My Dr Won't Suggest Carnation Good Start...

A., all I can say is that I hate Nestles. I don't think they have ethics. They gave formula to nursing women in third world countries, telling them that formula was better for babies, so when the mothers' breasts dried up and they couldn't afford to buy the formula, they diluted it to stretch their supply. Of course, the babies suffered or died.

I wouldn't buy their formula.

All my best,
D.

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Me Dr. said the exact same thing!!! He said that if Nestle can't tell the doctors what is exactly in it, then he would not reccommend it to his patients. I never used it since my Dr. did not approve of it.

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Yes, I have heard of it! Infact, there are entire groups of woman (LOTS of them), that boycott Nestle, becuase of their lack of disclosure and marketing to third world countries. (who don't have clean water, to begin with) My Dr. said the same exact thing, to never trust a brand that won't disclose their ingredients. There IS a reason, that they won't disclose...and it's probably a bad one. Have you considered, that your son is having problems becuase of a lactose intolerance, or milk allergy? You might ask your Dr. about switching to formula, that is lactose free. He's probably not having problem with DHA, I've never heard of anything like that. He is probably having a food sensitivity.

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He may not suggest it because
1) there are other products he thinks are better
2) there are other products that have provided samples for him to distribute
3) there are political reasons that cause
some people to avoid using Nestle products

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I've heard that from 2 pediatricians, a friend of mine heard it from hers and a friend of mine was saying that WIC doesn't cover it.

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The one good thing I'll say about Carnation GOod Start is that it contains hydrolyzed milk protein, meaning that the proteins are broken down into smaller fragments. This is important if you have any sort of family history of diabetes. The broken down proteins are not only easierto digest but also less likely to stimulate the production of antibodies which can eventually lead to type one diabetes (if there is a family history). I know this has nothing to do with what you asked but it is an argument for Carnation Good Start.

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My old ped wouldn't recommend any Nestle's product based on ethical reasons. He was against how they marketed it in third world countries and a host of other things.

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When it is something like this I always wonder f it's about money. My first son never could tolerate anything other than Good Start. WIC needed the doc to agree and he did and then they refused to give it to us anyhow. Now that I am older realize that Similac and Enfamil have a deal with WIC. Doctor offices often get deals too. Like free samples, coupons, magazines, and baby goodies from Similac and Enfamil. See the trend here? Ran into the same trouble with my daughter and formula. We even tried real expensive types like Nutramigen. Good Start was easier for her. Now she is in advanced classes at school and is very tall and slim for her age. Go figure. Back when I was researching I found that Nestle was one of the first creators of baby formula. You know what the say though...follow the money...

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Hi A.,

This is not the first time that Nestle has been suspect. Back in the 70s and 80s they were accused of selling inferior/dangerous formula to third world nations at full price. Maybe your doctor is old enough to remember this and has a problem trusting their manufacturing practices. There are a lot of corporations that do what they do simply for money. Making money is not a bad thing. Making money at the expense of someone else is.

Labels are also a little misleading as well. The quality of an ingredient is not required to be part of the information. Manufacturers have quite a bit of freedom.

Pediatricians don't know everything. If you have done the research and think it's fine, go with your gut, especially if he won't give you a definitive answer as to why he won't suggest it. Also seek out other experts....LaLeche will help with ideas for supplementation. Other moms can suggest formulas or alternatives. Midwives can help too.

God bless...

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk

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I do not use Nestle products because I don't like their politics. Both my babies were started on Similac products in the hospital NICU and did fine with them.

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Toni W made a very valid point. My husband used to work for a company that was involved in many areas of the medical system. Companies wine and dine doctors to offer their products as samples and then they create a 'rebate' system where every time they give away the samples a 'rebate' is generated. In one dept where he worked they were the middle man to process the rebates. It was a multi million dollar business a year. The whole thing breaks down to legal money laundering.
I take up a good many causes but I don't think there is much out there now a days that you couldn't take a up a cause on. Abbott who manufactures Similac, says they manufacture in the USA but they have labs in Singapore that do manufacture Similac...do we really know where we get it?
Enfamil in 2008 had the melamine scare with the stuff made in China.

Picking your poison seems to be the name of the game in today's life, in many areas, not just baby formula. Pick what will work for you and your child. One of mine was on Good Start and we didn't have any issues, she's ahead of her peers academically and socially and is very healthy. Millions of babies have had Good Start. Part of the problem was the 'natural cultures' they touted. It ended up being ultimately false. And one of the other examples was Phosphorous...FDA requires 30 mg per 100cal and Good Start had 29.4mg/100cal.
Read up on what you need to and make a decision, if it be not Good Start no issues and if it is Good Start despite what your doc says, don't stress out. You did your research and made a decision you are happy with.

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I had the same issues with my boys and switched anyway with good results. What I did find out was that the doctors get the formula samples from the pharmaceutical companies so that they will promote those formulas but Nestles Good Start does not do that, instead they rely on parents like you and I who have had formula issues and try it then go to the pediatrician and rave about the results. I was very lucky that my pediatrician supported my decision but when my other son was born and we had to stop breast feeding she automatically wanted to start playing with the other formulas and I flatly refused. When the Good Start worked I told her so and also told her he was my son and I would do as I please, after all he was my 5th child, I think I know what I am doing. Remember the baby is yours not your pediatricians, it is up to you to do what YOU think is best for your children, but getting advice and guidance is not a bad thing, just follow your gut instincts.

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my son didn't like any formula by nestle...but that was just him. something my sons dr said that I always stick with is this "this is you child. you will know if something he is eating does not agree with him or if something he is doing is not his normal behavior, I see him every three mnths, I am not going to know him like you are, you are his parent, and if you think he might do better if you went a differnt route then follow your instinct"

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You're not required to use a formula that your doctor "recommends." While I didn't use formulas, I am aware that all formulas meet a cerain basic nutritional standards, there are not "substandard" formulas on the market - they all have basic nutrients in them
There are no recommendations from the AAP or anything like that about using those DHA formulas though - the experts feel that not enough is known about adding these nutrients artificially rather than their natural occurrence in mother's milk

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I had some problems breast feeding my daughter and had to give her formula starting at 3 weeks old. My milk had totally dried up by then. My dr. (dr. Sears) recomended good start. It worked great for her. She was always happy and healthy. When I had my son, I also had breast feeding issues. I even worked with a lactation consultant in my home from the hospital. I wanted to make sure I could feed him. So, I started getting help when he was 3 days old. My milk dried up in 5 weeks. No matter how hard I tried, I just don't make enough milk. He was loosing weight and was still not up to his birth weight after 2 weeks. I nursed him every hour too! So, we had to put him on good start also. The reason WIC doesn't cover it is because it's too expensive and they don't want to pay for it. My son also had terrible reflux and maybe it was something I was eating that was hurting his tummy, but once I had to put him on formula, he was much better. I think your dr. probibly has some kind of deal with the other companies

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I've never heard of that, but in my experience using many different formulas over the years, I don't like Good Start (now by Gerber) because it doesn't dissolve well. No matter how hard I shake the bottle or mix the formula in a large container, there are always lots of lumps of undissolved formula powder left behind, which clog the bottle, cause the baby to choke and cause tummy problems during digestion.

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I have never heard of that. My pediatrician recommended Gerber Good Start when my son and daughter were gassy and constipated from Similac. It worked within 3 days. I love it! It all depends on the pediatrician and I agree with Toni, some pediatricians get sample formulas that they recommend to promote. You use what works on your child.

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I have used nestle good start with my 1st 6 yrs. ago and my 2nd 5 yrs. ago. I have a one month old. and chose to use it again.. changed names to gerber good start. some say it is a little different? doctors really never mention it because the hospitals get all the free samples for similac and enfamil.. it is really a process of elimination if one formula doesnt agree with the child. I swear on nestle with my 1st two. never threw up or gassy. my third has a little spit up but nothing to mention, just never had it with the other two..

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I have never heard of anyone saying that to me. I used Good Start with my two younger children. Didn't have any health or developmental problems because of what might or might not be in it. Strange..think your doc has some deal going on with the makers of Enfamil or Similac???

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I don't see how that could possibly be the case, because the ingredients are listed on the container. Just as they're required to be by law. People get in a snit over Nestle (as if Similac doesn't market to the third world? Yeah right!)...

In my opinion, Good Start was the best formula we ever used. Both of my girls did better on that than with any of the other formulas. The important thing is how well your kids do on the formula. None of the other stuff matters.

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I am basically backing up what Mindy T. said. She is 100% correct.

All formulas are required to have more or less the same ingredients (exceptions are protein hydrolysate and amino acid formulas - both specialty formulas for medical conditions). All that other stuff, frankly, is fluff. Whey, curd, DHA, lactose-free-- NO evidence that they work or don't work. Period.

I like to think of formulas like, say, various pizza brands. One claims to use "real" cheese, others say all natural ingredients or a "better" crust. In the end, because you happen to like DrGiorno and your friend liked Mystic, that does not mean that the "better crust" DiGiorno advertises is a better quality pizza. It is really all just pizza! So, you babe did well on Good Start -- that is great! Many babies don't do well on it -- but the fact that your baby did well on it is NOT necessarily because it is a whey formula.

You have chosen formula, so from that point on, unless your baby's got, say a milk proten allergy or other condition, you may use whatever you like.

It is really sad to find out that usually the things the doctors recommend are the things that he gets some kind of kick back on. My doctor explained this fact and they also get kick backs from the insurance companies for not ordering so many tests. It is great that we have so many medical advancements and then come to find out that the doctor is paid not to use them. I think that Nestle is probably not padding his pockets.

Nestle / Carnation doesn't solicit pediatricians like other brands do. That is why pediatricians don't "recommend" them.

When my daughter was a baby, the only formula she could tolerate was Nestle Good Start. I used it with her and didn't hesitate to use it with my son.