First formula milk for a 9 month old?

[eva_ben]

I have a 9 month old and I'm going back to work soon, for 2.5 days per week. I just can't face spending all night pumping breast milk, I did that with my eldest and it wiped me out ? and life hasn't got any easier since then. So I'm starting to introduce formula in a sippy cup, for when I'm away, with a view to cutting out all breastfeeds and moving to cows milk after she turns one at the end of May.

But, I have no idea about the world of formula, having not gone down that route before.

Should I give her hungry milk, or just 'normal' follow on milk? And given that she's never had the bottle I'm just putting the formula in her sippy cup with her lunch. Any reason not to do this / better way to do it? At her age, she is on solids of course, and she eats quite well ? but I'm assuming she still needs milk, even when her usual milk isn't available.

Any advice gratefully received!

[CocoC]

Hi Eva

I started my daughter on formula loads earlier than you at 3 months, but I do remember looking into it and drawing the conclusion that there isn't really much difference between all the variants/numbers e.g. 1/2/3/first/follow-on/hungry. So my daughter just stayed on first milk (1). I think the marketing blather says that there is a slightly different concentration of nutrients but if your daughter is well established on solids most of the nutrients will be coming from her food. I think at 9 months 2-3 sippy cups full/ bottles of formula are about right. We used Hipp organic until I switched my daughter onto cow's milk but it can be a pain in the backside to source. Most other formula feeders I know went for Aptamil. Good luck with your return to work! I did it in January - but as I'm guessing you did it before with your eldest you probably know just what to expect :)

[miss]

Follow-on milk contains iron in greater quantities, which can bung up some children.

Follow-on milk really only exists to create a product which companies can promote, as it's illegal to advertise or promote first milk. You can earn loyalty card points on follow-on and it can be included in discounts and promotions, which again are illegal for first milk. These might be reasons for using it but there's no real nutritional advantage, and you can give first milk happily to the age of 1, when you can switch to cows' milk.

[eva_ben]

Thank you so much CocoC and miss, this is very helpful advice!!

miss, I never knew that about advertising first milk, though it makes sense.

I'm feeling less dazzled by the options now.

[miss]

It's worth buying a few individual cartons or bottles to try - although the formulations are similar they can taste quite different. Hipp Organic went down best with my daughter.

[etta166]

And it is also worth knowing that Aptimil and Cow & Gate are apparently identical, despite the different price on the two brands. I was told, but have not bothered to verify, that they are owned by the same company but just branded differently.

I found that SMA dissolved in water easiest, but preferred the Cow & Gate scoop so stuck with that in the end after I stopped breast feeding at between 10 and 15 months each time.