Hey mamas, i recently switched my 5 week old daughter to alimentum to see if it would help with her crying, fussiness, and spit up, as well her crazy bowel movements. She is also still breastfed 2 times a day. Well we recently qualified for wic and i told them that was the forumla she was on and they said the dr would need to write a prescription well i called the dr and they where kinda upset with me for switching without consulting them and would not authorize the prescription for the formula. Did i do something wrong? And what am i supposed to do the formula that wic gives hurts belly and makes her cry for about 5 hours straight.
The switch between both formula and breastmilk might be making her tummy gripe. Is there anyway you could express only breastmilk in the bottle. Are you planning to formula feed only?
I would nurse on demand and quit the formula. If she has some stomach issues, cut milk out of your diet. If that doesn't work, Use Dr. Sears's Elimination Diet:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t041200.asp
Nursing every time she cries for a weekend will get your milk production back up to where you can exclusively breastfeed and not worry about the digestive issues the formula is causing.
Find a new Dr. thats what I would do. I'm on WIC and my son is on Nutramegen for the same reason. I too changed his formula before going to the dr. and my dr. signed the paper for me anyway. I told her his symptoms and she agreed. Find a new Dr. you need the sleep and your daughter needs to feel better
I agree. The formula is great if it's needed. There are many reasons babys can be fussy. I know the Dr. will cost money, but it may save you money in the long run and you'll identify what is causing the issue with your daughter. Good luck! We ended up using the Enfamil version (Nutramigen) and it was a life saver... he was intolerant of milk protein. ALSO - the Dr. was able to give us some free samples!!!
go back to pediatrician, and explain that this is the formula that she will drink.
i switched one of my babes to alimentum and our world changed for the better. it cost an arm and leg but boy was it worth it
You didn't do anything wrong. I know this formula really does make a difference. I would try making an appointment with the doctor. If you are still getting nowhere then switch doctors. My son did well on alimentum because of protein sensitivity, which is found in soy and dairy formulas. Also, watch your diet for soy and dairy if you are breastfeeding. The doctor can do a test for the protein sensitivity. It may be all that they need to write the script. Good luck!
I would nurse more and feed less formula all around. As for the stuff you got from WIC that doesn't suit her, you could ask WIC if they want it back (because you're not going to be able to use it), maybe they'd let you get more of other stuff, e.g. cereal or juice for you. I don't know how WIC works exactly. If they don't want it back I would give it to someone who can use it. I suppose you could even give it to someone with older kids (past the formula stage), and they could mix it up and use it like milk for cooking (pancakes, waffles, etc). If you don't know anyone, donate it to a food bank.
You mentioned "crazy bowel movements" but didn't specify what exactly makes them crazy--seems like babies' bowels are pretty crazy sometimes anyway, especially if you don't know what to expect--if those concern you, talk to your dr. A visit seems like a good idea, as other moms have said, to see if there are medical issues beyond the formula choice.
Some babies are just that way, (crying fussy etc.) for awhile, and if you can breastfeed, that's probably the best alternative for them. As one mom said, take dairy out of your diet and see if that helps, just remember it takes several weeks to completely leave your system, so hang in there.
The "colic hold" may make baby more comfortable. Lay her along your forearm with her head in the palm of your hand (one cheek or the other, doesn't matter which). Let her arms and legs dangle off either side of your arm. (If you are holding her on your right arm, her right arm and leg will dangle off the right side of your arm--farther from your body, and her left leg and arm will dangle off the left side of your arm--closer to your body. If holding in left arm, everything is reversed). Much easier to do than explain, believe me!
Hope that helps, and good luck!
K. Z.
take your daughter to the dr. after she is seen and you express your desire to switch the dr will most likely write the prescription for you. but the dr isn't going to write the prescription unless they have actually seen the child and can make the judgment on their own to put their name on a prescription
make an appt with a dr. tell them what is going on with her symptoms and then they will probably give you the prescription or want to do testing to rule out any medical conditions
yes, wic does need dr perscript for Alimentum...its much more costly then the other stuff. i would set an appointment with yer babies dr, and talk to him/her about yer concerns. switching formula is no big deal, and yer dr should not make a fuss for it. all my boys were on alimentum, my 2nd child screamed every time he had a bowel movement, once he started on alimentum, no more screams. :) try talking with the dr first, and see what happens. Ya mite have to deal with it ( i know you don't want yer lil one hurting) for just a lil bit, some dr seem to think we as moms over react, so it takes a few trys for it to sink into the dr that we as moms DO know what we are talking about. :) Good Luck, God bless and congrats on yer lil angel.
If your daughter is not doing well with the formula you should take her to the doctor and let them see what is wrong. If another formula is what she needs then they will switch it for you. But, it could be something else.
