Follow on milk, BLW and iron. Confused!!

[fishcalledwonder]

DD was EBF until 4.5 months. I gradually replaced breastfeeds with formula until now, at nearly 6mo, she is fully FF.

Have been wondering about follow-on milk and the fact that it contains more iron. I understand that follow on milk is mostly a loophole that enables the manufacturers to advertise baby milk, but am keen to go down the BLW route and if DD doesn't eat much to begin with, will she NEED the extra iron?

Sorry if this topic has been done to death, but couldn't quite find the info I needed.

Hi. Follow on milk isn't necessary. Ordinary formula is fine. Follow on is basically a rip-off! Baby should get most of his/her nutrients from milk till 12 months.

As long as she gets her recommended 20 oz a day of formula she'll be fine. There is no need for follow on milk at all, its just a device to allow the formula manufacturers to get around the advertising laws.

In fact I think one study showed that the high levels of iron in follow on milk may harm brain development, see here.

i did blw with mine and for the two that were formula fed, (no4 and no 5) i never bothered with follow on milk, just carried on using the normal first stage milk as they were happy on it.

its just so manufacturers can get round the advertising laws! most people i know have found the extra iron in follow on tends to lead to constipation. i guess the bonus is you can get points from boots/supermarkets etc on follow on milks but not first milk?

but as i said i never bothered, my dd is just 16mths and has 4oz milk 3 times a day and its still the first stage hipp organic that she has always had.

its 20oz a day once past 6mths and then 12oz a day once over a yr but that can be made up with cheese/yogurt etc as well. dd has milk in the morning, then before her nap and before bed, it would be easier for me if she just had two bottles of say 5-6oz but she has never drunk more than 4oz at a go! so we are sticking with the 3 bottles a day as she is happy with that tho i may give her regular milk in a cup at lunchtime soon instead of the bottle.

Thanks for taking the time to give me some advice. I'll stick to the same milk when we start weaning.