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Post adverse reactions to infant formula here
Recent news items regarding the furore over Heinz rebranding their Farley’s formula as Heinz Nurture and altering the ingredients have spurred me into setting up a feedback page for parents to post any reactions to formula they notice in their babies.
Such a facility already exists for prescription drugs, but there is no such mechanism currently in place for adverse reactions to formula.
Heinz’s new formula, Heinz Nurture, is almost twice the price of Farley’s (which has been discontinued). Callers to the helpline regarding this change have been assured that the new formula helps babies with constipation. But what about babies without constipation? Does it give them diarrhoea? Who knows. Betapol, one of the new ingredients in the formula, is the key to this new claim (which is being heavily advertised to health professionals, so expect one near you to recommend this formula soon). It would seem the new ingredient has been added to corner market share and bump up the price of the formula, rather than out of regard for babies’ health.
So, what’s my plan? Well, I thought if people cut and pasted these questions and filled in their answers, then posted them, it would be a start at collating some sort of information regarding formula. I realise this will be subjective, but I think it’s an interesting exercise and may prove valuable when awareness-raising about the lack of concrete, unbiased information that exists about formula and its effects.
1. Which formula did you use?
2. What reaction did you notice?
3. What course of action did you take?
4. Did things improve?
1. Which formula did you use?
Cow and Gate, SMA Gold
2. What reaction did you notice?
Small spots (milk spots) around chin area.
3. What course of action did you take?
None
4. Did things improve?
Yes, the spots are temporary and over time as baby gets used to the formula (having previously been on breast milk) the spots disappear. Typically disappear within first 2 weeks of starting on formula.
1) Aptamil 3 Follow On Milk
2) Bright red rash with raised white lumps (similar to nettle sting rash) on skin which had come into contact with the formula milk.
3) Washed it off and the rash went down after about an hour. I got a GP referral to a consultant who diagnosed diary intolerance.
4) Have been given Nutramigen Formula to try but have decided to continue breastfeeding my 9 month old daughter instead.
1. Aptimil
2. General grumpiness
3. Switched back to the milk he’d bee on before (SMA White) after trying it for just 24hrs
4. Greatly – back to his normal self almost instantly.
1) SMA hungry baby formula
2) baby , aged 6 months, screamed, pulled knees up and had obvious signs of stomach ache and distress for several hours. never had it before
3) put her back on to the regular formula, SMA gold
4) yes, no such trouble again
I then changed to hipp organic formula anyway as SMA changed their logo and I found it to be an attempt to subliminally persuade mums that SMA was closer to breastfeeding.
My daughter was given SMA milk in the hospital,. she was severely ill abdominal pains blue lips rolling eyes and reflux and breathing difficulties, what could possibly have caused this.
I was never given a full explanation from paediatrician but he changed her to neutromogen and it solved the problem. I read in the hospital parents room that SMA could cause severe illness in some babies, even resulting in death in extreme cases.
Is this true and what is the reaction called. We now have another family member expecting a baby
I am not qualified enough to answer this for sure, I’m afraid – it sounds possible your daugher had a dairy allergy – does she now? Was that in official literature re SMA In the hospital parents’ room? I’ve not heard that, so would be interested to know more, if you don’t mind? You poor thing though – how terrifying for you! Glad your daughter was OK on different milk. Is your family member planning to formula feed?
1. Which formula did you use?
SMA Gold pre mixed stuff
2. What reaction did you notice?
immediate projectile vomiting. Thought it was co-incidental till it happened the second time I used the stuff.
3. What course of action did you take?
never used again- continued with breast and occasional cow and gate
4. Did things improve?
Yes apart from his normal reflux no more vomiting.
1. Which formula did you use?
SMA gold
2. What reaction did you notice?
Constapation
3. What course of action did you take?
none as was told it wasn’t milk, spent ages cutting all sorts out, trying new meds ect
4. Did things improve?
Some bowel damage was done, and often had overflow but 4 years on things are better
1. Which formula did you use?
Aptamil with Immunofortis First Milk for a fully breastfed baby when mummy ill, 2 x 4oz feeds.
2. What reaction did you notice?
Within 30 minutes a grumpy, crying baby (4.5m) who couldn’t settle for more than a few minutes at a time for 6 hours and within 4 hours green slimy motions that continued for 2+ months.
3. What course of action did you take?
Stopped formula and then started on NannyCare Goats Milk and then HIPP at 5.5m, no problems with either of them.
4. Did things improve?
The baby got back to normal re behaviour/attitude the next day but irritated gut/bowel took over 2 months to settle down, maybe helped along by using milks mentioned above which don’t contain any ‘fancy’ ingredients.
1. Which formula did you use?
SMA Gold
2. What reaction did you notice?
It gave our 3 week old daughter constipation and we only had small green pellet motions for 4 days. She seemed restless and had bad wind.
3. What course of action did you take?
We changed to Aptimel 1 formula (we initially tried the Aptimel easy digest – but as it was thicker it only worked with a medium flow teat which flooded her little mouth! So we quickly changed back to the Aptimel 1 formula
4. Did things improve?
Within 24 hours she was a lot more restful and we had a lovely normal bowel movement!
1 – Aptamil premixed cartons, stage 1 used for 24 hrs when mum given migraine drug contraindicated to breastfeeding when we were many miles away from home and therefore my stash of frozen breastmilk.
2 – Exclusively breastfed baby straining to poo, leaving many days between poos, needing help when finally did poo (yoga and massage moves), poos hardish, like pate, and also very very runny and green. This is still continuing, though getting better and it’s been a month. Baby still irritable and grumpy and is not back to usual pleasant easy self.
3 – Decided the risk of drug passing into breastmilk wasn’t as dangerous as the risk of continuing him on formula. Went back to breastfeeding which I had missed so much.
4 – Starting to 4 weeks after use.
1. Which formula did you use?
aptimil for hungry babies
2. What reaction did you notice?
red rash on face and limbs, didnt effect babies form but was red and slightly raised, easy to see
3. What course of action did you take? changed to aptimil comfort, which he’d been happy on previously
4. Did things improve?
1. Which formula did you use?
Aptimel Breastmilk Substitute, 1
2. What reaction did you notice?
Ten minutes after i gave it my 4 months old daughter she, became grumpy, sleepy and less sociable. She also wouldn’t stop crying and was very difficult to put to sleep. Apart from the emotianal stress she also suffered physically. The skin around her lips, chin and neck was covered in lots of red spots. Her face was looking puffy and a bit pale too.
3. What course of action did you take?
I had to temperatly change to formula because I have very sore neeples and its very painfull to feed at the moment. As soon as they get better I will switch back to breastfeeding immediately. Can’t stand seeing my daughter suffer.
4. Did things improve?
I don’t have any results to post yet, because we only switched to formula this morning. In fact she only had one feed. However, I strongly suspect that the situation will improve after we switch back to breastmilk only. I hope my nipples heal soon
Hi Julia
You poor thing – sounds like you’re having a rough time.
Have you spoken to a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant? Whereabouts in the country are you and I’ll try to find someone near you that you can contact. Or if you click “like” on the Facebook page and post, I’ll point you in the direction of people on there who may be able to help you.
In the meantime, have you tried ringing one of the helplines? Numbers on the right of this page.
Have you had problems with sore nipples for the whole four months, or is it a recent thing? It’s possibly thrush, which you may need medical help to clear.
Our daughter also gets a red raise with raised white spots on skin that’s been in contact with aptimil for hungry babies. We think that she might be ok on Cow and Gate, I’ll update when it becomes clear if that’s working ok for us.
1. Which formula did you use?
Aptamil first milk ready made carton
2. What reaction did you notice?
I’ve used this twice only, as I’m exclusively breastfeeding HOWEVER this was used in emergency. The first time my baby was only 3weeks old and seemed fine but 2hours later EVERYTHING was brought back up literally flying out of her mouth, out of her nose, so much so that she couldn’t breath. She was forcing up bile too she literally turned purple the poor thing, she was choking and wheezing and could not catch her breath…I thought at the time it was because the weather was so hot that maybe she had overheated! Very scared, but I never thought of the formula. Then two weeks ago, and a 6week old baby, I had to use the same stuff again and yet again the very same reaction but made worse because she had a little more this time. Watching your baby struggle for breath, projectile vomiting from all exits, I was so scared for her, then after all this she didn’t go for a poo for 3 days,the poor thing, and now I will not touch any formula at all. I’d mentioned this reaction to health visitor and doctor but they didn’t say anything.they weren’t bothered. To reject something so severely, tells me something must have been wrong…
3. What course of action did you take?
Stopped using completely
4. Did things improve?
Yes now I am strictly breastfeeding only. Especially as I got no help or reaction from the health professionals and now a 9weeks my little beauty is perfectly.
1. Which formula did you use?
Aptamil first milk – tried this on 3 diff occassions
2. What reaction did you notice?
Projectile vomiting 3 hous after feeding. vomiting up to 4 times and eventually bringing up bile and wretching. Lethargic baby. i sat up the whole night watching him sleep petrified he’d be sick in his sleep and choke.
I exclusively breastfeed and now bubba is 3 months old felt time was right to switch to formula. Used Aptamil as this was used in hopital to feed baby when 1st born and i was too poorly after c-section to breastfeed. After 1st bout of sickness which meant he brought up all breast milk all day we took him hosp and was told he had a viral infection. Tried Aptamil again x2 month later and thus the vomiting happened again, so obv something in the fomula. Want to try cow and gate but too scared to put my baby thu that again.
3. What course of action did you take?
nothing as yet – arguing with myself over trying a diff formula at the mo
4. Did things improve?
back exclusively on breast milk and 100% fine. no vomiting and baby happy and thriving.