True relay milk, between the milk diet and the solid diet, the 2nd age milk takes over from breastfeeding or early milk, as soon as the baby takes a full meal per day and without milk. It therefore meets the nutritional needs of babies aged 6 months to 12 months but should never be offered before 4 months.

If you bottle-feed your baby, specific milks are specifically developed and distributed in pharmacies and supermarkets to make the transition between an exclusively milk-based diet (breastfeeding or early-stage milk) and a diversified diet: this is milk. second age, also called “follow-on preparation”. The latter are only entitled to the term “follow-on milk” if the product is entirely based on cow’s milk protein (PLV).

The European directive – taken over by the decree of January 11, 1994 – imposes the following recommendations with regard to the composition of follow-up preparations:

• Proteins: the intake must be between 2,25 and 4,5 g / 100 kcal whatever the nature of the proteins
• Lipids: the intake should be between 3,3 and 6,5 g / 100 kcal. Sesame and cottonseed oils as well as fats containing more than 8% trans fatty acid isomers are strictly prohibited. The level of linoleic acid must be at least 0,3 g / 100 kcal, i.e. 6 times higher than in semi-skimmed cow’s milk. Vegetable fat can represent up to 100% of total fat intake.
• Carbohydrates: the intake should be between 7 and 14 g / 100 kcal. The lactose level must be at least 1,8 g / 100 kcal except in the case where the proteins are represented for more than 50% by soybean isolates.

Follow-on milks also contain many vitamins and minerals, essential for the period of important growth of toddlers. Older milk also provides 20 times more iron than cow’s milk, to meet baby’s needs, whose iron reserves – produced before birth – are depleted.

Unlike first age milk, 2nd age milk alone cannot constitute the basis of infant nutrition and replace breast milk. The use of this milk must necessarily be done in parallel with food diversification. Moreover, a ministerial decree of January 11, 1994 indicates that, unlike first-age milk, they cannot be used as a breast milk substitute for the first four months of life.

The goal is in fact to meet the nutritional needs of the child whose diet is changing and in particular to ensure the right protein intake.

In fact, during dietary diversification, the quantities of early-stage milk decrease – due to the volume of solid foods ingested (fruits, vegetables, starch) – while proteins, such as meat, fish or eggs in are not yet introduced. The risk is therefore that the baby’s diet does not provide enough protein. Corn offering cow’s milk would not be a solution because its protein content is too high and that of linoleic acid too low for baby’s needs.

The follow-up preparations are therefore a transition solution, between the exclusively milk-based diet, consisting of breast milk or early-stage milk – and the perfectly diversified and varied diet.

Whether sold in pharmacies or supermarkets, all second-age infant milks are subject to the same regulations, undergo the same rigorous controls and strictly meet the same standards. So there is no milk safer or better than another.

On the other hand, you may need to orient yourself towards brands with different claims depending on your personal convictions. Regarding organic labeled infant milk, it is important to note that this type of milk meets the same composition and safety requirements as non-organic infant milks. On the other hand, they are made from milk from cows raised according to the constraints imposed by organic farming. If you want to make sure you choose a quality product, consider checking the nature of the oils that are added.

For health professionals, organic is a relatively unimportant criterion because the controls that govern the manufacture of classic infant milk – non-organic, are so rigorous and so severe that they ensure optimal health security. Organic milk or not for your baby: the decision is yours.

If you are breastfeeding your baby and want to gradually bottle-feed your baby, you will only choose second-grade milk if your baby has a full meal without breastfeeding during the day. The switch from the breast to the bottle must however be done as gradually as possible to protect both your chest from engorgement and mastitis and both baby who does not like to be disturbed in his habits.

The idea is therefore to gradually replace the less important feedings of the day, with bottles of second-age milk. You will remove a feed every two to three days for example.

It is ideal to prioritize the less important feedings – those that correspond to the time of the weakest lactation. You can start by removing the afternoon feed (s). Then when your breasts are less tight – after 2 to 3 days, or even 5 to 6 days depending on the woman – you can replace another breastfeed with a bottle.

However, if you want to continue breastfeeding, note that the fewer feedings, the less milk production is stimulated. So be sure to keep 2 to 3 feeds per day. To respect the baby’s rhythm and maintain your lactation, it is also important to keep the rituals well with a breastfeed in the morning and one in the evening, those times when milk production is the most important. This will also allow you to avoid the risk of congestion. If your baby still needs to wake up at night and asks for a feed, if possible, don’t deprive her of it.

Second-age milk is suitable for babies from the moment they take a full meal without breastfeeding or bottle-feeding during the day, until their diet is perfectly diversified. Thus, experts in infant nutrition recommend switching from second age milk to growth milk around the age of 10/12 months and to continue this milk supply until the child is 3 years old.

Regarding growth milk beyond its interesting contents in fatty acids, calcium and Vitamin D, the real argument which is indisputable concerns iron fortification. Because if pediatricians do not always agree on the interest of growth milk, opinions on this point are almost unanimous: we cannot ensure the iron needs of a young child beyond one. year if he stops infant formula. In practice, it would take the equivalent of 100 grams of meat per day, but a child of 3, even 5 years, is not able to swallow such quantities. Cow’s milk, on the other hand, does not meet the nutritional needs of children under 3 years old because beyond the quantity of proteins not adapted, it is 25 times less rich in iron than the milk of growth.

Vegetable drinks (almonds, soy, oats, spelled, hazelnut, etc.), as enriched with calcium as they are, are not more suitable for young children and even carry the risk of serious deficiencies.