ALLERGY BABYCARE: IF YOUR BABY IS TOTALLY BOTTLEFED
If your baby is totally bottiefed, make sure you have taken basic precautions against other things that the baby may be ingesting before you investigate its feed.
If your baby is on a cow’s milk formula feed, the first thing to try is giving smaller, more frequent feeds. This may help babies who are intolerant of lactose, the sugar found in milk, for the reasons explained on page 250 in connection with breastfeeding.
If this does not work, you can try alternative formula milks, with your doctor’s advice. Soya-based milks (e.g. Wysoy, Nutrition Soya) are most people’s first option; these are readily available in chemists’ shops, and are sometimes a good solution for babies sensitive to cow’s milk. Use a soya milk formula for at least a week to see if your baby settles – if he or she is clearly worse straightaway, see your doctor at once – but if the baby has been having colic, diarrhoea, or other gut disturbance, it can take a couple of weeks for these symptoms to clear.
Some babies also start to react to soya formulas, either straightaway or after some time. If this happens, there are other special formula milks that you can try. These are available on a doctor’s prescription. One type is based on chicken, highly processed to make it digestible (e.g. Chix). Another type is called hydrolysed formula, and is based on cow’s milk and corn, treated with digestive enzymes in order to break down and pre-digest allergens. Examples of these are Pregestimil and Nutramigin. These are sometimes tolerated by even highly allergic babies.
If you have a lot of problems with bottle-feeding, it is worth working your way through these alternative formulas, as one may suit where others do not. Each time you try a new one, give it a week to show effects if you can, unless the baby reacts strongly against it early on. Consult your doctor as you try each one.
A goat’s milk formula milk for babies has recently been introduced in the UK. There is no current evidence that it is of benefit to babies sensitive to other milks. Do not use it without consulting a doctor.
Other so-called hypoallergenic brands of cow’s milk formula are soon to be marketed in the UK. Hypoallergenic does not mean they are ‘safe’, only that cow’s milk allergens have been modified to make them better tolerated. These may not be tolerated by extremely allergic babies and have been known in the United States to cause anaphylactic (shock) reactions. Always consult your doctor before using any of these to be sure it is advisable for your baby. Only use them on prescription and under supervision. Do not buy over the counter.
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