Thanks BluePurrl. We saw DD's dietician today and she said stay on the Neocate; not so much to get the calcium (which you can get from Oat milk and other sources) but the vitamins and other minerals.

It's partly the sugar content of Neocate that puts me off (teeth worries) and partly because I'm so fed up of measuring out scoops of powder. So maybe next time I'll ask if there is a vitamin/mineral supplement I can use instead.

Hi Sheilsie,
Sorry for delay in responding.
DS1 was about 2. I wanted to keep him on Neocate for as long as possible as I figured it had all the vitamins etc he might miss from dairy products (mainly calcium).

That said my doctor was surprised that DS1 was still on neocate at his age as I think most docs stop prescribing it as soon as they can after they turn 1.

Hi Bluepurrl, at what age was your DS1 when you stopped the Neocate and gave oat milk as a drink instead? I'd love to do that (my DD is one in a couple of weeks) and will see what the dietician says when I see her next.

Hi, my DS1 is dairy, egg and soya allergic, he had neocate. DS2 had no allergy but was advised to go onto Nutramigen to ensure no adverse reactions to DS1. With both of them I had to go cold turkey on breastfeeding and persist with the formula over a couple of days. They both ended up loving their formula.

Neither of them has formula now, we give them Oat Milk (made by Oatley) which has the same amount of calcium as cows milk but is dairy, egg and soya free. They love it and have it in their porridge and as a bedtime drink...

Friend added ribena concentrate, also tried vanilla essence and cinnamon powder as worried about the sugar and colour change and both were a hit.

yes, it des have soya lecthcin in it, and although dd4 was negative to soya en she had her tests done, am cautious with it. might look at crusha as well.

i am so so tired with the breastfeeding. she wants milk all the time, and i'm too soft to say no

breakfast is porriage made with water

fruit midmornin

sandwiches and fruit for lunch

biscuit and raisens mid afternoon

dinner is meat + veg or pasta based.

so she eats well, but has 6+ breastfeeds a day, as well as some at night. (am currnetly awake as trying to cut out the midnight feed and she is unsettled)

Similar to Nesquick, the dietician told us to add sugar-free Crusha to the Nutramigen if need be.

dietician told us to add a spoon of nesquik if she really wouldn't have any (not chocolate - but I think that's because dd also had a soya allergy in addition to egg/milk) but I think the theory was to add as little as possible and then cut it down as quickly as possible

in the end we didn't - what I found was key was warming the nutramigen up to body temperature and then when they drink, it doesn't seem to taste so foul. It's a pain warming it up but it seemed to work (and I guess breast milk is warm!).

I'd say go for whatever it takes - you can always gradually reduce the quantity of milkshake powder with each one until you're not adding anything. It's got to be worth a try, hasn't it?

Hi Misdee

COURSE you're NOT a bad mum!! I'm having the same traumas with Neocate Advance. DS quite liked Neocate but discovered allergy to sunflower oil so it - and all other allergy formulas - bring him out in a rash. And Neocate Advance is the vilest thing on earth but only sunflower oil free one available. He just will not take it.

Have been so worried about his extremely slow weight gain have been toying with adding stuff to it but haven't yet. Have been soya and milk free myself - not vegan cos he and I love our meat. And to be honest, he can eat so few things I just need to give him everything I can.

Am about to start trying to add breastmilk to Neocate Advance, but he's not that keen on bottles or cups so it's going to take a while, I think.

And, I thought, you were meant to give formula or BM until about two?

Anyways, just wanted to offer my sympathies and understanding and (((((hug)))). Hope you find a solution soon.
MG x