Gerber Offers Breakthrough Infant Formula for Excessive Crying and Colic

29 Jun 2012 --- Gerber Products Company, part of the Nestlé family, announced a scientific breakthrough with the introduction of Gerber Good Start Soothe formula, the first and only routine infant formula with the probiotic L. reuteri. L. reuteri has been clinically shown to reduce crying time by 50 percent in colicky breastfed infants. Gerber Good Start Soothe formula is designed to reduce excessive crying and colic in healthy infants.

“The probiotic L. reuteri is an effective probiotic that has been shown to help balance the good and bad bacteria in an infant’s gastrointestinal system. This imbalance at times can cause discomfort that may lead to colic,” said Bryan S. Vartabedian, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, author and expert on colic. “This is very encouraging news for parents who have babies with colic.”

What is colic?
“Anyone who has experienced a crying baby with colic will understand the significance of this innovation,” said Jose M. Saavedra, M.D., FAAP, Medical Director, Gerber Products Company. “Now we can offer parents a solution for excessive crying and colic in a formula that meets the nutritional needs of babies.”

Nearly 30 percent of infants experience colic, which is most often characterized as excessive bouts of crying in otherwise healthy infants. Gerber Good Start Soothe formula offers a new solution for parents who have chosen to formula feed. The probiotic L. reuteri has been clinically shown to reduce crying time by up to 50 percent in colicky breastfed infants supplemented with L. reuteri, with the effect seen as early as one week.1

Introducing Gerber Soothe Colic Relief Drops

Gerber plans to launch Gerber Soothe Colic Relief Drops with L. reuteri later this year. This probiotic supplement will join Gerber Good Start Soothe formula to offer parents more options to help provide relief to babies with excessive crying and colic.

“Gerber will provide colic relief options for both breastfeeding and formula feeding moms with our Gerber Good Start Soothe infant formula and Gerber Soothe Colic Relief Drops, both with L. reuteri,” said Rick Klauser, Head of Marketing, Nestlé Infant Nutrition. “Ultimately, as a leader in early childhood nutrition, Gerber’s goal is to offer parents innovative feeding solutions for their babies.”

The introduction of Gerber Soothe Colic Relief Drops is part of an agreement between Nestlé/Gerber and BioGaia, a Swedish innovative healthcare company specializing in probiotics. The arrangement allows Gerber to exclusively distribute these probiotic drops in the United States.

Comfort Proteins and Low Lactose

Gerber Good Start Soothe formula features the Comfort Proteins Advantage, which makes it easy for babies to digest. Additionally, Gerber Good Start Soothe formula has a carbohydrate blend with 30 percent lactose for fussiness and gas in infants with lactose intolerance.