Formula until 3 years of age?

[LittleOneMum]

Sorry if this is the wrong thread... I am about to wean my one year old off formula until my Mum (who lives in France) says that in France they recommend that you continue giving your child formula until they are 3 to ensure that they get all the right vitamins etc. I usually do trust the French on these issues. So what's the right thing to do? Any views?

formula for 3 year olds

I'd be astonished at 2 year olds

In fact I used to inwardly snigger at someone who gave her 14 month old formula .. they should be on a good balanced diet and not need it

That's what I thought, so I was confused. Touch wood, my one year old currently eats anything so he should be getting all the vitamins?

Utter tosh perpetuated by the manufacturers

They do make that follow on milk stuff for one year plus, but unless your toddler is not eating any normal food you should be fine with cow's milk AFAIK. Cheaper and a lot easier.

I am counting down the days til my twins turn one so I can move to cow's milk. Formula is a PITA.

what a scam. nowt wrong with child vitamins if your right fussed and a glass of milk

nowt wrong wi milk i dont care what the lentil weavers say

i wouldnt give a child over 12 months formular

cows milk and a balanced diet is all that is necessary... i have never consumed formular milk in my life... i went from breast to cows at 10 months and i am alive.

IMO its SMA / Farleys etc trying to make money from a market they have made up that doesnt actually exist, except to scare parents of PFBs, and make them think thye need it

UK government now recommend vitamin drops for all children aged 1-5, so formula definitely not necessary even if the child isn't having a great diet.

Tinkjon .. I can't find anything to back up your assertion that the UK recommends vitamin supplementation for children under 5

I see some wishy-washy 'may' and 'could' in some reports

So where did you get this 'recommendation' from please?

I gave both of mine formula until about 15/18 months old.

There is a family history of asthma/eczema/hay fever etc so I only gave them tiny amount of dairy (but both were on solids as well as formula)

It is sensible to give all children
vitamin drops from the age of one
to five years old. It is particularly
important to give vitamin drops to
fussy eaters, children living in
northern areas of the UK and those
of Asian, African and Middle Eastern
origin.

That is copied and pasted from the Birth to Five book 2007 edition page 72

This says that the food standards agency recommends vitamins up to the age of 5

The FSA says children between 6 months and 5 years could benefit from vitamin drops.

I gave formula up to 1 year and switched to cows milk. My lo's do get those chewy Bassetts vitamins but they are for age 3 and over.

the FSA does NOT recommend it says 'could benefit from'

I think the babycentre article slightly misrepresents this

and yes I searched on the FSA site

I think it's just breastfeeding they reccommend past one really, formula is a case of do it or dont doesnt really make any difference.

Mercy.... where you giving your children soy formular then?

As normal formular milk is just modififed cows milk

That's all mega helpful, thanks. DS does eat well so I think I'll just move him onto the normal full fat milk and find out about vitamin drops. Thanks guys!

Yes, here in France children drink "formula" until they are three . It is just a marketing ploy. Don't let the formula manufacturers con you . Cow's milk is fine.

"I usually trust the French on these issues."

Why??? The French are really awful when it comes to baby nutrition.

I can see that the manufacturers of formula like the idea!

dd is 4.7 and still has formula for her 'drink' as she is so thin. Its for calories and vitamins.

It depends, my friends son is 10 and still has formula. He is very vulnerable healthwise and has severe reflux. Formula helps him stay well

and its free

do you get it free? i am not sure she does good you do though