Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

can you make homemade yoghurt with baby milk?

18 replies

bubbinsmum · 17/10/2007 17:08

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this so sorry if I get it wrong... My 6 month old daughter is completely uninterested in food except for yoghurt and fromage frais which she gets really rather excited about. Trying to get her to drink baby milk is also becoming increasingly difficult, a bit like wrestling with a hyperactive baby octopus. I looked at an old thread about giving little ones homemade yoghurt and that seems okay but I just wondered if it was okay to make it with baby milk and if anyone has tried this? Thanks

OP posts:
captainmummy · 18/10/2007 10:21

You mean formula? Or breastmilk?Try it! Bring about half a pint of milk to the boil and cool until bloodheat, stir in a tablespoon of live yoghurt(that will probably have to be commercial) and tip into a thermos. Leave for 8 hours and then tip it out, stir and see what it looks like. add fruit or whatever. If it looks and tastes deeeeeescusting, you've only lost half a pint of milk.
Let me know how it turns out, I'm quite new ttoo and I hate having my posts ignored too!

Original poster
bubbinsmum · 18/10/2007 21:56

Thanks, captainmummy! I mean formula milk (breastfeeding was something else the little tyke didn't fancy much!). I've read on some cookery sites that the best milk to use is UHT and I know some formula brands do 'ready to drink' longlife stuff in cartons which might do the trick. I've put a wanted ad on our local freecycle network for a yoghurt maker (not that I'm a skinflint but I don't want to spend 30 quid on one and only use it once!) If I don't get any joy then I'll try your thermos method. Thanks for your advice, hopefully I can get my bub to be a bit more when I give her homemade stuff!

OP posts:
shrooms · 19/10/2007 00:32

I'd be interested to see what breastmilk yoghurt was like.
Now that really would get gordon ramsey going...

captainmummy · 19/10/2007 10:50

You've just reminded me - I used to make yog with dried milk powder, so I don't see why formula isn't the same. Don't fork out for a yoghurt maker, a thermos does just as well.

captainmummy · 19/10/2007 13:53

Hey bubbins - there s a yoghurt maker just come on in our local freecycle!!!!!!!! I'm going to watch it to see if you pick it up!

Original poster
bubbinsmum · 19/10/2007 17:35

Have now got hold of a yoghurt maker through freecycle - it needs a plug so not quite ready to rock and roll yet! I'm still a bit worried about giving 'live' yoghurt to a 6 month old - just the idea of milk and bacteria. I'm sure I'm just being paranoid (first time mum syndrome) but we're having a home visit from the health vis a week on wednesday (Fi has dropped another centile on the growth chart thingy) so I might check with them before doing anything else. If anyone has any tips for good 'bulking up' food in the meantime they would be gratefully received!

OP posts:
captainmummy · 19/10/2007 18:17

bubbs - it's good bacteria! You need them!

Seona1973 · 19/10/2007 19:33

live yoghurt is fine from 6 months. from food standards agency:

'Bio' yoghurts usually claim to contain 'live' bacteria, or 'cultures'. In most products, these will be the same types of bacteria that are found naturally in a healthy person's digestive system.

So babies don't need to eat bio yoghurts to get these bacteria. But if you want to give bio yoghurts to your baby after he or she is about six months old, this should be safe, as long as it doesn't say on the label that the product isn't suitable for babies.

Your baby needs plenty of energy to grow, so make sure you give him or her full-fat varieties of dairy products such as yoghurts and fromage frais. Remember to avoid using cows' milk as a main drink until your baby is one year old.

p.s. as your lo is 6 months old you could also make it from full fat cows milk if it doesnt turn out ok with the formula

Original poster
bubbinsmum · 20/10/2007 10:12

Thanks, guys, that's really helpful. I think I've definitely identified a gap in the market for commercial baby food made with formula milk! I can't be the only mother with a bub who has no interest in food! I know Danone do fromage frais made with follow-on milk (we bought some in France) and apparently you can get it in the UK but I haven't found any in Loughborough! Might email the people at Heinz and suggest it ...

OP posts:
captainmummy · 20/10/2007 14:33

bubbs I think you might be in the Crawley area? That joghurt maker went off freecycle at eth same time as you got yours!

Original poster
bubbinsmum · 21/10/2007 20:26

Hi, Captain! No, I'm in Loughborough, Leicestershire (for my sins!) I've been out today and bought some Yeo Valley organic live bio all singing all dancing yoghurt to use as my starter and a whole bunch of the 'ready to drink' cartons of formula. Am going to call Health Vis tomorrow just to double check it's okay for me to go ahead (I bet this will be the first time anyone's asked her that particular question!) and also to ask whether changing to follow-on milk (as she advised us to do) can make bub's poop mucousy. If it's not one thing it's something else...!

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbinsmum · 22/10/2007 17:39

Rang my health visitor this morning who went away to talk to a dietitian who has gone to do some research! Both of them think making yoghurt with formula is okay in principle but we just want to be absolutely sure. Watch this space ...

OP posts:
captainmummy · 22/10/2007 17:42

wow looks like you're in unchartered territory...

alison222 · 22/10/2007 17:53

i used to feed DS with fromage frais made with follow on milk. I don't know if they still do it as he is now 7. I am in London and they sold it in all the big supermarkets.

I never tried to make it myself but all bought youghurt has some live bacteria in as does pasturised cows milk - so there is nothing to be paraniod about - if you use cows milk on anything your DD has now anyway.

The bacteria in yoghurt are meant to be good for the digestive system and are found naturally on your skin anyway so feeding your DS it can't do any harm surely - especially since she has already had youghurt if I read your post correctly

Original poster
bubbinsmum · 23/10/2007 16:44

Just spoke to Health Visitor and she said it's fine to make yoghurt with formula, as long as I don't boil the formula first (as this will kill off all the nutrients and would defeat the object!) Am going to put some on tonight and will report back tomorrow!

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbinsmum · 25/10/2007 21:09

Well, I made some yoghurt with a 200ml carton of ready made Cow and Gate, half a pot of Yeo Valley organic live yog and a scoop of Cow and Gate powder and it's a bit runny and tastes disgusting but the bub seems to like it! Mixed it with half a jar of apple puree and it disappeared in no time. Yay, finally something she likes that's not just straight out of a jar! Thanks to all for encouragement and advice.

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbinsmum · 25/10/2007 21:10

Well, I made some yoghurt with a 200ml carton of ready made Cow and Gate, half a pot of Yeo Valley organic live yog and a scoop of Cow and Gate powder and it's a bit runny and tastes disgusting but the bub seems to like it! Mixed it with half a jar of apple puree and it disappeared in no time. Yay, finally something she likes that's not just straight out of a jar! Thanks to all for encouragement and advice.

OP posts:
captainmummy · 26/10/2007 17:46

Hey - now patent it! And market it!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread