Frequently Asked Questions about Milk Feeds

• Which milk feed is right for my baby?
• Why do manufacturers say not to heat the water for feeds in a microwave?
• Can I use bottled water to make up feeds for my baby? Or water from my filter jug?
• Should I use the same milk feed throughout the first year of life?
• When can I introduce cow's milk?
• When can I stop sterilising all feeding equipment?
• Do Hipp baby milks contain LCP's?
• Why, when you look at baby milk packs and information leaflets about baby milks, are there such strong statements on the importance of breastfeeding?

• Please read the 'Important Notice' before continuing

• More and more parents are turning to organic foods for their babies and many health professionals believe it’s safer to feed a baby under 18 months an organic diet. They are concerned about the exposure of babies and children to environmental contaminants such as pesticides and GM foods.
• HiPP Organic makes an organic Infant milk suitable for use from birth onwards and also organic Follow-on milk, suitable from 6 months, and toddler Growing-up milks too
• Infant milks
  Babies not being breastfed should be given an 'Infant milk'. Infant milks are suitable for use from birth or if changing from breastfeeding for any reason. They should be used up to at least 6 months of age, after which some parents may choose to switch their babies to a 'follow-on' milk (see later), but many babies will be kept on an Infant milk until 12 months of age. Ordinary cow's milk must not be used for drinks in babies under one year. It contains too much of some nutrients and not enough of others, so it is not suitable as a breast milk substitute.
• Different brands of infant milk
  There are many brands of infant milks available in this country and they all conform to strict compositional standards set by the Department of Health and EC Directives. Infant milks are made from cow's milk that has been specifically modified, with added vitamins and minerals, to meet all babies' nutritional needs for the first four to six months of life.
• Your midwife or health visitor will be able to explain the difference between the various types of infant milk available. There are no significant differences in the nutritional content of the different brands, but there are slight variations in their composition that may make some brands better suited to some babies than others. Some infant milks are considered particularly suitable for hungrier bottle fed babies.

“The decision to begin weaning, or to include a follow-on milk formula before 6 months of age, should only be made on the advice of a doctor, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian or pharmacist, based upon the individual infant's specific growth and development needs.”

• Follow-on milks
  Follow-on milks have been specially formulated to meet the increasing nutritional needs of babies during the weaning period from 6 months onwards. They are not recommended as a replacement for breast milk or infant milks before 6 months of age. Follow-on milks provide balanced nourishment when used as part of a mixed diet, either as a milk drink or together with baby's usual cereal. They contain more iron and protein than infant milks and therefore can be used instead of an infant milk if you are concerned about your baby's intake of these nutrients.
• HiPP Organic Follow-on milk is made using organic milk from organically run farms and is free from synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
• Active toddlers may also benefit from switching from a follow-on milk to HiPP Growing up milk. Suitable from 10 months onwards, it is specially formulated to provide extra energy, protein, iron and vitamins needed for growth and increased activity at this stage – and is also available in a ready-to-drink format.

Other milks
If there is a specific reason for excluding cow's milk products from your baby's diet and you have chosen not to breastfeed your baby, infant soya-based formulas are available for you to use. Certain ethnic and religious groups with specific food laws may prefer to use a soya-based infant formula , but generally the decision to eliminate a cow's milk-based infant milk from a baby's diet should only be made following consultation with a doctor.

Other specialised 'milk' formulas are available for use by babies with very special dietary needs, but these should only ever be used on medical advice from a Hospital Consultant, G.P. or Paediatric Dietitian.

Unmodified soya, goats and ewes milks are not suitable for infants under 1 year of age.

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• It’s also much easier to over-heat liquids or foods by mistake in a microwave. In addition, microwave ovens heat unevenly which results in a feed with ‘hot spots’ that may scald your baby’s mouth. It’s very easy just to stand the bottle in a jug of hot water to re-heat it!

If you are intent on using a microwave oven to re-heat boiled water for feeds, microwave the bottle for only a few seconds, shake the bottle really well, and carefully test the temperature of the feed on the inside of your wrist before giving it to the baby.

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• When making up feeds it’s best to empty out the kettle and use freshly-run tap water. Bottled water (or re-boiled tap water) may have high levels of minerals that are unsuitable for young babies. Water from a filter jug may also contain high levels of bacteria.
• If you have to use bottled water (for example where no trustworthy tap water is available), look for those labelled ‘suitable for infant feeding’ or check with the manufacturer. You will probably be advised to use water with a low sodium level (20mg or less per litrel). Bottled water must still be boiled before use for babies
  

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• If your baby is content, healthy, gaining weight steadily and has regular bowel movements, there should be no need to change the milk you are using throughout this first year. If you have any concerns about your baby's feeding, or if you are thinking about changing the brand or type of feed, speak to your midwife, health visitor or doctor.
• Breast milk or an infant milk can be used throughout the first year of life. From 6 months, once your baby has been introduced to mixed feeding, you can change your baby's infant milk feeds to a Follow-on Milk if you prefer. At around 10 months of age, when your baby becomes an active toddler, you may wish to switch your baby to a Growing-up Milk (a specially formulated follow on milk which provides extra protein, iron and vitamins needed for growth and increased activity at this stage). You should not give your baby ordinary cow's milk to drink under one year of age.

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• You should not give your baby whole cow's milk as a main milk drink until after the age of one year. From 6-12 months, during weaning onto solid foods, small quantities of whole cow's milk can be used to mix your baby's foods.
• Semi-skimmed cow's milk should not be given as a drink before the age of 2 years, but you can gradually start to give it after this age, provided your child eats well and is growing well. Skimmed milk should not be given as a drink before 5 years of age.

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• It is essential that all equipment used in bottlefeeding is thoroughly sterilised before each feed. There are many ways of sterilising but whichever method is used, all bottles and teats should be sterilised for as long as they are used.
• Other feeding equipment, such as feeding beakers, bowls and spoons, should be sterilised until your baby is 6 months old. After this, thorough washing is adequate.

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• HiPP Organic baby milks do not contain LCPs (long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids or LCPs). As there are currently no organic sources of LCPs available to use.
  • There is strong evidence for the addition of LCPs to preterm milk formulas. However, it is not yet known whether healthy infants carried to full term actually benefit from milk being supplemented with these LCPs.
  • The Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula Regulations 2007 say that LCPs can be added to infant formulas but this is not mandatory. While there is no statutory requirement for adding LCPs to standard infant formulas, HiPP has decided to retain the organic status of their formulas rather than losing it by adding non-organic LCPs.
  • Babies are able to make some LCPs from other fats in the milk. The enzymes that are required for the synthesis of these fatty acids are usually mature by around 4 months of age. Alternative dietary sources will only be available once a baby is on a mixed diet, but alternatives will then include oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines, salmon. Supplements of omega 3 oils should only be considered after discussion with a GP or a pharmacist.

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• Breastfeeding is best for babies and although the government and health authorities recognise that not all babies can be breastfed, they want to ensure that parents planning to bottle feed have very carefully considered the matter. Baby milk manufacturers are therefore required by law to put this information, worded in a specific way, in their literature and on their packs.

Breastfeeding is best for babies. Infant milks are intended to replace breast milk when mothers cannot or choose not to breastfeed. It is recommended that they should be used only on the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public nurse, dietitian or pharmacist.
If you are considering changing over from breastfeeding, talk to your midwife, health visitor, or breastfeeding counsellor first, as it is not easy to go back once you've made the change. Partial bottlefeeding with an infant milk may reduce the supply of your breast milk.
The cost and social implications of using an infant milk should be considered when deciding how to feed your baby. If you choose to bottle feed , it is very important that you use an infant milk throughout the first year (follow-on milks can be used from 6 months). Cow's milk is not recommended as the main milk drink until after 1 year of age.
If you use an infant milk or follow-on milk, it is important for your baby's health that you follow all preparation instructions very carefully; failure to do so may make your baby ill. Powdered baby milk formulas are not sterile and reconstituted feeds are at risk of infection with harmful bacteria. Experts agree that it is much safer for babies if feds are prepared freshly and not in advance.

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