MaMa, LeT YoUr BabiEs GrOw Up

There are some advantages to using these milks. Some varieties are flavoured with vanilla, so children who dislike the taste of cow's milk may prefer them. They have added vitamins, so if you are unsure as to whether your child is receiving enough vitamins from his solid food, you can be reassured that he will be receiving a top-up in his milk. However, there are several disadvantages to growing-up milk. It is very expensive in the ready-made form - about three times the cost of cow's milk. But if you use the powder, you have the inconvenience of mixing up feeds. It may also be difficult for a child who has grown used to the taste of vanilla-flavoured milk to suddenly switch to cow's milk.

There is no reliable research evidence to show that growing-up milk has any advantage over cow's milk, except for children who are known to eat a poor diet of solid food. Although the levels of iron are higher than in cow's milk, research has shown that only a small percentage of that iron can be absorbed by a baby anyway. In fact, iron is more readily absorbed from solid food.