Nestle Alfaré Questions & Answers

Hi Cindy my paediatrician told me that because Alfare still contains milk proteins about 10% of babies still have a reaction to it and need to be moved on to the amino acid based formulas. I’m not sure if your baby has an intolerance or an allergy but my son has an intolerance so we went back to nan comfort and give our son lactalose. Our paediatrician said with an intolerance no permanent damage is done to the guts staying on milk formula. He is pooing normally now on the lactalose and it draws water into the stool so no problem using it for 12 months.

Also too the only symptom our son had on the milk formula originally was constipation

Our son also had a reaction to the amino acid based formula (alfamino) so we ended up going back to milk formula. Both of them were making him vomit and giving him gut pains

Hi Mel,

I’m not a doctor but My daughter was on Alfare for almost a year so I’m not quite sure why you’re being told your baby can only have 6 months of it? I’d be more inclined to say if bub is on a specialised formula he needs one that is suitable again for cows milk protein allergies. I think you may find Baby goes through symptoms again if you don’t go to one that suits allergy. Soy based milks also don’t suit our babies so you’ll have to be really careful. Maybe seek a second opinion or ask your doctor what formula you should be looking at.

No, no need for a follow up. It goes beyond 12 months. Double check with your ped. to make sure. :)

I believe it goes up to 12 months

It can go up to 6 years as my daughter is on it at 3 and have been told sge will be on it til 6 years.

I wouldn't imagine that it has anything to do with the formula if bub has been on it for 2 months already - given bubs age...I would probably say that he is teething and they get quite acidic poop with teething - hope that helps

I'm not 100% sure as my daughter no longer has it and I do not have the tin anymore. It is a prescription only formula, so I would suggest you discuss this with your paediatrician/gastroenterologist

Maybe ask your doctor, here in Australia we have to have a doctors prescription. Good Luck

I have no idea. It is a pharmacy only formula in Australia, so I would imagine that it is the same over there? You will probably need a prescription!

Is your son soy intollerant? My second son had the same issues with dairy, but we had him on soy formula instead of the Alfare. We didn't need a prescription for the soy formula. Good Luck with your search otherwise xxx

yeah I would definitely talk to your paed or gastroenterologist. Not sure why you are no longer eligible? Alfare is for all ages from birth but not as only feeding source when you have a toddler. I would imagine you are supplementing with solids already? I would be REALLY careful switching to soy without speaking to a professional as it is very common that if you baby has dairy allergies, that they also have soy allergies. You may also be able to take your toddler off formula all together if they are supplementing with enough solids, it is really dependant on your child. I found that almond milk is great although it is no good for bubs if they still need weight gain and there is also the issue if they go to day care, due to it being nut based, they had to segregate my daughter to feed her and all her bottles had to be labelled in "CONTAINS NUTS"
you also have rice milk, goat etc. Talk to a professional before you change to anything.

I only put up with it for a few days and rang the gastroenterologist to change us to neocate. The problem in Australia now is that they HAVE to try alfare first and if that fails then they can go on neocate. There is a reason apparently that it is not as broken down as neocate but the real reason is that alfare is not on the PBS so it will cost you like $45 tin where you can get approx. 8 tins for a script of approx. $36 for neocate. I found that baby would take the alfare if I sweetened it with a 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar and slowly reduced it.... either way it was still hideous stuff and I wouldn't give it to my dog let alone my baby.... have you tried soy?

my one month old has been on for few weeks and dose exactly the same also vomets aftwr everfeed hes in so much pain he will hold hes breath and pass out a few times dosent open hes bowls only every 5 days if not longer he also has reflux thay tell me so just thinking trying other ones on my own as thay wont change him cause thayvrecon he has cows milk problem alfara the best but now i just got to do what i thinknis best.

You would probably need to get a prescription for it from your child's Paediatrician, and then your pharmacy should be able to order it in for you. It's generally not something kept in stock unless someone regularly asks for it.

I would honestly try and use a different formula, like pepti junior or neocate. Alfare is really not a very good product if you can avoid it.

I would go back to your dr and insist on getting a further referral so you might be able to be put onto pepti Jnr, one of the neocate varieties or elecare.

Being your little one is only 4 months old and the issues with this Formula I would avoid it at all costs.

This is the only one your paed can prescribe without having to consult with an immunologist or a gastroenterologist, but they can get approval from those drs over the phone if you are on the waiting list for an appointment.

I wish I had put my foot down for my daughter early on. Every single bottle of the alfare doesn't mix properly. And I very much dislike my daughters breath smelling like her poo!