Hi,

This is my first post.  I am an almost-LLL Leader applicant - I've started my reading but cannot officially send in my application until next month when Bridget is about a year old.  I hope I'm not stepping on any toes by posting...

On another list I'm on, I've been corresponding with a woman who has an infant son who is 9 weeks old.  He was born 2 months early.  He is still in NICU.  There were some complications - he had a bowel infection and a stricture in the bowel that was surgically removed. He has a temporary colostomy and he is due to have surgery to reattach his bowel in 6 weeks.  The mother had been pumping and giving him breastmilk (sorry I'm not sure if by bottle or eyedropper or what) but he had been spitting it up.  The neonatologists recommended that he no longer be given breastmilk, but be given Pregestimil formula for the next 3 months..  The formula evidently has proteins that are broken down - and the doctors claim it is easier to digest than breastmilk.  I've never heard this before - how can any formula be easier to digest than breastmilk?  The mother does say that since he has been on the formula he is no longer spitting up.  Can anyone shed some light on this - is this formula truly easier to digest?  Anyone heard of this before?

Heather Davis, Mpls, MN  (mom to Bridget, 7/31/96 and soon to be LLL leader applicant)