Formula in France

[Elly1801]

Hi there,

Are about to holiday in France. Does anyone know what brands are available/what is recommended?

Thanks,

Elly

Hi, Elly, we were able to get Aptamil last year in France, although slightly different name in that it was not called "first", but I cannot remember what. Gosh, I am very helpful! Sorry, best I can do.
We are off to France again next week with new baby, so overall experience was good.

Enjoy your holiday.

What do you normally use?

You can buy formula in supermarkets and chemists, lots of different brands available. I live in France and can look for you next time I'm shopping if you like.

Thanks, that'd be great! Owners have offered to get as part of welcome pack so would you be able to let me know in the next 24 hours?? If not, don't worry .

What am I looking for? Which brand do you prefer?

It's luvvvvverly today, not a cloud in the sky - how about down there?

Right, Elly - assuming your baby is over 6 months, you need "lait 2ème âge" (If not you need "lait 1er âge"). Brands available in supermarkets are:

Milupa
Nutricia
Nestle
Bledina
Modilac
Gallia
Guigoz
Nutricia

Some are available in liquid format (in cartons) but most are powdered, in 900g tins.

Guigoz is popular, apparently recommended by paediatricians, if your usual brand isn't on the list.

Happy hols!

isn't 'lait 2eme age' follow-on milk ie a marketing gimmick?

I don't know, I didn't bottle feed, but here bottlefed babies here are given "lait 1er age" for their first 6 months and "lait 2eme age" thereafter.

Is that not the case in the UK then?

this is from 3 years ago, but i found that the formula I bought in France would not dissolve properly without being heated, and we were staying somewhere without a kettle or microwave (whoops, forget I said microwave!) whereas the formula I used in England always used to dissolve well in room temperature water. I've no idea whether the formulation was actually different, whether using Evian was the difference or whether I am just generally slack and didn't notice in England. In the end i used readymade formula, at a price.

in the UK manufacturers have introduced something called 'follow-on' milk to get round the no-advertising-of-formula laws - it's advertised as being suitable from 6m but is no better nutritionally than 'first milk' (usu has extra iron that babies can't actually absorb) and is often more expensive.

I didn't know that MrsB, the advertising rules are the same here so it prob is a marketing ploy then!

Here 2eme âge milks are a bit cheaper than 1er âge.

Don't know this for a fact but have been told that formula in France has a higher fat content than in the UK, so it may be worth bringing a tin of your usual in case your baby doesn't like it.

I use Carrefour organic babymilk to mix in with breakfast cereal. Mixes well with room temp evian. Don't know anyone french who heats water to mix in milk powder.

Am also breastfeeding so not too au fait with baby milks....

Where are you staying? How nice of them to offer you babymilk in the welcome pack.

Thanks so much for help everyone,

I think we'll just take our usual for all the extra weight, don't fancy adding a fussy baby to it all and saves hosts the hassle.

Ggglimpopo, we're staying at gite not far from Poitiers (hope the weather improves!)

Elly