Hi just wanted to get an idea on which formula is the best from all you experienced mums.

Thanks

formula can be a bit a tricky and hit and miss - it depends on whether you have any issues (like reflux/intolerances) to go through as well.

we started in hospital with NAN and S26 - S26 bound us up and NAN just wasn't 'thick' enough, we moved to Heinz Nurture Gold and didn't look back - stayed on the gold til 5mths, went to the 'normal' and are currently on the 'normal' follow on - thankfully i didn't have to worry about reflux formulas cause they can be quite exxy but hey you have to do what you have to do.

karicare/s26 and heinz all make single sachets that might be an idea to do a 'test run' before getting a whole tin (i still have a tin of NAN here).

a while back michelle (CKGAL) did a spreadsheet of all the ingredients in most commonly used formulas - maybe shot her a PM and see if you can get a copy if you want a chemical comparison.

also - if you change formulas there may be some issues with bowel movement/throwing up as their bodies re-adjust to a new formula.

HTH

We use S26 Gold

the formulas Ive used with Harry/Hannah are:

Karicare 1 ( light blue lid)
Karicare 2 follow on ( Dark blue lid)
Karicare Thickened formula ( both the orange and white lids)

In my experience with the other three being older kids I did try NAN as it was in pre mixed bottles back then and it blocked poor Andy up. He was eventually put on to Goats milk and iron drops and he never looked back! s26 backed Kelsi up too and she was the biggest chucker!! So I went to goats milk withher too after breastfeeding. Goats milk is now powdered... my kids were on liquid milk from our farm!

There are heaps of formulas not on the market anymore which is a shame because some of them were good and I do believe that half the formula fed babies today wouldnt have as many probs with rejecting it or their reflux etc....JMO after 18 years!

I am an Aussie mum who like to buy Aussie made and products and if I cant get this well then I tend to lean towards New Zealand made products which is where Karicare comes from. I have always boycotted HEINZ products and always will!!!

If you are confused ask your GP or nurse if they satchets if not email the companies online and get them to send you samples and NOT JUST one damn packet you need atleast 5!

Cheers
Kat
xxxxx

ps: bit of trivia... we have poddy calves and have to feed them formula.. i was curious the other day as to what the difference was between Harrys Karicare and the Farm mix....ONE AMNIO ACID!!!
So now the cow gets Harrys formula coz its cheaper!!

we were BFing until 7 months and tried a few formula's the only one she took to was Karicare gold. We have since tried her on others, Heinz she has twice as many bottles per day, S26 played havoc with her tummy and the others she either didnt take or I hated the smell of them...

so Karicare gold follow on for us in terms of using gold or not, apparently the main extra ingredient is fish oil - which apparently helps with excma, which is why we use gold

with the companies - they are not allowed to provide samples in the mail as it is a food product - i was told this after trying to get samples for our MBA.

also - karicare run a multiple birth assistance programme whereby if you have a multiple birth they will home deliver formula to you - to access you must provide certified copies of your childrens birth cert's and a stat dec from your dr that they are bottle fed due to the WHO guidelines.

isn't it interesting to see what reactions different kids have to different formulas.

I got samples in the post Sam in March of 2005!

Dont chemists have them but only in limited ranges though???

Kat
xxxxx

We used S26 for Isla when she was born, then she was changed (without me knowing...long story) to Karicare - and it was crap for her. We ended up back on S26 AR (reflux) one and never looked back!

yup they don't do it anymore apparently kat - i guess with all the security changes they're worried about tamperering which i can understand.

chemists usually stock: S26, karicare and more recently heinz - S26 also comes in a mini-tin.

i would probably talk to your GP/Paed about any specific health needs - i was discussing it with the girls paed and if they are exclusively bottle the gold is apparently good for the first 3mths with the extra omega 3 for their brain development - i just kept using it until they were established fully on solids.

Oh geez formula, where do I start???

Ok these are the ones we have tried successful or otherwise...

Nan (normal not gold) good but Hayden was a happy chucker so thought I would try something else.
Karicare (normal not gold) good but Hayden still chucking.
Karicare Sensicare AR-HA thickened - awful it gave him terrible tummy ache and he hated it
Karicare normal with thickener added - ok no tummy ache or throwing up but a pain in the bum to prepare.
Karicare AR Thickened - what we are on now and have been for months. He doesn't throw up nearly as much (yah!!!) and seems to like it, just have to be careful not to let it thicken too much otherwise it is like jelly.

If Hayden didn't have his chucking problem I would have probably stuck with the normal Karicare one. I was told by a number of Drs including a pead and nurses that the Gold ones just have added Iron (which means they block them up more) and it is all really advertising and sucks mum into paying more for essentially the same thing unless they are prem babies or as sam said exclusively bottle fed from the start then the extra Iron is needed.

Now you may think that changing to formula is easy (I did!) but unless you are lucky you will spend a bit of time and money experimenting with different ones.

Oh and I have seen some of the sachets in my local Woolies for Karicare and S26 I think.

good luck
steph

We're on S26 Gold Alpha Pro. Have had no issues whatsoever.

When Alexandra had formula it was Nan HA1 Gold. Never had a problem with it.



Chemists can order you in any sachets you need (for brands which have sachets)and can get them usually next day. ALL chemists CAN do this so don't take no for an answer!

I have used allk of them... And she dosnt seem to notice... So I usually buy whatever is cheapest... My ECHC nurse told me that all of them are basically the same (unless you get / need a specialist type) the WHO standardised them all - So all the babies around the worls get off the best start.

We started on S26 and switched to NanHA Gold. I decided to switched to Nan as the milk was partially hydrolysed which makes it easier to digest and gold for the added omega-fats which is supposedly good for brain development.

We started on S26 and have kept on using it. He does chuck a little, but mainly when we change teat sizes, then it comes under control again.

Hi,

I have used Karicare Gold for both of my babies and haven't had any problems. I've been told that this and S26 Gold are the best formulas to use.

Just a note on changing formulas. I've been told by doctors, childhood nurses etc that you shouldn't chop and change between formulas. So I would be very hesitant just to try different samples initially. I'd chose one and if there are no problems then I'd stick to it and not just try different ones for the sake of it.

Cheers!

We used S26 gold for Olivia and had no problems. I did get the stick packs to start with to make sure that she had no reaction before I went out & started buying tins. I'll try the same again for this bubs if we need to use formula.

We use S26-Gold with no problems.

I have often thought about trying something different but then think "If it ain't broke, dont fix it". Even if I got the stick packs to try wouldn't it take a while to notice the changes if there were gona be any?

Hi

Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. I used Lactogen for both of my children and we had no problems... It was basically the cheapest on the market - that was our reason for purchase. It worked for the first bub so we didn't change for the second bub.

Cxx