Baby won't drink Nutramigen

[Laurajbc]

The Dr has prescribed Nutramigen for my 6.5 month old daughter after I tried to move from BF to formula and when giving her aptamil she was violently sick, on two separate occasions. She also has eczema and reflux so it appears she may be CMP allergic, although no testing done.
My problem is that she won't drink the Nutramigen or even eat it with porridge or purée. I've tasted it and it is disgusting so very diff to the breast milk she's used to! Has anyone had this trouble or any tips? Or did you try Amy other suitable formulas I could ask to try? Any taste better than nutramigen?
Thanks

[ShineSmile]

Could you express milk and mix it with nutramigen and see if she takes it? Starting with 1/3 nutramigen and increasing it?

We tried aptamil pepti 2 with my DD around that age and she just wouldn't take it. I then delayed going back to work and continued breastfeeding her. Do you have an option to continue breastfeeding?

You also need to ask GP to refer you to an allergy pediatrician to get LO tested and advice on suitable milk etc.

[mathair102]

I'm in the same boat with my almost 6 month DS. He wasn't breastfed(apart from combo feeding for first 6 weeks) and has fussed on a variety of formulas. After no success with Ranitidine (it looked line reflux at first) the dr suggested CMPI and put him on Neutramigen. We are day 3 and I'm slowly introducing it. He refused the first bottle of straight neutramigen so I've been mixing with his own formula. This afternoon he is having 5 oz neutramigen and 3 oz old formula per bottle. However he is not eating his usual 8oz and is now only having 5-6oz instead. After he has had enough he pretends to drink- it's quite funny really; he looks like he's sucking but no swallowing! I wish I had been able to BF fully and feel like i wouldn't have this problem if I could have. I've heard so much online about ways to get babies to drink neutramigen to include adding nesquik , vanilla essence, robinsons and golden syrup! My current plan is to keep with the slow introduction and hope he develops a taste for it eventually.

[Ediemccreedy]

Were you avoiding dairy when breast feeding? She would have been exposed to CMP in your milk if you were consuming dairy, so it will not be a straightforward dairy allergy as she had no probs with breast milk.
Your options are:

1. Continue breast feeding if possible, reintroduce standard infant formula at a later date.
2. Try a less hydrolysed formula like aptamil pepti. This tastes a lot better than nutramigen and still is a treatment for CMPI.

It's hard work especially as she is used to the sweet taste of BM. Can anybody else try to feed her as it is difficult and upsetting for the mother.

[Laurajbc]

Thank you for your replies. I could continue to BF but I had wanted to stop. One of the reasons being that she does appear to have reactions to my BM. She has always had a bit of reflux, mucous poos, eczema since being 1 month old. I've cut down on dairy.
Until trying the formula and having such an obvious reaction I hadn't put it all together to think CMPA. To be honest I didn't know much about it anyway.
I'm seeing the dr again on Tuesday but I guess I just wanted to know if there were any other options or experiences that would make me more informed before seeing him again.
It isnt helped that since the sick episodes the weaning has become really difficult and she's not wanting to eat anything other than apples and pear puree.
I think it was a good point to have someone else feed her. My partner works away from home during the week but is taking some leave next week so maybe that will be the turning point!
Looks like I may have to continue BF and try again to express as last time I tried I struggled. Strange when I used to express a lot more easily, just haven't done it in months!
I'm rambling now so I will finish but thanks again everyone for your replies, much appreciated.

[apermanentheadache]

In your position I have to say I would continue on BF . it can be really hard to get older babies to accept hydrolysed formulas. Lots of babies grow out of milk allergies bu 1-2 years old.

If she is reacting also to bm then you may need to cut out all traces of dairy - including obv milk, cheese, yogurt, whey powder and caesin in baked or cooked goods.

[ilovelattes]

Ask doctor for neocate. My ds took it better than nutramigen but still preferred breast milk. I had to go dairy free myself & feed him until he was 11 months.

[ShineSmile]

If I were you I would try to get her on a hydrolysed formula. I think it's worth at least trying.

[apermanentheadache]

Neocate is also very unpalatable for older babies. I couldn't get mine to accept it and I know many other parents who found the same. It really is vile. What you want to avoid is feed refusal or food issues setting in. That is really unpleasant and hard to manage.

[HotMommy]

I introduced nutramigen to my breastfeeding daughter at 10 months. She had a confirmed dairy allergy as well as egg and others so the allergy pedi wanted her on nutramigen until 2 years. I was heading back to work and was worried i couldnt keep up the breastfeeding (we did actually breastfeed until 15 months though with nutramigen just after lunch) It took a good 3 weeks of offering it to her every day before she would drink it. I just kept persisting once a day and didn't offer her the breast if she wouldn't drink it - eventually she took a few sips and soon she drank the whole bottle - since then she has loved it. I've never been able to get her to have it in food or in an open cup - I think the smell puts her off. As others have suggested, you can express some milk mix the two together, just a bit of formula at first and then more and more. And you can also ask someone else to do the bottle if your baby cries for the breast instead. If you want to continue to bf then perhaps try cutting out egg as well - it's a common allergy caused my daughter to have reactions and eczema. Perhaps you should ask for an allergy test so that you can have a better idea of what is causing the issues.

[HotMommy]

Ps - I would also say to try not to make a big deal out of it. My daughter has always reacted more positively to these things if I just offer it to her and don't try to persist or convince her to try it. Just give them the bottle and let them decide rather than letting them get upset about it. Easier said than done I know :)