Soothing the Tummy: Exploring Hydrolyzed Baby Formulas for Sensitive Digestive Systems

Some babies suffer from cow’s milk allergy, so they can’t drink ordinary infant formula. The symptoms can be so severe that a baby doesn’t grow and develop properly. And that’s a very serious problem for his/her parents. To help infants with cow’s milk allergy get the nutrition they need, baby food manufacturers created specific hydrolyzed baby formulas. Why are they different from ordinary infant formulas and do they really work for children with cow’s milk allergy? Let’s find out.

Types of baby formula

Basically, there are 4 types of formulas:

• milk-based

• soy-based

• amino acid

• hydrolyzed (extensively or partially)

The first two are familiar to most infants’ parents. They’re based on animal proteins and plant proteins.

Amino acid formulas are created for babies with severe allergic reactions to milk proteins. When an infant can’t tolerate ordinary formula or even hydrolyzed formula, the amino acid formula might be one of the few options. In this type of baby food, the protein is broken down to its most basic parts, so the baby’s immune system doesn’t recognize the amino acids as milk proteins and doesn’t attack them. That’s how allergic reactions are prevented.

Extensively and partially hydrolyzed formulas are somewhat similar to amino acid formulas, but they’re not quite the same. These formulas contain milk protein that has been broken down with water or enzymes into small pieces so that a baby’s immune system doesn’t react to it, which reduces the risk of allergic reactions. All hydrolyzed infant formulas are sometimes called “hypoallergenic formulas”, but it’s not fully accurate. So, to help you figure all these complicated terms out, let’s have a more detailed look at partially hydrolyzed formula, extensively hydrolyzed formula, and hypoallergenic formula. What’s the difference between them?

Partially hydrolyzed formula

Partially hydrolyzed baby foods contain animal milk protein that has been broken down with water or enzymes into smaller molecules, but these pieces of protein are still partially intact. The most typical and common animal milk proteins are casein and whey. They both can cause allergic reactions in babies with an allergy to cow’s milk (by the way, children with cow’s milk allergy, in most cases, don’t tolerate goat milk as well, although there are exceptions). Partially hydrolyzed baby formulas aren’t safe for kids with animal milk protein allergy, but they are more digestible and suited for babies with gas and fussy reactions to baby food.

Extensively hydrolyzed formula

In extensively hydrolyzed baby formulas, the casein is broken down into very small pieces, so the risk of an allergic reaction is low. However, parents should remember that the risk still exists, there is a chance of about 5-10% that your baby will be allergic to extensively hydrolyzed formula. So, always consult with a pediatrician as to what baby formula to choose for your kid, and watch your little one closely to notice any red flags for a potential allergic reaction. In some cases, you will just have to switch the brand of baby formula that fits better with your infant’s sensitive stomach.

Is hydrolyzed formula the same as hypoallergenic formula?

When a baby formula is labeled “hypoallergenic”, it means that it’s safe for children with cow’s milk allergy to drink such baby food. Partially hydrolyzed formulas aren’t hypoallergenic, they’re better suited for infants with mild stomach issues. Extensively hydrolyzed formulas can be called “hypoallergenic”, as they reduce the risk of an allergy to a minimum. There are exceptions, but they can be caused by individual reactions to the components used in a certain brand of baby food or in case of an extremely severe intolerance of animal milk proteins.

Hypoallergenic baby formulas can have the following effects on cow’s milk protein-allergic babies:

• the risk of an allergic reaction is reduced;
• digestion is easier and more comfortable;
• such symptoms of animal milk protein intolerance as acid reflux, eczema, flatulence, and constipation are lessened;
• breathing problems are reduced.

Important! If your baby has any of the mentioned symptoms, you need to consult a pediatrician who will help you pick the optimal baby food for your little one. Also – and this is very important – only a doctor can diagnose your baby. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s a cow’s milk allergy or lactose intolerance or an allergic reaction to the components of a certain baby food brand, etc.

Conclusion

Babies with an extra-sensitive digestive system require a smarter and more thorough approach to choosing the right infant formula for them. Parents need to be careful with the nutrition they give to a baby. It’s highly advisable to feed babies with animal milk allergy or other health issues (reflux, colic, flatulence, constipation, etc) with specialty formulas created for a certain diagnosis. For example, a special Comfort formula from HiPP is made for babies with an extra-sensitive digestive system, as it contains hydrolyzed cow milk proteins with a reduced lactose content and extra probiotics and prebiotics to help infants and toddlers digest the baby food.

Hydrolyzed infant formulas often are a suitable option for babies with cow’s milk allergy and a sensitive digestive system. But notice that special baby foods can be used only after a consultation with a pediatrician.