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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Why do we have to use formula?

38 replies

SnowyBoff · 25/12/2009 23:24

I am thinking of putting DS3 onto bottles next month, as he'll be nine months old and there are various medical and social reasons on my side to stop now (the main one being that I have to go to France for a bit without him).

I was investigating formula and reading the labels, and noticed that they all contain palm oil and other crap. Now I don't want to feed him palm oil. It's not milk and it has a huge carbon footprint.

Theoretically speaking, is it scientifically possible to develop your own formula by using cow's milk at an appropriate dilution supplemented with vitamins and minerals as required? That way it would be possible to bypass large corporations producing formula and use local doorstep milk.
He's a good eater in other respects and I'm pretty good at following scientific protocols. I am loath to ask the HV about this as I'll probably be roundly patronised and told to feed him palm oil-contaminated milk.

OP posts:
shubiedoo · 26/12/2009 02:35

There might be at least one brand without palm oil. I'm in Canada and Similac doesn't contain any. What a good point though, I have never thought to research palm oil. Sounds disgusting!

stitch · 26/12/2009 05:32

i remember a while ago coming accross a link with a recipe for 'humanising' cows milk. there term, not mine.
if he is nine months old, and breast fed so far, and i assume on solids as well. you could probably move on to normal cows milk. i know that isnt the advice. but a lot of advice is based on a lot of other suppositions. and you need to decide whether or not you are happy to ignore that. personally, i chose to give my younger two babies follow on milk from this 8.5 months when i gave up breastfeeding.
i hope someone comes along with some good advice and links soon.

christmasgoblin · 26/12/2009 06:48

there are recipes on the net for making your own formula. i have never tried them myself or know their validity. I'd be inclined to find ways around the social and medical reasons you alluded to (as there are ways around just about every one of them) rather than give formula at this stage. BM is the most ecologically and nutritionally normal thing for any baby to have. And those concerns seem to be very important to you. But that is entirely my opinion so you don't have to take any notice of that.

christmasgoblin · 26/12/2009 06:51

Hi stitch. I wrote on a thread you started on Boxing Day last year, I think. Under my normal name, not Christmas name. It was a surprise to see you this morning as I haven't seen you all year. I have wondered how you have been doing in 09. Not stalking you, just remember your thread v well.

StealthPolarBear · 26/12/2009 08:34

hang on
so you're 14
you have a 9 month old
you had a baby last night in a barn
and then seconds later you were on MN calmly asking aboiut palm oil?
can i be the first to shout troll?
sorry, no idea about your question!

Original poster
SnowyBoff · 26/12/2009 10:29

No, I am not a troll. I started a fun Christmas thread, but this is a serious question! I am normally BoffinMum.

OP posts:
stitch · 26/12/2009 12:55

thread hijack.

christmasgoblin. i've been around, just name changed, as i didnt want to be known on mumsnet only for that thread and its implications. i had a lot of help, advice, and sympathy, which i needed sorely then, but i want to move on from that iyswim.
i namechanged back, bcoz i wanted to tell about my semi success in applying to medschool. i have three interviews lined up in the new year.

moondog · 26/12/2009 12:57

I'd just give regualr milk.

AbricotsSecs · 26/12/2009 13:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ThumbleBells · 26/12/2009 13:15

So long as he is eating well and getting enough iron from his diet, as well as other vitamins and minerals, you should be all right to feed him just cows milk without worrying too much. I believe the main concern is that cows milk has insufficient iron for a 6-12mo baby, hence the formulae are there. But in reality, if your DC is eating enough solids and getting his nutrients from his solid food, then it shouldn't be necessary to use formula.

foxytocin · 26/12/2009 13:24

sorry to hijack there, stitch. i'm really glad to hear of your success and success for medschool. i have a lump in my throat now actually with your news. a very well done you.

i was the chrismasgoblin btw. i tend to get into christmas late and leave it early.

ExplodingBananas · 26/12/2009 19:12

I thought one of the reasons not to feed cows milk early was an increased risk of later developing alergies?

daisychainXX · 26/12/2009 19:46

I gave my son normal full fat cow milk (from a cup) when he stopped wanting to BF at 9 months, it did him no harm. I told one new health vistior I had done this a fews weeks she was not happy about it. Later when I asked an older HV later she said she had done the same with her kids and as long as they have a good soild food diet with a good source of iron and had water to, it would be fine.... After all from the age of 6 months they can have yougarts and cheese.

StealthPolarBear · 26/12/2009 20:51

was just teasing you btw
It was a festive troll hunt with lots of tinsel and chocolate snowmen!

CaptainNancy · 26/12/2009 21:02

explodingbananas... isn't one of the main ingredients of formula cows milk?

Boffin- my ds is 10mo, and has just started nursery, as I'm due to return to work in the new year. He has been having cows milk in a cup during the day when he is there (twice a week). He eats an excellent varied diet, and still bfs 4 times a day/night... don't see why he needs to have palm oil, taurine, etc etc

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 27/12/2009 03:21

Oh god, just give cows milk. If you can supplement with Breast milk so much the better but if not, just supplement with good food, and as a last resort give vitamin drops.

Seriously, if your child has had a good base of bm for the last 9 months, cows milk will be fine.

McSnail · 27/12/2009 08:55

Cows' milk has a huge carbon footprint too. Just as big as palm oil.

Original poster
SnowyBoff · 27/12/2009 21:36

You don't cut down rain forest to make cow's milk. Well not here in East Anglia anyway.

When I had DD (now 22) we were advised we could give doorstep milk from 7 months. She seemed to survive the experience.

OP posts:
GoldREiNDeerLEaping · 28/12/2009 00:12

Here's the World Health Organisation's take on feeding children aged 6-24 months who are not breastfed. It mentions formula as one option, but covers how to meet nutritional needs where formula is unavailable too. The most straightforward option if you wish to avoid formula is to breastfeed, but if you wish to stop there are ways to avoid using formula and not comprimise your child's nutritional intake.

onebatmother · 28/12/2009 00:45

Boffinmum - do you badly want to stop? Bcs combo of ebm for ds and expressing while you're away to keep up supply would prob work, d'you think?

Original poster
SnowyBoff · 28/12/2009 13:13

I want to give up now for a couple of reasons. One is that I am off to France for three days to a conference, where I am giving an invited paper. Since I went back after maternity leave, I have been trotting off doing similar things but only overnight in the UK, lugging a refrigerated cool bag and an electric pump around with me at all times, then diving into the toilet (not literally, you understand!) every few hours in snatched meal breaks to pump a load off, and then humping it around with me until I get home, where it is frozen for when he needs it. During normal office hours I have been pumping off every 3-4 hours, transporting the milk home in the same coolbag during my monster commute, and during this time I have felt an enormous amount of pressure to keep my supply up and produce enough to keep him going in my absence. I am starting to get fed up of doing this, and very tired.

I also went to see the rheumatologist about my joint problems just before Christmas, and she has advised me to give up, as she thinks I can't get properly better from my SPD while I am still bf. I had a very bad period in early December where I was back on crutches, and I am finding this relapse very tiring. I am very limited in the medication I can take while I am feeding him as well.

I will miss bf as we both enjoy it a lot, plus these days I am quite anti-formula and big corporations, but I wonder if I'm being a bit too dogged and ideological for my own good, and knackering my health for the sake of it when really the advantage to a nine month old is not quite as marked as for a tiny baby.

OP posts:
StarExpat · 28/12/2009 13:21

I gave DS oatmilk with added calcium at 12 months when he stopped bf. Called Oatly. Can be bought in Tesco - or anywhere I assume!
It's not cow's milk so you don't have to worry about the whey protein...etc.

But get the one with added calcium. The organic one does not have it. It's a good alternative, good nutrients.

I hear you about the pressures of pumping. I did this a lot for many many months and it was very difficult. I don't see why a 9 month old couldn't have oatmilk for a few days. I don't like formula (my opinion that's all) and am sceptical about cow's milk protein at an early age. Still don't like DS having it.

There's also rice milk with added calcium.
Also, oatmilk tastes a lot more like breastmilk (sweet - no suger at all, though - don't worry! I'm a nazi about DS' diet!)

coldtits · 28/12/2009 13:21

Personally I'd probably bf as much as possible, pump while away, go back to BF on return and use ff organic cow's milk in the interim.

Purely because in NZ they give cows milk from 9 months anyway (I have been told)

coldtits · 28/12/2009 13:22

OK that's wrong, I just googled, but if you;'re going back to breast I'd do it. If not I'd give formula.

StarExpat · 28/12/2009 13:22

Many children with milk allergies have oatmilk in place of cow's milk. My HV and the GP thought it was perfectly fine for DS. I like to drink it now, too!