Diaper Swappers

yaylucy · 04-28-2012, 10:27 PM

DD was breastfed almost exclusively for the first 5 weeks of life, but when I began work I wasn't pumping enough and she was still pretty small, so we began to supplement. We used RTF because that's what works best for us - we started on regular Similac Advance. (It's what my sister used to supplement)

It caused HORRIBLE diaper rash, horrible gassiness, colic, all kinds of problems. My sweet little angel turned into a devil. A couple of weeks later we switched her to Alimentum - and in less than two days my sweet little angel came back. She is a chunky monkey now, healthy and happy.

Buuuuut,....I've been reading all kinds of things about DHA & ARA and I would LOVE to put her on an organic formula.

She's almost 3 months old now, but I am not sure if it is too soon to switch her - our parents BF exclusively and for right now I just can't do that. (Although I will be trying to re-lactate soon but that's another story)

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

I got sent to work in a small town in WV (work requires travel for me) and we haven't found a holistic pediatrician here yet.

Did you take your baby off alimentum? Did they do well? Is your baby on soy or organic? Tell me your formula stories mamas.

TIA!

ETA: I had to stop BF'ing when I started having major problems with my lymph nodes and was constantly put on antibiotics at 8 weeks. It dried up my milk. I'm no longer on antibiotics but still dealing with that issue & going back & forth to doctors....once again, another story.

pcjs · 04-29-2012, 08:31 AM

We stayed on a strange combination of RTF Similac Sensitive and the Sensitve rice starch - I mixed it as the Sensitive was too thin and the rice starch was too thick. I tried a few time to switch and it was not worth the cost savings (if you can afford it). I would not mess with a good thing. Its expensive but its time limited. I would wait till 9-12 months then switch. We did it till about 14 months when Similac changed their formula and had no choice and by trial and error we ended up on the Walmart Toddler formula.

My advice: she's doing well, thriving, don't mess with a good thing!

yaylucy · 04-29-2012, 10:57 AM

yea..this stuff is beyond ridiculously expensive. we can easily spend about $300 a month
i really want to switch her to baby's only organic, though. but i think we might have to wait until she is older unfortunately!

Alimentum is probably the smelliest formula on the market too. It makes the whole place have a funk

I can't wait until she's off it.

pcjs · 04-29-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yaylucy

yea..this stuff is beyond ridiculously expensive. we can easily spend about $300 a month
i really want to switch her to baby's only organic, though. but i think we might have to wait until she is older unfortunately!

Alimentum is probably the smelliest formula on the market too. It makes the whole place have a funk

I can't wait until she's off it.

If you can afford it do not mess with a good thing. If you can not afford it, then consider switching. Just wait till she get bigger and drinks more. We easily went through a container a day. We just chalked it up being time limited. Her health and your sanity is worth it. I used to order in bulk off Walmart as it was great delivered.

wendow · 04-29-2012, 11:19 PM

My ds was on Alimentum RTF from birth until 6 mos. We used some donor bm also but he mostly received formula. We tried several times to change him to something else including Baby's Only and every time was a disaster. At 6mos, we tried Baby's Only again and failed once again. But he was able to change to Good Start RTF but not the powder. It's hasn't really made a difference in cost and he's still on the Good Start RTF at 13 mos but he's growing great and happy as a clam. I know the temptation to try to get them on something cheaper but it just isn't always the best idea especially while so young still.

I've had a Neocate baby too and he stayed on that until 3yo

Talk about expensive...$45 can gone in day and a half...

ssand23 · 04-29-2012, 01:59 PM

If you found something that is working well for her, esp after trouble with other formulas, I'd stick with that. If it's not broke, don't fix it

I don't think there is a hypoallergenic organic formula, which is what she would need from what you've said.

P.S. Neocate & Neocate Junior actually smells worse. It's oily, a pain to clean & the smell is horrible. My grandson is on Alimentum & my son is on Neocate Junior.

mom to 4, 3 big girls & 1 little boy ('94, '99, '02 & 12/30/09)

AcrossTheUniverse · 04-29-2012, 03:19 PM

I would stick with the hypoallergenic formula until 6-8 months old minimum. Their guts tend to mature at that age so they *might* be able to handle regular formula at that point, but it really varies from baby to baby.

My DS2 was on Nutramigen (Enfamil equivalent of Alimentum) and when he was 8 months old I tried Similac Sensitive. He did well on that so after about 6 weeks tried Enfamil Premium and he was able to drink that just fine until he was about 14 months and weaned from formula completely. My DS3 is on Neocate and he is 5 months old. When he turns 6 months I am going to see if I can wean him down to Nutramigen and then at 8ish months wean him down to a sensitive and then hopefully a regular formula like I did for DS3. Every baby is different, though, so there is the chance it might not work out for him.

blueone · 04-30-2012, 06:13 AM

Don't quit a good thing. DS literally did good only on Similac Sensitive and the few times we tried a cheaper formula or "better" formula he got sick and it was horrible. Even at 2.5 he still can't have food with even trace amounts of dairy, looking back he should have been on Alimentum or something like that because he didn't start sleeping better till he was off formula.

I'd just stop researching if I were you. Lots of infants get formula with the "overly processed man made junk (someone I know calls formula that)" in it and turn out great. Even organic formula has its downfalls like breast milk (yes...things get transferred through that too even if you have a fantastic diet) and so on. What matters is that your daughter is thriving, healthy, and growing.

wendow · 04-30-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueone

Don't quit a good thing. DS literally did good only on Similac Sensitive and the few times we tried a cheaper formula or "better" formula he got sick and it was horrible. Even at 2.5 he still can't have food with even trace amounts of dairy, looking back he should have been on Alimentum or something like that because he didn't start sleeping better till he was off formula.

I'd just stop researching if I were you. Lots of infants get formula with the "overly processed man made junk (someone I know calls formula that)" in it and turn out great. Even organic formula has its downfalls like breast milk (yes...things get transferred through that too even if you have a fantastic diet) and so on. What matters is that your daughter is thriving, healthy, and growing.

Agree with every single bit of this post

Including the fact that I have a 3.5yo who cannot tolerate food with even trace amounts of dairy.

Heather8183 · 04-30-2012, 06:26 AM

Don't switch. DS was on Alimentum RTF til he was a year old. It was VERY expensive but well worth it for my sanity and a happy baby.

Also, I've heard soy can actually do more damage than good now...soy isn't really the next "go to" anymore due to the estrogen.

If you're having trouble making ends meet, check Craigslist...there's always someone here selling it at a reduced rate.

04-28-2012, 10:27 PM	#1
yaylucy Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: I live in Arlington, Texas, but travel for work. Currently located in Morgantown WV Posts: 779 Ratings: 18 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Alimentum...why quit a good thing? DD was breastfed almost exclusively for the first 5 weeks of life, but when I began work I wasn't pumping enough and she was still pretty small, so we began to supplement. We used RTF because that's what works best for us - we started on regular Similac Advance. (It's what my sister used to supplement) It caused HORRIBLE diaper rash, horrible gassiness, colic, all kinds of problems. My sweet little angel turned into a devil. A couple of weeks later we switched her to Alimentum - and in less than two days my sweet little angel came back. She is a chunky monkey now, healthy and happy. Buuuuut,....I've been reading all kinds of things about DHA & ARA and I would LOVE to put her on an organic formula. She's almost 3 months old now, but I am not sure if it is too soon to switch her - our parents BF exclusively and for right now I just can't do that. (Although I will be trying to re-lactate soon but that's another story) Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? I got sent to work in a small town in WV (work requires travel for me) and we haven't found a holistic pediatrician here yet. Did you take your baby off alimentum? Did they do well? Is your baby on soy or organic? Tell me your formula stories mamas. TIA! ETA: I had to stop BF'ing when I started having major problems with my lymph nodes and was constantly put on antibiotics at 8 weeks. It dried up my milk. I'm no longer on antibiotics but still dealing with that issue & going back & forth to doctors....once again, another story. Last edited by yaylucy; 04-28-2012 at 10:28 PM.

04-29-2012, 08:31 AM	#2
pcjs Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 14,206	Re: Alimentum...why quit a good thing? We stayed on a strange combination of RTF Similac Sensitive and the Sensitve rice starch - I mixed it as the Sensitive was too thin and the rice starch was too thick. I tried a few time to switch and it was not worth the cost savings (if you can afford it). I would not mess with a good thing. Its expensive but its time limited. I would wait till 9-12 months then switch. We did it till about 14 months when Similac changed their formula and had no choice and by trial and error we ended up on the Walmart Toddler formula. My advice: she's doing well, thriving, don't mess with a good thing! __________________ Mom to my wonderfully sweet toddler who is the joy of our lives. :

04-29-2012, 10:57 AM	#3
yaylucy Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: I live in Arlington, Texas, but travel for work. Currently located in Morgantown WV Posts: 779 Ratings: 18 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Alimentum...why quit a good thing? yea..this stuff is beyond ridiculously expensive. we can easily spend about $300 a month i really want to switch her to baby's only organic, though. but i think we might have to wait until she is older unfortunately! Alimentum is probably the smelliest formula on the market too. It makes the whole place have a funk I can't wait until she's off it.

04-29-2012, 11:19 PM	#5
wendow Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 968 Ratings: 14 Feedback: 100%	Re: Alimentum...why quit a good thing? My ds was on Alimentum RTF from birth until 6 mos. We used some donor bm also but he mostly received formula. We tried several times to change him to something else including Baby's Only and every time was a disaster. At 6mos, we tried Baby's Only again and failed once again. But he was able to change to Good Start RTF but not the powder. It's hasn't really made a difference in cost and he's still on the Good Start RTF at 13 mos but he's growing great and happy as a clam. I know the temptation to try to get them on something cheaper but it just isn't always the best idea especially while so young still. I've had a Neocate baby too and he stayed on that until 3yo Talk about expensive...$45 can gone in day and a half... __________________ Wendy Christ following family~~married to my HS sweetheart, Jason (6/95)~~mama to DD (5/00), DD (8/02),DS (10/08), ^i^ (12/09) and DS (3/27/11)

04-29-2012, 01:59 PM	#6
ssand23 Registered Users Join Date: May 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 3,715 Ratings: 94 Feedback: 100%	If you found something that is working well for her, esp after trouble with other formulas, I'd stick with that. If it's not broke, don't fix it I don't think there is a hypoallergenic organic formula, which is what she would need from what you've said. P.S. Neocate & Neocate Junior actually smells worse. It's oily, a pain to clean & the smell is horrible. My grandson is on Alimentum & my son is on Neocate Junior. mom to 4, 3 big girls & 1 little boy ('94, '99, '02 & 12/30/09) __________________ Stephanie, Mom to my girls ('94), ('99) & ('02) And my little guy (12/09)