How bad is Rice Milk for a 6mnth old?

Question

My daughter was diagnosed with reflux when she was 5-6 wks old and has been on Nutramigen formula (most expensive there is I think) Per her doctor, we have tried switching her to a few different formulas but nothing has seemed to work. By my own decision I wanted to give rice milk a try and for going on two weeks now she has not needed her meds for reflux and is keeping the rice milk down just fine. Problem is that it doesnt carry all of the nutrients and vitamins that is important in the first year. What do I do? It seems to be agreeing with her besides being a little constipated which is also a concern but do I switch her back to Nutramigen because thats the only thing that stays down w/ meds or do I continue with rice milk w/out meds which also seems to stay down. Note: the medication that she has been on is NOT FDA approved in children but seems to work so this is the reason that I'm wanting to get away from it. Any answers?

I breastfed for the first month when my daughter was diagnosed with reflux from breastmilk and trying formula.

The meds that my child is on are prescribed by her doctor for God sakes. I have tried every formula there is and nothing works but the Nutramigen but he (the dr) wants to get her off of the Nutramigen. Even though the cost is the highest my baby's health is much more important and I don't need help to pay for any expenses. I know what's available! I was just wondering if anyone had tried rice milk with their infant and whether you could use a supplement provided by your doctor. We'll be following up with her doctor on Friday so here's to everyone responding............................Don't slap me in the face for simply asking a logical question. Thanks

Answer 1

Rice milk isn't appropriate until she is on solid foods and over 1 year old. Your best bet is to feed her any formula you can find in small meals to control the reflux. As long as she is gaining weight you can be assured that she is getting enough nutrients from what little formula she keeps down. Rice milk is another matter, even the enriched types don't have adequate nutrients for nerve developement, the proper fat content, etc. Even if you purchase vitamin supplements to go with the rice milk there are things like taurine that are in formula that she won't be getting. That being said there are kids in 3rd world countries living on less nutrition and just growing up a little stunted in the long run.
Maybe you try a few other formulas. They all taste like a horrible vitamin drink and I can see where they'd be hard to digest. Talk to a naturopathic doctor and/or chinese medical doctor. Naturopaths are trained in wholefood nutrition more than any MD (in the US, MD's get three hours of nutrition class- that's three hours total, not credits or credit hours- they are not going to be able to help you.)
If you are set against the formula, go for the naturopath. He/She will have liquid vitamins to recommend and ideas for fats in her diet that you wouldn't think of like mashed avocados. Best of luck.

Answer 2

Rice milk is not approrpriate for infants. It is very low in fat, and babies need a lot of fat for proper growth and development. It is also way too low in protein. Using it as a major food source for a baby that young will result in failure to thrive.

At that age she can start solids but should have breastmilk as a primary food source or commercial formula if breastmilk isn't possible.

How much of a problem is things not staying down? Does she show signs of discomfort, or was the spitting up enough of a problem that she was dehydrated or not gaining weight? Some babies just spit up a lot, and that's okay so long as they are happy and not dehydrated (enough wet diapers in a day) and still gain weight. My daughter was a spitter, and it seemed like it was so much that I worried none stayed down - but a lot must have despite appearances since she never had problems with dehydration or lack of weight gain.

Adding a small bit of rice cereal - like a teaspoon - to a bottle is also often suggested to thicken the feed to help it stay down as a last resort. But take care and make sure it is well disolved and watch carefully - cereal in the bottle can be a chocking hazard.

Stick to the expensive formula and medication if that is absolutely all that will work - rice milk isn't safe. But relactating is still an option if you want to give breastfeeding another shot.

Answer 3

"Oat, rice and soya milks -- even if calcium-enriched -- do not provide the energy, protein or essential nutrients that breastmilk and formula milk provide. If you need advice on which milk is suitable for your baby, talk to your health visitor, practice nurse or a dietitian."

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/vegetarianbaby/#12

Rice milk is a milk substitute. Formula is an entire diet in a tiny bottle

EDIT-

That's a relief. As I said, your information was confusing at points. You would be amazed at what some people do to infants simply out of not knowing any better. People have to take lessons to drive, but no one teaches people how to be parents.

As a concerned person who has dealt with children who have been in such circumstances, you always have to speak up for the child/baby first, because they cannot speak for themselves.

Anyway, you can breathe now. No slaps.

Answer 4

No, rice milk does not have all the nutrients needed to keep your baby alive and well. Actually, formula only keeps babies alive due to all the vitamins etc. they pack in the product. Is it too late to breastfeed? Reflux is a natural reaction to such an unnatural thing. There is also soy formula on the market too; have you tried that? There doesn't seem to be any rice formula, likely because the dairy industry also has ties to soya, but not rice.

Starting breastfeeding from the start would have been best, of course. Get going on the breastfeeding it may not be too late, it will take practice and likely, at 5-6 weeks, your breasts may have already stopped producing, but could be reactivated with lots of suckling from the baby, and with some luck, produce enough for that baby. Get help with the breastfeeding from a local breastfeeding group. If your breasts cannot become active enough at this point, find a mother who will breastfeed for you or donate milk to your baby. It might seem like a pain in the butt, but breast milk not only has vitamins and nutrients specifically adjusted to the suckling baby, but also antibiotics and all sorts of micro nutrients and things no manufactured product has or could ever have. Breasts have a symbiotic relationship to the baby.

Answer 5

You should ask your doctor and tell dr. you would like to try the rice milk, see what your doctor says. Also ask about what type of supplements are there. Also definitely contact a nutritionist (one who specializes in infants if you can find one) and just get their opinion also.

If you really cannot afford the formula, sign up for WIC, that's what its there for.

Not that I'm against rice milk -I use it for my kids as an alternative from cows milk occasionally but my kids are older.
Good luck to you!

Answer 6

you may attempt a rice milk, yet undergo in innovations that rice is rather binding and might make her constipated. make specific she is getting a lot of different beverages, end result and vegetables to assist compensate. i don't be attentive to a lot approximately rice milk and what supplementations and minerals it has, yet that would desire to be something to think of approximately. it would desire to be an issue of giving her a pediatric nutrition. My son became into on formulation till he became into 15 months simply by fact he became into small and lactose and soy illiberal. I did provide him goats milk which he tolerated. sooner or later I ran out and gave him cows milk and he became into high-quality. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that it appears that evidently like your daughter has an hypersensitive reaction to exploit particularly than being lactose illiberal. i may be very careful approximately giving her the cows milk lower back. in case you do attempt it, do it very slowly via perchance including a tablespoon to regardless of she's ingesting on the time. ok, now that i've got written a e book, i will provide up! Take care and stable success!

Answer 7

I would switch back to what the Doctor recomended. It may be a little expensive but I think it would be worth it for your child.