Awww Emma, its not fun is it? We went through the same thing with DS a week or so ago. I switched him to Step 2 and within days he was screaming the house down he was in so much pain. He was already having constipation issues on the Step 1 anyway but we had it under control by adding lactulose syrup to his morning bottle daily. Its a syrup that helps retain water in the bowel and helps to keep their poo runny. You can buy it from the chemist. Our GP recommended it.
So after that experience and doing my own research, we'll be keeping DS on Step 1 until 12 months then going to cows milk. If it ain't broke as they say. According to the tins the main difference I noted was in the levels of minerals and as far as I'm concerned if he's getting a good diet of solids, that will be taken care of. Plus as Curly said the Step 2 are a casien based formula which is harder for them to process again.
If I were you I would ignore what the chemist said (particularly if they couldn't give you a good reason) and stick to the original Step 1 you've been using to try and help get the haemmoroid under control. If your GP is not much help do you have a MCHN near you that might be of more assistance? Most of the major women's & childrens hossy's in each state usually have a phone line you can ring for anything related to babies too?
lollybaby: cheers for the advice, i havnt been to a CHN since DD was 8 weeks old cause i keep moving house and they struggle to send on my info to the next clinic! but i really should get to one soon, i have alot of questions my GP just shrugs at...
i couldnt understand the chemist ladys accent but oh well this formula cant possibly be any worse than the step 2 but if theres no diff she will go back to step 1...luckily my DD eats anything and everything so is getting a very varied diet
^ If she's eating heaps of solids she should be right, someone once told me that Step 1 and Step 2 were exactly the same thing, just Step 2 has a bigger scoop to help their growing bellies get fuller (and pack in more nutrients) if they're not eating heaps of solids, kwim?? So really Step 1 should do the trick if she's taken to solids really well (and it sounds like she has ).
Hope it all gets sorted for her soon hun, poor little bubba, it's no fun sitting there watching them in pain and feeling powerless to help, is it? Big hugs for you Em, you're doing such a great job
All the chemist is doing is spouting what they've been told by the formula company sales reps when they've gotten the formula into stock. I wouldn't be putting too much faith into what they are saying if it clearly isn't working for you and they cannot come up with alternatives. They are not babycare experts anyway, they are all rounders.
FWIW I've moved a couple of times and I have never had my details transferred between MCHNs, I start from scratch.
If you have no luck with the Novalac I'd go back to Step 1 immediately. Good luck.
TM - my reply is probably way to late to be helpful but I have kept DS on the Step 1 formula and plan to until I introduce cows milk at 12 months, our CYH nurse advised there is really no reason to change
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but oh well this formula cant possibly be any worse than the step 2 but if theres no diff she will go back to step 1...luckily my DD eats anything and everything so is getting a very varied diet
). 
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