Follow-on formula milk - any benefit?

[ScreamEagle]

I don't think it is - have never used it for any of my older 4. However, dh insists that ds4 will benefit from it (more iron and vitamins), although ds4 is a healthy, thriving 28lb 5oz.

What's the MN verdict on follow-on milk?

I think most people don't use it, however I did. It's hard to say on things like this. Ds has always been really, really healthy. So one never knows if that had anything to do with it or not. He has never been a terrific eater, so that was part of my decision to go ahead with it.

Forgot to say ds4 is 10 months old and eats well. I intend to carry on using his usual formula milk until he is a year old then put him on cow's milk.

Of course not.
Yet another wily scam to part you and your money.

(They only started making it when formula ads were banned so that they could advertise it,thus establishing brand familiarity in the hope of getting more customers.)

More iron and vitamins than what, scream???

The answer is 'than doorstep milk' - which you wouldn't be giving anyway, right?

There is no reason to change from regular formula, and even less reaosn to give it in preference to breastmilk.

Don't fall for it.

(in fact there is more (unnecessary) iron in it than regular formula - that's why it is so constipating for many babies)

I'm not going to fall for buying it - for some reason dh keeps mentioning getting some. I have no idea why when we have never used it before - maybe the marketing ploy has worked on his simple brain?

You're right se.Their marketing dept would be rubbing their hands in glee if they could hear him!

I use it for the simple reason that we dont use milk often in our house and don't get it delivered so having formula suits us.

If follow on milk is the same as infant milk, then why not use it ? At least they have the ocassional promotion and you can get heaps of boots points for follow on milk (or wherever you shop). And in some cases, aptamil for example, its £1 cheaper per pack.

I have just bought follow on milk for ds2. We didn't use it with ds1 cos it really didn't make any difference and he liked the one we were using. However, we will use it with ds2 cos it is £1 cheaper than the "from birth" formula, and because it is legal to promote it, which means we get vouchers, and it counts as points on your loyalty card. So yes, it's cynical marketing, but I'm skint and so every little helps.

Of course, it does have the breast milk components in it (can't think right now, DHA?). Since I weaned ds at 13 months, I figured why not give him a little more of this for a while. I did mix it half and half with cow's milk, which helped keep the cost down.

I thought the point of the follow on was so that they got the extra vitamins and iron they need. Is it the same as the normal formula then? Started dd on it a couple of weeks ago. I BF mostly but she has 1 bottle a day. I have started weaning her too but she's not had any protein yet. Like others have said, it's about a £1 cheaper, though that's not the reason I switched, I just thought she should have it. Am I wrong?

No benefit. A friend of mine rang Milupa to ask them and they more or less admitted that it wasn't worth using it. It may have more vitamins and iron but they can't necessarily be absorbed any more easily (whereas there is less iron in breastmilk but virtually all of it gets absorbed). A bit like putting vitamin creams on your skin when you'd get more vits from eating an orange sitting in the sun. I agree with moondog, they invented it to get round the ban on advertising formula milks. Those wily marketing types.

and if you want to keep the price of formula down, find out from your hv where they sell it.I think it may be hv clinic. its the same place where people who get milk coupons get it. they don't do follow on milk there. thre may however be a restriction on how much you can buy at any one time.