Information about how to add Carobel

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This leaflet will tell you how to add Carobel to your baby's bottle to thicken liquids.

Download this information as a pdf for printing.

What is Carobel

Carobel is a powder which will thicken any type of liquid (baby milk, water or juice). It helps keep liquids in the stomach to reduce reflux and, or vomiting and helps to slow down the rate of flow of thin liquids where swallowing is an issue.

Your Doctor or Speech and Language Therapist will prescribe Carobel. The prescribed concentration (the amount) will depend on your baby’s needs.

Please ask your nurse to write down the concentration your baby requires before you go home.

Use the table below to add in the correct amount of Carobel according to your baby’s Carobel concentration.

How to use Carobel

To add Carobel, use the scoop found in the Carobel packet, not the infant milk scoop.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Clean and disinfect the surface where you will make up feeds and put together the bottle and teat.

Make up the baby milk following the manufacturer’s instructions on the tin or add to expressed breast milk.

Use the table below to guide you on how many scoops to add according to the prescribed concentration and volume for your baby.

Shake the bottle well for 30 - 60 seconds and leave it for 3 - 4 minutes to thicken. Shake again and then you can give your baby the bottle. (If you need to remove any excess feed you can use a syringe).

Check the temperature of the feed on the inside of your wrist before giving it to your baby. It should be body temperature, which means it should feel warm or cool, but not hot.

After feeding you should throw any leftover milk away.

You should make up the milk fresh for each feed. Do not heat it in the microwave.

When you increase the volume of feed remember to increase the amount of Carobel.

Any special instructions?

Do not add Carobel to boiling liquids because the Carobel will become lumpy.

You may need to use a medium, fast flow teat or a variable flow teat. These are available from chemists or supermarkets.

Add Carobel to all fluids and baby juice, as well as baby milk – do not add to medicines.

Carobel is available on prescription. A doctor will write to your GP to ask for a prescription for you. Please get the prescription from your GP and take it to your local chemist who will supply this for you.

When do I stop using Carobel?

As your baby grows and gains weight the problems with reflux usually reduce. Please discuss when to stop using Carobel with a Doctor or Speech and Language Therapist at your clinic appointment or with your GP.

Table showing the amount of Carobel to add

A health professional will tell you what percentage of Carobel your baby needs. The table below shows how many scoops are needed to make up bottles which have 1% or 1.5% or 2% Carobel.

Volume of bottle	Amount of Carobel to add 1%	Amount of Carobel to add 1.5%	Amount of Carobel to add 2%
60ml	1/3 Scoop	½ Scoop	¾ Scoop
90ml	½ Scoop	¾ Scoop	1 Scoop
120ml	2/3 Scoop	1 Scoop	1 ½ Scoops
150ml	¾ Scoop	1 ½ Scoops	1 ¾ Scoops
180ml	1 Scoop	1 ¾ Scoops	2 Scoops

For a full scoop of Carobel – level off the powder with the back of a clean knife. Do not press or heap the powder

Last reviewed: 01/03/2022

Next review date: 30/04/2024

Author(s): Paediatric Dietitians.

Version: 2

Approved By: Paediatric Dietetic Department

Document Id: MI 320425