When to change to follow on milk? Baby led weaning at 6 months ...

[Littlemissbump82]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me - I am doing baby led weaning with my 6 month old daughter, she is not a hungry baby and has only ever had a maximum of 23-24oz of milk a day, sometimes as little as 20oz. We started BLW 2 weeks ago, she is still at the stage of playing with food and not really eating it, I am unsure when I should move her onto Aptamil number 3 follow on formula? I know it is for 6 months onwards and supports weaning, but as she isn't really eating yet I didn't know whether to keep her on Aptamil 1 which she has been on since birth? Or whether this no longer has the right nutrients etc for a baby of 6 months? Thank you for your help 

[~ Vik ~]

Honestly, you don't have to move to follow on formula at all. It really is just a marketing ploy and allows formula companies to advertise (because WHO guidelines don't allow formula advertising for Los younger than 6mo to promote breastfeeding). So if you and your dd are happy and doing well with the current formula, carry on!

[Mashi]

I used to believe it was just a marketing ploy BUT we were told that it is not fully true and that the nutrition breakdown is a bit different. My DS saw a hospital-based consultant paediatrician and it was he who advised that when his milk intake dropped to around 20ish ounces per day, that we switch to the 2nd stage milk as it had more calcium for LOs who were not hungry enough to take all of their milk AND have solids. If she is still taking good amounts of milk then you can stay with stage 1 but if you are worried her milk intake is low, then the later stage milks do have some different nutrition break-downs.

I do believe there is a good part that is marketing, but I do also trust that there are benefits to moving on to the later stage milks for some babies.

[Lolly]

The follow on milks also have more iron in them which can cause constipation so if that's an issue at all then it's worth knowing! We had that issue with DS so switched back to the first milk.

Laura

[~ Vik ~]

Good info Mashi - thanks