Hi to all the moms out there! I have a question regarding those "Next Step" formulas. I have heard two differing opinions from friends already & was curious what other moms out there think about them. Do any of your children use them or have used them? Do you think they are a good transition to cow's milk? Do share! My son will be 9 months in June and I would like some real world feedback from moms who have been there and done that.
Thanks!!
I ended up using Next Step and my son loved it. I even hesitated switching him over to milk because he loved it so much (I did move him to milk and he's fine, just first mom jitters). I have friends that used the transitional formulas and friends that think they are silly. I just felt it was right for my son. Hope this helps.
My son loves Next Step (and I do too because it is so easy - I use the powdered mix). My son was breastfed for the first 10 months, then supplemented with formula for a couple months, that he graduated to NextStep. My son will drink milk and likes it. He drinks anything, but NextStep is by far his favorite. Cows milk does not have all the added nutients that Next Step does, so I use Next Step. It is more expensive, true, but my son likes it so I keep buying it. When my son was younger I was told by some other mothers to stop giving it to him - they laughed at me and said you're wasting your money and formula will make him fat - but that's not true. He's VERY active, very tall, very healthy, and not a bit of fat on him. I think it benefits him to be on NextStep.
In my opinion, children do not need another formula in order to transition to cow's milk. I did not use any with my now 4 year old daughter and she did just fine.
D.J.
My daughter and I both love the next step formula. I ended up using it because we were taking my daughter off the bottle but she wouldnt take regular milk from a sippy cup. So every morning for breakfast I mix a yogurt smoothie and some formula for her to drink. She gets milk also at dinner and didnt even notice when I switched her bottles from formula to milk. I only use the next step because sometimes you cant always give all the nutrients in one day and the formula makes me feel better that she is getting vitamins.
Hey I used Go to Gro when Jillian turned 9 months and used it for 2 months and then I did half Go and Gro and half cows milk for 1 month, (3oz of Go and Gro and 3 oz of Milk). Then when Jillian turned 1 she was on straight cow's milk with no problems. She is 16 months now. good luck! Keery S.
I have 4 boys the youngest is now 8 months, with the older ones, I did use both next step and whole milk, I gave them next step upon waking and before bed - just to make sure they are getting all their nutritional needs met and extra DHA, vitamins, minerals etc as they are not big veggie eaters and as 1 year olds it's hard to make sure they are having all their nutritional needs met - I would say do both or whatever feels right to you...good luck!!
I really see no need for the transition formula. It still has lactose and is much more expensive. True it is hard to wean the babies off of anything, pacifier, the breast formula, etc. so be patient. You can find other sources of calcium for your baby in case they reject the milk at first.
I bought a few cans of the transition formula but then I thought 'what's the point'. We also got on WIC to help with the cost of formula and they didnt recommend stage2 formula and switch to cow milk. He's 19 months now and doesn't really drink milk except for at daycare. I try to give him other sources of calcium.
Hi, on both of my childrens 1st birthday to the day they were on cows milk.......At 11 months I started weaning them.....part formula, part whole milk and increased it every week so on their 1st birthday to the day they were on milk. I think Next Step Formulas are not necessary at all! The only time maybe they are necessary are if your child isn't eating well....but I would only use them at your pediatrician's recommendation...otherwise I would go straight to milk.......lastly not only did I wean from formula to milk by their first birthday but also as of their first birthdays NO MORE BOTTLE....only sippy cups! Good luck!
C., I had to supplement with formula and I was using Enfamil Lipil. I, too, wondered about the Next Step formula and I bought a few cans ONLY because I had some real money saving coupons for the stuff. When my baby turned a year old, I switched to whole milk right away. I wouldn't worry about making any "transitions." When your doctor says it's ok, just switch to whole milk. My ped said that babies need whole milk for the fat. My little one and I had breastfeeding issues from day one and he ultimately weaned at 9 months so I had to use formula but once he turned a year, I switched to whole milk. The only thing I think is a real difference is the price.
C.,
I had some samples of Next Step (two whole containers) and some coupons for huge discounts on it as well ($11 off!). So I bought it and used it with my DD because it made financial sense. Since it is made by the same formula company, I figured it would be the same if not better at her older age to use it. If you have the same incentives, then I would say go ahead and use it... otherwise, it's probably not necessary.
For my son (now 6 months), I have received samples again of Next Step and more incentive coupons... I think I have 3 cans of the Next Step already. Once again, I plan on using it for reasons of economy.
As another Mom pointed out (and this was substantiated by my lactation consultant/nurse), as long as your child hasn't shown any difficulties or allergies, you don't have to wait until the 1st birthday to start the switch to whole milk... you can start at around 11 months. I may have mixed it 1/2 for a few days, then just went to one bottle, slowly replacing it with another and another until DD was totally on whole milk. (My LC/nurse said there is no "whole milk fairy" that waves a wand and says, "Okay, it's time!" on the first birthday. As long as you haven't had other complications or have other hesitations a month/6 weeks before 12 months is fine.)
I know that formula can be expensive... and I only formula fed my daughter between 8 and 11 months! Whatever way to save money is great... of course, as long as it is fine for the health of the child and in my case it was.
I also made the switch between bottles and sippy cups during the switch to milk. I started by putting juice in sippy cups, my DD NEVER had juice in a bottle! As we moved to 1/2 formula and 1/2 milk and then just milk... it was all in a sippy cup. That way as the taste changed, so did the cup she drank it out of. We never had a problem transitioning... used NUBY.
Enjoy your son!
Honestly, I've never even heard of it! My oldest is 8 and my youngest is 2. It seems like it's just another way for companies to make money, like baby juice. Why waste your money on "baby juice" when regular juice is cheaper, you can just water it down for them. I did what my pediatrician recommended with each of mine. When they turned 1, I started mixing whole milk with their formula, and adding a little more over time until it was just whole milk. I did the same thing when I was transitioning them to 2% and then skimmed milk.
My son will be 9 months old next week. I was just in to see out pediatrician this week and had 100 ?’s regarding food and formula. And this was one of them; she said it was up to me, his first formula (similac) was fine for the first 11-12 months. At 11-11 ½ months I can switch to ½ whole milk and ½ formula per bottle, to slowly ease in the whole milk. I thought about switching to the “next step” but she told me if it’s working for him why change it. So I figured I would just stay with the same one. I hope that helps…
