I get this question a lot when I simply say, he is allergic to food....and can't even have formula. It usually takes a minute for this to set in, I can see the wheels turning- trying to process what a baby on no foods could survive on if not breast milk or formula. I think it is harder to process because they are looking right at him, he doesn't look like he's starving? is what they probably want to say! I don't let them suffer for long, I continue on....he is on a hemp milk formula I make for him. It is not complete nutrition but he is not allergic to it, he has grown and gained weight on it and thriving developmentally. And...he loves it!
I began the process of making my own formula for him when I discovered he was sensitive enough to react to the elemental formula's, that by giving up nursing to put him on an elemental formula- I had made him more sick.....an FPIES moms worst nightmare. It is rare, but it can - and does- happen. Little man is not the only one, and with the growing number of people discovering that corn is at the root of their illness, it is my hope that one day there will be a corn-free elemental formula. But as of today, there is not. So, I must make one...it was the only way to take away his daily pain, his random vomiting sessions, his terrible diapers, his colic and gas-disturbed sleep. And not only that but to add in increased intakes, and healing. Hemp milk has provided this for my Little Man.
It has taken months of tweaking, and while the formula is now at ~22cal/oz; and meets all his macro nutrient needs (macro nutrients are the bulk of our diet- calories in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats); it is still lacking in some micro nutrients- mainly B vitamins since Hemp is a plant protein, but also a few others (micro nutrients are vitamins and minerals). When starting the formula, our goals were to just make sure it was adequate in macro nutrients and that it is.
The ingredients of this formula to meet those macro nutrients needs?
1. Hemp milk is the base with Hemp high protein powder for added protein. Hemp is a super food. For an article on the benefits of hemp: Hemp Seed.
2. Safflower oil provides a low-allergenic fat source.
3. Arrowroot is a well-tolerated starch. Although well tolerated, little man does not tolerate it in the starch form, I have to make it into a syrup.
His formula is adequate but not optimial. Micronutrients would make it optimal. Where do we get the micronutrients from? His diet....but we have been unable to give him the tiny menu to do this.
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