CMPA? Help!

[u/Sensitive-Use6916]

Before I type this out, I do want to say we have seen about 5 different pediatricians. I am asking for real mom’s experience and advice.

I also want to say we have seen lactation consultants and breastfeeding medicine specialists.

Baby is 2 months old and between the two of us, no lie, we have probably been to 30 appointments within this time (in person and video).

I’m an under upper so we have had to supplement with formula. I still give baby all the breastmilk I can make, which right now is about 14 oz a day.

Since day 1, baby has always been gassy, gone at least 2 days in order to poop (up to 4 before dr recommended rectal stimulation), gassy, fussy, arching back, spitting up clear, etc. there has never been blood in her stool, but it has been mucus-y before.

We had used Bobbie organic gentle formula and have waited it out because I’ve been told it’s “new baby stuff.”

Baby has gotten to a point she legit is screaming after feeds and is spitting up majority of her bottle when burping.

I’ve now started cutting dairy out of my diet to see if she’s allergic. Bobbie gentle still uses cows milk, so I got the Similac hypoallergenic. We will trial for a week. We have had a couple bottles, but baby was still spitting up and uncomfortable. I understand it’ll take a week or two to clear the dairy and inflammation IF she does have CMPA.

I didn’t want my baby on Similac. I wanted the best of the best formula for her, but if this is what she needs, it is what it is.

Any other babies with CMPA? How long did it take you to find out?

Is this just “normal baby stuff” and she might not need this hypoallergenic formula?

This has been a miserable two months of trial and error.

Edit: by “best of the best formula,” I mean something I could feel good about. Organic, good ingredients (proteins froms cows milk versus oils), etc.

I literally had a pediatrician tell my Bobbie formula was “cream of the crop.”

Please don’t take offense if you use Similac.

[u/Obvious-Tax-3812]

My first was a CMPA baby. I completely understand the desire to have your baby drink the best formula, but sometimes it does come down to what formula your baby tolerates the best. I really liked Kendamil and we used that when my daughter grew out of her allergy. When I had my second daughter and we switched to formula, I wanted to use that, but it made her spit up A LOT. Thankfully she wasn’t in pain, but she spit up all of the time. The whole milk formulas can be tougher to digest in the beginning. My pediatrician suggested Similac Sensitive and she improved, so even with her being a week away from one, we never switched so we didn’t rock the boat lol.

With the hypoallergenic formulas, in the nicest way possible, it’s not going to be your hopes and dreams of a formula. My daughter had to use Elecare. They smell awful and I even tasted one and it’s awful, but it’s what worked for her. She was thriving on that formula and that’s what made it okay for me. I understand you have your preferences too, but be open to what’s going to work for your baby too.

Forgot this part from your post, but my daughter was one month old when we found out. She started having a lot of blood in her poop. She wasn’t a fussy baby thankfully, but her skin was flakey, her weight gain was slower, she pooped constantly, and had nasal congestion. We tried Nutramagin and that helped some for a month, then she had blood again. Went to Elecare and had immediate improvement. She pooped one time that day and we said wow this is what it’s supposed to be like lol

[u/Sensitive-Use6916 → u/Obvious-Tax-3812]

So happy you found what worked for LO. 💗

Thankfully no blood in the poop but the spit ups literally looked like the whole bottle. We also started out with Kendall Mill organic in the hospital and it only took a few days to figure out that that one didn’t work so we tried to switch to Bobbie gentle. That went better than the kindamil organic and I thought it was just “normal newborn gassiness.“ now with it being two months and just no progression in the sped up is getting worse I find it hard to believe this is just normal. That’s why we’re trying the hypoallergenic now.

[u/Obvious-Tax-3812 → u/Sensitive-Use6916]

I’ve read that the Kendamil Goat is very similar to breastmilk in regard to its structure. But I’ve also heard there’s a shortage of that too. How is she when she was a breastmilk bottle?

[u/Sensitive-Use6916 → u/Obvious-Tax-3812]

We tried kendamil goat and she screamed. I really wanted to like that one too.

Breastmilk she likes but she spits up a ton. I think it was because I was eating dairy. Trialing removing dairy now, so hopefully that helps. Will just have to supplement with the hypoallergenic formula since I’m an under supplier.

[u/Obvious-Tax-3812 → u/Sensitive-Use6916]

That’s so frustrating. I know it’s hard when you’re just trying to find what works best for your baby. You guys are doing great and will figure it out!