Adding banana to baby formula

[Mickey's Mom]

I was torn whether to put this post under baby squirrel questions or here under nutrition :thinking ... but anyway here's a question for you rehabbers. The wildlife hospital for whom I rehab squirrels uses an eyes-closed formula of Esbilac and MultiMilk, and an eyes-open formula of Esbilac only. We also add a little banana baby food to the formula if a baby has diarrhea (or some folks give the warmed banana baby food directly via syringe). Also, when we get babies who are fussy and refuse formula but young enough or thin enough that we must get them to take formula, we often add some flavored fruit baby food to the Esbilac formula to make it more appealing (usually banana or mango flavor). Of course the babies love the taste and once they start on the flavored formula, I tend to keep them on it. I've never seen a problem, but the other day someone questioned whether using banana in the formula (especially on a long-term basis) could somehow prevent the absorption of nutrients. Anyone have insight on this?? :thankyou

[4skwerlz]

I was torn whether to put this post under baby squirrel questions or here under nutrition :thinking ... but anyway here's a question for you rehabbers. The wildlife hospital for whom I rehab squirrels uses an eyes-closed formula of Esbilac and MultiMilk, and an eyes-open formula of Esbilac only. We also add a little banana baby food to the formula if a baby has diarrhea (or some folks give the warmed banana baby food directly via syringe). Also, when we get babies who are fussy and refuse formula but young enough or thin enough that we must get them to take formula, we often add some flavored fruit baby food to the Esbilac formula to make it more appealing (usually banana or mango flavor). Of course the babies love the taste and once they start on the flavored formula, I tend to keep them on it. I've never seen a problem, but the other day someone questioned whether using banana in the formula (especially on a long-term basis) could somehow prevent the absorption of nutrients. Anyone have insight on this?? :thankyou

Any time you dilute formula with something else, you reduce the amount of nutrients they're getting. You could make a strong argument that eyes-closed babies are too young to be eating bananas, rice cereal, or other solid foods, and their digestive systems might not be able to handle these foods. A little yogurt (with live cultures) is used by some rehabbers for babies with diarrhea, but should IMO replace part of the water, not the formula. Heavy cream is often used for thin babies, but again, should probably replace part of the water. Every rehabber has a different "magic formula" that they use with success: straight Esbilac, Fox Valley, formula+yogurt, formula+cream, etc., etc. I'm not a rehabber, so I have no opinion on the efficacy of any of these mixtures. So I'm speaking theoretically, from a nutritional point of view, not in terms of "what works."