Baby milk firms to drop nutrition claims

[Nip]

here

I guess those who bf this is a good thing, but i didnt bf and this now makes me feel like cack!

Twinkle, I don't think AFAIK that there is a problem with iron levels in bm. Formula is fortified with iron because weaning babies require iron. Which could be obtained from their diet, once they are old enough to eat meat (or other iron-rich foods). However, not every molecule of every ingredient in formula is obtained by the baby - they have to put 'extra' in to make up for the fact that not all the iron will be absorbed and get to the right part of the body (and that every baby is an individual with an individual digestive system).

BM is different - I can't remember how it works wrt iron but I do know that 'formula contains iron = bm must be deficient' is a misapprehension. Weaning babies start to require iron in their diet as their inbuilt stores run down. So you wean them and include foods containing iron in their diet.

Noticed this on Food Standards Agency website re. weaning: 'A change to follow-on milk isn't necessary at any stage'. Backs up what many MNers have said.

I never said breastmilk must be deficient in iron because formula has added iron! I was just trying to establish why cow's milk isn't recommended between 6 and 12 months and I was confused that if it was only the low iron content then the same would apply to breastmilk. I fully understand and agree that breastmilk is best complemented by a good diet of solid food (if only that was possible here ). I also fully understand that follow-on milk is unnecessary, which is why my DS isn't having it.

So,is formula more or less expensive than that 'follow-on' stuff?

I've just looked it up on the Tesco website. For the brand I use (C&G) they actually seem to be the same - I suppose the difference would be that they can put the follow-on milk on offer.

Oh right.
Yes,very probably.

No, I know you weren't, but you did seem to assume that bm had low iron levels. Think we were talking at cross purposes which is easy to do online.

Yes it is very easy to talk at cross purposes on here! But I am right aren't I that breastmilk doesn't provide enough iron after 6 months or so which is why we wean, as you said (didn't you?)?? I'd be shocked though if anyone drew the conclusion from there that formula must be better. I'd so much rather my DS got the extra nutrients he needs from proper food rather than processed formula - and if I could have sustained breastfeeding I'd still be doing it, believe me.

I live in Spain and was horrified recently when talking to 2 friends. One who bf for a month and gave it up because is was not convenient/was hard work/she had to do it all, etc. The other friend doesn't like the idea of bfeeding when she eventually has babies because it deforms the shape of the nipple.
My experience in Spain from other mothers is that bfeeding is not regarded as something special/preferable. I believe many women here (and I am generalising I know) are very obsessed with their weight and consider themselves before their babies. The fact that they openly admit that they do not bf/intend to bf, to me, displays their ignorance of the benefits and importance of bfeeding. Sorry if I offend anyone Spanish (I do have a good Spanish friend who makes a huge effort to bf and is still doing so a 8 months.) but generally among my circle of friends/acquiantances bfeeding doesn't seem to be very important.

Just realised my thread was a bit off the point. So to make the point more relevant just wanted to add that many people here still think that formula is as good as bfeeding. I have heard them say it!

yes, the best solution to not breastfeeding your baby is human milk from another mother.

this should be an institualised in stone on the NHS.

more milk banks would relieve the pressure on first-time mums to produce on demand (which reduces the mother eye - baby eye - mother milk triangle).

it would save a lot of babies going back into hospital a few months later with Gastroenteritis!

breast is best and all women would benefit from one-to-one support in hospital by specially trained midwives, who have the time to sit and chat with mother and encourage her to breastfeed.