Sma wysoy

[Strawbs]

Hi

My 8 month old son is on neocate currently and my gp said I should look in to other milks as he refuses to drink the neocate. I got some sma wysoy today and foolishly googled once I had bought it rather than before and the net suggests given to boys under 12 months can cause fertility issues for him later on in life and rotting teeth as it has glucose syrup in it..

Does anyone have any view or facts regarding this issue?

Thanks!

[SebsC]

My little one had a real intolerance to most milk powders as well as reflux (I was unable to breast feed). Feeding became such an ordeal as he would writhe around in agony and his little body would go rigid as he howled in pain. After several wasted trips to GP, who just prescribed baby Gaviscon that just made him constipated and some God awful synthetic stuff that was so thick it was impossible to drink, I gave up and went to see Lizzie, cranial osteopath on Lordship Lane, above Health shop. She was fantastic!! She suggested I try him on powdered goats milk! It's not recognised over in U.K as suitable for babies, due to scaremongering from the large synthetic powder companoes that dont want it to take over their markets, but it is extremely popular in Australia and New Zealand. I was a bit skeptical as to whether my son would take to it but he loved it and honestly, overnight I could see the difference! Feeding became such a pleasurable experience and I actually started looking forward to it, which after so long of dreading each feed was wonderful. My son is now 14 months and I have just weaned him off it and onto cows milk as they say most intolerances will go away by then. He is a thriving, perfectly developed little boy so don't listen to everything you read about something. I would try making an appointment with Lizzie to see what she thinks.

[Strawbs]

Brilliant thank you! My son has very severe reflux and a cows milk protein allergy so sometimes I feel like I'm trying everything to find a solution! He is heavily medicated on omeprazole, gaviscon and domoeridone so one day I'd love to get him off all of that! He is 8 months old x

[SebsC]

The medication route was the way the GPwanted to send me too but I was quite reluctant, although I know it has been brilliant for some babies. It was a personal choice and I wanted to see if there were any alternatives that were a bit more natural. I can't speak highly enough of Lizzie for recommending it as it really did make such a difference to my son. He went from being a baby who was constantly howling and crying to a happy, chilled little boy! Although he did still have a bit of reflux on occasion, he didn't have any of the pain and discomfort that went with it.

[Strawbs]

Well the soy is out, over the last few hours he has developed swollen eyes and a facial rash and is crying and scratching his ear like mad. Gp thinks I need to stick to neocate as he has reacted to cows milk protein and soy and said he is likely to react to goat milk.. Giving him piriton and gearing up for a long night! I will give lizzie a call tomorrow and see if I can get an appointment. Thanks! X

[Saffron]

Hi Strawbs, what other foods does your LO eat? Milk is the main souce of calcium and other nutrients in general for under-ones. However, seeing that you're having so much trouble with it, maybe it's worth ditching it altogether and finding other sources of calcium and nutrients in his diet since he's already 8 months old?

[Strawbs]

Hi saffron, I try to get as any things I can in to him as he refuses his milk so much. Breakfast is either fruit or porridge (just about to try weetbix) with sometimes some toast for him to gum (he still has no teeth), lunch is vegetables, pasta and dinner is baby rice and an Ella's kitchen pouch of chicken casserole (only meat he will even tolerate without crying - he absolutely hates meat! Tomorrow I am going to make a fish dish to try him on (was waiting on my tesco shop to come tonight with some soy cheese but I guess that's out). I focus a lot on his baby rice as he will eat a truck load of it and I sometimes use up to 6oz in a bowl of his milk so I feel like he is getting something.

I really need to put my thinking cap on re what foods I specifically need to cook to get him calcium. I will google tonight. He loves things like courgette, spinach, sweet potato, butternut squash but I think I need to do more. He loves Ella's kitchen pouches and I try to get the ones with 3 or 4 diff veg..

This week I am going to introduce some lentils as well and try again with some meat..

Any suggestions would be really appreciated! X

[cornelia]

Definitely try fish - my baby doesn't have the problems you describe, but was a late teether and absolutely loves fish. Some varieties have quite a lot of calcium too (e.g. sardines).

[amydown]

So sorry to hear of the difficulties. Must be really stressful and difficult for you. Sounds like you are doing an amazing job though. I have no experience of the different milk types you mention but was wondering whether you could be referred to King's dietician?

When our son was about 7m old, he had suspected dairy intolerance and was referred to Kings for an allergy test. The waiting time was too long though so we ended seeing someone privately first. When we eventually went to Kings, we had the option to meet with the dietician but never needed it by then. The dietrician did give me a call to have a chat though and was very helpful. (son had mild milk and potato intolerance)

Others might have more info on whether GP can refer you directly to dietrician?

[shaunag]

Hi strawbs. My 17 month old is on a dairy free soy free diet too. Have seen a top paeds dietician who advised me that after 6 months you will really struggle to get them too the alternative formulas as their taste buds have developed to be similar to adults and the formulas are pretty gross.she recommended aptamil pepti,but warned that 40% of dairy free babies will still react to it.after that she thought the next best tasting was neocate.i failed to get my baby onto an alternative formula.however,she did take to oat milk,which while not ideal from a calories perspective, is rich in calcium and tastes quite good IMO.i used it in cooking,and in a cup bottle. While baby never drank 6oz straight,she would have a couple of oz here and there throughout the day.its also good on cereals, for making semolina,rice pudding and all kinds of other things. We make babies bread as most of the shop varieties contain soy and again load it up woth oat milk.hummus has loads of calories and calcium.dried fruit is also good,soft apricots chopped uP small are a particular hit with my baby,but you may need to wait a few months for your lo to manage it.breakfast cereals are great-fortified with calcium and other goodies.to make up for less calories In oat milk you can add oil and pure spread to cOoking.i would ask to get a referral to see one of the dieticians at kings,as you should get help from them with diet ideas-you will need to see a gastroenterologist first.i have names of some fantastic people if you would like me to send them to you just let me know.i know what a worry it is trying to get food into them.good luck.

[Strawbs]

Thanks everyone, it's quite overwhelming but there are some great ideas on here.

Shaunag - we saw an allergist at tommies but didn't see a dietician, I think that's a great idea and I will ask my gp to refer me, we have a referral for a gastro but it's been in the system for 2 months and no appointment yet! After months of gp visits it was his allergist that requested the gastro appointment and also put him on domperidone that really helped with all the vomiting.

I have never even thought of humous as something to give him, what a great idea! What kind of things would you serve it with? I'm going to re read my annabelle karmel book tomorrow for some recipes. Do you know if there are any dairy and soya free weaning books?

I love oat milk myself, could I give that to him at this age? For example on his porridge ? I'm still using his formula in a desperate attemPt to get the vitamins he needs in to him..

X

[Strawbs]

Amydown I will defo ask my gp for a referral to a dietician. I feel a bit like I'm not sure of the next steps and just keep plugging away with Ella's pouches and things he likes. Thanks for the advice x

[shaunag]

Strawbs,yes I was using oat milk on baby's cereal at 8 months.i was still breast feeding in the day though and on a dairy free (including traces) and soy free (not including traces) diet at that stage.i cut out breast feeding in the day at 11 months,but am still doing feeds last thing and first thing. I was just very nervous as my lo was not gaining weight as she was a very bad eater.she is now eating loads and catching up with her peers (due to the wonder that is nursery and the human desire to copy peers),so I may stop altogether soon.re weaning books, no,I didn't find any. Karmel frustrated me as a ton of her recipes use cheese. I did get an aptamil pepti cook book,but many of the recipes used soy,eggs or gluten. We were advised to a a kid gluten and eggs too and then do a gradual reintroduction,so it was really tough to work around! The gP can't refer you to a dietician,you will have to see a gastro first.also my lo was prescribed abidec which she still takes daily (made using soya oil but it's the protein you need to worry about not the oil). We also have a liquid calcium supplement prescribed for if she has a bad day,so worth asking for if you are nervous. A friend of mine did succeed on getting her older baby on to neocate so I would persist if I were you as it is the best option. Re hummus-u could try it as a dip on rice cakes. I used to let baby have a spoon or two of it after a meal-that's all she would take but seemed to like it. She has it on bread now.sounds like your lo has it bad-a specialist I saw said soy is in almost everything that goes through a factory, even of it isn't labelled so, and particularly for adult foods (baby food being accurately labelled). It may be extreme but worth checking packets and trying to go fresh where possible to see if symptoms improve at all. Xx

[Strawbs]

Update - called to update the allergist and in April a request for him to see a dietician was made (I had no idea), I'm on the waiting list apparently but she did call me and talk me through some options. Got some oat milk today and cooked him an annabelle kamel salmon recipe minus the cheese and used oat milk and he loved it! Tried humus and he loved it! (thnk you!).. Dietician is sending me a neocate cookbook and also some neocate spoon as she said if I dropped his porridge and baby rice he wouldn't be getting enough milk so will see how the neocate spoon goes!

Thnk you so much everyone am feeling less overwhelmed today x

[midivydale]

Hey strawbs,

Sending a big cyberhug! Im sorry i cant be of much help knowledge wise but just wanted to give my sympathy.

Let me know if you fancy a chat/walk/cuppa!

C x

[amydown]

That's great!!! Hopefully it will get better and better now x

[SebsC]

So glad you feel less stressed about things now. Don't worry - we all go through it in one way or another. Just remember, things will get better. Sx

[susyp]

another vote for oatmilk, my daughter is on neocate but at nearly 4 I am not sure how long we will continue to be prescribed it so have been looking around for another option - she will have oatmilk on her cereal although normally has neocate. But it's definitely the most palatable alternative option! I hadn't thought of using it in cooking as an alternative to milk (doh!), good plan!

Also I had never tried her on goats milk because she is so allergic to cows milk, I tried her on sheeps cheese( feta) and she was ok but got one spot around her mouth so i stoppd it - but since then have tried goats milk in cooking and she has been fine, so it does seem to be different in make up. However I can't find a goats milk source - yoghurt etc - that doesn't just taste very goaty - she doesn't like goats cheese - and everything just tastes like goats cheese!!

She now eats broccoli daily and that has calcium in. Also we get oj fortfied with calcium.

susypx

[shaunag]

Hi Strawbs.really glad you are feeling a bit better about things.i found it was hard initially,but hardly think about it now-it's second nature.it does require a bit more organisation for going out,and a lot more for trips away (self catering much easier than hotels),but you will get to a point where you read a post and it brings back how hard it was to start with,and realise its totally manageable but you don't know when that happened! Point is, as others have said,it does get easier. Im meeting more and more people dealing with this-it seems to be freakishly on the up and do wonder why...but thats another discussion! Best of luck to you and your little one.shauna x

[scareyt]

For calcium I used to make little fish cakes by mashing whole tinned sardines with boiled potatoes, finely chopped spring onions, parsley and a bit of lemon juice. You can make a batch and freeze them, then fry from frozen. Loads of calcium from the little bones in the fish. And they actually taste quite nice so you can have the same thing for lunch together which is always nice.

We saw the dietician at Tommys and tried all those formulas too but with no success. Tahini is also good for calcium, a jar lasts for ages and you can spread it on toast. It tastes a bit weird but W didn't mind it.