HA Formula

[Bloom]

Can someone please explain to me what HA formula is and what it is actually for?

My understanding is that is means the proteins are more broken down and it is designed for babies who are likely to develop food allergies (ie have a family history of allergies).

Is it used for other conditions? I have heard people say that it is better for reflux babies as it doesn't hurt as much coming back up (but that sounds like an old wives tale to me).

[TaRhLi.]

Hi Bloom

It is supposedly much easier for babies to digest as it is more "broken down" and generally contains some probiotics as well. I had both my twins on NAN HA Gold but found it was too harsh on their tummies as it seems to contain a bit more iron (I think) and their poos were extremely stinky. I've now switched both across to Lactose Free formula as this is one less thing that their systems need to breakdown and as they have both had tummy bugs recently.

You may need to do some more research as there as so many different formula options available - especially if you are concerned about food allergies - like soy formula or goats milk formula

[Barb Glare]

You've posed a very interesting question. HA formulas are in fact not hydrolised, but are whey dominant. Some babies find the proteins in whey dominant formulas easier to accept than casein based formula. Whey and casein are both proteins.

I want to say at the outset, that if your baby is born into a family where it is likely to develop allergies (a family history of allergies) it is VITALLY important that you continue to breastfeed. If your baby is having trouble with breastfeeding you should seek qualified and experienced help to help you keep breastfeeding.

Whey dominant formulas were never designed to prevent allergies. They were designed to use a bi-product of the cheese making industry, whey, which was traditionally dumped into waterways. Apparently the US government has forbidden Carnation-Nestle from referring to its whey-based infant "formula" as hypoallergenic since 1989. However, this is all very confusing to all of us, including and and perhaps especially, for the medical industry, because these formulas are marketed as being better for allergies and intolerances. Some-one might post the recent research study (or I might post it) which says that this formula does NOT prevent allergies. I was so interested to read this, as it was NEVER designed to reduce allergies - yet even this medical research team had fallen into this piece of urban mythology.

As in all things there is "reflux" and there is "reflux" Reflux is when the contents of the stomach come up into the foodpipe - the oesophegus. We all have reflux - this happens to us all, all the time. And more so with babies whose food is liquid, who spend a lot of time on their backs and where the sphincter or valve in the oesophegus is relatively weak. Many babies are "happy chuckers" and if babies chuck, even profusely, without much discomfort then this is more of a "mess issue" - ie you spend most of the time mopping up the mess- then your baby will grow out of it as that sphincter in the oesophegus gets stronger. Some other babies seem bothered by acid reflux - or the stomach acid burning them, like we experience acid reflux (heartburn etc). In severe cases there are medications available - see your doctor. Other babies display symptoms of irritability, crying a lot etc which we call reflux, or colic, but it seems that these babies are sensitive to the protein in food, often dairy. There is a high correlation between reflux in babies and cows milk allergy. These babies will respond to removing all dairy from the mothers diet. If a mother is not breastfeeding they may need to go on a partially hydrolised formula like pepti junior or an elemental formula like neocate or elicare.

[onthefly]

Bloom, someone posted THIS article about HA formulas, which you might find useful.
There's some debatre about whether the HA ones really are any different to regular formulas.

[Bloom]

Thanks everyone!

That is really interesting info about HA formulas Barb. Thanks for such a great post. It is so hard and confusing to find information about formulas as there is a lot of marketing hype and a lot of personal opinion as well. HA formulas are so much more expensive than other formulas (SMA is $13 a can, and the Nan HA is $24!)

My little one hasn't got any family history of allergies BTW. I did try switching him back to SMA (a non HA formula) but that seemed to really upset him a lot. I was suprised at how much difference it seemed to make in terms of the amount of crying during and after a feed. He is still unhappy during and after feeds on Nan HA, but to a lesser extent. He definately has medical/severe reflux - he is improved on medication and not in as much pain as before. Also his weight gains have improved (he was dropping percentiles). Argh.... anyway we are off the a paed on Thursday, to check out the possibility of a cows milk allergy.

I have hypoplastic breats, so we comp fed for the first 6 weeks, but it became too much for me to breasteed for 20 minutes, then have to give him a bottle for an hour and then deal with his crying after a feed, all the while looking after a toddler. While I would have liked to have kept breastfeeding for longer, it was more important for me to have a bit of sanity and time to look after my family. I am glad that we got six weeks though. My goal was 2 weeks intially. I comp fed my DS1 for 3 months, but that was much easier with only one. Sorry, I get a bit defensive and sad about my breastfeeding sometimes....

[emc2]

Hi Bloom,

I chose Nan HA, after a night when I rang an ABA counsellor and she said you need to go and get some formula! Oh dear.

What I remembered from reading the forum here, was that Nan HA was less filling which is what I wanted as I was comp feeding.

[Bloom]

Less filling emc? I guess that would be good if you wanted to keep them hungry for the breast, but we are now fully formula fed so I'd be happy with more sleep!

LOL at the ABA saying you needed formula. I knew we really had a breastfeeding problem when the lactation consultant said "for goodness sakes you need to give that baby formula after every feed or you'll starve him!". I was so pro breast feeding and anti-formula with DS1.

[emc2]

At least that was good advice lol. Child Health just give out random advice that comes out of nowhere, my favourite being that formula costs $12 000 a year..I am yet to work out which brand that is!!

I don't know if Nan HA is less filling, it was just the one I started him on, and he seems fine on it so we've stuck with it. I tried him on Bellamy's Organic but he became more spewy on that one.

He is mostly a happy chucker and he gets reflux the odd day - about every 10 days to a fortnight, he'll have a yellow chuck and be quite distressed. We started him on Infacol, then Infant's Friend.

Infant's Friend seems to settle him quite well so I give him that. Infacol when it is more like reflux and he has pain. I have got some Baby probiotic powder as well which seemed to help him a few weeks ago.

He's mostly on formula but I give him the odd breastfeed, my let down is too strong though, it's quite weird having a combination of strong let down, but never being engorged, and it not being enough food for him.

[Pandora]

At least that was good advice lol. Child Health just give out random advice that comes out of nowhere,

That's a huge call to make. I really don't think sweeping statements like that are helpful.

So you got dubious advice about the price of formula.
Perhaps the nurse meant $1200 which is very realistic, and simply made a mistake.

I don't think MCHNs sit there spinning a wheel, wondering what 'random' advice to give out each day.

That's just ridiculous and insulting to anyone who's a child health nurse.

Anyway, I comp fed ds1 from 5 months (so pre solids) with nan ha and he was fine.
I'd never heard that it was less filling but it was the only one that didn't constipate him.

[emc2]

I'm sorry Pandora but that is my experience of the health system locally here. Very bad and often cruel advice, and that is just one sample of it.

Bubs was a footling breech, and I'm also a single Mum, so I've received oodles and oodles of well intentioned but horrendous advice TBH. I felt like they were spinning a wheel..but I guess they had no idea what to say about me and bubs, we would be the too hard basket appointment of the day I suppose.

[Lolpigs]

I'm sorry Pandora but that is my experience of the health system locally here. Very bad and often cruel advice, and that is just one sample of it.

Bubs was a footling breech, and I'm also a single Mum, so I've received oodles and oodles of well intentioned but horrendous advice TBH. I felt like they were spinning a wheel..but I guess they had no idea what to say about me and bubs, we would be the too hard basket appointment of the day I suppose.

I felt that way alot too with MCHN's their advice was well meaning but very generalised and it didnt seem like they listened to me at all. I'm sure they meant well but still, I felt a bit abandoned. Too hard basket is probably right here too emc2.

We use Karicare Goat for our DD, as the NAN HA made her unwell