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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

formula, follow on, or cows milk

15 replies

lori21 · 27/04/2007 22:27

My lo has only ever had bm or water to drink and is currently on a dairy free diet, as adviced by the doctor. At 12 months I plan to gradually introduce dairy and reduce the bf but what do I replace it with.

On one hand cows milk is 'natural' but designed for cows and on the other hand formula/follow on is 'artificial' but designed for children.

Would be interested to hear anyones opinion....

OP posts:
Quootiepie · 27/04/2007 22:30

hmmm... I went with growing up milk in the end as 1) DS preferred it over cows milk and 2) I did get suckered in by all the tales of x% of babies being deficient in x,y & z vitamins and this milk has it added... personal preference I guess, maybe try both and see what he/she prefers?

moondog · 27/04/2007 22:30

Cows' milk all the way.
Formula is a heavily processed product full of weird things.
He won't even need that much.Mine never drank/drink it-just have it in cheese,youghurt and occasionally on cereal.

moondog · 27/04/2007 22:31

And follow on milk is nothing more than a marketing con to circumvent laws on advertising formula. Did you know it costs seven times as much as regual r milk!!!??

ejt1764 · 27/04/2007 22:34

most formula is cows' milk based anyway (or so I understand) ... why give them the processed stuff, if the 'real' stuff is so easily available?

MissGolightly · 27/04/2007 22:36

Cows milk because I am loathe to put more money into the pockets of formula milk companies.

But I do go for organic non-homogenised milk because I am a ponce.

moondog · 27/04/2007 22:38

non homogenised??
Never seen that for sale?

How is it different then?

Nightynight · 27/04/2007 22:40

non homogenised is what we used to get in the 70s, with topsy, surely?

lori, why not goats milk, traditionally given to children as a more digestable alternative to cows milk.

MissGolightly · 27/04/2007 22:44

It is very difficult to get hold of. I get my milk from Riverford and theirs is non-homogenised as standard.

As for the difference, it's no big deal really, but do you remember when we were kids you used to get top-of-the-milk? Ie the fat used to separate out and float on top of the milk? Anyway this doesn't happen anymore, and the reason it doesn't is because they homogenise the milk (In the words of L'Oreal, now for the science bit: I think they do it by squirting it at high pressure through a tiny nozzle which causes the fat globules to break up and become too small to coalesce). The reason they do this is 1) because people are too lazy-arsed to shake the bottle and 2) it increases the shelf-life by several days.

I get non-homogenised because 1) I miss top of the milk and 2) on principle I prefer my food as little mucked about as possible. There is also a slightly bonkers food-facist theory that non-homogenised is healthier for boring reasons I won't go into. Am sceptical abotu this but feel non-h can't hurt!

MissGolightly · 27/04/2007 22:45

Out of interest Lori, why were you advised to go dairy free? is you LO dairy intolerant?

mears · 27/04/2007 22:52

Only one of my 3 children drank milkwneh i stopped BF. There is no need for children to drink cow's milk if they have enough calcium in their dites from other sources. Definitely no need for follow on formula.

Original poster
lori21 · 28/04/2007 10:00

Thanks everyone - there is a strong history of excema and asthma in our family and my mum thinks that my excema was worsened by dairy and eggs. I took him to the doctor as he had a persistent cough, 'specially at night, and the doctor said that as he is bf it is easy to avoid dairy, just to be on the safe side, and then to introduce it slowly to see if there are any affects.

I think I will go down the organic full fat milk and see if i can get the non-homogenised.

Thanks again

OP posts:
terramum · 28/04/2007 12:29

Can I ask a really rude & nosy question (tell me to bog off if its none of my business )....but if there is a problem/risk with giving dairy why not carry on bfing and not give an alternative? Is there a particular reason you want/need to give up?

Original poster
lori21 · 28/04/2007 15:00

I will proberly still be bf morning and night but am going back to work and even when my milk was at full flow I could only express a tiny amount, let alone now with him only having four feeds a day. We also plan to have another baby fairly soon and although I know you can get pg whilst bf and you can bf whilst pg I think that might prompt me stop. Also my lo is not an enthusiastic 'bf'er. If I did not feed him I don't think he would notice! Lots of reasons really, I love bf and will be very sad to stop but really feel i must face the inevitable in a few months time. With his lack of enthusiasm for bf I can imagine him self weaning not long after 12 months.

OP posts:
ejt1764 · 28/04/2007 20:20

How old is lo now? Many children go through a 'disinterested' phase when bf at around 8 - 9 months ... I wish I'd known it with my ds, as I think I would have persevered longer with him!

Original poster
lori21 · 28/04/2007 21:30

He is 10 months and has not been particularly interested in bf since he was about 4 months! (except at night ) I will persevere though as long as I can

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