Which make of formula is best?

[chocklit]

Anyone got any opinions on which make of formula is best for very young babies (my dd is just over 1 month old) Started on SMA (just because that's what she had in hospital) but am wondering if there any any common advantges/disadvantages to this and other makes. Advice gratefully received!

[Socci]

My friend likes aptamil.

[Chandra]

None, it depends very much in your child own characteristics apart from those of the formula:
I have a friennd who swears for Cow&Gate, another one that wouldn't use anything but SMA. I tried most of them and the only one that DS was ok with was Aptamil followed, at a distance, by Farley.

Now, many people here will repeat the official advice saying that "all formulas are nutritionally correct and simmilar in contents", but... having a child with multiple food sensitivities... I think that generalisations are never totally accurate.

[sugarfree]

HV (yeah,I know) told me years ago if there's no problem,just keep them on the one they're on.No point upsetting them for nothing.
But SMA is supplied by the hospital here(or was then) so I wonder if there were any 'perks' from SMA for the HV to say that,to stop us changing to a different brand.
Does that make any sense?

[Coolmama]

My DS was very happy with cow and gate omneo comfort - he was a bit of a windy baby and I found this one was best -

[Muran]

We started to use SMA, but someone told us Aptimal was meant to be better for baby, pre-boitics and all that, but it caused nothing but problems. She has relly pungent smelling yeast nappies and screamed the place down with stomach aches. Moved over to SMA Soya, then SMA Lactose Free (which you can get on prescription BTW). This sorted her out, now we are back on SMA normal.

I guess Aptimal doesn't agree with our LO, but every baby is different

[kiskidee]

start with buying one your local shops have. if that works then stick with it.

the pre-biotics stuff is a gimmick. none of these things have been independently researched to know how babies will cope with them or whether they are beneficial.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I've heard tiktok or mears (sorry, not sure which one) say that, no all the formulas are not the same, but there really aren't proper studies comparing them. They vary based on whether they're made with whey or casein, they vary based on what sorts of additives are used. Very little is properly known about the benefits and risks of these different formulations.

Most brands make a wide range of formulas, anyway, so to prefer one manufacturer makes no sense, anyway.

[Wordsmith]

DS1 was happy on cow & gate, butDS2 tried loads before he semmed to be happy on Aptamil extra.

Tried Omneo comfort but it was VILE looking and a PITA to make up (had to be really hot water or something, can't remember, just meant it was very difficult to use outside the home?

Most anecdotal evidence from friends went with Aptamil.

Do they give SMA in hosp because it's the cheapest?

[NotQuiteCockney]

I would be very surprised if hospitals pay for the formula they use! Given that for a couple of cartons, they can get a consumer for life, I'm sure formula companies are lining up to provide formula to hospitals.

Our local hospital does Cow & Gate, btw, so it's not all SMA.

[kiskidee]

i should think they give sma in hospital because sma is so heavily, ahem, promoted to hospitals.

imho sma seems to be the most heavily promoted 'followup milk' on telly so could be easily persuaded that they they spend a lot doing 'courses' for medical staff.

[browniechick]

Our hospital asked which formula we wanted whilst in there. They asked what we had bought for home, and then gave us that. So not all hopsitals use SMA - as we had the choice.

We used SMA Gold by the way. No problems to report. Just go with what you can come by easily, and what suits your little one.

B

[kiskidee]

i understand that the fundamental difference between formulas are that some are 'whey' based and others are 'casein' based.

the net result is that a whey based formula will pass through a babies GI tract faster than a casein based one.

casein protein is harder to digest for babies so it sits on in the stomach longer hence the 'for hungrier babies' claim on packets.

whey protein is easier to digest and therefore easier for a baby's immature gut to breakdown and absorb. the 'closer to breastmilk' claim partly lies in the fact that the proteins in breastmilk is more whey - albeit human whey, rather than cow whey.

if tiktok, mears, or anyone else comes along who is better informed than i, then listen to them and less of me.

[Ellbell]

My hospital gave a choice. I was totally unprepared as had planned to breastfeed, but dd1 was very small and had to be fed by NGT for a while and they wanted to feed her straight away. I had no idea what formula I wanted her to have. The midwife in hospital said that they weren't allowed to 'recommend' one, as they are not allowed to 'promote' on brand. However, as I was upset (wasn't expecting dd to be so sleepy and to need tube feeding) she did say that they generally give Aptimil to prem babies (I think they do a specific prem baby formula, in fact - possibly only for hospitals), so I went with that. DD did well on it, but that's my only experience really.

[tiktok]

It is illegal, and has been for some time, for hospitals to get their formula for nothing. They have to pay for it at a commercial rate, though the manufacturers in the UK at least would probably very much like to give them it free, in exchange for an exclusive deal. This was the case years ago.

It's not really to protect breastfeeding that this law was instigated (it's late and I can't check for sure on this) but my understanding was that this was a European directive, to ensure no manufacturer could begin a cartel, and exclude other competitors, and to give a level European playing field.

Most hospitals seem to offer 3 mainstream formulas, based on what they think mothers will be able to obtain locally. They're usually Cow&Gate, SMA, and Aptamil, though Aptamil seems to be much less widely used in hospitals.

There is no reason to choose one brand over another. They are all slightly different, but we don't know if this makes much difference. The prebiotics thing has been looked at by Cochrane (independent research and finable on the web) and the concluision was that the claims for them are unjustified.

Buy the brand you can easily get at your late night corner shop, or choose the one with the prettiest tin. There are no other reasons to select one more than the other!

[tiktok]

finable = findable

[Ledodgyherring]

TikTok, while your about the dr thinks my ds (now 6 months) has lactose intolerance and has perscribed SMA wysoy, i'm worried that it contains glucose isn't this supposed to damage their teeth?

[tiktok]

Soya formula has more sugars in it than standard formula, and it is known that long-term use can rot teeth, especially if toddlers drink it from a bottle rather than a cup. Short term use in a baby is not going to be so much of a problem, though. Lactose intolerance in a baby of 6 mths is usually a temp. thing caused by a bout of gastro-enteritis. Congenital LI would have shown up shortly after birth with serious symptoms. Maybe your doc only intends your baby to be on this formula for a very short while. If he doesn't seem to know any of this, then think about speaking to your HV and/or changing your doc.

[Ledodgyherring]

Cheers Tiktok. It has been going on for a while but he diagnosed reflux rather than lactose intolerance but is now saying it's probably LI instead.

[Jackstini]

dd is 9 weeks and is happy on Hipp organic. Don't know if I feel better about it just because is says 'organic' on it?
(She is still mostly BF but now I have had to go back to work can't manage to express enough every day for her to drink the following day so using this as top-up)

[babyonboard]

we use cow and gate organic..as that was the only organic one I could find.

[marianne2006]

I am trying to introduce bottle to Baby EM who is 5 months old and am having a nightmare.She is currently breast feed.Have tried SMA .....it stinks!!!Cant express enough to keep her happy.
Any tips

[nothercules]

Hi, there is loads here on threads about this problem. I went back when dd was 5 months old. I used the playtex system and it was the only botle she'd take. I expressed two lots of 4 oz whilst at work and she had aptilam cartons as a back up.

The trouble with the playtex sytems is you have to order online or get in small independant chemists. I know it worked for lots of people though.