BF but which formula to choose?

[Icklemariposa01]

Please help/advice.

So we are the five month and a bit stage and we have done a week of baby rice and expressed milk and like 100s of women before me I am now beginning to get fed up with expressing milk. LO has been exclusives BF and eventually I want to switch to formula in a few months time for when I get back to work.

However for now I have no idea which formula to use!

Just went to the supermarket and stood on front of the formula shelf and had no idea which one to get!! Aptimil, SMA etc and then after choosing the brand it's which specific one?! HV said not to get follow on milk but what the heck is "hungry baby".

Just want to use the milk to mix with the baby rice and then with the purees.....and then with the bottle.

Has anyone been through the same?

Thank you!

Hi, well done for EBF for this long. I did the same as you. I figured, if I was introducing solid foods, including cereal made with cows milk, then formula wasn't so different.

Most people seem to be brand loyal but I'm not. DS doesn't seem to mind which brand. Apparently some babies refuse various brands. Just go for stage 1 and whatever brand you like is cheapest. Not sure why your HV said not to get follow on milk though. As far as I know it is the same as stage one but with added iron. HVs seem to be fond of saying that there is no need for follow on milk.

Well follow on is for babies six maths plus and ops baby is not six maths and yes the main difference is added iron and it may bung baby up again, essentially follow on milk is an advertising con.

Hungry baby milk is formulated slightly differently to make a baby feel fuller for longer, something to do with the caesin/whey balance? Again not necessary for most babies.

Basically all formulas are much of a muchness, buy one that is easy to get hold of locally, some supermarkets don't stock the same brands.

Can't link as on phone but WHO has brought out a statement saying they don't recc follow on milk, words to that effect, this is v recent. Today or yest.

Ickle chose one that you can get locally.

mobile.nutraingredients.com/Regulation/WHO-Infant-follow-on-milk-unnecessary-and-inappropriate#.Ufqf6-E1iaw

Here WHO release statememt saying they dotn recommend follow on milk.

Interesting WHO article. I think there are two key points: protein levels within follow on milk and advertising of formula companies via follow on milk.

I agree about the advertising as, to me, it does contain stealth messages that persuade women to stop BF earlier. So I'd support a ban on advertising full stop. However the protein point would be solved by a change in recipe, I'd have thought. I've given DS follow on but it is a pretty small part of his diet now he's weaned I am not concerned. But I might chose not to buy follow on if I follow the same path next time.

OP, just buy Stage 1 (from whatever brand you choose).

From my experience, of EBF for 6 mo, mix feeding and introducing solids 6 mo to 9 mo, FF 9-12 mo then cows milk. Seems to work for me, my conscience is clear, DS is a very healthy fella.

No - follow-on is not the same as 'stage one' but with added iron.

Follow-on is casein-dominant (the type of protein in the milk) which is closer to 'stage 2' sometimes marketed as 'hungry baby'. Casein is the 'tougher' part of the protein in cows milk and it takes longer for the baby to metabolise it, so the theory is it keeps babies 'satisfied' for longer....not that there is any published evidence I have seen that it works like this.

For healthy baby, over 6 mths, increasing solid intake, I honestly don't think it can make much difference. Follow on is a total marketing exercise, though, so if you want to avoid it because of not wanting to feel like a mug, then it would be understandable :)

tiktok as always you have very sensible advice.

Only one thing I'd say is that I don't feel like a mug for buying follow on- because it has been cheaper. Promotions are allowed on follow on but not stage 1, so I've saved money.

Go ahead - I agree, it is cheaper, and buy it for that reason, but not because you think it is better for the baby :)

Sorry for thread hijack but as you're here tiktok, being one of the gurus on the bf/ff threads, please could I ask something unrelated very quickly?

My DS is one and I'm giving cows milk from a bottle before nap time and bedtime. Just wondered if I need to keep sterilising the bottles (I am at the mo)? If I was giving formula (for over ones) I would, wouldn't I? Is the need for sterilising mainly potential bugs on formula or because of the teat potential trapping bugs? Many thanks.

Sorry OP

Thank you so much for the advice!

I can imagine loads of women doing this very thing so grateful that I have responses.

A lot of "food for thought". Yeah I will buy the stage one then.

Great advice!!
X

Ice, this is not what I would say was 'my' area, but I think (speaking as a mother) that there is no need to sterilise at this age, for cows milk or formula, as long as you are careful about cleaning thoroughly. The reason for sterlilsing is not because of formula (rather than cows), but because any milk traces are a breeding ground for bugs....but very hot water after poking out/scrubbing all the milk off and careful rinsing of teats and bottles should be enough for babies of any age, in fact. Not many countries sterilise the way we do.

Thanks tiktok

If you just want milk for cooking/adding for food, can you not just use cow's milk?

The big advantage with follow on milk is it is often reduced. I rather would have felt like a 'mug' buying first milk tbh. Another advantage is lack of patronising 'you should be breastfeeding' message on the side.

Brettgirl there is a link upthread explaining that follow on milk for the under-ones is not appropriate or necessary for under-ones, like the OPs baby. This is ever so recent advice from WHO.

Or don't bother with mixing milk into cereals and purées..... We decided to do BLW when DS was 5 1/2mo and so avoided the hassle!
Highly recommend it.

DS started with soft or steamed fruits n veg. Then we introduced meat and fish and dairy and then bread pasta rice etc.
DS had cows milk in things from 6mo - weetabix & cows milk for breakfast, rice pudding for tea, pancakes, omelettes etc
I found it much easier than making and feeding purées.
Just a thought.