Cry baby - trouble switching to soy?

[Kade's Mummy]

Well, after nearly 12 weeks we are still playing trial and error to see what is wrong with our poor little Kade! He is on Zantac for reflux, and has always had terrible wind and tummy issues. After he pooed in front of the health nurse today (who said it was much mushier than it should be on formula), the latest possibility is that he is allergic to cows milk. He hasn't been drinking much and is still incredibly upset most of the time. And he only gained 30gms last week. I am absolutely exhausted, overwhelmed and teary that I cannot work out how to make him a happy baby! When will this end?!

Anyway, they recommended I try him on soy formula, and so his last two bottles have been of Infasoy. For his age he should be having at least 140ml per feed, but on the old formula was averaging around 80-100mls. These last two soy bottles have been 100mls and 90mls each.

Was i being unrealistic to expect him to jump straight into drinking 140mls? Will it take him a while to realise this one won't hurt him, or does this mean he doesn't like soy milk either? I am tearing my hair out!

Any ideas / advice / support (!) would be appreciated

[Mrs Little]

It will take at least 3 to 4 days for your bubs to get used to the new formula and for all the old formula to leave his system.

It can take up to 2 weeks to see a full affect.

Would be interested in finding out how you go.

Mrs Little & Son.

[Caitlin's Mum]

Have you tried lactose free formula? This worked straight away with my DS.

[Kade's Mummy]

Hi Ladies

Thanks for your advice - his tummy seems a little bloated tonight, and I am still struggling to get the right amount of mls into him. I am sooooo teary! I feel I am failing here, and have exhausted every avenue :gloomy:

Caitlyn's mum - I hadn't tried Lactose Free, but my girlfriend suggested it today. I may go and grab some tomorrow, I am desperate! But should I be giving the soy longer to work? The Health nurse seems concerned he's still not drinking enough...

[Caitlin's Mum]

No don't feel like you have failed. I know a few hours with an upset baby feels like forever. I too couldn't wait for the different formulas to start making a difference. It's really just a process of elimination. I went through every formula there is until I finally decided that he must be lactose intolerant and the doctor confirmed also. As soon as I switched formulas, he was a different baby. Don't worry, it will get better.:)

[jessgray]

i would wait a few days to see if bubs is doing ok on it. i have been told by a DR that many children with lactose intolerance to dairy end up with an intolerance to soy as well. this is true for my DS who is 1.
best of luck with the new formula:thumbsup: :fingerscrossed:

[Caitlin's Mum]

Hi Kade's Mummy, how are things going? Did you end up changing formula again? Let us know how things are going. Hope all is improving:)

[Kade's Mummy]

Hi there - well, I decided to give the soy a few days but in the meantime he has been constipated so perhaps that's why he has continued to be upset? I have given him some coloxyl drops this morning so hopefully that will help. Just seems to be one thing after another at the moment! :banghead:

We are seeing the paed on Mon so will try the soy til then. Thanks again for your support! Some days I feel very rational about it, and others I am distraught and an absolute mess! :crying:

AF is due next week though so perhaps that's why I have been extra emotional?!! Sorry if too much info!! :laughing:

[Kade's Mummy]

Hi everyone - thought an update may be in order. Went and saw the pediatrician yesterday who prescribed him Pepti-Jnr formula, but despite scoffing the first bottle Kade is now refusing to drink it. I am absolutely at my wit’s end! :banghead:

Apparently 50% of kids allergic to cow’s milk are also allergic to soy (which is what I had been trying). Anyway, the doc said if he didn’t drink the new formula (which he won’t), we may just have to realize that he is a, quote, “ratty baby”, and he will eventually grow outta it. :eek: I don't think he is 'ratty'!! If he wasn't in pain, surely he wouldn't be all smiles one minutes and then absolutely screaming the next - something is definitely hurting him, and I'm 99% sure it's bowel/digestion related.

Anyway, I have just given him a soy bottle and he drank 130mls which is ok. I guess I'll just keep persisting with that - he's certainly been a little better on it and I'm getting more volume into him, but unfortunately he's still really unsettled alot of the time. And he has so much wind pain, and cries his eyes out when he's doing a poo :crying: .

I am going to give it until Fri week when I have an appt with my GP. If no improvement by then I will seek his advice re: lactose free formula.

Thanks for all your support! :hugs:

[Mrs Little]

You could also try Goats formula too.

A naturopath is more likely to help you with bowel/ digestive problems.

My DS has/had the same issues as yours. The only way i've coped over the last few months has been doing the following:

- using infacol (for the wind)
- routine ( so dr.s couldn't blame the fact that he was overtired etc.)
- trying different kinds of formula- we found goats and lactose free to be the best
- starting solids ( you'd be amazed at how much he improved after his first meal!).
- seeing a naturopath.

All GPs and Dr.s told me that there was nothing wrong with him and that i just have to cope with it. One said he had immature bowels and there is nothing that you can do. GPs and Drs dont believe in the whole intolerances and bowel/digestive problems. Naturopaths do.

Hope this has helped.

Is your DS on reflux meds too?

Mrs Little & Son.

[Kade's Mummy]

Mrs Little - thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me to feel half normal! :hugs:

Yes, he's on Zantac and has Gavescon in his bottle. Did you ever try soy?

My lil brother (who is not so little now... 24!) was intolerent of cow's milk and mum says he was a different baby on goat. Funnily enough Kade is the spitting image of him so maybe he will be the same? Need to give the soy a proper chance to work though.

Was just contemplating seeing a naturopath - what might they recommend?

[melbryan]

It's sounds like you are going through excatly what I did with my son Kayne and like you I was at my wits end and working full time.
My Kayne should have been on Zanatc but by the time I took him to the Paed they said he should have grown out of it (6mths).
I had the milk problems too. Tried with Lactose free, he wouldn't drink it, took him to a naturopath and she said he has high allergies (listed all the foods he shouldn't have) and is intolerant to dairy. So no dairy for him at all. He was on Goats Karicare until 15mths then I went to lactose free cows milk. Find out what he is allergic to then you can make the changes you need to.
My friend was told her son was lactose intolerant but he is gluten intolerant so he now sleeps 12 hrs a night it's really good to get him tested.
I know it is so frustrating and as DS's mother I thought I would have all the answers for my son but it was trial and error I will know next time what course of action to take.
One piece of advice don't leave it to long to get the answers as I think they get into a pattern of crying and whingeing even when they're not in pain anymore. My two year old is just learning not to whinge, NOW!!!I wish I could have helped him earlier but it makes sense his father is lactose intolerant so have had to alter his diet alot from about 12 mths after switching to a million different formulas. If I did it sooner i may have had a more contented baby.
Oh and you can get Lactose free milk tins cheaper through the doctor just ask for a prescription. $5 a tin.
Good luck let us know how you go.....PM me if you need any other help.

[Mrs Little]

Kade's Mummy,

How are you? :wave:

Just wanted to see how things were going and you were in this stressful time.

Yes....you can give Soy the three weeks to work. For some formulas that we tried, it was pretty edvident that the formula was not working or going to work.

We tried Goat, and our son didn't mind it at all. We went back to normal formula to see if things were worse again.

I'm not sure where you live, but i can reccommend 2 different Naturopaths in Sydney.

I've just made an appointment with a Naturopath who uses kinesology ( sp?) and a machine to determine intolerances and the like. It's been highly reccommended to me as way of determining whats going on with my son's digestive and bowel systems.

It's $88 for a consult which is really reasonable compared to pathetic Paed's fees! I will let you know how i go and what she suggests that we do for our son. Maybe she will be helpful for you too!!

I've had my son on herbal drops to help him relax so that he can let the wind out and also so he can sleep without the wind pains hurting him. It took about 2 weeks for it to kick in...but man can he let them rip now! He still has painful moments but i'm hoping this new Naturopath can help in that area.

Hope to hear from you soon...

Mrs Little & Son.

[Mrs Little]

Just wanted to know how u were going Kade's mum.

Mrs Little & Son.

[Kade's Mummy]

Hi Mrs Little and All

Well, mother's instincts were right - we've spent the last three days in hosptial with him on a drip! Poor little mite had a urinary tract infection :no: . Anyway, at least they finally had a good look at him and he has be diagnosed with having the following:

Colic, Reflux, Cow's milk intolerance, soy milk intolerance, UTI and a cold! Oh my god! :banghead: No wonder he has been hard work!!

He has been put onto Pepti Jnr formula, Losec for the reflux instead of Zantac and antibiotics for his UTI. I am pleased to report he just did poos without crying so hopefully we are on the right track! He is eating again and is far more content.

Thank you all so much for your support - I was an absolutely mess and the only reason I ended up at emergency was because my DH was away on business, mum was away in QLD and I was at absolutely breaking point if I didn't get any help. I have never cried so much in my entire life :crying:

Hope your bubs are well?

[Mrs Little]

:hugs: To you Kade's Mum :hugs:

You did the right thing going to the hospital! I wish i had the guts to do that earlier on with my DS.

How did they determine the soy and cow's milk intolerances?

I've heard that bubs that have an allergy or intolerance to cows milk generally one to soy as well.

Poor Kade.....:hugs: to him too!

It makes me angry to think that there are Dr.s out there that just don't listen to people. They particularly don't listen first time mums...they think we all paranoid!

I'm glad it's all been sorted out for you.

How are things going with Kade? Can you see a change in him?

Mrs Little & Son.

[Kade's Mummy]

Hello! Touch wood, he is so far a different baby :yelclap: . He has done two poos with no crying, is sleeping better and is gooing and gaaing away. I hope I am not jinxing myself by saying that!! It's just there have been so many time where I thought he would be better, but then he has reverted back. :fingerscrossed:

They really only determined the soy and cows milk intolerances by looking at his poos and using trial and error. The fact that his wind has decreased on Pepti Jnr and it is not hurting him to do poos was a pretty good indication. Will be interesting to see how he goes when it's time for solids...

[Mrs Little]

What kind of milk would you give him when you wean him off formula at 12 months?

Is the pepti jnr. formula foul tasting? or smell gross?

Glad it's working out for you....you'll have to keep us updated on how things go as time goes by.

:smiliedance: For Kade's Mum!

Mrs Little & Son.

[Kade's Mummy]

Not sure yet about which milk to try with him at 12 months - I think we'll cross that bridge when we come to it and it will be trial and error all over again.

As the nurse at the hospital said, now that we have jumped this hurdle no doubt he'll soon start teething :banghead:

[Kade's Mummy]

Sorry Mrs Little - yep, the Pepti Jnr is meant to be quite unpallatable and foul tasting. It's no where near as creamy looking as normal formulas, and is almost a bluey grey. When he is a little sick is almost looks clear upon regurgitation.

Poor little guy!! :(