Finding Formula – Part Two
As first time parents we were unsure what to think or do. Of course we had received tons of advice, some unsolicited, from family and friends. Many thought that we were exaggerating Dawson’s tummy issues or that the doctor was wrong and it was really “something that all babies go through” but we knew that was not the case. It seemed the only thing we could do was continue to follow the pediatrician’s advice as well as research and learn as much as we could on our own. So that’s what we did.
Formula 3: And then there was Enfamil Neuro Pro. We had a few friends that were using this formula at the time and it seemed to be working well for them but we had no such luck. It was the same routine, we went through the samples and purchased some on our own before we realized it simply wasn’t working for us. It lasted maybe a week and a half but seemed to irritate his tummy and cause him to spit up, which was a new symptom.
Formula 4: Well this one is pretty cut and dry. When Enfamil Neuro Pro didn’t work out for us we tried Enfamil Neuro Pro Gentlease. It was supposed to be easier for baby to digest but did not work for our sweet boy. This one lasted for maybe a week and previous symptoms worsened.
Formula 5: At this point Dawson’s pediatrician was starting to think that there could possibly be a milk intolerance and wanted us to try soy. We tried Enfamil Prosobee and it didn’t take long at all for us to realize that something wasn’t quite right. While Dawson was spitting up less, he was screaming more. This time it was a combination of the Dyschezia and constipation. The formula made him so constipated that he went 4-5 days without pooping and then when he finally did go there was only a few hard pebble-like stools. Dawson was miserable and so were his parents but his pediatrician wanted us to continue for another week before making any decisions. However, after calling the pediatrician’s after-hours line during a time of duress, we were advised that constipation was common with soy milk and that we should discontinue use.
Formula 6: We went to Enfamil Reguline and at first we thought it was really working for us. It has added probiotics and is designed to help promote soft and comfortable stools. Dawson seemed to be pooping without the screaming but also had an increase in spitting up. Unfortunately, like all the others before, this formula only lasted for maybe a week and a half before Dawson went back to screaming for hours before finally having a bowel movement or screaming for hours to no avail.
It was around this time that we decided maybe the pediatrician was not considering all of our options so we began searching for a new doctor. We went to a few more and finally on our third try felt that we had found a better fit for our family. She was more willing to patiently listen to our concerns without jumping to any conclusions and suggested that we try Similac Alimentum.
In retrospect, I realize how fortunate we truly were and continue to be. Although Dawson had struggled on every formula so far, he still continued to eat. This could have easily turned into a situation where Dawson refused to eat and as a result lost weight, but by the grace of God our sweet baby boy continues to gain and prosper throughout even the toughest of times.
