Need some advice.

[butterfly_warrior]

With Sam turning one (*sob* where has my baby gone?!) in a few days, I would dearly love to ditch the expensive formula and change him over to cows milk... but there we strike problems.

Sam's been on Nan HA since birth, switching from stage 1 to stage 2 at 6 months old. Turns out this was a stroke of luck for us as he showed signs of having a slight dairy intolerance once we started on solids. Cheese and yoghurt lead to vomiting, and a couple of occasions where we've needed to use a different formula (been caught short and bought a sachet rather than a whole tin) have led to us living in puke city for a while.

A week or so ago, I started redicing his bottles by one scoop (which is 30mL of water) and adding the extra in cows milk. We didn't have puke issues, but we did have a few days of unsettledness and crap day sleep - but that could also have been from teething.

I was starting to think he'd grown out of the dairy problem - but he was only having 30-40mL of cows milk in each of three bottles per day, so really wasn't getting a lot. On Monday I made up his breakfast cereal with cows milk - this would have been about 100mL of cows milk on his cereal... and we found ourselves back in puke city again. It appears that small amounts are ok, but definitely not in large quantities.

So I figure this leaves me with a few choices...

1. Continue to buy $23 tins of Nan HA 2 formula and hope that he grows out of the dairy intolerance quickly.

2. Try something like a lactose-free milk. Sure, it's expensive, but not as expensive as formula. It would also mean that all three of us in the house have a different type of milk each. I also have no idea if this is the solution. I drink a lactose-free low fat milk, would it be ok to give him some of this to try - just to check if it makes him puke before I go buying a full-fat lactose free milk for him that may or may not work?

3. Switch to the Nan HA 3 toddler milk. Most places sell this one cheaper than the stage 1 and 2 formula (perhaps trying to drum up interest?), and I'd still find formula more convenient than cows milk when out... But it means buying into the whole toddler milk scam of the formula companies, and I don't know if it's a vanilla flavoured thing like some are (the other tins of toddler milk state vanilla flavoured, this one just claims to be a premium milk drink for toddlers). Cheaper than the stage 2 formula, but more expensive than the fancy milk. I am at least confident that he'll tolerate this, but the only real reason we have to switch is because it's slightly cheaper than the stage 2 formula he uses now.

I just don't know what to do. Are the toddler formulas really such a scam when you find yourself with a baby that can't tolerate cows milk?

BW

[sas85]

I think they toddler formula's have their place - I don't use them, as DD can tolerate cows milk but I would try her on the lactose free milk first before using formula but that's just a preference. I got sick of buying two bottles of milk so now we all just use the full-cream - I worked out that the quantity of milk I drink each day (occasional latte, a little bit in cereal or a little bit in a hot drink) made about 35calories difference between skim and fullcream for me so we all just use the full cream now. If you're not a big milk drinker you might find the same thing so if you do put Sam on lactose free full-cream won't have to buy 3 different types.

Having said that, my nephew was a terrible eater - they used the stage 3 formula because it does have vitamin supplements and so has a place as opposed to using milk plus vitamins KWIM. The choice is yours - obviously you're going to steer clear of the flavoured junk if you do choose formula but don't feel bad about it. Whatever works for you and bub is a good choice.

[rufalina]

I used low fat milk with DS on the odd occasion, and I think it is ok. It is not recommended for full time drinking, but for a trial, I cant see how it will hurt. I would not be the fat that is causing the pukes... So I think go for it. Good work on switching Sam over now. At 18m I nearly have CJ there... it is so much easier. Good luck.

[shellbell3]

I used toddler stuff for awhile with DD1 as her eating wasn't the best so made me feel better giving something like that to her. If you don't want to go down that path then try that lactose free stuff and see how he goes.
You should just do whatever makes you feel happy with.

[Artechim]

I'd try him out on your skim milk, I don't see how it can hurt.

I didn't even know that they aren't supposed to have skim - does any one know the reason why? My DS has only ever had low fat.

[kitten2b]

There is always UHT cows milk, the girls Paed says that the heating makes it more easily digested by the kiddies and it seemed to stop my girls having tummy aches when they were drinking fresh cows milk.