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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Best Formula?

13 replies

CupcakesHay · 03/01/2011 22:36

Hi

I'm 36 weeks pregnant with first baby and planning to breast feed - but as i like to be prepared, if it all goes wrong - is there a "best" formula to use? Or are they all the same?

Thanks!

OP posts:
MoonUnitAlpha · 03/01/2011 22:38

They're all the same - pick the one available at your nearest 24 hour shop.

pinkyp · 03/01/2011 22:42

i dont think there is a 'best' formula, some babies dont take well to a particular type it all depends on your baby. The only thing i can suggest is see what your local shops stock incase you run out at any point you know its esily available etc. I would also point out that the more expensive formula doesnt mean its any better than the cheapest one so maybe thats something to think about too.

snapcrunch · 03/01/2011 22:43

pretty much all the same by law, some have added ingredients, no real proof of benefit though.

if you want to breastfeed, most people would advise not buying any formula in advance. if you use it in the early days it can interfere with establishing supply.

if you have no medical issues, try to have confidence in your body's ability and come on here lots for the expert advice. :) (not from me i hasten to add, I'm only an amateur!)

all the best.

Original poster
CupcakesHay · 03/01/2011 23:04

Thanks - i really am hoping to breast feed - but I have big tescos nearby - so if worse case happens - i'll be sending DH - but good to know all are the same.

(fingers crossed on b-feeding front - seems so much easier!) :)

OP posts:
ShoppingDays · 04/01/2011 02:46

Try Hipp if you fancy an organic one.

Fernie3 · 04/01/2011 02:54

I used sma for my older ones but youre right after three bottkefed fed babies ii now have a breastfed baby and overall for me at least breastfeeding is easier.

babeinthewood · 04/01/2011 04:18

Hi, I Agree with snapcrunch re: using in the early days, plus if you have a hospital birth like my first you will know what they're going to be eating before you leave!

I used Aptamil for both my boys as it has ALOT of vitamins and goodness in it that most others dont. Tesco's do the big boxes of powdered or the ready made cartons. :-)

mousesma · 04/01/2011 10:26

I don't think thats necessarily true that Aptamil contains more viatmins and goodness. I think its more a testiment to the power of their marketing that people think that. In particular it is marketed heavily to HCPs which why it is often recommended by them.

Cow & Gate and Aptamil are actually made by the same people and use the same ingredients.

I use Cow & Gate but it's only because they were they only brand that my local supermarket stocked in half tins. I was mix feeding so wouldn't use a whole tin in 4 weeks. I think all brands are more or less the same.

Also as I think other people have said the cartons of a brand are not made in the same way as the powdered version of the same brand. You may find that your baby gets on with the cartons but not the powder.

Get some formula in if it makes you feel more confident. I EBF until 14 weeks then I started mix feeding which I am stll doing at 25 weeks. I kept some cartons in the house from the start and although I never used them in the early days it helped physcologically to know that they were there. I used to say to myself just get through today then when if you wake up and you really can't cope you can use the formula. I never did feel like that but it was nice to have the back up plan :)

InspirationalBreadbin · 04/01/2011 10:34

Aptamil is a different product to cow and gate. Just because something is made by the same company (or in the same factory, as I often hear touted) doesn't mean it is the same thing. The same companies market paracetemol and ibuprofen, that doesn't make them the same thing, does it???

rainbowinthesky · 04/01/2011 10:37

I thought all formulas were pretty much the same due to legal requirements and any additional extras are a selling point with no proven benefit (apart from selling their brand). They may contain extra vitamins but doesnt mean the baby can absorb them or needs them.

mousesma · 04/01/2011 10:39

True I wouldn't dispute that it is possible that the ingredients are the same but the "blend" is different. However they are made in the same factory so it is not impossible either that there is no difference at all. I don't know either way for certain but I am happy to be corrected if anyone does know for certain what the differences are. I would still dispute though that Aptamil contains "ALOT more vitamins and goodness" then other brands.

tiktok · 04/01/2011 10:55

Aptamil is no better than any other formula - it really isn't. Its not identical to C&G as the prebiotic blend is slightly different and there may be very minor differences in the other ingredients - it has no more 'goodness' in it than other brands. Would be interested to know how you got this idea, babeinthewood - did someone say this to you?

Formula all over the world has to comply with international legislation, set by the relevant committee of the World Trade Organisation, and there is not much room for manoevre.

There is no evidence whatsoever that babies benefit from prebiotics added to formula and independent studies have shown this. The claims made for them have been shown to be spurious.

The main thing would be - if you did decide to use formula - to use a type suitable for your baby's age, as the wrong sort could be harmful.

Morph2 · 04/01/2011 22:09

i've always used C&G so not 100% sure on this but have been told by a couple of others that there babies did not like aptamil and that they tried C&G as it has a slightly sweeter taste

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