Formula - what am I looking at?

[BabyOrSanta]

I'm planning on bf my little firstborn when they eventually appear.

However, I do like a good back up plan.

I've got some Cow and Gate pre-sterilised, ready made bottles ready for my hospital bag. To be honest, the only reason I chose Cow and Gate was because their Mum-to-be club gave me a free cow toy (which makes me sound either completely ditzy or that advertising affects me way too much).

If I do end up ff, what am I looking for from a milk?
Why are they all completely different prices? Are the more expensive ones better?
Do they have different stuff in?
I'd rather buy ethically (the nestle thing) but apart from that I have no idea. Where can I get this info?

Sorry if this seems completely silly but there seems to be a lot of advertising but not as much actual info and I was just wondering how other people managed it...

[welshweasel]

They are all much of a muchness. If you end up having to use formula buy the one that you can get in your nearest shop!

[Hermagsjesty]

They’re much of a muchness I think, but sometimes babies will only have the one they’re used to so whichever one you choose make sure it is readily available locally

[BabyOrSanta]

Thank you!
This is one thing people I know don't seem to discuss and I feel like a right silly billy and as if I should know these things...

So as long as I get the same one each time, it doesn't matter?

[KadabrasSpoon]

Formula in the UK is heavily regulated so as others have said ingredients are identical. The only think they are allowed to change is how 'heavy' the formula is so some might be easier for some babies to digest but nutritionally they are identical.
The two Danone ones are almost identical but one is £1 more - it's mainly marketing!

[KadabrasSpoon]

www.which.co.uk/reviews/formula-milk/article/choosing-the-right-formula-milk/are-some-formula-milk-brands-better-than-others

[Tempranillo]

www.firststepsnutrition.org/newpages/Infant_Milks/infant_milks.html

[BabyOrSanta]

Ace!
Thank you all

If I have any more stupid questions I'll be sure to ask

[sthitch]

We had the most expensive stuff (Aptamil Profortuna or something on those lines) as I tried to BF and it didn't go to plan and that's all they had at the hospital. The third tub I bought had loads of hard shiny bits and black bits, we rang up and checked and apparently it's burnt milk which is totally fine but very occasionally shows in the milk... well that's what they told us! We swapped to SMA and had no black bits so far ... so basically you don't need to buy the most expensive stuff as even that isn't great!

[BabyOrSanta]

At least it's not just me who can burn milk

Did you have any problems going onto the new milk? Did LO take to it okay?

[mindutopia]

I would honestly go with the cheapest, so long as your LO is happy with that (usually, this is cow & gate in the UK). All the rest is just marketing. Hipp obviously is organic (so explains the added cost), but we used it for a time...because I thought more expensive and organic surely must be 'better'. But it wasn't. My dd (previously ebf, then on cow & gate for several weeks) developed horrible reflux. It came on really suddenly, she would scream after every feed and projectile vomit (literally like something from the exorcist, it would go about 4 feet). We finally after about a week worked out that the only thing we were doing differently was using Hipp. We switched back to cow & gate right away and it completely disappeared and she was a happy baby again. So more expensive and organic is not always better. I'd start with what's affordable and easy to buy where you do your weekly shop and go from there.

You also don't necessarily need those pre-filled bottle ones. They'll feed from a cup just fine to start, and the amounts are so little than most goes in the bin anyway. You might find it's more economical to by the ready-made ones (without the teat and bottle) as they can be stored for a period of time in the fridge after opening so will be good for multiple feeds if you need them.

[BoredOnMatLeave]

Yeah it's all pretty much the same. I wouldn't advise buying any unless you need it. For me I had everything at home so when BF got hard I just gave up, I think it would have stuck with it if I had to go to the shop and get it.