So, if you formula feed, why did you choose the particular formula you use?

[MyMILisDoloresUmbridge]

Just wondering really! A lot of people on the "anti-promotion" thread are saying that they were not influenced by marketing. So what did influence you? Family, friends, packaging, advertising, health professionals?

I chose to use Hipp Organic because I was feeding dd1 organic food so seemed silly not to use organic formula. She was about 7 months by this point.

I started on Aptamil at my mum's suggestion, and moved to Omneo (as it was then) Comfort at the suggestion of a Mumsnetter, who had found the lower lactose (or lactase, whatever) had helped settle her ds when he was a similar age.

I told my sister that the formula she was using was making my ds1 gassy, so she recommended a different brand which was perfect for him, I then recommeded it to friends when they were having trouble, and they have recommended it to other people. As a new mom I had no idea which to use, so word of mouth was more influential than anything else.

I used SMA as I had done with ds1,with no problems,but found it didn't agree with ds2.I changed to Aptamil for one week and the nappies were so horrendous,I then changed to Farleys and haven't looked back since.Ds2 is now like a different baby.No particular reason to changing to Farleys-just needed to find something that agreed with ds2 and thankfully,this did.

Bubbaloo, why did you use SMA with ds1?

We chose SMA after checking all the local shops for availability and different formats - SMA was most universally available so we went with that anticipating (correctly) that we would end up at some point having to rush and get some somewhere.

I used aptamil as that is what the hospital said it used most off..

DH was asked what should they feed DD (I had a GA and DD couldn't latch on etc and they really wanted to feed her (she was 9lb 11 and I think she was hungry) although to be honest I am still not really sure what happened.

Anyway - they asked DH what brand should they use, and as I was planning on BF he certainyl didn't have a clue as we hadn't discussed it.

When he asked what did they recomend, they said they couldn't so he said ok, what do you use most of, so Aptimal it was.

DD used that until she was 1 yr old, I didn't change to older baby powder just kept with the same one all the way through.

I used Aptamil to begin with as that is what was suggested in the hospital (dd wouldn't latch on and my milk didn't come in - she was 5 weeks early and was re-admitted at 3 days with dehydration and jaundice) After a few weeks I looked at the prices of different foods and realised that Aptamil was nearly £4 a tub more expensive than Farley's. So I asked my HV and she said there was little or no difference in different foods so try and see. So we switched to Farley's and dd was very happy on that so we stuck to it.

Advertising made no difference to me at all.

Because it's not the most expensive
Because it's sold at the nearest supermarket and the corner shop
Because it comes in full-size and half-size tins, and 1litre and 250ml cartons

I reckon the milk itself is much of a muchness, so these were the factors that mattered to me.

I used SMA Gold.

Just picked up the nearest one (in desperation as ds was not feeding and very weak - ended up in hospital with an ng tube but thats another story....)

Advertsising had no effect whatsoever on my decision....my son needed formula asap so I went and got some.

(My friends son didnt like sma so she used Aptamil instead and my nephews both had SMA white for hungrier babies)

Fio, my Dad kept nails in SMA tins too!

I use Farleys as I was told by my sister who has FF five babies that its the only formula actually manufactured in the UK.

Hipp because its organic

I used SMA for ds and dd1 to start with as my mum had used it with my sisters. DD1 was then put on enfamil for her reflux. DD2 started on sma but moved to aptamil as she was reacting badly to sma.

Interesting thread, Dolores. The thing about marketing, advertising and promotion is that we don't always realise we are being influenced! Choice of brand of anything is very complicated.

The 'nails in a tin' and 'what my sister used' thing is highly typical of the 'relationship' we have with brands. This cosy feel is what manufacturers would like us to have - it's why all branding (colours and packaging) is warm and fuzzy, and why someone like Patsy Palmer (friendly, warm, down to earth) is used to promote Cow&Gate.

Healthcare professionals get promoted to, as well, in very similar warm fuzzy ways.

"Rickeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"

For ds4 I used farleys at first, as I used that for ds1 and changed to that for ds3 from SMA, which ds2 had).
I chise farleys because my sister and oldest friend had used it.

Ds4 now has Aptimal because he had prolonged episode of diaoreah (sp?) and it has pre-biotics in which I thought would help sett;e his stomach.

I chose Aptamil because of the little leveller thing they've got on the corner of the pack - handy.

SMA for dd cos its what the hospital gave me, but because dd was a slow feeder I actually tasted the stuff myself (foul) so I changed to C&G for ds1 and 2.

Tiktok, so how exactly does one make an uninfluenced decision?

I bought a tub of Cow and Gate from my local supermarket before she was born. Think I chose it because it wasn't as expensive as some of the others. But I am sure that some of the packaging must have helped. And probably the farm-y 'Cow and Gate' subliminally make me feel it was all natural or summink. Then got given SMA in hospital but didn't really notice.

No-one I know formula fed from birth but Aptamil/Hipp Organic appear to be the drug of choice round here for follow-on or mixed feeding. Def think Hipp have grabbed the yummy mummy market for formula and jars.

Its very difficult to make any kind of informed choice about formula feeding or the different ingredients in formula, as all you are told is 'it ain't as good as breast'. So just like anything else you choose based on price, packaging and recommendation.

PS Lazyemma, Cow and Gate have that leveller thing too! Would prob choose whichever one has packs you can recycle for next one - SMA tins are reusable I guess...

We started on SMa with DD who is now 5 as other around used it - was ok. This time I chose Aptimal but then changed to C&G Comfort milk as he as always sick after a feed - this seemed to solve that problem. Put rom what I can see Aptimal and Cow and Gate are the same company - same address, same ingredients (yes I sat there with two small cartons and checked - sad or what). There is a price difference of either £1 or £1.50 cant remember which - so Aptimal is obviously marketed at middle class parents who are worried about not breastfeeding - as this promotes itself as the nearest thing - blah blah - all much of a muchness, and I reckon the best decision is what you can buy locally with ease!

Don't they all have the leveller thing? Comfort has it too (although they have recently changed the packaging so that you have to fight your way in every time, which I am less-than-chuffed about).

I used SMA at first for DS1 as the packaging looked good and it was one of the cheaper formulas. I soon moved onto C&G as SMA gave him wind! Picked this over anything else as a friend recommended it.