Well, my daughter will be a year no Sunday, boy how time flys. Anyway, about a week or so ago, my husband had gotten the enfamil next step formula by mistake. I figured I would give it to her since she was almost a year anyway. After she finished that, in like 3-4 days, I put her on 2% milk. What a mistake! She was so consitpated it was just seeping out all day, and she developed a nasty, open sore diaper rash! My son had gone through the same thing. I was thinking of soy, but didn't want to have too many changes to her poor little system yet. She is on the enfamil lipil and does fine with that which is milk based? I am not sure if she is having a reaction to it or not? Has anyone had this happen and any advise would be appreciated.
Well, it turns out it wasn't the milk. I think she just has a touchy digestive problem and now that she is on real food, she gets constipated. That or she just doesn't like to go! We had her on lactaid for awhile and still the same problem, so I put her back on regular whole milk and still the same. So the solution? She takes a half of capful of Miralax everyday per doctors orders.
Hi D. T,
I have no ideas, but wanted to respond because my Alyssa is 5 and my Zachary is 2.
Good luck with the milk issues.
K. T
My oldest son was on soy formula (after many trials and tribulations of figuring out what was going on - breastfeeding, similac, enfamil, etc!). I was worried he would have to drink soy milk as well, but that wasn't the case - our pedi said to get him onto regular milk after age 1 to do this:
Start off with 3/4 formula (whatever you use on a regular basis) and 1/4 milk.
Then after a week or two go to 1/2 formula and 1/2 milk.
4 days to 1 1/2 weeks later to do 3/4 milk and 1/4 formula.
By the end of the next week do all regular milk.
He also said to give whole milk until age 2 at which time you switch to 2%.
We never had a problem.
My 2nd son was only 14 months younger than my first so he was "stealing" his big brothers sippy cups of whole milk around 10 months and started himself on whole milk cold turkey! Never had a problem - but he also didn't have the issues with the soy formula and to this day (they are now turning 5 & 6) my youngest has a stronger stomach than my oldest.
If you have any questions (in case I was only as clear as mud) or anything else, feel free to email me.
Oh, and also, have you spoken with your pediatrician? A lot of times for something like that they can just talk to you over the phone about it without needing to go in and make an appointment.
Good luck!!
Ok. Take it slowly. This is something new for your girl and her body. Soy milk should be the last resort because it is more difficult to digest than cow's milk. If your baby is proven to be lactose intolerent (which you would know through her formula, I think) then change. Also, soy does not have the full fat and certain enzymes that little ones need and you can find in whole milk. I would combine milk and formula perhaps in the same bottle or separately throughout the day. If she continues to have diarrhea over a week span, consult the doctor. Another alternative to cow's milk is goat milk. Don't forget to feed her nutritious foods often while her gastric system copes.
Good luck and congrats!
Hi D.,
I have a 17 month old girl, and we've had to switch her formula a few times, so I feel your pain! :) I know our ped said not to bother with the next step formulas, so at 12 1/2 months we switched our daughter to whole milk. You shouldn't use 2% milk yet, since Alyssa still needs all the components and fat found in whole milk. I think they're supposed to stay on whole milk til they're 2, but check with your ped. In any case, I don't think that 2% milk would have caused the constipation tho.
Soy formulas do actually cause consitpation (speaking from experience here), so I'd just keep her on the Enfamil lipil for a couple more weeks, especially since she does well with it. Then try introducing whole milk slowly.
Good luck. :)
To quick of a change. My daughter is 3 and my son is 10 months we are now beginning to introduce milk to him slowly by combining it with his formula in very small quantities. When I weaned him from the breast I used 25% formula to 75 % breast milk, then 50:50, then 25:75, then 100% forumula over the course of a month... the same when we went from Enfamil to Next Step and now again going from Next Step to WHOLE Milk, until age 2 children need the fat in whole milk and should not be introduced to low fat milk. We are using two full months to transition from the next step to whole milk, starting last week with 25% of only one bottle a day, now 25% of two of his feedings. Children, like pets, should not convernt so quickly. Their GI systems are very sensitive to change, hence the diarrhea. Give it some time for his body to adjust.
THere may be much more lactose in milk than in formula. Often, lactose intolerant people can tolerate a little bit of milk. Try some lactose-free milk to start. My daughter is almost 4 and is lactose intolerant, but much less so now than when she was 1. I couldn't give her any milk, although she could tolerate cottage cheese. I've been buying the lactose-free milk. Walmart has the cheapest that I could find, it's called Dairy Ease. Now, she can drink regular milk, but I have to be careful about what other dairy products she eats. Giving her some ice cream will send her to the potty.
Soy can be a good alternative, just make sure it has Vitamin D and enough calcium. I know plenty of moms who give their kids soy milk. I tried, but my daughter also had a reaction to it, although not as bad.
Hi D., I went through a similar situation. My son is now 21months, he too was on Enfamil AR lipil then transitioned to enfamil next step. But I didn't switch him right away, I kept him on the next step about 6-8weeks, then I mix the formula with milk 1/2 & 1/2 per MD orders. When I noticed he was without any symptoms for two days, then I mixed 3/4 milk and 1/4 formula, for two days and within the week he was on whole milk without any side effects, and tolerating milk without difficulty. Also, my Pediatrician recommended whole milk, he said all children under two need the proteins in the whole milk for development. Hope this is of help to you, wish you the best.Diana & J.
My children don't have this problem , but I wanted to clarify one point.
Constipation is when your BM is too solid and hard, making it difficult to go.
What you describe is the opposite problem, diarrhea . When it is too soft and well you get the idea.
Don't you just love Mamasource.....not too many other
places where we can talk about poo with out embarassment :)
I would avoid Soy. It is bad for the thyroid.
I agree with the other posts...transitioning is the best advice, especially if your daughter is sensitive to change. Also, children under the age of 2 should be on whole milk not 2%. Definitely try to introduce whole milk with 1/4 milk to 3/4 formula for several days, watching for difficulties. then go to 1/2 both for several days, watching for difficulties. etc.....if you see constipation or diarrhea, call your Pediatrician for advice.
GOod luck
My daughter just turned 1 on the 6th. She was on Soy formula. Her ped. recommends whole milk the 1st year after formula. He also said to mix it in the formula for her system to adjust. 1/4 milk 3/4 formula and work from there. we are are 50/50 now and she is doing fine! Hope you find something that works for you and Alyssa!
If she has been on a formula that was milk based the entire time, then she isn't having a reaction to the milk or the milk proteins. Both of my boys (now 2 1/2 & 5) were born allergic to milk protiens (what a nightmare that was!). Anyway - just start mixing in the milk gradually. If she drinks 6 oz of formula at a time, then give her 1 oz of milk to 5 oz of formula. Stick to the transition for at least a week each and monitor how it affects her BMs. I think that every child goes through the constipation when you start to introduce milk, you just have to adjust their diet at the same time their stomachs are ajusting to digesting the milk.
Good luck!
