Enfamil A.R.: Help for babies with Acid Reflux
Written: Jan 24 '05 (Updated Jan 24 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Much needed help for baby, more filling, has all nutritional properties
Cons: Hard to fully mix, hard to find, pricey
The Bottom Line: Enfamil A.R. may be just what your baby needs to stop spitting up.
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| christian921's Full Review: Enfamil A.R. |
Our son was born this November and after tried and failed attempts with the breast we were forced to use formula full time. Ry, we quickly found out, had a slight case of acid reflux. Our pediatrician proscribed some medication to help but he kept spitting up, sometimes choking him. We were using Enfamil Lipil with Iron but wanted to try different formulas to help with his condition. Then we found Enfamil A.R.
The Facts
Enfamil A.R. is specifically designed to help with acid reflux. It is fortified with rice starch to thicken the formula and make it less likely to be spit back up.
The nutritional aspects of the formula are the same as other Enfamil brands but without Lipil. It does still contain some of the DHA and ARA (that is what Lipil is comprised of) but Lipil is not listed on the can as its trademarked blend of the fatty acids. It contains all the needed vitamins and minerals for growing babies with Enfamil’s easy to digest proteins.
We were strongly advised not to supplement our son’s diet with cereal yet, especially with his condition. The doctor feared that if he were to spit up it would be harder for him to clear the obstruction from his throat.
The formula is mixed just as any other formula but you will find that is much thicker in the bottle than other formulas and a little harder to clean up afterwards.
Baby’s Epinion
Without getting too much into the biology of the situation we were unable to breast feed from the beginning without some supplemental formula feedings. After three weeks we were unable to continue the breast at all. We did try and I would encourage every mother to at least try. The breast contains enzymes and antibodies that no formula can fully provide.
Ry seemed to take to the Enfamil A.R. alright but it was a struggle for him to feed at times. The formula is constantly thickening and for a baby who is used to free flowing formulas it can be tough to suckle it out of the bottle. Ry would act fuller quicker with the A.R. than others we tried too. What we noticed is we tended to feed him more often and in smaller amounts. That in itself would help with acid reflux.
After three days of using the A.R. we had not yet really noticed a great change. Ry was still spitting up but not as often. We did notice him chewing more. Ry (only 1 month old at this point) would spit up into his mouth and “chew”. He would either start to choke a little and spit it out or eventually turn the mass into soup and re-swallow it.
Cleaning bottles, nipples and clothes after feeding can be tricky. The formula is so thick it sticks to the inside of the bottle and nipple and fills into the threads of clothing. Get water into your bottle as soon as you are done to make cleaning up a little easier.
Mixing the formula is pretty easy as well. Though you will notice almost immediately that it starts to take on a gel like form. Getting the whole amount of powder mixed with the water will take a little time, be patient and shake it like a Polaroid picture.
We are big fans of Enfamil and continue to use their Lipil brand today. We found that we got little improvement with the A.R. and due to it being hard to find in small town Nebraska we went back to the Lipil. We now use Lipil during the day and Carnation Good Start at night, He seems to hold the Good Start better but like the Lipil nutritional properties more. We feed him more frequently and in smaller amounts. This with his medication have made his acid reflux more manageable but has not eliminated it.
I do believe that the Enfamil A.R. did help us somewhat and would believe it would help others even more with the reflux issue. I would consult your doctor and take her advise on which direction to go before switching formula to formula in frustration. We feel confident that the Enfamil A.R. formula provided Ry with all his needed vitamins and nutrients but in the end we went with a easier to find product by Enfamil.
Another note: All formulas are different. Look at the labels and look for the things you find important for your child. Contact your pediatrician if you have questions and find help on the right formula for your baby.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
christian921
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Member: Christian Stanley
Location: A country mile north of Omaha, NE USA
Reviews written: 117
Trusted by: 35 members
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