Choosing Milk Formula

[RebekahJ]

Hello everyone,
How did you decide on which brand of milk formula to give your baby?
I’m finding it really hard and cannot decide between Aptamil, SMA or HIPP.

We "chose" SMA as I was really struggling with breastfeeding in hospital and after three nights of no sleep (and on labour) I asked for formula, the nurse said "which one". I shrugged my shoulders, and she came back with SMA. We just stuck with it. Baby #2 currently mix fed on SMA as well

Definitely hipp organic. All the other formulas gave me son terrible reflux and wind. HiPP was the best one and it smelt pleasant as well! The others stunk

Before he was diagnosed with cmpa Hipp seemed to be the only one that didn’t really irritate his reflux and constipation, he wouldn’t even entertain cow n gate, Aptamil bunged him up like crazy and sma caused projectile vomiting.

Fortunately it’s sold in our local Tesco and co op, had noticed it wasn’t as “available” as the rest that were in literally every chemist/food shop so I can see why they’d be more popular if your baby takes to them.

When we were discussing the possibility of formula top ups with my HV, she said that they usually reccommend that people choose a brand that is available in their local shop in case of emergencies. Because there really was no difference in terms of benefit to the babies.

It seemed sensible advice.

Please can I ask that when people ask for advice on formula feeding you are not that twat who mentions breastfeeding.

So many women are unable to breastfeed because of many different reasons. In many cases the pressure to do so can really affect a persons mental wellbeing.

It is none of your business why people are feeding THEIR baby in a certain way.

It’s not like there is a lack of information floating around/forced in new mums faces on this subject.

Thanks

So the formulas should all be the same but I found different brands had a different effect on my babies digestion.

Aptimil gave me baby constipation

Sma gave my baby nasty smelly green poo

Hipp worked well

But other friends had different experiences so it's down to your baby and what works well for you

I was going to say it too, dont fund hate

lifeisgenerallyfun

It’s very rare to be unable to breastfeed. Lots of people think they are / were unable to due to the misinformation that’s circulating on the subject, even from healthcare professionals.

If people are feeling bad because they formula feed, that suggests that they want to breastfeed and haven’t been supported to do so.

There’s a lot of pressure to breastfeed. But not enough support to do so. Which is what impacts women’s mental health.

I was going to say it too

Why? Was the question in the OP not clear enough? She doesn't need to explain her reasons for choosing to feed her baby in a way that works for her, not to anyone, least of all some random busybody on the internet. If you can't offer a response to the OP then why post?

It’s very rare to be unable to breastfeed

Maybe she doesn't want to. I didn't. Simple as that. No great big decision making process, no angst, no lack of support, just nope don't want to. It's absolutely none of your business how other people feed their kids and your sanctimonious posts help nobody. (Although they are obviously making you feel superior).

For fucks sake, another righteous poster going on at how it’s just lack of support that’s missing.

FWIW Aptimil and Cow & Gate are made in the same factory by the same manufacturer. They're exactly the same but with different price points. Definitely go with a brand that you can get premade bottles for emergencies and going out.

Mamia which is Aldi own brand of Aptimil and sits right next to it on the shelf but is half the price!

My baby is under many doctors so I am always asked what milk I use and their response is always "oh aptimil then" lol

There was a great Panorama on this last year.

I wish I lived near a Sainsbury's so I could get their formula.

@Jess827 hear hear! I put myself under such immense pressure to breastfeed with #1 that I ended up with infected nipples, in the excruciating pain, unable to sleep, crying putting baby to breast, thrush, mastitis and plenty of blocked milk ducts. Now coming to the realisation that this caused PND for me.
I wish somebody had been allowed to tell me that I should just give it up, bottle feed, and enjoy my baby, but that advice was never given. I had a horrible time in the early months with my first. And I still feel bad now that I didn't "EBF for 6 months".

Of course breastfeeding is fantastic but not at the expense of everything! And I totally 100% respect that it's not for everybody even to begin with!

Somebody told me Aptimal and Cow & Gate are pretty much identical as made in the same factory. We chose C&G as its cheaper and we go through a tub of week meaning it is expensive. Our baby loves it so I won't be changing.

It’s very rare to be unable to breastfeed. Lots of people think they are / were unable to due to the misinformation that’s circulating on the subject, even from healthcare professionals.*

It's the OP's choice. If she wants advice I'm sure she'll go to her midwife.

They are all the same. So just buy the cheapest they are a gimmick to make money

I chose Aptamil with DD1. Our reasoning was that it was what she was given in hospital so it was what she was used to.

By the time DD2 came along Aptamil had changed their formula. We tried it for a few weeks and found the milk to be almost stodgy, far too thick, and she was having lots of tummy pain. We switched to HIPP as I heard it was the most similar nutritionally to Aptamil, and have had no issues at all.

Mulledwineinajug the op wants advice on formula and not information on breastfeeding. Did you misunderstand the thread?

If you want to talk about breastfeeding start your own thread.

Go for the cheapest and the easiest available to you

PLEASE don't derail the thread by talking about breastfeeding.

The price of formula is a scandal and the misinformation and misleading marketing to vulnerable parents and infants is worth exposing to as many new mothers as possible.

The cheapest milk is just as good for your baby as the most expensive milk. Some brands will suit individual babies better than others but there's no need to stick to one - you can switch if you want to see if a cheaper one suits them as well at any time.

Brand loyalty is worth billions to these companies so take all the marketing with a sea's worth of salt.

We went with aptamil but oh my god the smell of it is horrific, especially after a burp