Weaning and milk

[PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon]

I'm soon to wean my 5 1/2mo so reading up on bits at the moment (DD is PFB).
She is bottle fed which is where I'm confused with weaning. I know that they still need bottles of milk until the food takes over etc. I am currently feeding DD Aptamil and looking at the pack instructions for the follow on stage 2 milk it says 1 x 500-600ml per day. Do I stay on stage 1 until DD is fully weaned and continue with 5 x bottles a day or do I give her 5 bottles of the follow on milk?
It's probably really obvious to most but I'm getting really confused. Is anyone currently weaning that can help?

[MunchyMunchkin]

You don't need to switch to follow on milk at all. The formula companies make it as it gets around the advertising restrictions on infant formula.
So you could stay on the current mill until she can have cows milk at one.
At first milk is still way more important than food so you could try good 30-60mins after a bottle. Over time you can switch to food first, milk second and slowly start to drop feeds.

[PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon]

That makes sense. The current formula pack has instructions for up to a year but I thought you had to change because it doesn't have all the stuff baby needs after 6 months (I think iron is one of them that first milks lack)

[zombiemum123]

My health visitor also advised me to stick to the stage one for the reasons mentioned above X

[dementedpixie]

Follow on milk was only invented to get around the rules on advertising first milk. Saying that I did eventually switch as it was cheaper and there were often special offers

[PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon]

I heard they aren't allowed to put formula on offer (first milk) as it discourages BF somehow!

I will stick to the first milk at least until DD is eating. I can make food with the added vitamins she needs anyway and hope she takes to eating!

Thank you for all your helpful replies