need some help-combi feeding

[melany]

Hi, my little Amelia has never latched on. She will try, get a disgusted look on her face and then scream.

Well, she also has GERD and I pump. I get a pretty good amount, but usually not enough for her all day and I'm ok with that. We have to thicken her feedings with an AR formula and recently have been giving her full formula at night and sometimes during the day depending on breast milk availability.

I plan to keep on combi feeding for as long as I can, eventually weaning to formula. I have my own, personal reasons for it and I wish that no one flame me for it.

My question is this: We thicken bm with AR and then give her full AR about half the time. Her poops have been horrible! She won't go for a couple days but then she does and it is explosive! (she had a few explosive poops while i was just breast feeding) Runny and green. I'm starting to wonder about a milk intolerance. AR formula is milk based and as far as I know there aren't any soy based rice formulas on the market. Have you heard of one?

Also, does anyone know the rate of digestion in a newborn? From the time she drinks formula to when she poops it out. (Gosh, i'm saying poop a lot)

I can't figure out if it's my breast milk or the AR since we combi feed every day. If i knew a time from ingestion to excretion it would be easier for me to figure it out.

Also, i just want to make sure I am doing this whole combi feeding thing right. Are there rules to it? Is it ok that switch from bm to formula everyday? Should it be every other? Should I be mixing them at the same time? Should I NOT be doing that?

Thanks

 

[mommy0629]

I'll tell you my experience and hopefully that will help. When my lo was on only bm that was fortified with preemie formula (just enough to up the caloires, not true combo feeding) she pooped after EVERY feeding and it was always explosive. She had a bad diaper rash that wouldn't go away because of the constant pooping. When I starting doing what you're doing (some pumped bm and some formula) her poops got much less frequent, down to about twice a day and the rash went away, they were still pretty explosive though. On only formula, she poops once a day and they're still explosive most of the time, but she's a strainer so I think it's only because she forces it out so hard lol.

My lo does have a minor lactose intolerance (not an allergy, that's totally different, an "intolerance" just means they have a harder time digesting it) and also minor GERD. Dr. tried her on zantac and that didn't work and made her more gassy. We tried her on 4 different formulas until we got on the one she's now been on for 2 months and is doing much better (they do outgrow GERD too, so she is at that age). The formula we use is gerber good start gentle, the milk protiens are broken down so they're easier to digest.

The formula for GERD can make them pretty constipated so if it's been 2 days or so the poop will be explosive when it comes, ya know?

There's no rules to the combo feeding as far as I know, I'd think it would be easier on her digestion to give both each day though and it is fine to mix both in the same bottle. that actually might be your best bet with her since the bm digests faster, it may help with the fact that the AR formula is blocking her up.

 

[lauraemily17]

It's not uncommon for babies to poop every few days whether fed breast milk or formula. All depends on the digestive system. If she doesn't seem to be in pain while pooping or before than this is probably ok for your Lo. You'll prob find it changes on days where she has more or less breastmilk. My Lo poops were explosive on breast milk and formula!!

If you think Lo has problems with lactose you could try something like colief which was a magic cure for my lo. It breaks down the lactose in milk making it easier to digest. My Lo had silent reflux and a friends babies had bad full reflux and it helped both babies immensely. I don't however have experience with GERD which I believe is more severe?

In respect of how to combi feed, you do what ever works for your Lo, but try and keep it consistent or to some sort of daily routine. I think perhaps alternating days wouldn't be the best idea.