Which milk should I use?

Breast milk or infant formula?

Breastfeeding is a skill that takes time to get the hang of. Lots of mums wonder if their baby's feeding well and getting enough - especially in the first few days. But once you've mastered it, you'll probably find it's the easiest and most satisfying way to feed your baby.

Start4Life provide lots of helpful information and advice on breastfeeding, including expressing and bottle feeding. If you have any breastfeeding worries or concerns, the best thing to do is speak to your midwife or health visitor.

Babies should be exclusively breastfed (or breast/formula fed or exclusively formula fed) for the first six months of life and solid foods should be introduced from around six months alongside breast/formula milk. You can continue breastfeeding for as long as you both want

Formula milk, also known as baby formula or infant formula, is usually made from cows' milk that has been treated to make it more suitable for babies.

There's a wide range of brands and types of formula available in pharmacies and shops. Always check labels carefully to make sure you're buying a suitable milk for your baby. 

You might see advertisements about the benefits of follow-on baby formulas, however, you do not need to change from first milk to follow–on milk when your baby reaches six months of age. There is no published evidence that the use of any follow–on formula offers any nutritional or health advantage over the use of first infant formula.

*Whole cows' milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from six months but should not be given as the main drink until the age of 1.