Which Formula Is gluten-free?

[mandigirl1]

Thank you to everyone who has answered my questions in the past 9 months, regarding pregnancy and celiac disease.

My latest concern is what to fee the baby once he's here.....

which formula is gluten-free? How will I know if my baby has celiac disease and reacting to formula or doesnt have celiac disease and just doesnt take to the formula for other reasons?

Im not going to breastfeed, although Ive heard its the best thing for the baby.

If the baby ws used to feeding off my gluten-free diet for 9 months, why should I introduce non gluten-free foods at all? Wont that get him sick because he never had it when he was in the womb? Does anyone have any ideas? Much appreciated.....Thanks

[dilettantesteph]

Can I please suggest you look into breastfeeding l little more? It isn't only better for baby, it is better for you. It is way cheaper, formula is expensive. It decreases the chances of you getting certain cancers, it is easier in case of a power outage or traveling, no formula to mix, keep refrigerated, or heat. It makes you increase production of a hormone that is calming. It helps with bonding. It is a wonderful soothing device for a fussy baby, puts them right to sleep. It helps you loose that baby fat. No dieting necessary. Look at LLLI.org for more info. They were very helpful to me when I had my babies. I know not everyone can do it, so if you have any of those reasons, I'm sorry for bugging you.

[Mother of Jibril]

There are some reasons why people can't breastfeed... cancer treatment, previous surgery, radioactive iodine therapy for Graves' disease... but like the last person said there are SO many benefits for both you and your baby. One of the most important is that formula-fed infants are at greater risk for develping celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. My son has a severe intolerance to casein... I can't imagine how sick he would have been if we were giving him formula.

La Leche League is really a GREAT resource. They'll give you free, individual counseling. I know it's not easy at first, but once you get the hang of it breastfeeding is very convenient.

[MaryJones2]

I suggest you pick a few that interest you and call the companies. I know there are several that are gluten-free but don't know brands.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I just wanted to second (or third!) the suggestion to breast-feed.

Before my first baby was born, I figured I 'd breast-feed until I went back to work, and then give formula.

But my first baby had all kinds of terrible complications: failure to thrive in the womb due to my pre-eclampsia and hyperemesis, jaundice and an enlarged liver at 7 weeks caused by not one but TWO holes in his heart--I could go on, but that's enough!

With all those difficulties facing him (and indeed, his life was on the line), I did EVERYTHING I could to give him the best possible nutrition, and that meant doing a lot of research--which meant, of course that I didn't give him formula once my colostrum came in (which took 5 days and nights of pumping, as I'd been on magnesium sulfate for the pre-ecclampsia, which hinders milk production). I pumped when I was at work, which was difficult,l but looking back, I'm awfully glad I did.

There is absolutely no comparison between formula and breastmilk.

Don't get me wrong--we are very lucky to have the option of formula, because certainly there are cases where it's just not possible to breastfeed.

But if you are on this forum, you likely have celiac, right? And that means that your baby is at risk for the kinds of problems that formula-fed babies are also at higher risk for, like diabetes and food allergies.

The proteins in formula, either dairy or soy, are some of the top known food allergens. Formulas are sweetened with corn syrup--sometimes high fructose corn syrup--which is associated with diabetes. Plus there are no antibodies in formula--but in breastmilk, there are antibodies to whatever virus or bacteria the mom comes in contact with.

You should also know that most of the posts on this forum that have to do with infants under 6 months who have intestinal symptoms--nearly all of those babies were formula-fed.

It's hard to have such a personal decision (after all, it has to do with YOUR body and YOUR baby) discussed by total strangers, isn't it? But I know I've been down the same road, and I would hope that my experiences and what I've learned could be of some benefit to you.

Best of luck, whatever you decide.

[lovegrov]

While I wouldn't necessarily discourage you from finding gluten-free formula, most if not all celiac experts think wheat should be introduced to the diet at the normal time. There's even been research that suggests that doing this lowers the chance of developing celiac.

The odds are still high that your child will never develop celiac. I see no reason to force him or her to be gluten-free if not necessary.

richard

[mandigirl1]

Thank you for your helpful suggestions.....

I should mention that I had breast augmentation and may not be able to breastfeed because of this. I guess I'll know more once I give birth and try to breastfeed.

Someone mentioned not to introduce gluten to my child until "the normal time"...Im not sure I know what normal time means????

So from what Im reading here/trying to understand is that it is especially important to breastfeed since the mother has Celiac? I may pass the celiac disease along to my baby, so therefore, its better to not give formula? I hope Im understanding this correctly.

Most formulas have the common allergens like soy and dairy?

[lizard00]

I breast fed too, so I can't help you on the formula and allergen situation... BUT...

If you do end up doing formula, don't let people tell you to put cereal into the formula to make them sleep, fill them up, etc. That is introducing cereals too soon, and it's too thick and babies can choke on it. My ped told us around 5 or 6 months to start introducing cereals, not so much for nutrition, but to get a spoon in his mouth. We held off with the barley/wheat cereals for a few months as they are thicker and his digestive system seemed a little immature to us. We didn't want to bombard it with something that may have been too hard to digest (And this was WAAAAAY before I knew that I had celiac).

Breastfeeding is easier on the babies gut, gives all of your antibodies and really gets their immune system off to solid start. (among other things) So whenever possible, I would recommend it. But, if you can't; you can't.

[Mother of Jibril]

Thank you for your helpful suggestions.....

I should mention that I had breast augmentation and may not be able to breastfeed because of this. I guess I'll know more once I give birth and try to breastfeed.

Someone mentioned not to introduce gluten to my child until "the normal time"...Im not sure I know what normal time means????

So from what Im reading here/trying to understand is that it is especially important to breastfeed since the mother has Celiac? I may pass the celiac disease along to my baby, so therefore, its better to not give formula? I hope Im understanding this correctly.

Most formulas have the common allergens like soy and dairy?

I know this is a bit confusing...

Your baby could inherit the genes for celiac disease, but you can't directly pass it on (it's not like a virus). The thing is... not everybody who has the genes develops the disease. The genes have to be turned on by some trigger... severe stress, trauma, infection, allergies, puberty, pregnancy, etc... A bottle-fed baby is more likely to develop food allergies and infections, which might trigger the genes. Make sense?

Standard formula does have casein (the protein in cow's milk). This is a common allergen. A lot of the "colic" or "gentle" formulas have soy milk instead... another common allergen. Allergies and intolerances cause inflammation in the digestive system and lead to all kinds of other problems. BUT... it's possible that your baby will be fine! A lot of babies are. If it turns out you don't have a choice, try not to stress out about it.

[neesee]

All Enfamil forumlas are gluten-free. Open Original Shared Link

neesee

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Advantages Of Breast Milk (from thenewparentsguide.com):

Pediatricians, midwives, nurses and even formula manufacturers all agree that breastfeeding is the best thing for your baby. With breast milk containing the perfect amount of antibodies, water, fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals, served at the perfect temperature and in the perfect container, formula will always come in second place as best for your baby. Below are some of the advantages of breastfeeding.

*

Breast milk is personalized for your baby

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I also wanted to mention that all three of my kids were in daycare part-time. They were the only kids there who were breastfed past the time that they started daycare(9 weeks old), and all 3 of them got sick WAY, WAY less often than the other kids there.

One year, many of the kids in the infant room with my daughter ended up admitted to Children's Hospital with dehydration when a particularly nasty stomach virus went around. My daughter got the virus, but didn't become dehydrated, because she was breastfed.

You can breastfeed a baby with a stomach virus, and the breastmilk absorbs so quickly, even if they throw up 10 minutes later, a good deal of it will have been absorbed already, which both gives them the immunoglobulin A they need to fight the virus, and keeps them hydrated.

Contact your local LaLeche League about the breast augmentation question--I would bet that someone there could help you. Even those of us who NEVER had anything done to our breasts have had difficulty getting started nursing, and it's SO much easier if you have someone to coach you (doesn't that sound strange????) right from the beginning.

The best advice I got from anyone regarding the birth was to ask for the hospital's lactation consultant to come to your room BEFORE you even try to breastfeed. (My sister-in-law told me to ask the minute the baby popped out!)

Breastfeeding might be natural, but for some of us, it sure didn't feel natural right from the start! I felt like the world's biggest klutz--I couldn't figure out how to hold the baby (didn't help that he was only 4 1/2 pounds), I couldn't figure out how to get him to latch on, and I had no "built-in" instinct for it whatsoever.

But the Lactation Consultant helped me, and it worked!

Oh--I think the hospitals are still telling new moms to nurse every 2-3 hours, and that is NOT enough for most moms! Some moms can manage that way, but for most first-time moms, every 30-90 minutes during the day is the way to go!

I know it sounds insane, but the lactation consultant told me that this was best for several reasons:

1) the more you nurse during the day, the better the baby sleeps at night (TRUE!)

2) the more often you nurse during the first week, the less likely you are to get engorged. The reason many moms become engorged is that they aren't nursing often enough.

3)the more often you nurse during the first week, the sooner your milk comes in, and the more milk you produce.

4) the more often you nurse, the more often you get to sit down, put your feet up, and cuddle that baby!

The reason I thought I should provide you with this info is that I had a neighbor who had had breast surgery to remove some cysts, and she was told she might not be able to nurse.

She did produce milk, but was told that she didn't have enough. She was nursing the baby every 3-4 hours, as instructed by the doctor--and that's a formula schedule. Breast milk digests in less than an hour (because it's easy to digest); formula takes 3-4 hours (because it's not easy to digest).

And if you try, and it just doesn't work, well, at least you tried! Like the other poster said, don't sweat it!

[dilettantesteph]

You can contact La Leche League about nursing after breast augmentation. From what I remember, after augmentation usually isn't a problem. After reduction there are more likely to be problems. It has to do with how the surgery is done and whether or not the milk ducts are cut. Good luck.

[lovegrov]

"Im not sure I know what normal time means????"

The pediatrician would be a better source of information than I would, but it's at least several months.

[mandigirl1]

I also wanted to mention that all three of my kids were in daycare part-time. They were the only kids there who were breastfed past the time that they started daycare(9 weeks old), and all 3 of them got sick WAY, WAY less often than the other kids there.

One year, many of the kids in the infant room with my daughter ended up admitted to Children's Hospital with dehydration when a particularly nasty stomach virus went around. My daughter got the virus, but didn't become dehydrated, because she was breastfed.

You can breastfeed a baby with a stomach virus, and the breastmilk absorbs so quickly, even if they throw up 10 minutes later, a good deal of it will have been absorbed already, which both gives them the immunoglobulin A they need to fight the virus, and keeps them hydrated.

Contact your local LaLeche League about the breast augmentation question--I would bet that someone there could help you. Even those of us who NEVER had anything done to our breasts have had difficulty getting started nursing, and it's SO much easier if you have someone to coach you (doesn't that sound strange????) right from the beginning.

The best advice I got from anyone regarding the birth was to ask for the hospital's lactation consultant to come to your room BEFORE you even try to breastfeed. (My sister-in-law told me to ask the minute the baby popped out!)

Breastfeeding might be natural, but for some of us, it sure didn't feel natural right from the start! I felt like the world's biggest klutz--I couldn't figure out how to hold the baby (didn't help that he was only 4 1/2 pounds), I couldn't figure out how to get him to latch on, and I had no "built-in" instinct for it whatsoever.

But the Lactation Consultant helped me, and it worked!

Oh--I think the hospitals are still telling new moms to nurse every 2-3 hours, and that is NOT enough for most moms! Some moms can manage that way, but for most first-time moms, every 30-90 minutes during the day is the way to go!

I know it sounds insane, but the lactation consultant told me that this was best for several reasons:

1) the more you nurse during the day, the better the baby sleeps at night (TRUE!)

2) the more often you nurse during the first week, the less likely you are to get engorged. The reason many moms become engorged is that they aren't nursing often enough.

3)the more often you nurse during the first week, the sooner your milk comes in, and the more milk you produce.

4) the more often you nurse, the more often you get to sit down, put your feet up, and cuddle that baby!

The reason I thought I should provide you with this info is that I had a neighbor who had had breast surgery to remove some cysts, and she was told she might not be able to nurse.

She did produce milk, but was told that she didn't have enough. She was nursing the baby every 3-4 hours, as instructed by the doctor--and that's a formula schedule. Breast milk digests in less than an hour (because it's easy to digest); formula takes 3-4 hours (because it's not easy to digest).

And if you try, and it just doesn't work, well, at least you tried! Like the other poster said, don't sweat it!

[mandigirl1]

Fiddle Faddle,

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all the benefits of breastfeeding. I really appreciate all of your advice, which was quite helpful. Im going to really try to breastfeed, and if I cant, then I cant. At least I tired, right?

Also thank you to everyone else who answered my questions. Its so nice to know there are such kind Celiacs out there who can help other Celiacs. You guys rock!

[Mother of Jibril]

That's wonderful news! Even a few days of breastfeeding is much better than nothing. And if you can go longer... so much the better.

I hope your baby has a beautiful and uncomplicated birth!

[dilettantesteph]

Breastfeeding isn't always easy at first. Those people at La Leche League make it a lot easier. Be sure to get in contact with them. When I had my first child they had play groups and everything and it was really great. They were much better than the lactation consultant who was in the hospital.

[sdore]

Just had my baby 2 months ago and I could not breast feed b/c she was in ICU and they bottle fed her at first and she only wanted the bottle after that. She had colic and it was horrible and she is on soy now which made the world of difference.

My Dr. said that formula is gluten free. If he is right I have no idea but he said that we would not know if she was gluten intolerent -until we introduced gluten containing cereal down the road. I also use parents choice a walmart brand. My ped. dr. said it is the same as the expensive stuff. Good luck.

[shan]

i was told by my dr and by ALL the hospital staff when we were admitted for my son's malnutrition, that every formula is gluten free according to law!! I am not sure i believe them 100%... but they did say that.

[Beth41777]

According to Living Gluten Free for Dummies (Danna Korn) "University of Colorado Scientists have published information indicating that exposing babies to gluten in the first three months of life increases the risk of developing celiac disease fivefold. Their studies indicate that waiting untill the baby is at least 6 months old decreases the risk, but waiting beyond seven months increases the risk again. In other words, the best time to introduce gluten is between 4 and 6 months of age.

[Pattymom]

I realize that this is a little late, but breastfeeding after augmentation is usually easier than reduction. Most implants are inserted behind the glands and ducts, so mikl supply isn't effected. In some cases ducts may hae been severed, but with stimluation (nursing your baby) they can re-grow and your supply could increase. (recannalization) I"m one of those La Leche League people, and it's nice to here so many here recommend it.

I do know with my youngest, she showed so much reaction to dairy and soy in my milk, that I can only imagine the health issues we would have had if I hadn't nursed her. That said, formula s gluten free, so that specifically shouldn't be a concern. Hope all goes, is going well.

Patty

[purple]

I also wanted to mention that all three of my kids were in daycare part-time. They were the only kids there who were breastfed past the time that they started daycare(9 weeks old), and all 3 of them got sick WAY, WAY less often than the other kids there.

One year, many of the kids in the infant room with my daughter ended up admitted to Children's Hospital with dehydration when a particularly nasty stomach virus went around. My daughter got the virus, but didn't become dehydrated, because she was breastfed.

You can breastfeed a baby with a stomach virus, and the breastmilk absorbs so quickly, even if they throw up 10 minutes later, a good deal of it will have been absorbed already, which both gives them the immunoglobulin A they need to fight the virus, and keeps them hydrated.

Contact your local LaLeche League about the breast augmentation question--I would bet that someone there could help you. Even those of us who NEVER had anything done to our breasts have had difficulty getting started nursing, and it's SO much easier if you have someone to coach you (doesn't that sound strange????) right from the beginning.

The best advice I got from anyone regarding the birth was to ask for the hospital's lactation consultant to come to your room BEFORE you even try to breastfeed. (My sister-in-law told me to ask the minute the baby popped out!)

Breastfeeding might be natural, but for some of us, it sure didn't feel natural right from the start! I felt like the world's biggest klutz--I couldn't figure out how to hold the baby (didn't help that he was only 4 1/2 pounds), I couldn't figure out how to get him to latch on, and I had no "built-in" instinct for it whatsoever.

But the Lactation Consultant helped me, and it worked!

Oh--I think the hospitals are still telling new moms to nurse every 2-3 hours, and that is NOT enough for most moms! Some moms can manage that way, but for most first-time moms, every 30-90 minutes during the day is the way to go!

I know it sounds insane, but the lactation consultant told me that this was best for several reasons:

1) the more you nurse during the day, the better the baby sleeps at night (TRUE!)

2) the more often you nurse during the first week, the less likely you are to get engorged. The reason many moms become engorged is that they aren't nursing often enough.

3)the more often you nurse during the first week, the sooner your milk comes in, and the more milk you produce.

4) the more often you nurse, the more often you get to sit down, put your feet up, and cuddle that baby!

The reason I thought I should provide you with this info is that I had a neighbor who had had breast surgery to remove some cysts, and she was told she might not be able to nurse.

She did produce milk, but was told that she didn't have enough. She was nursing the baby every 3-4 hours, as instructed by the doctor--and that's a formula schedule. Breast milk digests in less than an hour (because it's easy to digest); formula takes 3-4 hours (because it's not easy to digest).

And if you try, and it just doesn't work, well, at least you tried! Like the other poster said, don't sweat it!

Thanks for posting this info...NOBODY told me any of that 20 yrs ago and so I gave up after the first day. I was in so much pain. My dd is getting married this year so I thought I would learn some things ahead of time to tell her

Thanks FiddleFaddle! You have been helpful again!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Thanks for posting this info...NOBODY told me any of that 20 yrs ago and so I gave up after the first day. I was in so much pain. My dd is getting married this year so I thought I would learn some things ahead of time to tell her

Thanks FiddleFaddle! You have been helpful again!

I owe the thanks to my sister-in-law, who had a very tough time getting started, but eventually became the Queen of Breastfeeding, and passed her hard-won knowledge on to me. Both her mother and mine wanted very much to be able to help, but neither had been able to nurse their babies, so they both felt very helpless watching us struggle to get started.