Milk food ... as far as the eye can see

Before you are overwhelmed by the vast variety of baby food available on the shelf, we’ll give you a short timetable showing which milk is actually suitable for your baby and when.

PRE or 1 milk

You can use a pre or 1 milk for the entire first year of your baby's life. You should always give preference to a pre-milk, only if you have the feeling that your baby is no longer really full due to the pre-milk, switching to a 1 milk can be advisable. The difference between the two milks lies in the source of carbohydrates used. The pre only has lactose (milk sugar that your baby needs), the 1 milk also contains maltodextrin as a source of carbohydrates causing this milk to be a little more filling.

Follow-on milk

But at some point your baby will want more than just milk, it may already be interested in mom and dad's food. The optimal time to introduce complementary foods is between the 5th and 7th month. In addition to the introduction of complementary foods, follow-on milk is recommended after the 6th month.

2 follow-on milk based on cow or goat milk

When your baby is around six months old, it has an increased need for nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. Your baby receives these nutrients through suitable complementary foods in combination with a follow-on milk 2.

This milk contains vitamin A, for the immune system, and iron for mental development. Another difference is that in this milk there is starch as an additional carbohydrate. The starch is not only satiating, but benefits the structure of the intestinal flora.

3 follow-on milk

Are there other types of milk? The next level is follow-on milk 3, recommended from the age of 10 months, for the very hungry babies. This milk contains vitamin D for building bones and iodine for mental development.

Children - follow-on milk

And, last but not least, there is also follow-on milk for children, which provides valuable minerals such as iron, iodine and vitamin D, which are important for children from the age of 12 months. Children need a lot of nutrients, especially during growth, and the protein content is also adapted to their age. If you choose this milk, you should give your baby about 2 cups a day. In contrast to the pre and infant formula, which are given as needed, you should feed follow-on milk according to the instructions on the packaging.

You should now be able to navigate the maze of different milk products a little better and know what is best for your child.