Silent reflux & lactose intol - formula?

Hoping someone can give me some advice based on their own experience with a reflux baby as I can't get through to anyone on the Karicare helpline and they don't return my calls!

My sixteen week old daughter is fully breastfed at the moment but I'd like to be able to give her the occasional bottle of formula. The problem is that she has silent reflux and when I eat dairy products it really seems to affect her, so I don't know what formula to buy. My Plunket nurse suggested soy (which is what I drink myself) but I've read some not very good things about soy formula for babies.

Should I try the De-Lact formula, Anti-Reflux or Soy? I'm reluctant to just pick one and buy a tin of it without being recommended one by someone in the know. And they don't seem to sell the little sample packs of these varieties. TIA.

Hi cuppatea, thanks for the advice. You seem very knowledgable on this subject! I finally got a call from the lady on the Karicare line and she recommended the HA formula too, so I'll buy a tin of that and see how we go. Thanks again.

I have gone around in circles on this subject- we have actually found Locks to be fine on S26. He has 1 scoop normal and 2 scoops AR- to help him with the spilling.
He seemed only to react to all Karicare, and Pepti jnr...

As cuppatea said though- sounds like a dairy sensitivity.... HA is a good start.

(warning- dont taste it! And dont worry bout the smell and colour of the nappies!!)

Bberry... Personally I think soy is fine for girls, but not for little boys I was told. (Soy is high in oestrogen the female hormone)I too have had a lot of problems with all 3 of my children when it comes to dairy. The oldest is 5yrs now, youngest 4mths. Some doctors tend to think you're talking a load of rubbish when you tell them it is a food product causing the problem... but my oldest was diagnosed with Cows milk protein intolerence in his 1st year but could tolerate Goats milk , no.2 also couldn't have dairy and had on going ear infections for the 5mths he was on Goats milk finally started sceaming and refusing it. I put him on rice milk at 1 and never had another ear infection!! (like cuppatea said they have some of the same proteins so many who cannot tolerate cows milk cannot tolerate Goats either) #3 is worse off again, dairy soy egg (Possibly Gluten like #2) but is now on Neocate - prescribed through the Paeds. Apparently, so I found out this time round, Soy too has some of the similar proteins so the formula I have her on is totally Hypoallergenic (over $100 tin but VERY highly subsidised). I have not had any of my children on Soy as my 1st 2 were boys and #3 cannot tolerate soy either. (Amazing what can pass through your breast milk - We do not make very good filters do we )
I am off all these foods myself too as I am still breast feeding and am expressing as much as possible (back at wrk 40hrs wk) I would suggest if you haven't already eliminated dairy from your own diet, do this and see if bubs shows obvious signs of improvement. There is no real test for cows milk protein intolerence so elimination and re introduction is the best test! I hope you get this sorted soon if you haven't already. It is a great weight off when you know exactly what they can and can't have!!!

Is it silent reflux - they thought that at 1st with my lil girl, had her on losec for a few days but I took her off and went through the elimination process and wah lah found the problem!! But I guess its easier 3rd time round to know what you are looking for

Take care

Edited by Mischeif

My boy was skin prick tested for dairy allergy (it's not an intolerance, they are two very different things that are commonly mixed up) but under 12 months you can get false negative results.
Yep if they are allergic to dairy and you introduce soy before 12 months you can cause them to become allergic to that as well and personally I wouldn't give it to a girl either, they aren't suppose to have all those hormones when they are a baby so I'm sure it still wouldn't be doing much good and there are no long term studies on it so no one knows either way.

I restricted my diet as well but as Kyle has got older he seems to tolerate me eating more, I suppose cos he isn't drinking as much milk as he was before being on solids.

I was told that soy is not appropriate for under 1's. And also a lot of children who have diary intolerances also have a soy intolerance so worth avoiding until later. Our little girl is lactose and soy intolerant and we use Karicare De-lact with the karicare food thickner to help with her reflux.
What formula you choose depends on what your baby is reacting to in the diary whether it is the lactose or the cow's milk protein. If it is the protein then Karicare also do a HA AR which is partially hydrolysed (proteins been changed) and anti-reflux. You can't buy it in the supermarket tho and have to get it direct from biolab who are the distributors of karicare in NZ. FYI - all formula is cheaper direct from biolab. The de-lact we use is like $15 cheaper from biolab than the supermarket.

Re; the screaming pain when you are on diary, we had that with Isobelle and it turned out to be lactose intolerance. YOu can get a simple stool test done by your gp to test for it.

Bberry sounds like she has a delayed onset reaction to dairy. But I totally hear ya on the not wanting to put bubs or yourself through the trying it THAT MANY times, thats just crazy.

Ya know people say so many things about the different formulas/allergies/intolerences (Cuppatea sorry your child may have an allergy but my children apparently have an intolerence (1st child told by Paeds Cows milk protein intolerence, and yes I am definiately fully aware there is a big difference between the two - if it is a quick onset reaction it tends to show up on the skin allergy test, but my kiddies tend to have the delayed onset reaction like Bberry is talking about)

It is soooo difficult for people when the specialists say such different things -

Bberry you just need to do what ever it is your instincts tell you and what works for you. Bubs and you both have to be happy I have had a dilemma with doctors too, so this time I went to a private Paed. But to be honest the Paed at public 1st time was just awesome and really knew alot about my childs condition. It is really who you get and what experience they have had/come accross.

Listen to what people say but take on board what you think sounds right for you.

I definately agree with going with your instinct. I was so sure that Isobelle was lactose intolerant and all the doctors and specialists were telling me she wasn't. It took 8 mths of constant screaming and I had just had enough, I went out and bought the de-lact formula and within 3 days she was a different baby.