To ask why mumsnet product panel rate Arla Big Milk so highly over just...milk?

[TheOddity]

www.mumsnet.com/microsites/arla/arla-big-milk-product-test

Am I missing something or were the majority of these 250 product testers massively gullible? Surely milk doesn't need added vitamins and iron and whatever other crap?

For the product testers, I have a website full of magic beans and I can market them to feed into whatever is your current paranoia if you'd like to make me rich ....

People bang on about cows' milk being designed for baby cows, but then suddenly it's fine when a child gets to 12 months. Why not make it a bit better at providing vitamins?

Yes, children should get what they need from a healthy, balanced diet. But plenty of children don't. Either because they are really picky or because they aren't offered the right stuff. So supplements have a role to play.

I'm not going to buy it. It sounds like you're not either, so it really doesn't matter.

Is this like toddler milk? Real milk used to make my dc's sick when they were under the weather so it was better to spend £££ on toddler milk to minimise laundry and yucky nappies . They seemed more resilient by the time they were 2.

We buy it because our son will not take any vitamin supplements. We have tried the lot- sweets, drops, sprays. I think he eats a balanced diet but vitamin D supplements are recommended for all children and it's the only way we can supplement his diet. There's not much added iron in it, I would be less keen if there was. He has a beaker at bedtime and enjoys it.

I tried it. My eldest was going through a phase where all he'd eat was cheerios or chicken nuggets, sometimes with some beans. Mainly not. I was worried about his vitamin in take and he wasn't interested in vitamin tablets. But he drank the milk. So I felt like it was a win.

Although he's much better now, and it rely was a phase, my second child is doing the same thing. Rather than panic, we've bought this milk again and we'll see how we get on.

It's great you don't need it, but it doesn't make others paranoid if they buy it. Horses for courses.

I've been suckered in. It fills the guilt gap between swapping the not-yet 2yo off the pricey toddler milk and onto the far less nutritious but more convenient and affordable cow's milk. Guilt over vitamin and mineral intake appeased, for less expense and fuss than formula. Sorted!

I still breast feed (age nearly 4) my fussy eater once in the morning. Can't say I have ever seen myself as a vitamin dispenser though. Interesting so many people think extended breastfeeding is abnormal but then buy into the idea of enhanced cows milk. I do get the concerns about fussy eaters though, that does make sense, thanks.

I'm not convinced that all that many people buy into the idea of enhanced cows milk. The people who volunteer to take part in a MN test of the stuff are self-selecting. They have then got something free and been asked to feedback. While I'm reasonably sure that they would say if their child spat it out and said it was foul, they probably aren't going to say 'what's the point of this when I am doing extended BF with my child?'

In real life, I think I know two families who have used some form of 'toddler milk' so it doesn't seem very widespread to me.

This may be because I breast fed but I've literally never heard of toddler milk until this thread. I thought everyone did bm/fm until they eventually moved on to cows milk (or goat or non-dairy).

Ah Pico, thank you. I needed someone with a grasp of how science/stats work. You are of course correct. It is not a random sample of mumsnet. Thank you, I am stupid.

One question I search online is how this milk has longer self life. I found that is processed in different method “ultrahigh temperature” this kills every thing in the milk so how is this then benefiting when kids will be drinking dead becteria and all else that’s part of the milk. I’ve used it for 2 years but since my little one has constantly coming down with infections and colds. After this research I will change to RAW milk or goats milk