Can I Use A Different Baby Formula On Holiday?
October 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Breast Feeding Supplies
We’re going on holiday to California (from UK) with our 9 week old baby. We use SMA formula at home, both the powder and ready-made types. They don’t have SMA where we’re going, so would it be ok to use the local formula to save carrying loads of tins with us? Has anyone successfuly changed formula on holiday and had no upset tummy etc?
I would say no, my sister always had the SMA gold formula, and my mum switched her to SMA white for bedtime and it caused the milk to curdle in her stomach and she threw it up every time. Mixing formulas isnt really a good idea, i wouldnt recommend, but if you want to why not try your 9 week old on a little of the other formula (or different formula) and see how your baby handles it.. If he/she is fine, then try a little bit more, and see how he copes..
But i really wouldnt recommend, it could make your baby poorly!
I am not familiar with SMA or other UK formulas. I know here there are several different types of formulas but all are either hypoallergenic, soy, milk based, or a few other rarer trypes. As long as you stay with the same type she should be fine. There are several different brands of formula here too. Just stay with the same type and she should be fine. I would be careful with the water you make the formula with though because her belly is not used to our water here. I would buy nursery water or if you do use tap water boil it for atleast ten minutes prior to using. I used to get assistance through what we call WIC for my children. WIC gave them Prosobee but they ate more than they gave so at the end of the month I would go to WalMart and buy thier Parent’s Choice Soy Formula. They actually liked it better and it was much cheaper. The store brands are just as good as our name brands here.
At 9 weeks I wouldnt. I would carry the extra, and pay extra to take it if need be. You dont know how your baby will react to a new formula, if they will have an allergy, etc. It could turn into the holiday from hell because of a baby with a sore and upset tummy. Then you would need to make the switch again on getting home.
We just went on holiday and we were told that the formula we use would be available where we went. It wasn’t. We tried another formula, as close as we could find, and it was awful. My LO ended up dehydrated (not extremely so, but certainly enough to worry a bit and follow her round with water all day) and constipated. We didn’t get back to normal until we were home and back to her usual formula.
I would try changing formula now, while you are at home (do you have one of those sample packs from when you left hospital?). Doesn’t matter what to. If your baby doesn’t even seem to notice, he/she will almost certianly be fine changing again. If he/she is upset by it, I’d take the tins of SMA with you.
With my first we used whatever sample came in the mail or whatever was on a great sale. Now that won’t likely be good for all babies but it was fine for us. We started using formula at 4 months old for our first. My personal opinion is that you can but make an educated decision based on responses here and possibly your doctor’s ideas as well as your own.
Unfortunately it’s really bad for their little tummies and bowels to change their formula, once you’ve started giving them one kind you should not change it. So nah you’ll just have to take it along I’m afraid.
not good idea at all
just suck it up and carry them around
depends on how long ur going u wont need to carry that much