How Long Does It Take For Baby To Adjust To Baby Formula Change

As a new mother raising your little one can be a tough challenge. One minute you’re worried about this and the next minute about that. If you’re not going to breastfeed your baby, but instead stick to baby formula, you’re going to have so many questions than your next door neighbor who is solely relying on breastfeeding their baby. Even though breastfeeding has its importance and benefits to the newborn, there are also advantages of bottle feeding a baby.

One thing you should be worried about is changing the formula because in some ways it’s going to affect your baby. In this article, I’m going to tell you how long it takes for a baby to adjust to a formula change.

How long it takes for a baby to adjust to a change in formula

Well, I’m not a professional medical consultant, but as a mother of three and a member of mommy forums where we share parenting experiences, here’s my take. I guess that you already know that every person is unique in their way.

Have you ever experienced this? You share the same food with your family members but one of them gets bad stomach flu, and others don’t? Or ever tried foreign dishes with your friends but it affected you so badly that you had to see the doctor?

If that’s the case, it also applies to babies. Some babies will adjust fine to formula change. Others might take two weeks and some up to 6 weeks.

Signs that your baby is affected by formula change

As a mother, I just hate seeing these tiny humans experience any sort of discomfort. You may notice your little one arch their back and tense up when feeding.

They’ll cry.

A baby can get all grunty and red, and at times he might become inconsolable. You may also notice little or no bowel movement causing the baby to become gassy and fussy. The main reason is that bottle-fed babies tend to suck in more air compared to breastfed babies. To remedy this, make sure you burp your little one during and after after every feed.

4 Things To Consider Before Switching Baby Formula

In the first twelve months of your baby’s life, he will feed on a ton of formula – but the question is, will it be the same formula?

At times, the costs might make you want to change the formula or illnesses or allergies might force you to switch formula. So when any of these happen, it’s important to consult with your pediatrician. Below are some of the questions you should ask before switching baby formula.

1)  Is it possible to switch brands

Switching formula is okay if it’s something that needs to be done. But it’s best to stick to the current formula if the baby isn’t experiencing allergies, illness.

Here’s my advice, never switch formula just because you got some incentives or free samples from a seller. Change the formula if the current one is giving your baby an allergy or any other health complications.

If the current formula is affecting your little one’s heath, it’s time to switch to another formula. And yes you can switch brands. You might be worried that switching formula brands will affect the tiny human tummy. This shouldn’t make you worry because it should only take a couple of weeks before the baby adjusts to the new formula.

2)  When to consider switching formula

If your baby is allergic to the current formula, it’s time to switch.

Signs that show your child is allergic include red, dark, scaly skin, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, and forceful vomit. These are signs that indicate your toddler isn’t getting enough nutrients from the formula because his body is rejecting the formula.

You might also notice that your baby cries more often, is fussier than usual, gassy and has watery stools after feeding. In some situations, the formula may be the cause of infant colic symptoms  Some of the best formula for colic in the market like probiotics in formulas, hypoallergenic formulas, hydrolyzed formulas helps to resolve some of the above symptoms in your baby.

Your doctor can also recommend you to change the formula for given reasons. For example, your child needs more iron, and so the pediatrician may insist on iron-fortified formula.

3)  How to switch to a new baby formula

Now that you’ve decided that changing the formula is the way forward here are some helpful tips to get you started?

• Seek advice from your pediatrician. It’s good to ask about the best formula for your child. Your pediatrician is the only person who truly knows what your baby needs and you will need their help if you have trouble switching.
• Choose a formula with the same protein base as cow’s milk. But if your little one is lactose intolerant, speak to your pediatrician on which formula is the best. If possible choose a formula similar to the previous one. (We have also written an article on what are some of the best formula for lactose intolerant.)
• Introduce it slowly. While some babies will adjust fine, others might protest the change. If that’s the case, introduce the formula in stages. You can mix the old formula with the new one and gradually increase the amount of new formula mixed, and soon your little one will adjust to the formula.

4) What you should know when switching formula for your child

After switching baby formula, it’s important to pay close attention to your baby especially 24 hours after you initiate the formula change.

You should look for signs such as constipation, excessive gas, hives, diarrhea, limpness, clammy skin, etc. you can also look for blood in the stool or vomit which can be an indication an emergency visit to your doctor.  You may like to see also what is Best Formula for Sensitive Tummy and Constipation in the market.

Once you’ve switched the formula, don’t switch to another unless your doctor says so. The more you change the formula for your baby, the more he’s likely to have more problems.

Some of my recommended baby formula includes Similac Advance and Similac Total Comfort. I wouldn’t recommend you to try Similac Sensitive because several moms have had issues with the formula- brutal truth- right?

But here is what you should know.  There’s always an adjustment time frame of about six weeks utmost, so you’ll probably not know which formula is the best until one month to two weeks have passed from the time you made the formula switch. So it’s just a matter of patience.

On Baby Formula Change

Some babies will have problems adjusting and others will transition just fine. So the question on how long it takes for a baby to adjust to formula change will depend on the child. Always ensure that you consult your pediatrician before making a formula switch.

You may also be interested in best car seat for baby with reflux and safest baby carriers for newborn in the market.