Need some advice on lactose/cow's milk protein intolerance ...

[natashacs]

I tried to move my LO onto Neocate by doing 1oz neocate, 5oz normal formual, he still refused it as he didn't like it. eventually just went cold turkey onto neocate, and I accepted I'd have a few bad nights tomake up for the lack of day feeds. He went on hunger strike for a few feeds but one thing is for sure, a little baby won't starve itself and acutally the nights weren't particularly bad. We're now 2 weeks in, he is sitll having less Necoate than he was his previous cows milk based formula (4oz - 5oz per feed whereas he was having 7 or and after his first week on necoate he actually lost weight. This week he has gained weight again, and he is slowly increasing his feed sizes.
So -in the case of the baby not liking it, I would say they'll quickly get used to it. Don't worry about her not liking it. I mean - obviously its worrying and not very nice etc, but she'll get over that part of it!!!! My health visitor said the same thing too, as did the people at necoate (I emailed them in a panic saying what shoudl I do etc)
But that straining and stuff doesn't sound great - sounds like its not agreeing with her. Could you pay to be seen privately any quicker? I had to do that to get Neocate in the first place. I know it defeats the entire point of the NHS but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures!

[garethstewart]

It so hard to know what to do!

Lara is starting to get used to the Pregestimil (Chemist seems to think that particular formula was an odd choice as it's pretty hard to get hold of, but I guess it's just down to the doctor), and is starting to take more of it, although never more than 4oz per feed. Nights are slowly getting better, usually 2 x 3 hour sleeps ... just depends on how settled she is as to whether she's awake for 20 minutes or 2 hours in between sets! Evening sleeps are still very hit and miss - some nights she'll get a couple of hours, others she's up all evening until the late late feed.

The straining seems to be easing a bit now too, so we're not entirely sure if it was just a case of her tummy getting used to the new formula. The other problem is that she's teething at the moment, and that could be adding to the general discomfort.

We thought about going private, but now that she's settled a bit and feeding better we might just wait for the referral to the feeding clinic within the next week or two.

Thanks for sharing your experience and the advice ... it's just nice to have some reassurance now and then

[natashacs]

It is really hard to know what to do. A few weeks ago I was agonising over whether to persist with Necoate, I gave him goats milk for a few days (which isn't even licensed in the UK) shelled out loads of a private appointment, and felt like my head was going to explode.
Anyway - now I'm just giving him  Necoate and if he doesn't eat enough of it am trying to tell myself its his problem not mine (hmm, can't see that working!!). But the point is, these things slowly sort themselves out most of the time, and it sounds like she's settling a bit on it. My mistake was to expect immediate results with Necoate, ie, wake up the next day, eczema all gone, baby sleeping through the night as no longer itching, and him drinking his usual 35oz. None of that happened!!!! But I think slowly things are improving - you'll prob find the same thing

[garethstewart]

Hope so - thanks again for the encouragement.