Follow on milk

[Hypnorm]

My son is approaching 6 months and i want to stop breastfeeding around then, i am looking at using a follow on milk but they are all quite expensive. what i would like to know is what is the reason for not giving cows milk before 2 yrs? my mother in law said she used to boil the milk and then give it to my husband and his brothers . or could i give him soya milk? Also can i give follow on milk as a general drink or mixed with food before 6 months . He is still getting breastmilk 90% of the time.

Thanks from a confused mum!

[Seona1973]

Cows milk does not have enough iron or the right types and amount of nutrients that are present in breastmilk or formula so it shouldnt be given as a main drink before 1 year.  Just because your MIL gave cows milk from 6 months in the past doesnt mean it was the right thing to do.

However, from 6 months small amounts of full fat cows milk can be used with cereal, in foods, in cooking, etc as long as your lo's main feeds are formula/BM. (You dont need to boil the cows milk first)

If you decide to move to formula feeding you can choose to use an ordinary 'first' milk which is suitable from birth or to choose a 'follow-on' milk which is suitable from 6 months. The follow-on milk has a bit more iron (which can be constipating - although my dd was fine with it!) but is also slightly cheaper.  If you didnt know which one to use, buy a few individual small cartons and see which one your lo likes best. 

Good luck

Seona

[Deb_in_oz]

hi we switched to formula at 3 mo and at 6 mo went to get the follow on one "because that is what THEY say to do".  then i read a thread on here where someone explained that there is nothing wrong with the regular stuff just less iron. so i figured the rice cereal has added iron and dd2 gets constipated so easily so i returned the follow on and resumed the regular stuff she was used to  - and at least here te follow on rarely is at a good price so i have saved a fair bit of money. at 1 yr in Oz you start whole milk.

[sa]

i switched DS to SMA follow-on milk from infant SMA at about 7 months.

the company says the follow-on milk has less milk in it but all the nutrients baby needs with just 3 bottles of 6oz per day. with less milk in the formula means baby will still has appetite for solid food.

in my DS case it really helps as before he was either too full after the bottle to have solid or v.v.

HTH  :wink: