which formula is best??

[*Shell*]

Hi,
Ok, i've been told by the hossy im going to to bring three bottles and a thing of formula incase i cant breast feed.
With my DD (so much has changed in nearly 13 years!!) when i was still in hossy with her i didnt breast feed and the nurse's had put her on Nan - this formula she could keep down so they changed her to S26. I was going to use this again but on having a look in the chemist's and super markets i see there are sooo many different ones (as far as i cant remember there were only these two back then!) - and now GOLD ones. I have spoken to a chemist about some of them but thought i'd ask on here - so, finally my question is -
Which formula do you use and why did you choose this one?

[BellyBelly]

*Shell*, is there a medical reason why they are suggesting you may not be able to breastfeed? I just haven't heard of someone being told to bring bottles and formula into hospital - around 95% of women can physically breastfeed.

A private Lactation Consultant can be of enormous help...

ps. what hospital is this?

[HotMumma]

I have not heard of this and I find it weird for the hospital to ask that of you. You should be given the opportunity to BF first. Also they should provide you with formula if the need arises. Well that is private I think anyway.

[*Shell*]

Thanks Caro! This bub just wont come!

I ment to write on there that i had a breast reduction about 5 months after my dd was born which is why theres a possibility that i wont be able to breast feed. But i chose not to with my DD (i was quite young) and they had the formula there - but this time she said that they are pushing breast feeding so now they dont have formula there - but as the chemist pointed out to me - they're not going to let the babies starve if BF isnt working, they'd have to have something there?!
Kelly - I was only told this once by one MW at my last appointment at Sunshine.

[nickel]

Shell - all hospitals have formula and bottles for those mums who can't breastfeed. They have to, for the babies who are in the nursery. I wouldn't buy anything till you've had your baby and had a go at breastfeeding. You've got 3 days in hospital, plenty of time to get someone to rush out and buy a bottle if you need to express or breastfeeding doesn't work. Depending on where you are there are always coles and woolies open 24 hours in case it's an emergency when you get home. PLus if your baby needs a formula feed, no they are NOT going to let your baby starve!

They just don't supply formula if you have chosen to not try breastfeeding in my and friends' experiences.

I'm a bit annoyed at that lady for saying that, but maybe she was just thinking you wouldn't have time once the baby arrived or something. Hope Emily arrives soon, and good luck with the breastfeeding, make use of the lactation consultants in the hospital and insist on your rights for help to feed, or formula if you want it. All the best.

[*Shell*]

Thanks guys, i know they'll have it there, as if they wouldnt! Stupid MW. I really DO want to bf theres a good chance i can, but i just have to wait and see.
But just incase i cant bf i just wanted to know what the most used formula was - there are just so many now i have no idea! I had heard on "midday with Kerry anne" they had a lady (cant remember who she was or what she did) but she said something about them all being the same and to go for the cheapest - true?? i was wondering???

[Rach75]

most hospitals I ended up spending time in 4 while pg use S26 gold premade, when we had Jack they used this in special care for dump feeds, (tube) when b/f wasn't going to work she said ok we only use S26 if your not happy with this then you will have to get a tin of what you want, also we were 9 1/2 hrs from home Jase had to go find a woolies and buy bottles and formula very confusing for a new dad

anyway I use S26 plain not gold, I have heard gold is better is they are pukey babies, anyway we chose to use S26 cause 1 I knew the name 2 been around forever

:hugs: hope you are able to b/f and all this is just a waste of time talking bout

and 2 hope bub decided to come soon for you

[Kitty33]

Hey Shell,
I use Nan gold 1 HA... its got a bifidus formula in it... I put Jacob on at 4 months old and he has gone really great with it... he has had a poo every day.

Good luck with it and I hope bub comes soon!!
xoxo

[nikbrad]

I had a terrible time trying to BF and after 4 days went to formula.(I was expressing and stressing and topping up with formula as well. I guess I was the 5% that BF just didn't work for.) The hospital provided the bottles and formula and they used Karicare. Mackenzie was a spewy bub so the MCHN suggested we change to Karicare Sensicare HA AR which worked wonders for her.

[Mother Goose]

Hi Shell,

I spoke to my MCHN about this when I came home (DD was having formula top ups) and she said that in Australia, formula has to meet a certain standard before it can be sold - this makes them all much of a muchness. She said that some companies do add extras but there is no solid evidence that those extras do anything (although the company reps will tell you otherwise). Based on this, she said she often tells people to go with the cheapest if they are struggling to decide (although my DH initially picked on ease of making). We started with S26 Gold and found it made DD constipated and she had a trouble digesting it in general (and often brought a fair bit back up curdled). We then switched to Nan Gold because that was what she had in hospital and is suppose to be closest to breast milk in consistency. This agrees much better with DD.
HTH, it is all very confusing!

MG

[*EmJa*]

Emelia started out on karicare normal..but i found it made her a bit constipated now she is on karicare gold plus which is great for her...i was told that s26 can make lots of babies constipated(but thats just wat i was told)

goodluck i hope Emily is on her way soon

[visitor1]

I couldnt BF and the hospital supplied me with S26 Gold.. and DD was constipated and so sick from it.....i now use Karicare (normal one) and not had a single problem with it.

I guess all bubs are different and how they digest it.

[Rach75]

ummmmmmmm...just to point out S26 does not make all babies constipated, jack used to poo every change but now it is 1 but mostly 2 times a day

[{sarah}]

I think it really varies from baby to baby. Zander wasn't putting on any weight with Karicare, but on S26 he was brilliant.

[*Shell*]

Thanks ladies for all your replys, you've all been very helpful. I think i'll just wait and if DP has to go out and get some then he will, just hope we dont need it!

- i may never need the boob or formula as i really dont think Emily wants to come out!

One more question though - what is HR AR?

[{sarah}]

HR I'm not sure, but AR is anti reflux, which is a thickened formula.

[*Shell*]

Thanks Sarah,
Thanks Caro - very interesting, mabey what i heard off Kerry Anne and what Mother Goose's MCHN said isnt to far off.
Hope i dont need any of it! Your not too far off your little one either!

[bon]

I use Heinz formula because it is one of the cheaper ones. Pretty much all formulas are the same, but in saying that I started Matilda on S26 and found she was really unsettled after feeds and a bit colicky, and this changed after I switched formulas. So babies can have different reactions to different formulas.

There is no proof that Gold formulas are any 'better' than regular formulas, but they can be a fair bit more expensive.

But I do hope that you don't need to worry about any of this and you BF. I wouldn't take formula or bottles to the hospital, as it is kind of like setting yourself up to fail before you have even tried, and it really is unusual for a MW or hospital to tell you that.