have I harmed my baby? re formula

14 replies

cleoowen · 31/07/2013 19:48

I have been giving my ds number 1 apimal and he is nearly 8 months old. I didn't realise that he was meant to have moved into the next one after 6 months. He has been weaned since about 6 months so I skipped number 2 and bought number 3. Was this the right thing to do?

What,is the difference between number 1 and number 3 aptimal? Would giving him number,1 for too long effect him anyway?

OP posts:

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 31/07/2013 19:51

He'll be perfectly fine, I put mine onto fullfat cow's milk at 6 mo (as was the current advice at the time) and they've both reached their 20's with no ill-effect. And they still drink at least a pint of semiskimmed a day...

TarkaTheOtter · 31/07/2013 19:54

cleoowen the stages are mainly a marketing gimmick. No need to switch from stage 1 at all (although the later stages might be cheaper).

babysaurus · 31/07/2013 19:54

It's apparently a marketing thing mainly. Level 3 has slightly more iron in but that's all. Don't worry!

TarkaTheOtter · 31/07/2013 19:54

It's just a way to get round the laws in marketing stage 1 formula.

iliketea · 31/07/2013 19:59

We kept dd on aptamil 1 until she switched to cows milk at 11.5 mo. I don't think you have to switch at all.

SkinnyDecaffGiraffe · 31/07/2013 19:59

Not at all. I would never but follow on milk. It's a con.

NatashaBee · 31/07/2013 20:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DontmindifIdo · 31/07/2013 20:03

Don't panic! Think of it this way, if you were breast feeding, would you expect your milk to dramatically change after 6 months? No, so if stage 1 formula is fine upto 6 months, it's fine afterwards. As others have said, they only really developed follow on milk to get round the fact they can't advertise formula for under 6 months. It has more iron in it and babies do need more iron after 6 months, but if you are feeding your dc a balanced diet they can get it from that. (stage 2 is just hungry baby milk, most babies don't need that, it's just thicker stage 1 milk, often they get constipated with it so if you've been able to avoid it, great)

TarkaTheOtter · 31/07/2013 20:08

dontmind it's not really relevant but breastmilk does change as the baby gets older (higher fat content I think).

Completely agree with the rest of what you said though.

ilovepowerhoop · 31/07/2013 20:22

aptamil 1 is fine for the whole of the first year at which point you can switch to cows milk. I did switch to follow on but only because it was cheaper and you got points/special offers on it

mrsmartin1984 · 31/07/2013 20:24

Follow on milk and hungry milk is just a marketing ploy. Avoid avoid avoid. No additional benefits for the baby. NHS actually reccomends that you continue to use 1st stage milk until they are one

Emilythornesbff · 01/08/2013 07:56

You have not harmed your baby.
He doesn't need the follow on milk.
Either will be absolutely fine.

JustPanicking · 01/08/2013 08:43

It's fine! Follow on formula is not subject to the same advertising rules as first formula so give the companies the opportunity to market their products. Have a look at the aptamil box. It says from birth to 12 months.

tiktok · 01/08/2013 08:53

Isn't it awful that marketing and commercial interests muddy the waters, leading to mothers worrying that if they don't do what the adverts are strongly implying, that they have harmed their babies?

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