11 Month Old and Formula

Hi C.,

When I switched my daughter over from breast milk there was a adjustment period that lasted a few days. But it's possible that she can break down a cow milk formula. I would ask the Pediatrician if you should use soy or another special formula. Good luck and I hope she starts to feel better.

My now 2.5 year old was formula fed from the get go. He had constipation issues (apparently non-formula related) almost immediately. My pediatrician suggest plain old Kayro syrup in his bottles. For an 8oz bottle I did about 1oz of Kayro and 7oz formula. He eventually outgrew most of his issues. It seemed to work for my little man. Now if we have any problems, the pediatrician says 1/2 capful of Miralax (can't be mixed with milk) once a day for as long as he needs it. Good Luck.

Sounds like she could be allergic to dairy or have a protein intolerance to dairy. My son had similar reactions.. very gassy, fussy, crying a lot, and bloody stools. I would put her on a non-dairy, non-soy formula and see if it helps. Most babies that can't tolerate dairy also have problems with soy.
Hope she feels better soon.

Congratulations for giving your child the best milk for 11 months! This is wonderful! Now you may need to swith formulas. Try a soy based formula. Many children cannot tolerate the cow's milk. It is the number one food allergy. If the body is not used to the lactose, it can give one gas and terrible stomach pains. AF

At 11mo. I would just switch to whole milk. It is not as good as breastmilk but better than formula.

If you are giving her regular formula, she may be allergic to it and needs to be on soy formula. Both my kids were alergic to cows-milk based formula but they are fne with actual milk. The doc can take a small stool sample and check for blood in the stools which will indicate an allergy. also with her being so close to 1 year, maybe you should start switching her to milk all together. We did it over the course of our kid's 11th month. We started with 6 oz of formula and 2 oz of milk and every week we reduced the formula and increased the milk by 2 ounces. And on their 1 year birthdays they got their first cup of whole milk! But check on the soy formula, it is also easier to digest.

First thing you can do is try to switch formula. Another thing that worked wonders for my son is baby prunes. I assume she's on solid foods now so you can give her 1 box of prunes a day, divided between lunch and dinner and that should help. Also, you can give her Mylicon drops (I am sure the pediatrician will say it's fine). You give those every 2.5 hours and the dosage is on the box according to weight. The prunes and Mylicon really helped my son. I never did formula but from friends I know that it helps to switch kinds from time to time. There are also Lactose free formulas out there I think so maybe those would help. The nurse practitioner at the pediatrician's office could give you formula advice.

Try treating the constipation with some pureed prunes or pears. That is what my daughter's pediatrician once recommended for her slow bowels. It worked like a charm. Then, once her bowels are going again, perhaps you can lay off the prunes and pears and see if she backs up again. If so, perhaps a change in formula is needed.

Best wishes.

It could be as simple as the iron in the formula stopping her up. I would recommend trying fruit juice (apple juice has gotten 2 of my children moving easily - I presume it will work on a third of my children, but she's too little to try it on). Give the juice in full strength. This works so well on my kids that until they are older I must limit how much juice they get each day.

Also, at 11 months you can consider being sure she starts getting water between meals. That will help keep things loose enough - especially if it is the iron in the formula. These formulas have *way* too much iron in them!

Maybe you should change her formula. She's used to breastmilk with a little formula, but she's not used to the amount that she's getting now. If you aren't sure which kind, and she's closer to 12 months, I would go ahead and switch her to whole milk now. When she turns 12 mos, her pediatrician should tell you to switch her anyway, so I would get a head start, so if she's having problems with it, you will be able to tell your dr when you go.

Formula is harder to digest than breast milk so even though you did switch her gradually her little body may still be getting used to it. If it doesn't get any better I'd take her to the pediatrician just to make sure.

I would talk to her pediatrician and see if maybe she has a milk allergy and I've that sometimes babies can be allergic to soy-based formulas as well. Your doctor may suggest a protein formula instead. The constipation may be a response to the iron that they fortify the formula with too. I'm still breastfeeding my 10 month-old but I have girlfriends who just switched to another type of formula and they saw a quick difference. Hope that helps.

If the formula is milk-based, that could be a reason. Even when parents switch children from formula to milk, children have bouts of constipation. I'd probably discuss this with your pediatrician. I've noticed, though that whenever you change a baby's diet, (i.e., milk to solid, breast to formula, formula to milk), there's bound to be some constipation and gassiness. It's new to the body. Now, if you or your husband are lactose-intolerant, the baby might be having trouble with a milk-based formula. You could try something like Prosobee LIPIL, which is what the hospital gave my daughter when she was born. More expensive but she didn't have any stomach problems. We tried something cheaper when we came home from hospital, and she started having gassiness and harder stools. Switched back, she was fine. (She's now 4 yo.) Meanwhile, if your daughter's not having diarrhea and is taking the formula ok, but is just gassy, try pumping her legs and gently rubbing her belly for her. Hold her upright and rub her back. She might not have the stomach muscles yet to relieve herself. I'd still follow-up with her pediatrician to make sure there's nothing else going on.

Formula IS still needed at 11 months and is not the same a breast milk. I have had great luck with prunes in all varieties, we still feed the baby food version when constipated, but also dried prunes cut up as finger food or prune juice. Also maybe the formula is a little dense for her and a little extra water would help.

C.,
You can give her gerbers pear juice for the constipation, it works like prune juice but it tastes better!

Both my girls were constipated when they were on formula. My pediatrician said not to put them on formula with extra iron. Also, She told me to put rice cereal in the bottle (not too thick). Oatmeal constipates them more but rice cereal helps. You will have to cut the opening of the nipple a little. I just used a fondue fork and cut out from the center in a couple of directions.

Good luck...you aren't to far from regular milk.

L.

make sure the formula doesnt have extra iron that can cause gas and constipation. just regular iron is fine.
you can also just try the gentle ease formula or any other formula thats more sensitive on the system. just read the labels.
you can also just try mylicon drops they help releive the gas bubbles.

C.,
Depends on the formula you give her. She might be allergic or sensitive to that. If you have her on a dairy formula, switch to soy, and vice versa.
L.

Congratulations!! but it sounds to me like a milkm allergy, my daughter had the same symtoms when i found out she was allergic to milk, maybe try soy formula for a while and see if it makes a difference.
Good luck!!

You baby doesn't need formula. Feed her table food (balance meal) and give her vitamins. Don't give her soy either (too much estrogen and will develop her quickly. She can drink whole milk, preferrably organic. Also, don't tell her doctor she is not getting formula -- they get paid for putting babies on it. Formula is really not fit for human consumption. Her stomach is rejecting it because of that reason. She has been breastfed long enough. She is well on her healthy way. Don't undo her health.

Hello - I have a now 2 year old daughter who occassionally still has that problem. my doctor told me to try a lower iron formula or put a little (1 teaspoon)of mineral oil in her formula. It is a very very mild laxative that just makes it more comfortable for them to go, it doesn't cause diarhea or anything. Plus, prunes. Good luck.

M. N

Try a soy-based formula. Similac has a few specialized formulas on the market and we have used Similac Isomil since our youngest was a spitter.

Good luck,
S.

Hi C.

I decided to stop breast feeding my daughter when she was around nine months. She absolutely hated formula so I was not sure what to do. A friend of my suggested to gradually introduce her to whole milk. I know that the doctors say to wait until they are one but my daughter took to it just fine. With your daughter being 11 months old I'm sure it would be fine for her and a lot more gentle on her stomach than formula.

Hi C.,

Go and get Mylicon it is the greatest and will help with bloating and gas...They sell it at Walmart.
KRW

Hi C.,
Try giving her some gas relief drops (mylicon). Also, since she is close to her 1st birthday, you could talk to the ped. about just changing her to cows milk/soy and skipping the formula.
M.