i dont like it!

 

[Worrisome]

Thanks Lizzy, what milk are you using now hun, if you don't mind me asking?

I was reading the sma site and it said the milk should only thicken in their tummies and should be normal flow of milk, I think that was where I read it, read quite a few diff things today lol.

I was also reading that it thickens when it becomes warm, does this mean it always has to be served at room temp? Millie really doesnt like cold milk, likes it quite warm so this would be another problem to overcome.

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

Thanks Lizzy, what milk are you using now hun, if you don't mind me asking?

I was reading the sma site and it said the milk should only thicken in their tummies and should be normal flow of milk, I think that was where I read it, read quite a few diff things today lol.

I was also reading that it thickens when it becomes warm, does this mean it always has to be served at room temp? Millie really doesnt like cold milk, likes it quite warm so this would be another problem to overcome.

we have been using sma staydown for months now and saw an instant change after the very first feed in LO.
she was so bad with her reflux - loads of watery acidic sick, smelt terrible and actually bleached hers and my clothes.
I would bath her 2 / 3 times a day as it would be everywhere and make her sore.
that is correct - thickens in the tummy. it is thicker naturally than say cow and gate but about the same as the rest of the sma family which IMO is creamier and slower flowing.
we use dr browns and stage 2 teats and it flows just right - a slow drip.
avent #2 is fine as well.
correct that it thickens when warmed - hence the reason you must add the powder to fridge cold water and roll. you can get it ready 2hrs before a feed and leave on the worktop (phoned sma careline as cold milk upsets my LO's tummy).
I have also done my own experiments here and what I do now ; 6oz fridge cold water, add 8 scoops of powder, roll and leave out.
then when required I add 2 oz (to make up the 8oz feed) of boiling water and roll again, that is perfect temp for my LO....
and - it doesn't clog up as the powder has already dissolved.

 

[tu123]

Thanks Lizzy, what milk are you using now hun, if you don't mind me asking?

I was reading the sma site and it said the milk should only thicken in their tummies and should be normal flow of milk, I think that was where I read it, read quite a few diff things today lol.

I was also reading that it thickens when it becomes warm, does this mean it always has to be served at room temp? Millie really doesnt like cold milk, likes it quite warm so this would be another problem to overcome.

My friend tried this stuff and it DOES thicken dramatically even when cold-whatever the site says! You can warm it up but this will make it thicker. My pal tried it for a week and her LO went from pooing once a day to be totally constipated (over 7 days) despite 4oz of water a day. BUT-it did stop the vomiting! If you try it be aware of the possibility.

That said-it may work for your LO.

Could you try some infant Gaviscon from teh doctor? My LO went through a period of soaking her vests continually and waking at night with acid reflux. The gaviscon changed her oevrnight!

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

Thanks Lizzy, what milk are you using now hun, if you don't mind me asking?

I was reading the sma site and it said the milk should only thicken in their tummies and should be normal flow of milk, I think that was where I read it, read quite a few diff things today lol.

I was also reading that it thickens when it becomes warm, does this mean it always has to be served at room temp? Millie really doesnt like cold milk, likes it quite warm so this would be another problem to overcome.

My friend tried this stuff and it DOES thicken dramatically even when cold-whatever the site says! You can warm it up but this will make it thicker. My pal tried it for a week and her LO went from pooing once a day to be totally constipated (over 7 days) despite 4oz of water a day. BUT-it did stop the vomiting! If you try it be aware of the possibility.

That said-it may work for your LO.

Could you try some infant Gaviscon from teh doctor? My LO went through a period of soaking her vests continually and waking at night with acid reflux. The gaviscon changed her oevrnight!

I think any formula can cause constipation unlike breast milk, not always the SMA to get the blame
My LO goes once a day and you can set your watch by it and she never struggles to get it out or has any water.
She does 8 oz every 3 hours, 5 feeds a day.
Gaviscon on the other hand is probably more well known for causing terrible constipation....

 

[Worrisome]

I agree Ouch, Ive heard some horror stories about Gaviscon, so would be reluctant to try her on this, but obv it will help then will have to.

Well she has finally poo'd this morning and seems a lot more settled, what worries me, is that if the comfort is making her slightly constipated what will the others do, but then like you said not always the milks fault. It just seems you cant have both, IE you can keep it down but will be constipated, or you can have relieve from colic and constipation but will throw up puddles of water (apparently this is normal, as this is the bit they don't digest)

 

[stardust599]

Hey hun

Macy has (silent) reflux, we had her on Aptamil 1 at first but switched to Aptamil Comfort which didn't agree with her - sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhoea and often painful wind! We went back to Aptamil 1 and and Infant Gaviscon which caused horrendous constipation - so bad she could scream for 4hours straight and her little bum was bleeding from the completely solid poo! It did help the reflux pain and fussy feeding but I swore never again.

Then we found SMA Staydown and it was like having a completely different baby after 3 days, yes she still gets constipated from it but a bit of prune juice and water and it helps loads, we generally have poos every 2nd day which can be a little hard - sort of like playdough but they don't seem to bother her anymore. She has even had a 5oz bottle recently and her usual was 1-2oz with back arching, screaming, choking up etc!! The pain still seems to flare up now and then (every 4-5days?) so we've been prescribed Omeprazole to completely block the production of stomach acid but honestly you should try the SMA Staydown as it's the best thing I ever did for her!
xxx

 

[Worrisome]

Thanks Stardust, it sounds like it has really been life changing for you. And thanks for the tip on prune juice.

Well I left it in hubbys hands after reading through this and he has come home with it. Good job because Millie has just slimed me in my hair and everything, lovely!!!!

Im a bit daunted by making it up but will experiment with a few bottles to try and get a temperature she is happy with.

Wish me luck

 

[Worrisome]

ps, thanks again everyone

 

[Lizzyxxx]

Thanks Lizzy, what milk are you using now hun, if you don't mind me asking?

I was reading the sma site and it said the milk should only thicken in their tummies and should be normal flow of milk, I think that was where I read it, read quite a few diff things today lol.

I was also reading that it thickens when it becomes warm, does this mean it always has to be served at room temp? Millie really doesnt like cold milk, likes it quite warm so this would be another problem to overcome.

I use SMA number 1, its in the yellow tin. Yes i used to make the Staydown cold then warm it up slightly but it thickens quite easily, i have well over half a tin left with i may use when Lucas gets older to use with his baby rice.

 

[Worrisome]

thanks Lizzy, can you keep it that long? Maybe wrong but hv said they keep for about 4 weeks. Might be different with this make though.
How long do I have to keep chilled for, put it in freezer for 10 mins as lo wants her bottle.

If I did warm it up for her is she ok to have it like this, as she is used to thicker feed with the comfort?

 

[Worrisome]

Anyone know? I'm feeding her now but had to warm, she doesnt seem to like taste