Printable View
Hi All...
Just wondering what formula brand people recco? I have a 20 day old DD and am really hating breast feeding - appart from feeling enormously guilty I'm also ambivalent about the side effects of formula. When we were in hospital, they topped her up with Karicare Gold - but i have heard mixed stories since they changed the ingredients. I'd appreciate any adivice.
Thanks.
Hi Bosco, unfortunately I could not breastfeed due to 3 severe hospitalisations for mastititis - we tried for 6 weeks but my daughter & I just couldnt get it right!
Anyway I did a lot of research and tried many different formulas and I have to say the best by far was KARICARE HA. It has an orange lid and is described as 'lowering the potential to sensitize the immune system' - so less side effects. (Just make sure you DONT get the Karicare HA-AR Thickened unless baby has reflux).
Breast feeding is definately not easy - so dont feel guilty! Best wishes, Sarah :)
Me and almost everyone I know use Karicare gold. None of us have had any issues at all even when they changed the ingredients. Also don't feel guilty about not breastfeeding I tried with DS but he was giving me blood blister so I stopped, I didn't breastfeed DD at all.
Ellie
I would recommend Karicare also.
Hi, i had to comp feed DD from 4 weeks old, and I was advised by a lactation consultant to use NAN-1 formula (which is now NAN-1 Gold, they changed/added the 'Gold' near the end when i stopped comp feeding DD, but she had no problems with either). Also some of the mums in my mothers group use S26...
use S26 here and have had no problems whatso ever but really depends on the baby some like S26 others get constipated some like the gold versions other can't stomach it I really feel it is trial and error
I agree it is really trial and error. DD had Nan in hospital and it was fine but I couldn't find i when I was discharged so bought S26 which made her constipated. Finally got some Nan and it was all good. Then she developed Secondary Lactose Intolerance (not caused by the formula) and I had to put her on delact which is Karicare and tasted very different so had problems there! Now she is back on normal formula but we have stayed with Karicare to avoid the taste difference again... Karicare is working fine with us.
When I was initially chosing formula my MCHN told me they are all much of a muchness. Some have extra bits added which the company likes to think makes them better than others but there is no real evidence either way. All formula's have to meet strict standards in Aust so any "Extras" are a bonus.
HTH and don't feel bad for not BFing. I lasted less than 6 weeks and DD is a happy, healthy girl which is all that matters.
MG
We are using KARICARE GOAT.....It is fantastic and goat milk is proven to be the closet thing to breast milk. Anyone else use Goat?
I stopped BF so I have a chance to fall preggers.
But never feel guilty because a happy mummy is a good mummy and that equals a happy baby!
Wasn't there something in the paper that said that Karicare products are going to be unavailable due to a government dispute(they didn't get a product approved before putting it in their product I think). This may be something worth considering if you are trying to decide what formula to decide on-How long will Karicare be unavailable!
Jesse has been forumla fed since he was 9 days old. For the first 6 months he was on Heinz Nuture Gold 1 and loved it.. no problems.. though towards the end would only drink half a bottle. When we put him up to the Heinz Nuture Gold 2 he started getting really constipated.. like REALLY.. his poos were dark green and crumbly like. So i tried S26 Gold #2. He was then back to normal and was drinking the whole thing. Recently we've just put him on the normal S26 as its damn expensive! and we feel he is getting all the nutrients he needs in solids.
I think its really trial and error.. alot of babies take to one certain formula, where others dont. Id personally just try a well known brand first and see if it agrees with bubs, and if bubs likes it. If not, then try a different one. But once you found one that works, stick with it, as changing formula too much can upset their tummies.
Best of luck!
I have been comping DD since she was 4 days old and am now exclusively FF'ing. We started on S26 gold but that seemed to make her constipated, so I switched to Karicare Gold but I was unhappy as both of these formulas contain Soy Lecithin (the emulsifier) which has been shown to be toxic and allergenic in high levels. Seeing as milk is the only food they consume for many months, I set out on a mission to find one without any Soy.
I switched to Karicare HA for a few weeks but DD seemed constipated again, so now I have gone to NAN 1 Gold HA. And it is the best by far. No soy and no constipation !
At the end of the day, there are so many to choose from, you should try to do a bit of your own research and you'll find the right one for you.
I have also heard great things about Bellamy's Organic formula...
My Twins were on S26Gold from birth. I had them 34wks 5days and I had no problem with the formula.
DS has been drinking Heinz Nurture since 5 weeks and he has never been constipated or had any other probs, and its cheap
Coming from someone who used Bellamy's Organic for 6 weeks, I'd highly reccommend it. It is a bit more expensive due to the fact it's organic, but it even smells more appetizing than other brands.
I've had to change to Karicare HA/AR formula as my then 6 week old was demanding 200mL plus EVERY feed of normal, unthickened formula, as he wasn't getting full enough.
As everyone has said, it's all a bit of trial and error.
I was talking to a friend just yesterday who works in a chemist and she is using Heinz Nuture too. She said it is exactly the same as far as the ingredents goes as the S26 and heaps cheaper. Her bub is now 6 months old and going great guns and has been FF since birth. I will be FF this bub too so I think I will start with the Heniz Nuture first and if we have any probs try the Karicare which Mackenzie had. She had the HA-AR Karicare as she was a little bit (and only a little) bit spewy on the normal karicare.
Karicare for sure. We were using S-26 Gold... but Chelsea got sick and constipated from it.
I'm using Heinz Nurture with my DS, he is loving it... we tried many different brands, but all were rejected bar the Heinz. The best bit is that it is so cheap and still contains everything a growing baby needs.
nikbrad - I noticed the ingredients were the same in the Heinz as the S26 - but it can't taste the same tho as my son refused the S26!
Hi,
You have already got some good information. I hope it helps. Breastfeeding does get better - and quite quickly. It's worth getting good help and support early on. If it's your first baby it's hard to see how it will get better, but it really does.
In terms of formula, any normal cows milk formula is fine. It is often worth sticking to one for a little while - you be the judge - but prob best not to change too frequently. The following information is from the National Health and Medical Research Council
The prices of different infant formulas and the types of retail outlets that sell the
formulas are not related to quality or nutritional value. All infant formulas sold in
Australia meet the relevant nutritional and quality-control standards. Use of a
particular formula by a hospital does not mean that formula is the ‘best’ one.
Interchange between formulas within the same generic group is optional and can
be decided on the basis of cost.
Standard formulas labelled ‘suitable from birth’ are for infants from birth to 12
months. ‘Follow-on’ formulas labelled ‘suitable only for babies over 6 months’
are for infants aged from 6 to 12 months, but their use is not considered
necessary for most and there have been no studies showing advantages over the
infant formula they are already having. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that infants be fed breast milk for the first 6 to 12 months and states
that the only acceptable alternative to breast milk is iron-fortified infant
formula.9,10 By 12 months of age infants should be eating a wide variety of family
foods, and cow’s milk should be introduced at this time.
I use Heinz as well - as others have said it's cheap and the ingredients are the same. I personally don't think the 'Gold' formulas are worth it.
Angel is on the karicare de lact, which has now been unavailable for 2 weeks.The chemist said something about a government re classification. Bummer hey?:
I've had difficulty getting delact for a month! I fluked a pharmacy in Mt Barker SA when I was on holidays that had a heap - but it was a different tin. The lid was a dark pink as opposed to light and the consistency of the powder was finer. I only got one tin because we were suppose to be re-intergrating normal formula back into DD's diet - but now it seems as though she may need to go back on it. I really don't want to swap brands again!:
Have you tried calling Karicare? A pharmacist I spoke to recomended I do that as they may have some in stores they can send out...
Thanks MG I'll try, I have her on s26 LF atm & I really hate that stuff.
arrgh isnt it so hard to make a choice ? ds is on karicare gold and i find he gets consipated on it real bad ... im thinking of changing to normal karicare but after reading the post on de-classification , im scared that what im using is unsafe .... does it apply to normal karicare or just the de lact ...
its alsp soo expensive and even tho he only has 150 ml each feed , he goes through it in a week ....
and i used s26 once and it didnt go down to well... nan was ok but same again with the conspitation ....
i have tried heinz and im not sure why i stopped it .......
whatever the decision you make is based on what u feel is the best one for bub... but if they dont like it they'll def let you knoW!!!!
I use the Karicare Gold + and its defiantly works for DD when she was on the normal Karicare she would get constipated and sick, and i tried again not long ago back to the normal and it still constipated her. so i think the Gold ones have more in them, it works well for DD.
it is trial and error as many have said goodluck!
I used Heinz Nuture for my first DS and had no problems at all.. He loved it.. And due to more BF problems this time as well, DS2 is on it too, but I got the Gold this time cause at my local chemist, they have it for the same price as the normal one and in the supermarkets it's $8 more!!
Hi Alex, congrats on the birth of Toby!!
It only applies to the Karicare Gold + range (not the TM ones but). The normal Karicare range is not included as it doesn't have the repbiotics added.:
does it apply to normal karicare or just the de lact ...
It has something to do with the prebiotics they have added not being approved for use in Australia-IMO this is a little more then just an argument over classification.
Not sure about the de lact stuff you may need to contact them and find out, it being unavailable may be because of a different reason.
If they have had to recall their range then they shouldn't be sending out any stock from there stores either.
Wow Phoenix, really makes you wonder what is going on then.
I honestly don't think the prebiotics thing is bad, in fact anything they can add to formula to help improve it for those babies that cannot receive breastmilk is a good thing. Its just scary that this company put a product in their formula that was not approved here(maybe thats where the description thing comes into play -maybe their prebiotics are called something different then the one approved in Australia even though it may be the same-they did say in their ad that it was used in other products),but makes you wonder if they did it once with something harmless maybe they could do it again with something potentially harmful.
If the prebiotics are so beneficial I think they should be mandatory in all formula not just in the expensive brands otherwise there are babies missing out.
ITA Phoenix, if one has them, they all should, that should be the standard!
That is so right Phoenix, it's scary.:
Wonder it it was from the NZ based side of the company & they didn't get it approved for Aust, sales??
I just got off the phone with Karicare, they are sending me out a can of the de lact, so that's a great help. She did say it could be a few weeks yet before it's back out there,as they have had big supply problems, so if I can't get it when this one is 1/2 gone, I have to call her back.
Was only the GOLD that was effected?
I'm so glad they are able to send you one out Storm! I'll be giving them a call at the end of the week if Abbey isn't coping with this formula...: