First milk or follow on

[clarabella18]

My LO is still on first stage cow and gate formula at nine months old. I've got it in my head that he can carry on with this until he's 12 months and then go on cows milk rather than go onto follow on milk. However I dont know where I got this from.
Any advice on whether to switch or is he ok to stay on first stage?

u can stay on it, but follow has more iron & different nutrients so may be better

I'd stay on 1st stage, follow is a bit of a con and it's not recommended as the iron is hard to digest and it's just not that great - lower in fat for a start (just when they need a high fat diet and BM gets fattier as time goes on but follow on is even lower in fat than 1st stage formula) and often flavoured with vanilla so it tastes extra sweet.

the follow on milk (from 6 months) I used was never sweetened with vanilla - maybe you are thinking of 1+ milk. I did switch to follow on milk around 9 months but more because it was cheaper and you could get offers on it than the claims about extra iron

Thanks Seona -I was sure I had heard follow on had vanilla in it but it is the toddler milks. I think it's the US where they have chocolate formula though so vanilla isn't that bad really

you are completely correct

first milk is fine and recommended by NHS
NHS do not advise follow on milk, and advises 1st milk then cows milk from 12m

follow on milk has been invented by formula companies so they can legally advertise their brand and promote their product

Also although it may have extra iron, the iron is not in a very absorbable form, and a decent normal balanced diet will be fine for your baby

That's what I thought! Thanks ladies, I'll stick with first stage then.

I remember asking my HV about this, and she said you can consider follow on (or was it toddler milk) if your LO is having a very poor diet. Otherwise it's 1st stage then full fat cows milk. I assume the toddler/follow on is fortified with vitamins and minerals so somewhat helps if your child isn't eating anything!