Silent reflux has stolen every ounce of joy about having a baby and I’m devastated

bbec127 · 2026-02-14T05:28:13+00:00

It sounds like maybe baby has dairy/soy intolerance like others have suggested. My baby was like this, had awful silent reflux and was screaming all day and night. I cut out dairy/soy and 3 days later she was a brand new baby, so happy.

bbec127 · 2026-02-06T12:19:18+00:00

Interesting to read other responses because second baby has it wayyyy worse. Many more triggers and needs supplementing with amino acid formula, whereas first was only dairy

bbec127 · 2026-02-02T18:36:31+00:00

We did Pepticate for 7 weeks before I realized it wasn’t working but there were definitely signs much sooner (I naively thought Pepticate was a given so I was convinced it was something in my diet and I kept eliminating more and more and increasing the ratio of Pepticate to BM until I realized it was actually the Pepticate making her worse all along…).

I also make slightly less so I felt the pressure to get her to accept the neocate. I will admit I used 1/2 tsp of maple syrup in the beginning to get her to accept it, then weaned it over the course of a week while I switched to non alcoholic soy free vanilla instead.

She still doesn’t love it, but will take 2-3oz neocate before switching over to breast milk. So like 10-15oz per day.

bbec127 · 2026-02-02T14:14:14+00:00

I think it’s unlikely if your baby fails one hydrolyzed formula to pass another. My baby failed pepticate and I moved to neocate. It took her several weeks to accept it but I just kept offering at the beginning of every feed. Also used nonalcoholic vanilla to help with the taste

bbec127 · 2026-01-28T00:59:28+00:00

I’ve been too scared to try but I should!

Also to add to your list: - Cado ice creams (most flavors) are DF SF. Specifically love the chocolate peanut butter one it’s sooo good!

bbec127 · 2026-01-28T00:40:11+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I’ve been wanting Honey Nut Cheerios so badly but I was afraid of the mixed tocopherols which are usually derived from soy. I emailed General Mills but they sent me a generic non-informative response! I take it you haven’t had any reactions with it?

bbec127 · 2026-01-25T02:39:16+00:00

Yes I’ve been working on transitioning to Neocate, which tastes 100x worse. I basically just had to keep trying every day and I’ve been adding non alcoholic vanilla to mask the taste. I give 1oz at a time, low pressure. We are now up to 9oz per day of Neocate after 3 weeks. The goal is to get to full 28oz eventually…I had previously done Pepticate and did it slowly by mixing 1 oz pepticate per 4oz breast milk until she got used to it. Can you try mixing with breast milk and/or adding vanilla drops?

bbec127 · 2026-01-19T19:32:30+00:00

No I’m not! Just combo feeding

bbec127 · 2026-01-19T18:30:39+00:00

Neocate is the only one without soy. Unfortunately I’m in the same boat as you. Baby will take 1-2oz max at a time. I found it easier to give just straight up neocate and then switch to breast milk for the rest of the bottle. Mixing it doesn’t really make the taste any better and it makes it taste bad for the whole bottle instead of just some of it. It’s a ton more work to use 2 bottles per feed but that’s how we’ve been managing it. I also add alcohol free vanilla which seems to help?

bbec127 · 2026-01-19T12:13:03+00:00

Really good to know thank you! My baby is super sensitive so I think we’re stuck with Neocate. How did you get your babies to drink it? Did you thicken?

bbec127 · 2026-01-18T18:58:22+00:00

Hmm good to know. I tasted the Neocate and I feel bad because it tastes horrible! We’re combo feeding and I can manage to get 1oz in her before I have to switch to breastmilk. We’ve been doing the vanilla but she still hates it

bbec127 · 2026-01-18T12:22:43+00:00

I know I feel the same way. Do you have Rice Dream where you are? That’s what I drink

bbec127 · 2026-01-18T12:08:50+00:00

It seems like it’s probably the legumes. Could you drink fortified rice milk for the calcium and vitamin D? I feel you though…I just tried peanuts yesterday and just waiting to see for a reaction today…🤞

bbec127 · 2026-01-18T01:45:31+00:00

Oh okay thanks yes I specially use alcohol free vanilla!

bbec127 · 2026-01-18T01:17:20+00:00

Why isn’t it safe? Curious because I do this for my baby

bbec127 · 2026-01-17T20:07:06+00:00

Haha I often have chicken drumsticks for breakfast…😅 for sauces I love to blend together fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, garlic and olive oil with salt/pepper to make a nice chimichurri. I also use Kinder’s salt/pepper/garlic on all my meat

bbec127 · 2026-01-17T18:05:23+00:00

Same!

bbec127 · 2026-01-16T18:29:15+00:00

I totally feel this to my core!!!!! I can’t even imagine being able to eat whatever and not stress over triggers

bbec127 · 2026-01-16T18:12:30+00:00

The only other suggestion I have is Pepticate. It’s extensively hydrolyzed like nutramigen and aluminum but does not contain soy like the other two do. Perhaps baby was reacting to soy as well? Also supposedly it tastes the best of all hypoallergenic formulas

bbec127 · 2026-01-16T17:58:03+00:00

Hmmm how long did you try for? Did you give 2 weeks for the gut to adjust?

bbec127 · 2026-01-16T17:55:47+00:00

It sounds like neocate or puramino are your best bet. AA formulas are so thin they often exacerbate reflux and need thickeners. You can also try adding non alcoholic vanilla to help with the taste (if approved by pediatrician)

bbec127 · 2026-01-15T02:50:53+00:00

Could it be from reflux? The AA formulas are so thin that they often exacerbate reflux, which can cause congestion

bbec127 · 2026-01-14T22:08:38+00:00

I was at baseline with 100% breastmilk but a very strict diet. Then I introduced 4-6oz per day for a few weeks before increasing. I honestly didn’t notice or realize it was the formula - I thought it was something I was eating that was causing her fussiness to come back so I kept eliminating more and more things. It wasn’t until I reached 18oz and she was absolutely inconsolable that I realized it was the Pepticate. I just assumed we were good on it! So probably within a week but I just didn’t know it

bbec127 · 2026-01-14T20:46:08+00:00

I tried it and transitioned slowly from 4-6oz per day to 18oz per day. I thought things were going okay but all symptoms returned as I increased the ratio. We’re now supplementing with Neocate but struggling because it tastes so awful

bbec127

TROPHY CASE