Babies can be fussy – switch formula brands or make up the formula slightly differently and you may find your little one is spitting up all over your new shirt or just plain refusing to take their bottle. But before you get frustrated, look more closely. Perhaps there’s a reason why your baby isn’t feeding properly.
Intolerance and Allergies
Many babies suffer from an intolerance or allergy to the proteins found in milk, or to lactose itself. With an allergy, your baby’s immune system tries to fight off the milk protein – symptoms can include a fussy mood and upset tummy. You might find that if your baby is allergic to cow’s milk, they are also allergic to sheep’s milk and goat’s milk too. Lactose intolerance is different to a milk allergy; whilst 2-3 percent of babies are allergic to milk protein, lactose intolerance is more commonly experienced by older children.
Seeking Advice
If your child is showing signs of a feeding issue or upset stomach after feeds, consult your family physician, who will be able to identify any allergies and suggest a change of regime, if necessary. Organic soy formula might be recommended if your baby has an allergy or intolerance to any of the ingredients in traditional cow’s milk formula. Soy formula is made from soy beans, a large part of people’s diets in Eastern parts of the world, such as Asia. Whilst organic soy formula can be a great alternative for babies who are sensitive to cow’s milk, many children with an intolerance to milk protein also have difficulties digesting soy formula.
Messy Eaters
If your baby is spitting up frequently and unable to keep feeds down, it might be time to consider switching to a different type of formula. You should never change your baby’s feeding regime without consulting your doctor, who will be able to identify any issues and offer advice. Added rice formula is a thicker consistency baby formula with added rice starch which is specially designed to help babies keep their feed down. Containing all of the same nutritional benefits for your baby as regular formula, most added rice formulas also contain DHA and ARA for eye and brain development. It’s been proven that babies can digest rice well, even if they struggle to keep other formula down, and added rice formula will not only help your baby’s digestion, it will also assist them to feel fuller for longer.
Whether your baby has an intolerance, allergy or difficulty keeping formula down, switching to an organic soy formula or added rice formula could be the answer – seek the advice of your health care professional and end fussy feeds, hopefully forever!
Walmart’s exclusive brand Parent’s Choice Formula was introduced in 1998, and is one of the leading baby formula brands in the USA today. The brand also offers a range of infant food including toddler formula, organic soy formula, pediatric nutritional beverages and snacks including cereal bars and yogurt bites. Nutritionally comparable to leading brands, Parent’s Choice Formula meets FDA standards and could save parents $600 a year compared to purchasing name-brand formula.
