i recently had a baby shower and i got a can of each formulas nestle good start similac and enfimil. ( i’m formula feeding) is it safe to use a can(enfimil) and when its done move on to(similac) then the other brand (nestle good start) then continue with nestle good start for the rest of all feedings? i don’t want to throw the cans out they must have been expensive. none of the girls can return their purchases.
switching between brands shouldn’t be a problem. you will just have to make sure its the same kind of formula (reg, soy, lactose free). You may want to use the GoodStart one & keep the others on hand in case the baby doesn’t tolerate it well. If you don’t need them, try taking them to the grocery store (not walmart or target) and exchanging them. When I had to change formulas, our local grocery store (Publix) was much easier to deal with than walmart. walmart refused to exchange it. Publix did. If you can’t exchange them at the store, check with a local charity to see if they have any they would trade (or just donate the ones you have) or just check around with friends to see if anyone has any to trade. You could also try a WIC office.
Good Luck with everything!
14 Comments
Its not really good to change around like that. Babies tummies are sensative. You should choose the one you plan to stick with and return the others. However, remember the kind YOU pick may not be what the babies tummy picks. It took several tries to find the best for my guy. Enfamil Gentlease was what he needed.
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My baby is breastfed, but at the hospital they made a point of telling us all formula is regulated by the FDA and contains the same nutrients. They said feel free to change brands. I even know a mom who would mix brands, when a can was getting near empty she would dump the contents in a new can.
Verify this with your baby’s pediatrician and/or hospital. But I do not think there is a problem with using all of them.
Since everyone disagress with me, here is some info:
If you’ve been given free samples or have discount coupons for a brand of formula that’s different from the one you’ve been feeding your baby, it’s tempting to switch. In most cases, it’s fine to change formulas provided you stick with the same type. For instance, the ingredients in all cows’ milk-based, iron-fortified infant formulas (recommend for most babies) are essentially the same. The taste may vary slightly and your baby may balk when you switch, but you won’t harm her by changing brands. Likewise, if your baby is on a pediatrician-recommended soy-based, iron-fortified formula, switching to a different brand of soy-based, iron-fortified formula won’t harm her. But if your baby is on a special type of formula, such as a hydrolysate formula, or you’re considering switching formula types, check with your pediatrician first.
You may be worried that switching formulas will upset your baby’s stomach, but that’s unlikely. All babies have gas — a lot of gas — so gas alone doesn’t mean your baby is unable to tolerate whatever kind of formula you’re giving her. Nor is it a sign of trouble if your baby’s bowel habits change in other ways, such as frequency or color. If her stool suddenly becomes very firm, she may be constipated, in which case you should tell your pediatrician (Don’t assume the constipation is due to iron-fortified formula and switch to a low-iron formula. Studies show that iron doesn’t cause constipation or any other digestive upsets.) If there’s blood in your baby’s stool or she’s vomiting and there’s blood in the vomit, call your baby’s doctor as soon as possible. These are signs of a true formula intolerance.
Finally, I don’t recommend switching from cows’ milk-based formula to a soy-based formula without consulting with your pediatrician first. If you have a conversation with your child’s doctor about the pros and cons of cows’ milk formula versus soy, you’ll then be able to make an informed decision together. Some parents worry that excessive gas or other bowel oddities indicate an allergy to cows’ milk, but true cows’ milk allergies are extremely rare. I’ve cared for more than 1,000 newborns in my practice and treated only two for milk-based protein intolerance. Incidentally, many children who are allergic to cows’ milk-based formulas are also allergic to soy-based formulas, so they’re not a cure-all.
http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-i-switch-formula-brands-and-if-so-how-do-i-ease-the-tran_1334521.bc
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It’s not good to constantly switch the formula. I would research each of them and figure out which one you think is best and stick with it. I personally started on similac with my daughter and it constipated her, so I switched to enfamil lipil and have never had a problem. The best thing to do is to see if anyone you know has a baby on the other formulas and give them away. If you constantly switch the formula it can upset the baby’s digestive system. You should never switch formula unless the pediatrician says to.
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I have heard mixed things about doing that. If you decided just to stick with one brand of formula, you can take the extra can to your church for donation, food pantry, women’s shelter, etc.
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i wouldn’t….. try to exchange the other two brands for the brand you want to feed your baby.. switching like that can be hard on a baby
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Maybe just consider keeping those cans as extras around the house. (for emergencies)You can use them when your baby gets a little older and you have a better idea of what your baby’s belly can tolerate. You could also trade with a friend. I don’t think that it would exactly be bad for your baby, I just don’t think it usually recommended to switch formulas too often though.
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I am not sure but i would not go back and forth of formulas.. I would wait till you have the baby and see what teh doctor decides to give her, usually either similac or enfamil. I would ask for enfamil because there are a lot more coupons for enfamil then similac out there..
I would not go back and forth because it could give the baby stomach aches. Usually if you take the formula back to target or somewhere like that with out a reciept they will exchange for a different formula. its not that big of a deal…
good luck and congrats!
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Use one, not both. Keep the other one because your baby might not agree with the one you choose.
You chose to formula feed…it is your baby…ignore all of the pushy ppl trying to change your mind…they judge without even knowing your cirumstances.
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If you switch like that then the baby can get really gassy or spit up and such. Stick to one kind unless you really have to switch to another. If you want to do Nestle then take the other cans (if they havn’t been opened) back to Walmart and tell them that your friends bought this as a baby gift and got the wrong kind. If the seal hasn’t been broken they will let you exchange for the one you need.
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mom of 2
switching between brands shouldn’t be a problem. you will just have to make sure its the same kind of formula (reg, soy, lactose free). You may want to use the GoodStart one & keep the others on hand in case the baby doesn’t tolerate it well. If you don’t need them, try taking them to the grocery store (not walmart or target) and exchanging them. When I had to change formulas, our local grocery store (Publix) was much easier to deal with than walmart. walmart refused to exchange it. Publix did. If you can’t exchange them at the store, check with a local charity to see if they have any they would trade (or just donate the ones you have) or just check around with friends to see if anyone has any to trade. You could also try a WIC office.
Good Luck with everything!
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Maybe not when the baby is first born, but once he/she is eating solid foods(about 6 months) and still also drinking formula you can probably use the other brands as long as the baby has done okay with regular formula and as long as it isn’t expired by that time. Another tip: I eventually found that the Member’s Mark Formula(Sam’s Club brand) is almost exactly the same as the Enfamil. I compared the amounts of every single thing in them and only 2 amounts differed. Please at least give breastfeeding a try, it is the best for your baby and don’t you want the best for him/her. Even if it’s just the first 2 or 3 days before your milk comes in you should let him have the colostrum. Your colostrum provides not only perfect nutrition tailored to the needs of your newborn, but also large amounts of living cells which will defend your baby against many harmful agents. The concentration of immune factors is much higher in colostrum than in mature milk. Please take a few moments to read more about it at:
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/colostrum.html
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http://www.llli.org/FAQ/colostrum.html
No switching that often can and will upset a babies tummy.They say It takes at least 2 weeks for a baby To adjust completely to a formula so switching that often would not be good for your baby at all.Switching like that can cause diarrhea and a lot of other problems for your baby.compare all the ones you got And Try just one of them first and leave your baby on it for more then 2 weeks if it dose not agree with the baby then you can try a different one.We are On Nestle good start formula that is the natural cultures one and its the only thing our 3 month old has been able to drink and she had to be switched formulas a lot because of our doctor changing her because the others caused her to have upset belly’s diarrhea and then others just made her really constipated and gassy so far the Nestle is all that has worked.With my first daughter though she could drink any brand and none bothered her.Find a brand you like right away and stick to it unless it Bothers your baby.Also you could always return the others to A store or sell them slightly cheaper online to a person who uses the brands you did not pick.
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I tried changing my son from Enfamil to Similac (because that’s all WIC would give us) and he became very sick. He could not keep down any of the Similac, he really couldn’t digest it at all. Although, formula is safe for babies, they are not all 100% the same. Babies have very sensitive stomachs and most pediatricias do not recommend switching formula unless for a medical reason. I understand that you do not want to be wastful, but you have to consider you child’s comfort. Try exchanging it, most places will at least let you do that. Pick one and stick with it.
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Even thought just about everyone here says not to,all the nurses at the hospital told me that it was fine.I am still wary of it so I havent been doing it.Go by your feelings.You could always try it & if baby doesnt do well,then stop.If you really are concerned about it,you could call and talk to a nurse at the hospital.Im sure they can help..:)
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Mommy to 1 week old Baby Evan