Which make of formula milk is best?

Question

Several of my friends are giving me different answers. Are they all like for like, or shoudl I buy a particular one?

Answer 1

God. I'm so tired of the "Milk Mafia" and their slogan "Breast is Best" - OK OK we get the message but some of us arent as lucky as others and cannot breastfeed for different reasons. Try remembering that when a formula feeding mother asks for help!!!We dont need ear bashing and to be made to feel ashamed of ourselves for not being able to breastfeed.

Sorry for the vent but i'm so tired of the pressure and disapproving glances of breastfeeding mothers when you have to formula feed your baby. You've possibly found the same thing.

Now.. my son started on S26 Gold and was a little constipated and windy with it so I have just swapped to the Nestle NAN 1HA Gold and he is pooping like a champion and is less windy. He has also started sleeping for longer which is fantastic.

Good Luck and sorry again for the rant!! Just SO over it :-)

Answer 2

They're all much of muchness, according to my health visitor - so just choose any and see what your baby thinks of it.

I used Cow & Gate Step One to start with, but found it made my little girl quite sicky, so we changed to Cow & Gate Comfort, which seems to stay down longer!

The local hospital use SMA, and a friend of mine used Aptamil for her son, but my health visitor says it doesn't really matter as they've all got the same nutrients in them - there are strict guidelines for manufacturers of infant formula and baby food.

I'd try the cheapest first, and provided it suits your baby there's no need to change. Ask your health visitor, GP or midwife though if you're still not sure.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Thanks for asking that question. I am pregnant and although I indeed to breast feed at first I want to buy some formula just in case. My first daughter was sickly and couldnt latch on, so I expressed for four weeks with breast pump then formula feed on Sma gold. Second daughter fed well on the breast but I found it extremely tiring so changed to SMA white. Bought a new pump and intend to breast feed this baby but you shouldnt feel pressured and if it gets too much (feeds every two hours) then I will try to combine feed. After reading other answers think I will buy Farleys.

Answer 4

The best one for your baby will be very different to some of your friends. You will need to try them. If you see differences in your baby's eating habits or fecal matter then that one may not be the right one. In this case you have to change to another one. A week at most of any particular brand should be enough time to give your answer. Consult your health visitor to start off with and see what she recommends. My health visitor was fab and along with the midwives at the hospital I had great success in feeding my baby what she needed. (I confess to breast feeding her until she was 8 months old And I'm so pleased I did it).

Answer 5

i tried my baby daughter on aptamil first (as advised by the midwife an hour after i gave birth to her) and she was on that for the first 4 or 5 weeks. She didnt seem to be satisfied with that so i put her onto aptamil extra, which can also be used from birth and she soon started sleeping thru and seemed a lot happier. Health proffessionals will always advise you to breastfeed coz they get a better rating when the departments are checked by an outside organisation. If you dont want to breastfeed stand your ground with the midwives and dont be pressured into doing anything you dont want to do. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Each child is different and some children can't tolerate certain formulas. Your pediatrician should be able to recommend the right formula for your child. You may end up trying a few or even several before finding the right one.

Answer 7

I use Farley's second milk. i started on first milk, but I gave birth to a human dustbin! I have never had any problems with Farley's, he's rarely sick, never had tummy ache, and is as strong as an ox!! Other babies I know on SMA are very sicky. I also love the price, it's nearly a pound cheaper than SMA!

Answer 8

similac....... that is what I was on as a baby and so were my children..... in case your child has a special need... like lactose intolerate or maybe some intestinal problem just about any formula is formulated for a particular reason. But go with Similac, it is relatively cheaper than some and my children got what they needed in vitamins and stayed full longer.

Answer 9

The are all much of a muchness.

I used SMA for my son, and was left 50 tins after a year.

I used Cow and Gate for my Daughter because the packaging was cardboard, and I could recycle it.

Answer 10

I used sma gold with my first and cow and gate with my second. My second child now has problems with his diet and I think it had a lot to do with weaning and the stomach pains he had on cow and gate. When I changed him to sma gold at about 10 months, he was better but it was too late for his weaning stage.