Changing Formulas

I have only recently switched Brody to formula. Has been on formula 100% since 4am wednesday morning, so, 4or so days. Reasons... reflux mainly, which i felt was due alot to what i ate.
I started him on Nan 1HA Gold (which he had a few bottles of on Tuesday), but, found he was constipated, so, switched to plain Karicare on Wednesday. Thursday he started pooping, but, still seemed to be in pain, so, on Friday, I went and got some Novalac for Constipation, which he started on Friday afternoon.

By thursday, i felt that his reflux had all but sorted it self out, and that i just had to figure this constipation thing out. I had also felt that he was constipated while being breastfed, as he also seemed to be in pain while pooping, and would wake up screaming in pain, and then do a big smelly fart.

He seemed really settled on the karicare, more settled then he was on the novalac, so, today, i switched him back to karicare, and have given him so brown sugar in water to help with the constipation. Am also giving him coloxyl drops.

My main question is.. after all that back ground.. is, how long should i keep him on a formula before i decide its not working?

DS1 was on Nan 1HA Gold from about 12weeks old, and was fine on it, so, never had to swap around with formulas, so, this is a new area for me..

Hun, I really think you should speak to your MCHN, or someone similar about this. It's really not a great thing to go swapping formulas around. You need to choose one, and stick to it.

Maybe even see your GP, or paed, because it sounds as though there could be issues beyond simply what formula he is being fed.

Good luck, hope you can get something sorted out soon :)

Hi Debbie. My son got bad constipation on the gold formula when he started FF, switching to straight Karicare helped but I found that it still took a little while for him to have a regular motion without all the wind and pain(a week or so) so I agree with Janie to stick with one formula now he is off the gold. Also I'd throw out those coloxyl drops. The first time I used that it worked ok but the second time it caused all the wind and pain but no motion. Go to your chemist and ask for Duphalac which the paed recommended I use and it was the only thing that sorted the problem out for good. It might be sold under a different name but if you ask for Duphalac or just Lactulose which is what it is made from (sugar) and say it is for infant constipation they will know what you mean. It costs about $8 for a bottle. It works by lubricating the bowel which allows the stool to pass and it is much safer and gentle compared to coloxyl drops etc. The dosage is something like 7.5mls once a day reduced to 5ml, 2.5ml etc but which time he should be pooing like a trooper with no pain.

Not sure if im much help but my bub had a serious constipation problem too,she never was when breastfed,im talking like 4 poos a day!Then i put her on s26 and she didnt go for 4 days!!She was soooo bad constipated crying etc was awful i did the brown sugar thing but it didnt work all that workd was daily giving prune juice which i wasnt comfy about,so i swopped to Novalac it was great!She was on it for a while like a month pood everyday but i thought id try again on a different formula as a few people said s26 was known for constiaption so i tried karikare but worried as didnt want it to come back but shes been fine since!!goes everyday no worries.i keep getting told to increase her water but she doesnt really like it,also shes strateds solids but still hasnt been constipated on karikare so for me that ones been the best,as far as how much time i dont know i think someone told me 2 weeks once but unsure.Hope that helps a bit!

Miss M got constipated until I switched to goats milk formula. Its more expensive, but I didn't have to give her anything else to make her go, it just digested better in her belly :D

I compared the tins the other day - goats milk formula has no iron added to it, all other cows milk formulas do. So I think that is her problem, she just can't handle the iron. Even now (at nearly a year) I have switched her to cows milk formula and she has days where she has really really rabbit pellet poos and other days where they are just paste.

I'm hoping that when she goes on plain cows milk that she will be fine.

I hope you find a solution that works for you because its not fun searching around for something that works.

I think you are supposed to also last out the tin before making a decision to switch. :hug:

My only suggestion when it comes to changing formulas is to stick to it for a week or so, otherwise by changing them around too often you don't really know which formula is causing what etc..

We went thru it with DD and DF kept changing formulas while he made up the bottles, and I had no idea why she was constipated one day, not settling the next - so I ask him what formula he was using and he's like "oh, I'm changing it up for her so she doesnt get bored of the same taste". My response was :rolleyes: lol..."it's not like one is chocolate and the other is strawberry hun" he he...

But yeah, check with a MCHN re - what sort of formula to start with perhaps.

Good luck!

I have hard good things about the goats formula's from various friends with bub's with sensitive tummy's - I think it's about $30 a tin, but if it works I guess it's worth it.

Sorry to hijack - but Janie . . why can't we switch formulas around??? I have recently started exclusively ff after 7mnths of comping with Karicare Gold, and switchd to Heinz follow-on as is cheaper and dissolves HEAPS easier, but got the karicare again the other week as was on special. She doesn't seem bothered by it, but now I'm worried by what you mentioned? Should I be or is this just for newborns?

Gosh, I can't remember why, I may never have known? But I have certainly been told, from a few different sources that it is not good for their little tummies, so it's important to choose a formula brand and stick to it. HTHs. Maybe you could ring your MCHN and ask her?

My bub has severe AR and has to be medicated. She vomits constantly so I was told to put her on AR formula as she was not putting on weight. I did this for a few weeks but she became very constipated too. I was also told brown sugar and water but that didn't work and then I was told that brown sugar and water is a really old remedy and not to use it any more but to use pear juice and water as it is less harsh. This did not work either so I switched to ordinary formula and now I am using S26 lactose free and she is doing well on this. She still vomits but is putting on weight now and is much happier.