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Original poster

talk to me about stage 3 (follow on) milk...

17 replies

PipIsOutNow · 08/02/2011 17:24

what is it? my ds is nearly 7 months and some of my friends have put their babies on stage 3 follow on milk...what's the difference?

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Rannaldini · 08/02/2011 17:26

don't

LadyBiscuit · 08/02/2011 17:27

None whatsoever - it's a marketing gimmick. Stick with what you've got now

pinkteddy · 08/02/2011 17:28

Its supposedly got more iron in it. No need for it as long as you are giving ds a balanced diet. I think it might be a bit cheaper though?

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Original poster
PipIsOutNow · 08/02/2011 17:31

rannaldi why dont?

pinkteddy sadly aptamil follow on is no cheaper anyway, although it would be nice to save some pennies i just didnt understand what the difference is. but ds is having plenty of fruit and veggies anyway so should be ok to stick to his normal milk yeah? xx

OP posts:
nigglewiggle · 08/02/2011 17:35

My understanding is that formula companies developed an entirely unnecesary product which (unlike formula) they are allowed to advertise. They can therefore get their product name more publicity which they hope will influence parents when they choose their brand of formula.

Sneaky, and a total waste of money if you give your child a decent diet.

lurcherlover · 08/02/2011 22:32

My HV said it's a leading cause of childhood obesity...full of sugar. As niggle said - the Code prohibits advertising of formula milk for babies under 6 months old. So the manufacturers' response was to invent a product targetted at older babies, in the hope that advertising one product would make parents buy others made by that brand. Your baby doesn't need it - stick to first stage formula or breastfeeding for the first 12 months, then either continue breastfeeding or switch to full-fat cows' milk (or combine the two). Your baby doesn't need any formula after 12 months.

drivingmisscrazy · 08/02/2011 22:36

agree, no need for formula at all once baby is weaned to solids. DD had FF cow's milk as soon as we could possibly manage it. If your baby doesn't like the taste, mix formula and cow's milk upping the milk until s/he gets used to it.

DD was not a fan of formula, having been bf for 9 months, but happily drinks cow's.

AngelDog · 08/02/2011 22:37

What niggle and lurcherlover said.

BertieBotts · 08/02/2011 22:48

Well if it saves you money, there's no harm in using it either, as long as your baby is over 6 months. It's not full of sugar - the sugary ones are the toddler milks for 12mths+

But basically it's optional. Once they get to 6 months they can have the newborn milk or the follow on, it's up to you :)

Just to confuse things as well, SMA have recently changed to using stage 2 for follow on, and stage 3 to mean toddler milk. Hipp, Cow and Gate and Aptamil are still using stage 2 for hungry baby milk and stage 3 for follow on.

I wish they'd just stick to one convention Angry

TryLikingClarity · 09/02/2011 20:56

DS ended up at a dietician after I started him on Stage 3 milk at 6 months :(

It made his poo sooo runny it was like water and I remember changing around 8 fully dirty nappies a day and often changing his whole outfit 4 times a day.... Confused

I took him to HV to sent me to dietician. Dietician hit the roof, said that follow-on milk is nothing more than a marketing ploy and totally not needed.

DS at 6 months of age just wasn't ready for the extra iron in the follow-on milk.

After I spoke to dietician I put DS back on stage 1 formula and he was fine and his nappies returned to normal :)

bulby · 09/02/2011 20:59

It's nothing more than a marketing gimmick!

sneakapeak · 09/02/2011 21:09

lurchlover I have my 14 month old on the growing up milk. She was breast fed for 12 months and as she is a rubbish eater I thought id give her formula rather than cows milk as it has added vitamins etc.

Are you saying the follow on's have loads of sugar of all formula?

I can't see sugar on mine (HIPP ORGANIC)

sneakapeak · 09/02/2011 21:10

"or all formula"?

tabulahrasa · 10/02/2011 00:22

follow on milk only has more Iron than cow's milk, it doesn't have more than infant formula

lurcherlover · 10/02/2011 22:20

sneakapeak - I've never looked at the label myself, but my HV told me this when she did a session on weaning. Is it sugar disguised by another name? Dextrose or maltodextrin or some other varient maybe? Afaik it's the follow on milk that has this problem, not normal formula - although at 14 months I think the recommendation would be for your DD to be on whole cow's milk and no kind of formula at all. Can you give her infant vitamins as an alternative? And talk to your GP/HV if you have worries about how much she eats?

Reesie · 11/02/2011 21:08

I agree - it's a complete marketing ploy. Just give your baby once they are over 12 - normal healthy food and cows milk as a drink if you want to.

Tupperwarewolf · 12/02/2011 20:46

OP, I think Aptimil is the same as Cow & Gate, so that might save some pennies if C&G is cheaper.

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