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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that toddler milk is a marketing con?

102 replies

MumNWLondon · 05/08/2010 17:26

I am currently BFing my baby and hadn't realised how expensive formula was (well I'd forgotten as older DC haven't had it for a while).

What I don't understand is why anyone would continue to pay for formula past one year when cows milk can be given? (Unless money is literally is no object etc)

Before anyone says my DD will not drink cows milk, mine didn't either took 6 more weeks and 2 more tubs to move from 7oz of formula to 6oz formula 1oz cows milk, 5oz formula 2oz cows milk etc.

So who buys this stuff and why?

OP posts:
brimfull · 05/08/2010 17:34

agree
but surprising the amount of people who buy it
dd went onto normal milk at 10 months-was 18 yrs ago , I'd be arrested now probably

MrsBadger · 05/08/2010 17:36

yanbu

paranoid mothers who believe the advertising that it contains essential nutrients they can't get any othewr way

Shaz10 · 05/08/2010 17:37

Bloody handy for travel though.

GenevieveHawkings · 05/08/2010 17:39

No YANBU. Of course it is.

Thing1Thing2 · 05/08/2010 17:39

I switched to cows milk at 18 months, reasons:

  • DTs were not eating that well and I wanted peace of mind that they were getting all vitamins and minerals etc
  • Have a small fridge and cows milk for two takes up a lot of space
  • and yes, money not an object

It was around a £1 for a 500 ml carton (yes - I only bought ready made) .... used two cartoons a day ... so £14 a week.

I probably spend £7 a week on cows milk now ... so an extra £7 a week is not too huge amount of money

Original poster
MumNWLondon · 05/08/2010 17:47

Cows milk much handier for travel - starbucks / costa will put it in a baby bottle for free!

Beside by that age (1 year) probably only having morning and night anyway. When camping I took small cartons of UHT milk.

OP posts:
Shaz10 · 05/08/2010 17:50

My one year old has 3 bottles a day.
And you can't carry fresh milk around in your bag for the day like you can UHT. I don't think you can't buy UHT milk in departures either! At 60p a carton it's hardly breaking the bank.

You could try using those free small UHT pots you get with your coffee - how many do you think I can steal before they notice?

5DollarShake · 05/08/2010 17:51

DS, 18 months old, drinks both.

He has a good, varied diet, but I look at it as the equivalent of me having a good diet and also taking a multi-vitamin supplement.

Money is not exactly a problem, but it takes us a good 4 weeks or so to get through a carton, which at £8 is not exactly break-the-bank material...! It is probably actually a lot cheaper than upping the cow's milk!

Shaz10 · 05/08/2010 17:51

can not can't.

Original poster
MumNWLondon · 05/08/2010 18:04

Either way its at least twice the price of cows milk.

Cows milk costs 66p a litre
Formula costs £2 for a litre (ready made)

I never carried around cows milk, could generally get some if we were out at lunchtime.

re the flights - on the very odd occasion we've flown with a toddler who still had after lunch milk getting fresh (free) milk wasn't a problem either at starbucks in the airport or on the flight.

From responses so far its bought by those who are worried that their children are not eating balanced diet.

OP posts:
milliemoosmum · 05/08/2010 18:52

Love the advert (Cow and Gate I think but don't quote me) that says your toddler would have to drink a gallon of cows milk to get the same amount of iron as 1 cup of their follow on formula. There's then a disclaimer at the bottom that says cows milk is not a good source of iron! How do they get away with misleading people like that? Some people are obviously very gullible. Providing your toddler is eating a balanced diet they don't need any of the extra stuff in follow on formula. It was only invented to get round the ban on advertising formula for babies under six months and, presumably, to get toddlers used to it so parents stick with it after year.

moondog · 05/08/2010 18:55

Course it is but then again so is 90% of what is advertised.
I gave up watchnig tv years ago as could no longer tolerate this drivel being channelled into my home.

5DollarShake · 05/08/2010 18:57

My DS has a very healthy, varied diet (I am anal about this ) - but he still has it.

Shaz10 · 05/08/2010 19:00

Oh that's right, I forgot all formula manufacturers are actually evil.

BoojaB · 05/08/2010 19:00

YANBU. It's a total con.

I certainly wouldn't give a toddler cows' milk either though.

SloanyPony · 05/08/2010 19:03

Formula, follow on, or growing up milk, is nutritionally superior to cows milk. That means, per 100ml of formula, it has more essential nutrients than cow's milk.

Cow's milk is not a good source of iron.

Anyone have an 18 month old / 2 year old who hates meat, spinach, broccoli, etc?

Yet will drink formula?

Its not a marketing con unless it has the same nutrients but costs more.

Disclaimer: I dont use it.

pigletmania · 05/08/2010 19:04

YA so not being U, you are right a big fat marketing con. Booja whats wrong with cows milk? What if you were not able to bf? That comment was a bit

moondog · 05/08/2010 19:11

Oh that's bollocks Sloany.
Preying on paranoia of Western mothers.
Seriously, the issue of malnutrition (excludin obesity) is more or less non existent in Western world.

I never bothered to make or buy anything 'baby' for my kids.I did what millions do world over-breastfed and then gave thme what we eat.

BoojaB · 05/08/2010 19:13

Pigletmania, sorry I have to dash otherwise I'd explain, but here's a link with some info: www.milkmyths.org.uk/health/index.php

Getting sufficient protein, calcium, iron and calories from plant-based food is easy. My 2-year old daughter is a 'strapping lass'! I breastfed her until she was 2.

milliemoosmum · 05/08/2010 19:15

Sloany Pony if your toddler is not getting enough iron from his diet then you can get supplements for free from your health visitor - so it is a con.
It is also very misleading to say that they would have to drink a gallon of cows milk to get the same level of iron as a cup of their formula - why not tell parents how much of an iron rich food kids would have to eat to get their daily intake? Then they would be comparing like with like. They are trying to scare parents into thinking that their children will be iron deficient if they don't buy their product when that is very unlikely to be the case.

diddl · 05/08/2010 19:17

I bfed both mine for a year & then they went onto cows milk.

Having never used formula it never occured to me to do so at that age.

diddl · 05/08/2010 19:22

66p a litre?

Blimey! we pay 50cts a litre & there has been a big hooha about it being that expensive!

FunnyLittleFrog · 05/08/2010 19:26

Another one here who thinks it's a huge marketing scam. You can give babies vitamin supplements or iron supplements if you are worried they don't have a balanced diet.

SpeedyGonzalez · 05/08/2010 19:30

It is like topping up a balanced diet with a multivitamin. If your diet truly is balanced, you are making very expensive wee!

pigletmania · 05/08/2010 19:47

What happened in the days where there were not any toddler milk then . Still survived and here to tell the tale. Yes they do prey on Western mothers paranoia especially those of pfb. Booja unfortunately some of us have no choice but to give them cows milk as we dont have the option of bf.

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