Blackmores Follow On Formula Stage 2 Review
I have had three babies, and never found a stage of feeding that wasn’t challenging.
When feeding a newborn you can easily feel so lost and overwhelmed.
I had no idea what I was doing, or with breastfeeding, how much my son was taking in.
When I expressed he refused the bottle unless I was nowhere within his sight or hearing.
When I returned to work and then had to supplement with formula there was a whole new level of stubborn refusal from my precious little one.
Then I got to six months and the introduction of solids.
So many options faced me, and way too many decisions to cope with.
Which foods?
When?
How do I prepare them?
How much do I give?
How much variety does he need?
How much milk or formula as well?
How can feeding a baby be so complicated and so boring at the same time?
With the introduction of solids, you do still need to supplement your baby’s nutritional intake with either breastmilk or formula.
Do you want your products to be reviewed by our expert mothers?
Get your pregnancy and baby products exposed to over 50,000 new Australian mothers per month!
At six months, around half of your baby’s diet should still be from formula or breast.
If you need to choose formula, whatever your reasons, you can rest assured that the products in Australia are all very good.
All products have to comply with Australian standards in order to be sold, and all products nutritionally have what your baby needs.
Knowing that any product is good, you are still faced with a wealth of choice of formula, and possibly too many decisions again.
The product you end up choosing may depend on some combination of the following factors:
· If your baby has specific tummy troubles, allergies or dietary requirements
· If you wish to choose plant-based products
· How much you want to spend
· What is a trustworthy or ethically inclined brand
· What your baby likes
· What is convenient
· What is available
Some babies will only let you give them one specific brand of formula, other more flexible and considerate babies will let you go with whatever is on the shelf or on sale.
You may need to try a few formula products until you find one that you and Bubs are both happy with.
Blackmores is an old and trusted brand, and their Follow On Formula is excellent.
It contains 25 nutrients that your baby needs while starting to eat solids. He will start moving around a lot more at this time and need more energy sources than before.
Also, his digestive system is better developed and he can process a wider range of things. Follow-On Formula is slightly differently composed than infant formula because of this, and you should move onto the second stage formula at this time.
Blackmores source their formula in partnership with Tatura Milk, another old Australian brand, who generally are known to treat their farmers quite well.
This is a cow’s milk-based product, so contains lactose and proteins from cow’s milk.
Blackmores Follow On Formula – Quick Overview
Trusted Brand – Blackmores has been keeping Australians nutritionally healthy for generations, and have the science and research to back up their brand.
Their customer satisfaction is high, and as a side-note, their employees really love working there, so they must be doing some things right.
25 Nutrients – the Follow On Formula has the right balance of vitamins and minerals to supplement a baby’s mixed diet from six months of age.
Their developmental needs are different to a newborn and their current requirements are met by this product.
Value for Money – for a quality brand, this product is very well priced.
Although RRP is around $30 you can almost always find it reduced through bulk stockists such as Chemist Warehouse.
Details, Preparation and Use
Check the ingredients to make sure that there is nothing your baby has allergies to, but other than that, you should know there is a healthy balance of nutrition contained for a baby’s needs.
The formula is a mixture of nutritionally complete ingredients and vital vitamins and minerals. There is also a range of other ingredients that promote optimal growth and development.
1. Vitamins
At this stage of development, your baby needs a range of vitamins to help them grow and give them energy.
Vitamin C is for the growth and repair of all body tissues, blood vessels, bones and teeth, and Vitamin D is also essential for bone development. Vitamin A mainly promotes the development of your baby’s vision, while B1 or thiamine helps your baby to convert the new foods into fuel for his changing little body.
2. Minerals
Your baby needs a number of minerals for optimal health, including calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, iodine,and zinc.
These help with thestrong growth of the tissues, blood vessels, bones,and brain, as well as fighting off infection.
Ingredients
Milk Solids, Vegetable Oil Blend, Galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), Lactose, Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, Mono- and Di-glycerides), Docosahexaenoic Acid Oil (DHA), Arachidonic Acid Oil (ARA), Taurine, Nucleotides (5’-CMP, 5’-AMP, di Sodium 5’-UMP, di Sodium 5’-IMP, di Sodium 5’-GMP), Lutein, Antioxidants (Sodium Ascorbate, mixed Tocopherols concentrate, Ascorbyl Palmitate).
Minerals (Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, di Sodium Phosphate, Magnesium Chloride, Ferric Pyrophosphate, Zinc Sulphate, tri Calcium Phosphate, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Sulphate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite).
Vitamins (L-Sodium Ascorbate (vitamin C), Inositol, d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Retinyl Acetate (vitamin A), Nicotinamide (vitamin B3), Cholecalciferol (vitamin D), Calcium Pantothenate (vitamin B5), Thiamin Hydrochloride (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Folic Acid (vitamin B9), Phytonadione (vitamin K1), D-Biotin, Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).
CONTAINS MILK AND SOY
Preparation Instructions
How to prepare:
Step 1: Wash hands and all equipment before preparing formula
Step 2: Sterilise all equipment by boiling for five minutes or by using an approved steriliser
Step 3: Boil fresh drinking water for five minutes and leave to cool
Step 4: When cool, measure the required amount of water and formula by consulting the feeding guide on the product label
Step 5: Using only the scoop provided, lightly fill one measurement of the powder and use levelling blade on the tin. Pour the powder into the prepared water, cap the bottle and shake until the powder is dissolved
Step 6: Check the formula temperature on your wrist then feed immediately
Price of Product and Similar Products
The formula has a recommended retail of around $30, which is in the middle range of good formula products. Savvy shoppers can often get it better priced however, you just need to keep your eyes out for good deals and then buy a few tins at a time. If stored properly they take a very long time to go off.
Behind the Brand and Manufacturer
Blackmores have been supplying Australia for over 80 years, and Tatura Milk has done so for over 100, which is kind of a comforting thought. Customer reviews and satisfaction is very high, and they also respond well to any issues or criticism, which make you think they actually really value their customers. You can go into this purchase with peace of mind.
Review Summary and Thoughts
Look for the product on sale and you will get an awesome quality formula that is great value for money. It will give your baby all the nutrients he needs, so if he likes it and it agrees with his stomach, then definitely go with this brand. It is convenient to use and almost always easy to source in stores or online, so it tends to keep harried parents happy.
This is a good solid choice for the next stage of your baby’s feeding.
Product Rating
Price
8/10
Ingredients
9/10
Nutrients
9/10
Quality
10/10
Preparation
9/10
Overall Rating
9/10
