What formula are you using? Is it powder or ready to feed? Do you add rice cereal to it?

I'm just curious cuz right now we're using Alimentum liquid & it's working great. But the price is unreal! I'm considering switching to Good Start liquid.

Thanks for your replies!

My son is still on breastmilk and in the process of weaning to whole milk. I'm sorry, i'm pretty clueless w/the baby formula department. I can add that I have heard mixed opinions on adding rice to the formula. It works for some,a nd it makes it worse for others. If alimentum is working great, I'd be a bit weary to rock the boat, if you know what I mean ;) I'm sure someone here can offer more advice for you on the formula though.
Good luck

Thanks, Zacsmom. I know what you mean. I'm not thrilled with adding rice to the bottle. Which is why we switched from good start powder w/ added rice, to the Alimentum w/o rice. ;)

My daughter has been on thickened Alimentum RTF since she was 4 weeks. We use rice or oatmeal depending on how her stools are doing. I truely believe that the only reason my daughter has gained/maintained weight in the last 7 months is because of the cereal. She certainly doesnt eat the amount of formula she should and never has.

I dont know why you went to Alimentum, is there an allergy or issue with regular formula? My daughter gets horrible gas and tummy pains when she is on regular formula. So if there are no issues with the regular stuff why in the world would you pay for Alimentum??? Anyway, if you can switch to a regular RTF I say go for it!

M y daughter has never been able to take powder - even thickened is too thin!

Now, if you are concerned about your baby gaining too much weight because of the cereal, there are thickeners out there. Simply Thick and I believe there is another. You should be able to ask a pharmacist. If you have a good eater these may be a better option for you.

You could also try Enfamil AR which is a thickened formula already.

Good luck and hope that helps!! :)

My little one is on Enfimil AR 24cal that is already thickened and then we add another scoop of oatmeal for the extra thickness, also to help with stools and add more calories. We have to make even the Y cut nipples bigger to get it through. It does tend to constipate her pretty bad though (its the rice starch that does it)

We decided to try the Alimentum as a last ditch effort before meds. We've done everything else we can. CJ doesn't have any problems with weight gain, so adding extra rice to his bottle seems dumb.

He weighed 7lb 8oz at birth & is now 10lb 11oz at 6 weeks. Plus, adding the rice didn't really help the reflux at all.

I'm lucky that he doesn't have reflux as bad as some other babies. But it's still very difficult to see your child in pain all day :(

Well if thickening the bottle with rice didnt make much difference but he is doing well on RTF use that.

And there is nothing wrong with a little Zantac to make our babies comfortable... they have been using it in the NICU for a LONG LONG time to treat reflux, it's harmless. I know making that decision is a hard one but your life will be so much easier and he will be much more comfortable.

If you're right and his reflux is very mild, then you may only have to use it for a couple months and then he will grow out of it! :)

Good luck and hope that helps!

Janel, did you say he does well with the alimentum adn therefor doesn't need meds? If that's the case that is great! I'd stick w/it if its working...although it may be burning a hole in your pocket!

Michele...someone just posted a link here recently about the statistics of zantac being used in the NICU and the longterm effects from it. Was that becky? I dont remember but I do remember seeing it, it's somewhere around here. Remember? I'm not saying I agree or disagree but your post brought that thread to mind.

We use Alimentum thickened with Beechnut rice cereal, since Noah is unable to tolerate any other formula. We've tried taking the rice out of the bottles several times, and Noah backslides terribly.

I agree with Michele and Sara about using meds. Your little guy could find much comfort with Zantac or another reflux med. I'd defintely follow the peds orders on this one! Good luck!

Emma is on Alimentum RTF. She was on Goodstart from 1 month old to 6 months old. We then found out she was dairy intolerant so we switched to the Alimentum.

Em will not drink powdered Alimentum. RTF runs us 7 bucks per container. She goes through one a day. That's 200 bucks a month.

Em's GI said she will need to be on Alimentum until she is 18 months.

Expensive kid! :wink:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Cady was on Good Start powder for the majority of her first year. She's completely on regular milk now. I'm in agreement with everyone else here, though. If CJ has been doing well with the Alimentum...better than on Good Start...I would stay with the Alimentum. I know it's $$$, but if it keeps the little one comfortable...

Sam was on alimentium and when we tried to switch back to good start he got very congensted and constipated. He did much better on the alimentium so we shelled out the big bucks. We bought a lot off ebay--you can find some good deals.

Janel...Andrew started out on BM. The when I quit because I was made to believe I was the reason he was puking, I tried almost every formula out there. I stopped at Enfamil Lipil with added Rice, and that didn't help him either. He was still my puke champ. So I just dealt with it until he turned one and switched him to whole milk. I never added rice to his bottles, and I used the power form of formula.
I did however add cereal to Zachary's night time bottle when he was a baby.

If you don't mind me asking, how much does that formula cost? I think I was paying around 14 for a can when Andrew was on it. But I do remember his dietician telling me last month if it was an allergy, there were two really expensive formulas I would have to put him on one of them..Thank goodness it wasn't that. I don't know if that is one of the ones you are using, but she did tell me some insurance companies will cover it if it bought through a pharmacy???

Stacy, just to answer you from here, RTF Alimentum here is anywhere from $7-$10 per 32oz bottle. Concentrate cans are about $6-$7 a bottle (which is stupid if you ask me) and the cans of powder are $23-$24 a can.

You are right, SOME insurance companies will pay for it but most of the time there has to be a documented metabolic disorder diagnosis for them to pay for it. Mine wouldn't... however there are some insurances that are more lenient(sp?) and may pay for it. It's WORTH checking into.

I, like Amanda, spend about $200 a month on formula for my daughter... man... I'm dreaming about paying off some bills when she gets off formula! :)

Anyway, hope that helps!

LOL, Michele!!! We're waiting on our tax return now ;)

Sam's mom-Thanks for the suggestion! I love ebay! You can find everything there.

CJ is still doing well on the Alimentum but he spit up alot again last night. Of course, most of it landed on my pillow. I really need to learn not to feed him in my bed.