Confused about 6month + formula

[angelz]

I have been formula feeding my ds since he was 3 months with Aptamil 1 + Aptamil comfort. I am now looking to go onto the next type of milk as he soon turns 6 months. My trouble is I would love to use one of the organic brands, but love the convenience of the aptamil ready made cartons. Can you mix types of milk? Does anyone have experience of the organic brands, if so how did you find them/ can you recommend one brand above another?

Why is it you want to change formulas? Is it just because you would rather use an organic one? There's no reason to change just because your DS happens to be coming up to 6mo.

I ff DS1 on SMA Gold right up to a year when he went on to cow's milk. I'm currently ff DS2 and will do the same - stick with it as long as he needs formula at all. You don't need the second stage stuff if you're happy with your current formula.

Really? I thought the 2nd stage formulas had more iron and things in? I just mean moving him onto Aptamil 3 rather than 1?

I like the organic ones because they have better ingredients/ less gm / less chemicals etc.

The infant formulas are fine until a year, the "extra" iron is a red herring as it isn't as easily absorbed and once weaning is established unnecessary. The difference is that the manufacturers can advertise and price promote the 6 months+ milk (since it isn't an alternative to establishing breastfeeding) to get brand recognition and market share.

Yes you can use more than one type of formula - it is fine to use the organic one at home and the aptamil cartons (or in fact any cartons) when you are out.

But as others have said, no need to move onto follow on unless you want to. The infant milk is probably more easily digested

I use the HIPP organic one (moved on from Aptamil about a month ago as it is over £1 cheaper a pack as well as being organic!) DD took to it straight away. I have used the odd carton of aptamil in the meantime when out and about but there was a leaflet in the last box of HIPP I bought saying they were going to start doing ready mixed first milk too.

Agreement here. With DD (now three) I had her on Farleys First (when it was still about) and kept her on it until she was on cow's milk at a year. She never seemed to need a "hungrier" milk, was never a big milk drinker anyway, and I figured that weaning her plus her existing formula meant that she was going to be getting everything she needed.

If it's not broken...!

hmmmmmm, I am a marketer's dream, just assumed you had to go onto the next stage. Think i will move him onto the organic hipp one and use the odd stage 1 carton when out : µ)

Thank u for your help.

I think it's normal to think they need a different formula from 6 months, many, many, many, many threads and obviously it sells. But the truth is that while it has more iron for example, it's unlikely that a child can absorb it in those quantities from milk (and is much healthier to absorb iron from a varied and healthy diet anyway) and it has the negative effect of causing constipation in a lot of cases.

I think 'hungry' milk is also a bit of a misnomer as it doesn't necessarily provide 'more' but is harder to digest so stretches feeds out and can cause discomfort.

As others have said, it's just a sneaky way of getting around advertising laws and not necessary in the vast majority of cases.