Follow on milk

[Brieandstilton]

Hi,

My DD is nearly 8 months. So far she's been on the Cow & Gate first stage milk. I've not moved her over to follow on milk because I read that it was unnecessary. However, Tesco are becoming very unreliable at having it in stock for my online delivery, but they do have the follow on. Should I switch? Is there something bad about the follow on milk?

Thanks.

I switched because it was cheaper not the spurious claims about extra iron. There's nothing bad about it. You can always try it and if it doesn't suit swap back

There are concerns that follow on formulas aren't as suitable for babies because their composition isn't tightly regulated like that of first infant milks. So, eg iron levels are higher and some guidelines suggest this may be harmful (eg, in preventing uptake of other nutrients like copper). See eg p 111 of

www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Infant_Milks_February2016.pdf

(This organisation is totally separate from the formula companies and has no competing interest). So, who and other guidelines suggest 1st infant milk to one year, for formula fed babies.