Mix feeding with hypoallergenic formula?

[*Liz*]

This is what I would like to do (one bottle a day plus a DF maybe). But given the rather particular taste of these formulas I'm not feeling very optimistic.

I was prescribed Nutramigen AA which is FOUL (it made me almost sick  ). Worse than neocate for sure.

Going to try normal nutramigen first I think, but they wanted us to try a AA formula because DD gets rashes.

ATM DD isn't even taking a bottle, and I'm a bit too run down to pump really, but am I being unrealistic trying to combine the 2?

[lilisuze]

i think i would try and mix it to start off. But its gonna need quite a bit of normal milk in to disguise it. I think DS figured it was different when it was 1 part N to 6 parts soy!

or just go for it. she might surprise you.

[scarlettsmom]

I say just go for it.

If regular Nutramigen gives rashes, then it's not broken down enough and AA will be better for your DD's gut. 

We trialed Nutramigen and also had issues, so then trialed Neocate because I was desperate for something in case my supply dwindled or something happened.  Honestly she was fine with it.  DH did a DF with it and she took a little the first couple of nights and then was fine.  We only used it for a few weeks for one feeding a day, but she was ok with it.

(((hugs)))  Good luck, let us know how it goes. 

[Edesanja]

Hi Liz,
This is what we're trying to figure out at the moment too. Breastfeeding is not going too great, and I feel like I need the option just in case. A couple of weeks ago we got him to take some Neocate (only 90ml - would stop after that and cry because he was still hungry but every time he sucked the bottle it was the same taste that he didn't like!) every night for 3 nights, but then he flat out refused after that. So starting yesterday we have been trying to get him to take it again. I've been giving him Neocate all day and breastfed  him at his 4am waking but that's the only time I've breastfed him. It's hard going and it's a pain to have to pump at the same time too. I've got help at the moment, but otherwise it would be impossible with two to look after as well.

We gave DD one bottle of Neocate a day from 16 weeks old and it worked fine with her. She had a bottle aversion to overcome (wasn't bad though), but once we got over that, she didn't mind the taste of Neocate (We did the cold turkey method that is described in BWSAYP and she was drinking by 11am (hadn't eaten since 10pm dreamfeed))

[*Liz*]

It is just the taste thing, isn't it? I tried with J and he flat out refused and I never got him to take it - but I know that doesn't mean Megan won't.

I tried yesterday and she allows it in her mouth fine but doesn't do anything with it - so I don't know if it is the taste or that she hasn't figured out the bottle yet.

I guess I will pump and see if I can work out which variable it is - but since she isn't crying with the formula I will keep offering that everyday so she gets used to the taste of it at the same time.

[Edesanja]

It is just the taste thing, isn't it? I tried with J and he flat out refused and I never got him to take it - but I know that doesn't mean Megan won't.

I tried yesterday and she allows it in her mouth fine but doesn't do anything with it - so I don't know if it is the taste or that she hasn't figured out the bottle yet.

I guess I will pump and see if I can work out which variable it is - but since she isn't crying with the formula I will keep offering that everyday so she gets used to the taste of it at the same time.

Definitely figure out what your variables are. After he stopped drinking any Neocate 2 weeks ago I went back and pumped to make sure he would still drink from a bottle. We can get Jacob to drink the formula once he starts sucking but the hard bit is getting him to start because he tastes the Necoate and thinks "Why the heck do I want to drink that?!" We've resorted to putting a tiny bit of sugar on the teat to entice him to suck which I hate doing, but it's a short term solution. We've got to the point now that if he does stop, we can sometimes get him to start again without using the sugar, and I've even managed to get him to do it with only a few grains on there.

[scarlettsmom]

I've also heard some babies like it better ice cold.  Good luck!

[huntersmummyinoz]

liz, from 3 weeks old i did a bottle of EBM for the 10ish feed, sometimes he woke sometimes it was DF. so at around 14 weeks switched this straight up to neocate and he was fine but he was used to having a bottle at that time. 2 weeks later we started to always offer one bottle of neocate during the day at least twice a week (and express the feed) to make sure he was accepting the taste when more conscious of what he was tasting (unlike the night feed) and have kept that up since. and now that he is on solids i switch making his rice up with EBM or Neocate on alternate days. i must say it, it totally kept my sanity doing the diet restrictions i'm on knowing that if it all got too much i could just switch to full formula at any time.

am switching to more mixed feeding this weekend. will keep morning and bedtime bf for a while and give neocate at 11.30am and 3.30pm feeds. so long as megan doesnt develop a bottle preference and is accepting of the taste then mixed feeding should be fine.

jenny, i'm not sure what the ingredients are/were in regular neocate but the newer LCP one (has omega 3,6 in it) is apparently 'better tasting'. it has phenylalanine in it (artificial sweetener) so not sure if that was in the old one or not?

[*Liz*]

Hi Kirry - was hoping you would see this as thought you might have done similar  .

I need to sort this bottle issue out quick smart really, don't I?

I would LOVE to do a DF!

Great to know that your DS took it when he was older though.

[Edesanja]

Mixed feeding isn't working for us.
I expressed all feeds except the 4am one Mon-Wed and just offered Neocate. Started with 100% Neocate (since when we tried him drinking it a few weeks ago he did drink it straight - just not lots of it). He would drink it, but it was always a battle. On Tues afternoon I tried mixing with ebm again. 2/3 Neocate he would drink without question but 5/6 was a battle again. There was always a bit more resistance at the wake up feed since the previous feed had been bf. On Thursday I went back to bf and aimed to do 11am, 6.30pm feeds as formula feeds. He flat out refused at 11am and I ended up giving in and bf him later. Same at 6.30pm. After I fed him I did the top up of ebm that I had been doing and he drank that ok.

I think he would do 100% breastfeeding or 100% Neocate (on Monday he did drink it, it was just a battle - I think with more time and no other option he would drink it ok. I wasn't prepared to wait until he drank it yesterday though. I would have had to starve him out to get him to do it, and it's not worth it for 1 feed.

So I think I have to choose - either 100% breastfeeding or 100% formula feeding. I'm going to stick with breastfeeding as long as I can, but will continue with the top up of ebm after the bedtime feed to ensure he still takes a bottle. I *think* if we need to switch to Neocate in the future he will take it if only formula feeding. And if he's already taking bottles still, it will be one less step.

I'd get Megan used to the taste as soon as you can!

[Edesanja]

I checked the Neocate and Neocate LCP cans and they both have phenylalanine in them. There are small differences to the ingredients - the LCP seems to have a few more ingredients (also maybe some are just listed in a different order - there are so many ingredients I was getting confused trying to match them up!). There wasn't any difference in how J accepted the LCP over the normal Neocate. The plain Neocate was left over from when DD was on it so all cans I will get in the future will be Neocate LCP

[huntersmummyinoz]

jenny, bugger, i was hoping it might be diff enuf for him to take it, must just be the omega fatty acids that are the significant difference then

liz, yep def start on accepting a bottle. what's her sleeping like atm? would a df work? i'm dropping the first feed tomorrow so we'll see if the mixed feeding sticks when it's a regular thing and when it's me not daddy giving the bottle. i'd def get her on it soon if that's what you want to do

[*Liz*]

Well I expressed yesterday so now know it is bottle issues rather than the formula. She behaved just the same - didn't cry and did suck a few times so hopefully once she familiarises herself she will take it.

At least I know what the barrier is though.

I swore I wouldn't let this happen this time as it was a nightmare with J. Hope we crack it soon!!

Any neocate progress Jenny?

Good luck with the weaning Kirry 

[Edesanja]

She's still little, so I think you are probably still in the window of being able to get her to drink from the bottle without too much trouble (hopefully!!!). Embarrassed to admit it, but we put baby pamol on the teat the first few times, then switched to a tiny bit of sugar, just to entice him to suck.

He drank 20ml tonight because he was starving, but then stopped. Don't think I'm gong to persevere. The way to get him to take it is to give him no other option and then he'll drink it - only takes an hour or two, but I can't be doing that twice a day if I want to do 2 Neocate feeds.

Good luck with weaning that extra feed Kirry! Hope he doesn't have a daddy preference! (the half dozen times we did bottles/ neocate with J he did much much better with me than DH - now it doesn't matter).

[huntersmummyinoz]

hi liz, just thought i'd update to give you hope. ds2 is now mixed feeding bf and neocate no probs, not phased what so ever hope it works out just as well for you too