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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why anyone buys that 'Growing Up' milk stuff?

358 replies

bubbleymummy · 03/05/2011 18:42

No one expects to get their iron content from milk - you get it from the food you eat alongside it (although you shouldn't really drink milk alongside a meal anyway because calcium inhibits iron absorption) so why would you spend money on this product? Does anyone on MN buy it? If so - why?

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 10:44

Good for you slavewife - I think you may need to start a new thread dear - this one isn't anything to do with formula milk or bf - as we've just pointed out 'growing up milk' is something completely different. :)

Also, not sure why you think i 'constantly start threads about' the fact that I 'dislike any forms of "formula" milk' - I think you need to use that 'search function' that you were talking about. :) You may be pleasantly surprised - or not if you actually want to start a bf vs ff debate but I'm sure there's plenty of room for you to start another one of those if you really want to. :)

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 10:45

I wonder when it was introduced here lljkk?

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culturemulcher · 04/05/2011 11:06

YANBU

It's a complete scam. If they're ready for 'follow on milk' they're ready to get their iron and other vitamins and minerals from their food.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 11:11

culture, I get your point but I'm actually talking about 'growing up milk' not 'follow on'. You may think it's even more of a scam! :)

OP posts:
culturemulcher · 04/05/2011 11:27

I do, I do - growing up milk, follow on milk, it's all the same to me: one big scam. Grin

wannaBe · 04/05/2011 11:27

I don't remember this stuff being available when my ds was little (he's eight now).

The first I ever saw of it was when I saw

\link{\this advert}

and thought

a) what a bloody annoying voice that woman has and

b) wtf what's wrong with just eating a healthy diet with dairy and meat and other things - we've never had this stuff before why in god's name do we need it now? Hmm

I think that if a toddler has such a limited diet that they need it supplementing with "growing up milk" then they should be under the care of a gp/dietician/paediatrician.

I think that if we have so many children in the UK that need their diets supplementing in such a way then we need to start questioning why.

people should be free to feed their kids whatever crap they see fit, whether that be mcDonalds happy meals or "growing up" milk. But if people believe that this is something their children need when generations of children before them have not then they have clearly been suckered in by the marketers.

Oh, and I speak as someone who ff so for me this has nothing to do with bf vs ff.

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 04/05/2011 11:39

Different perspective from the continent: I was told by different pediatricians that cow's milk is too rich in proteins for babies, and that too much proteins in young age increases the risk of obesity, hence the follow-on milk till 2 or 3... depending on how much milk your child is having.

What I can't understand is the need to add vanilline or corn syrop in all of them Confused, I only found one brand without any that DD2 has from time to time along side cow's milk.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 11:46

LeMous - Surely the growing up milk is all based on cow's milk anyway though? So it has all the cow's milk protein - plus a few extra things as well! :)

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culturemulcher · 04/05/2011 11:52

LeMous but you'd feed chicken, red meat and eggs to 18+month olds, right? They're all high biological protein. Why would milk be a problem?

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 04/05/2011 12:21

FF and growing up milk are based on cow's milk but the protein content is altered to make it more "human".
Yes, you do feed your children proteins but not too much, the right portion for a 1 yo is quite small. Most people actually give too much meat.

DD2 is still on once a day meat, and what she can handle (about half an egg)

Cloudydays · 04/05/2011 12:32

YABU :) As others have said, many if not most people who use growing up milk do so by choice and for convenience, not because they think they have to. :) Yet you persist with the insulting proclamations that they have all been taken in by marketing (read: too stupid to do their own thinking :) ), and / or are too lazy to feed their children a decent diet (read: don't give a shit about their kids :) ) :) :)

Your silly overuse of smiley faces is just the "look, I'm being passive!" part of your passive aggression.

:) Congratulations on having milk on tap, and for being too smart to fall for marketing, and for loving your kids enough to hide veggies in sauce instead of giving them growing up milk. You are so awesome :) .

belgo · 04/05/2011 12:33

Because people really believe it will give their child the extra vitamins and iron that they need. I have even been told this by professionals in Belgium.

I've never bought it.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 12:51

Why thank you cloudydays :) If something as simple as watching what my children eat made me an awesome parent I would be delighted!

I disagree that most people use it purely by choice and for convenience without being under any influence of marketing. Why choose it over any of the other available alternatives (that can also be bought in small, convenient bottles/cartons) that are being discussed? Clearly they think it must have some benefit otherwise they wouldn't bother with it.

I don't think I would interpret being taking in by clever marketing as being stupid nor have I said that people who use it are too lazy to feed a proper diet.

You come across as a bit insecure in your post. Are you not happy with the parenting choices that you made? Why are you being so defensive? :) :) :)

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Cloudydays · 04/05/2011 13:00

I don't think I made any reference to my own parenting choices in my post, bubbleymummy.

As you've asked, I'm as secure in them as anyone else who loves her kids, is mindful of the magnitude of a parent's responsibility, and does her best to make the right choices while acknowledging that I won't always get it right.

I'm not so secure that I think it's my place to look down my nose at other people who are also doing their best, however their choices may differ from my own.

:)

Insomnia11 · 04/05/2011 13:01

I tried to get DD2 onto normal milk but the only milk she will have is Growing up milk - if that as she doesn't drink much of it now, just the odd little bottle at bed time but she does eat cheese and yogurt, and plenty in general so I'm not too worried. (She is hugely tall for her age anyway).

With DD1 she just went onto full cream pasteurised at 12 months or so after follow on milk, no problem. With DD2 I did get the powdered tins of growing up milk for a while after 12 months as DD1 was having semi-skimmed milk , me skimmed (DH doesn't have it at all) and there wasn't space in my fridge for full cream milk as well, even if I bought UHT, put it in the cupboard and only had the odd carton in the fridge. I don't know how people manage re milk with larger families - get a much bigger fridge I suppose! I then tried DD2 on semi-skimmed when she got to 2, but she doesn't like it. Maybe she will be a non-milk drinker like Daddy.

PinkToeNails · 04/05/2011 13:08

Bubblemummy you are making assumptions about why people choose to buy it. You don't know the reasons behind every purchase of GU milk so you can't assume that everyone is falling for marketing.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 13:12

I'm glad you are happy with your choices cloudyday. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I am pretty sure there is some parenting choices out there that you look down your nose about - whether it be coke in a bottle, smacking a child or how a baby is put down to sleep - we all judge about something - it's human nature :)

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Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 13:14

How would anyone even know it existed or why they should but it if it wasn't for marketing pinktoenails?

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Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 13:14

buy*

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belgo · 04/05/2011 13:27

Of course it's marketing that makes people buy it. But they buy it with the best of intentions, genuinely believing it is best for their child, especially if they have a child who is often ill or who refuses to eat what their parents consider to be a healthy diet.

Whether there is truly any benefit of this milk, I don't know. I don't judge parents who buy this milk but I do judge them if they tell me that I should buy it for my children, especially when I am still bfing.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 04/05/2011 13:32

As I said before, I am not going to judge in the 'tut tut', staring daggers at the person buying it way- of course they are buying it because it is the 'right thing to do' but I will question why they do it and wonder do they genuinely KNOW that their child needs more iron/vitamins etc or are they just assuming they do because the advert says so? I will think it is a waste of money if they haven't looked at their child's diet to figure out if they need anything extra and I will think that the marketing is a bit unethical and plays on parents' fear and guilt. So if that is judginess then so be it! :)

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PinkToeNails · 04/05/2011 13:35

It's with all the other stuff in the baby isle.

I know it has no benefit, but if I'm going away then I buy it to give to DD on the plane or at the hotel if we're arriving late at night because it is convenient. I do have a cool bag, but last time I travelled the (cow's) milk leaked everywhere, plus I worry about whether the cool bag keeps mik cold enough for ong periods of time.

The advertising made me aware of it, but I don't believe that DD needs it as part of her diet because she gets all her dairy needs from cow's milk, yogurt and cheese. I actually hate the Aptamil ads...not for any reason in particular - I have nothing against FF ads, so I wasn't drawn in by a wonderful advertising campaign.

I can kind of see your (original) point, but I'm sure everyone has their reasons for using it. I wouldn't use it every day, it is too expensive and my DD gets all her nutritional needs from her food.

cuteboots · 04/05/2011 13:38

its a big advertising scam YANBU

PinkToeNails · 04/05/2011 13:40

I also agree that a lot of the advertising for baby products plays on fear and guilt. I actually asked my HV if the GU milk was necessary...not sure if that makes me a sucker or not because I couldn't work it out on my own.

belgo · 04/05/2011 13:43

The parents I know who use it have are the ones who are extra vigilant in making sure their children get a good diet.

The parents who don't care about their children's diet are probably also the ones who won't care what sort of milk they drink.