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Image by bedneyimages via Magnific
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Welcome to our November newsletter. Before you get stuck in, we want to share an update with you about our funding situation. Our work is funded primarily by generous individual donations and grants from charitable trusts and foundations.
We get no government funding.
In these challenging times, with increasing need and many worthy causes, securing funding for our small trust is becoming much harder. Several of our grants have ended recently, or will be ending in the coming months and without additional income we will not be able to continue doing all the work we currently do.
If you can, please donate here.
Any contribution towards our work, big or small, would be gratefully received.
Can you introduce us to new potential donors? Would you like to commission us or partner with us on funded work? If so, please drop us a line: admin@firststepsnutrition.org.
Thank you! |
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News
Infant milk news
Baby Feeding Law Group UK news
Forthcoming
Happy reading!
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News: Latest NCMP data for England show record levels of obesity in 4/5-year-olds
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The National Childhood Measurement Programme data for the 2025-2026 school year were published on Monday 2 November. Critically, prevalence of obesity was 10.7% among children in reception and excluding the peak in 2020 to 2021 during the pandemic, this is the highest obesity prevalence seen in reception since the NCMP began in 2006 to 2007. For children in year 6, obesity prevalence at 22.8% is higher than last year (22.2% in 2024 to 2025) and higher than pre-pandemic levels.
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Large inequalities persist. Obesity prevalence continues to be more than double in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas e.g. in reception the rates are 14.2% compared to 6.9%, and the deprivation gap has increased since the early years of the NCMP.
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Large differences in prevalence remain between ethnic groups, with obesity prevalence highest in reception children from Black ethnic groups.
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At a regional and local level, variation in obesity prevalence is largely driven by persistent inequalities by ethnic group and deprivation.
These data are shocking and a reminder of the importance of early intervention to ensure healthy growth trajectories from birth. While there have been changes in policies and opportunities relevant to early years nutrition over the last year, the scope of interventions recommended in this position paper from December 2025 (which we led on developing for the Obesity Health Alliance) remain relevant and necessary.
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News: Expansion of the Healthy Babies programme to 1,000 family hubs by 2028
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On 30 September, at the Labour party conference, Secretary of State for Health Yvette Cooper announced that the Healthy Babies programme will be expanded to all local authorities in England. She stated that parents will get enhanced infant feeding and mental health support, as well as help to form strong relationships with their babies, alongside health visiting and midwifery support, at more than 1,000 hubs by 2028. Best Start Family Hubs have been rolling out across England, but more than half of local authorities have hubs without Healthy Babies services, meaning families cannot always access integrated health, early years development and family support in one place. The Healthy Babies programme will now be expanded to all local authorities with the Sure Start principles of a more integrated approach to family support.
The announcement is part of the government’s neighbourhood health approach that will see integrated early years, family and elderly support delivered closer to home.
This announcement is welcome, but as yet there is a lack of clarity of the funding that will support this expansion, especially as it relates to workforce. It goes without saying that sufficient trained staff, especially health visitors, are essential to realise a vision of giving all children the best start in life.
Government guidance for local authorities on how to implement Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies, is available here. We wrote about these in our April newsletter, which can be accessed here.
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News: A third of UK government’s nutrition advisers are still paid by the food industry
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The BMJ published this news piece on 9 September as a follow up to this exposé published two years ago (in which our Director Vicky is quoted), highlighting the extent to which members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have financial ties with the food industry. In some cases, this includes payment from baby foods and formula companies.
In 2024, ‘more than half’ of members were found to be conflicted, and while there are now fewer conflicted members, the proportion remains ‘nearly a third’. This is despite a new code of conduct banning links to the food industry. Last September, the committee updated its code of practice to state, for the first time, that individuals could not become members if they had “significant” conflicts of interest, which included owning shares, receiving research grants, or sitting on advisory boards relating to the food industry. However, an introductory period allows current members to continue existing ties for up to two years.
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The new code of conduct is very welcome and should be congratulated. However, we share the view of others quoted in the article, that significant conflicts with industries relevant to the SACN’s scope of work ought to be eliminated to safeguard the independence of this important committee, given their influence on policy and public health recommendations.
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New global guidance: Unicef and WHO implementation guidance on policies and programmes for improving complementary feeding
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This global guidance was published at the end of September and provides evidence-based guidance on translating WHO recommendations on complementary feeding into practice. It aims to support the delivery of effective interventions that enable infants and young children aged 6–23 months to consume adequate and healthy diets.
The normative recommendations are in this document: “The 2023 WHO Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age”. UK recommendations on complementary feeding broadly align with these guidelines, making this new global guidance relevant to the UK.
It contains 11 modules as figure 1 below shows, focusing on the actions needed to improve access to nutritious foods, improve the quality of foods and regulate promotion, and improve caregiver behaviour. Each module provides detailed guidance for how to tailor actions to context, and several provide valuable guidance and questions relevant to the ongoing work many of us are supporting in the UK. For example, module 5 on social protection includes considerations for how to ensure cash transfer programmes (like the UK’s Healthy Start and Best Start Foods) can support complementary feeding. Modules 6 and 7 on commercial baby and toddler foods standards and marketing provide guidance relevant to the UK government’s voluntary baby food guidelines and what we might want to see once the implementation period is over, in just a few months’ time, to be assured that protections are adequate.
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The guideline is intended primarily for government staff involved in policy development, programme design and implementation, as well as other organisations supporting complementary feeding interventions. We recommend this guidance as well worth a read to stimulate new ways of thinking about your work on weaning/starting solids/complementary feeding, whatever your role.
We will end with an extract from the guide’s preface, which makes clear the importance of the food environment in shaping what our babies and young children eat, and is a motivating reminder of the value of the work we and others are doing in this space:
“Every day, around the globe, caregivers sit down to feed a young child. They gently guide and encourage them, offer a spoon or a bite and wait, and begin again tomorrow. In those small, repeated moments, a child learns not only to eat, but also to feel safe and loved. Few things matter more in the first two years of life. These early moments help shape a child’s growth, development, and lifelong well-being. Yet for too many children, these moments are too rare, and too often not matched by access to the nutritious foods they need…This is rarely for want of care. Caregivers meet high prices and markets without the foods young children need, long working hours and little help at home, and a steady stream of marketing for products that crowd out the foods they need. No caregiver can overcome all of that alone, and none should have to. This implementation guidance provides practical directions on how the food, health, social protection, water and sanitation systems can work together to make good feeding possible”.
Access the guideline here. |
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New paper: Breastfeeding Science Denialism: Unpacking a Hidden Harm
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During September 2026, Bridget McGann and colleagues published this commentary in Maternal and Child Nutrition describing how misinformation about infant feeding in the digital age is threatening decades of public health efforts to improve breastfeeding. The authors introduce the concept of “Breastfeeding Science Denialism” and compare it to strategies used to manufacture doubt about scientific consensus in other areas that have been the targets of denialism, such as climate change and vaccines. The authors describe that social media, and artificial intelligence tools are contributing to misinformation and reinforcing biases.
Science denialism has been defined as “the motivated, systematic use of rhetorical tactics with the goal of creating the impression of legitimate debate about scientific topics where there is consensus based on reasoned facts and theories” (Godulla et al, 2024). The authors differentiate between active and passive denialism, and explain that this can be overt, covert or done inadvertently.
The authors describe five main breastfeeding denialism strategies that echo tactics historically used to manufacture doubt about scientific consensus:
1. Minimisation of breastfeeding's importance
2. Misrepresenting research
3. Misrepresenting clinical standards
4. Appeals to individualist values
5. Leveraging authority through influencers and industry credentials
The commentary includes a table that provides descriptions and examples for each of these five categories of breastfeeding denialism strategies.
The authors describe that acknowledging and being able to recognise these strategies and framing them as science denialism shifts the focus from breastfeeding promotion, towards creating an enabling environment. They suggest that the information environment could be improved through ensuring equitable access to accurate health information, and challenging misinformation using science communication strategies that have been used in these other domains that have been previously targeted by denialism.
Conclusions and recommendations: The authors call for research and suggest actions for clinicians, public health professionals, policymakers, and organisations to protect parents from infant feeding misinformation and support informed decision-making. They suggest a systems-level response that includes comprehensive infant feeding and lactation curricula in medical training, organisational statements directly addressing denialism, supportive public policies enacting parental leave and education, and cultural normalisation of breastfeeding.
The authors conclude that “The idea that infants thrive most optimally on the milk of their own species should not be controversial” and science communication should be used to centre families’ needs and values while grounding infant feeding discussions in robust evidence. Recognising breastfeeding misinformation as science denialism enables more proactive communication and the need for equitable access to evidence-based infant feeding information in a rapidly evolving information landscape.
Read the commentary here.
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New paper: Managing maternal requests for Infant Formula in Emergencies: The Ethical Foundations of the Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE)
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In this new paper, Karleen Gribble and colleagues apply ethical principles to validate the exclusion of maternal request for infant formula from the list of indications for provision of infant formula in emergency situations, where a mother is currently breastfeeding.
The context is the “Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies” (OG-IFE) which outlines how nutritional support should be provided to the mothers and caregivers of infants in emergencies to maximize child health and survival. The OG-IFE outlines the necessity of ensuring support for breastfeeding mothers as well as the caregivers of infants who cannot be breastfed. However, it has strict and limited indications for providing infant formula, amongst which maternal request is not included. The authors acknowledge that it is commonplace for breastfeeding mothers to request formula in emergency situations, and that those to whom such requests are made can find it difficult to refuse them.
The paper applies the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, health maximization, justice, and autonomy to the OG-IFE's preclusion of infant formula provision on the basis of maternal request (the figure above expands on what these principles mean). It presents an analysis weighing the possible negative and positive consequences of providing infant formula without and within the indications of the OG-IFE. It also describes how to mitigate against donations of infant formula (where marketing causes wider harm), application of OG-IFE principles in high-resource settings (which would include the UK), and how to respond to and support breastfeeding women who request infant formula and implement the OG-IFE regarding infant formula.
This exploration is relevant in the UK where infant food insecurity is a concern and mixed feeding remains common, but formula is unaffordable for some struggling families (see our recent collaborative research on this in last month's newsletter). These families are not experiencing humanitarian emergencies but may still be in crisis, meaning mothers and babies in both contexts may share common challenges and risks. Breastfeeding mothers may present at food banks, baby banks and in health services requesting formula for their babies in response to breastfeeding challenges, where breastfeeding support (and wider support for their family) may be both welcomed, and ethically more appropriate. A critical consideration is that those supplying formula need to make a commitment to long term provision to avoid exacerbating infant food insecurity. It is unlikely that this is possible through food and baby banks, and if – as is preferable – support is provided through the health service, there should be the capacity to meet a mothers’ need for breastfeeding support.
A key lesson we draw from the paper is that any mother of a baby presenting with breastfeeding difficulties should be referred to and able to access sufficient, skilled breastfeeding support, regardless of her circumstances.
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All of the above does not mean to imply that mothers and families who need formula to feed their babies should not be supported to access this. The OG-IFE accounts for this, and the paper includes lots of referenced examples of programmes that have delivered it, as well as examples of programmes successfully supporting breastfeeding.
The full paper can be accessed here.
Resources relevant to this paper, its recommendations and the UK context are as follows:
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ICYMI: First Steps Nutrition Trust partners with Sustain on Children’s Food Awards 2027
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The second annual Children’s Food Awards opened for nominations on Monday 28 September and once again we’re partnering on an early years nutrition award:
Yummy award: Best campaign or initiative for early years nutrition
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We’re celebrating the heroes (and villains!) of children’s food. Which organisations or people do you know who have gone above and beyond to make a difference to the food mums, babies and young children eat, or done outstanding work supporting them to eat well? We’re encouraging nominations for the Early Years’ Nutrition category and would love to see inspiring examples of work from across our network. Get nominating now ahead of the deadline on 8 November, and check out all the other exciting award categories too!
The award criteria are:
- Outstanding organisations, campaigns or programmes with no commercial interests.
- Their work must be making a meaningful difference to pregnant women, breastfeeding women/new mums and/or babies and young children.
- This can include leading campaigns or initiatives, or work to influence local, regional and national policy.
- Must recognise work within the last two years (2025 & 2026).
- Work must have taken place in the UK.
There are also two yucky awards which you can make nominations for related to baby and toddler formulas, foods, companies or any other products or companies you find particularly objectionable. There have not been a lot of nominations for these awards yet so please consider flagging products and companies that you feel ought to be called out.
Yucky award: Most misleading children’s food product
Yucky award: Children’s Food Commercial Villain
The deadline for nomination is 8 November. Find out more here.
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DYK: First Steps Nutrition Trust offers FREE guides on eating well in pregnancy
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Among our 13 free eating well guides, 3 are specifically focused on pregnancy and 2 more contain content on pregnancy as well as feeding babies and toddlers. Women planning a pregnancy, mums to be and any professionals with a role to support women to eat well in pregnancy may be interested to take a look:
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Eating well for a healthy pregnancy: A practical guide (updated November 2025) - aims to enable health professionals to support pregnant women understand their food and nutrition needs in pregnancy. It includes recipes and meal ideas and can sit alongside other local public health guidance to provide a practical explanation of what ‘eating well’ looks like. It also includes information about vitamin and nutrient requirements and which supplements are suitable for pregnant women.
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Eating well in pregnancy: A practical guide to support teenagers (updated February 2026) - provides information and support about eating well in pregnancy for women aged 15 - 19 years. It provides general advice on food and nutrition and ideas for how young women can eat throughout the day and manage their increased energy and nutrient needs.
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Eating well in pregnancy: A recipe guide for teenagers (2013) - provides ideas for recipes to encourage young women to cook and eat a range of food in pregnancy. The resource can be used directly with young women and pages can be copied with suggested meal and snack ideas for those who work with young women and their families.
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Healthy Start and Best Start Foods: A practical guide (2026) - provides support to pregnant women and their families to help them to get the most out of the Healthy Start scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the Best Start Foods scheme in Scotland. The guide provides a range of healthy family recipes using ingredients that can be bought through the Healthy Start or Best Start Foods schemes and shows how these can feed the whole family.
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Eating Well for pregnant & breastfeeding women, babies and young children living in temporary accommodation (2024) - for healthcare practitioners, community groups, social services, volunteers, and hotel staff working with pregnant and breastfeeding women, babies, and young children in temporary accommodation. It tackles challenges including limited access to practical resources such as kitchens, utensils and storage, money to purchase food and resources, and to social and community support, offering practical advice to help families maintain good nutrition in resource-poor settings.
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Access any or the above on our website here. They can all be downloaded for free, and a number can be purchased as hard copies.
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Infant milk product news
We are sharing this product news to inform healthcare professionals and families to whom it is relevant.
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Cow & Gate first infant milk Ready to Feed 1L has been replaced with a 500ml format
Cow & Gate has discontinued its first infant milk liquid 1L format and introduced a 500ml format. On their website, they state that this change was prompted by feedback from parents indicating that the 1L format was too large. The rollout began gradually in March 2026. Currently, the only UK supermarket that this format appears to be available in is Sainsbury’s and is listed at £2.50 per bottle.
The 500ml formulation of this first infant milk is the same as the 70ml format, which can be purchased in starter packs, but not the same as the 200ml format or the 1L format it is replacing. The key difference is that the 70ml & 500ml formulations use fish oil, while the 200ml formulation uses microalgae Schizochytrium sp. oil. This results in a small difference in ALA and LA values.
The 70ml and 500ml formulations are not vegetarian and would not be suitable for infants with fish allergies.
The 200ml formulation notes that it may contain fish oil, therefore this formulation would not be suitable for infants with fish allergies.
For infant milk information, and to find the complete data cards for these first infant milks, please visit our website infantmilkinfo.org
New Kendamil Organic Ready to Feed first infant milks
Kendamil has released two new organic Ready to Feed (RTF) first infant milks in 70ml and 200ml. While the new Ready to Feed product ingredients are quite similar to the powdered Kendamil Organic first infant milk, RTF does not list skimmed milk in the ingredients, whereas the powdered formula does. The nutrition information on these products is largely the same.
To find a detailed breakdown of nutritional information on the infant formulas in the UK, you can find data cards on our website infantmilkinfo.org.
Infant formulas are subject to strict composition regulations, including nutritional composition and residues of pesticides, meaning that there are no clinically significant nutritional differences between organic and non-organic infant formulas, and correspondingly no added health or nutritional benefits. However, infant formula does vary widely in price. For example, the Kendamil Organic range (including powdered first infant milk, and Ready to Feed) are consistently more expensive than their Classic range.
To read more about organic vs. non-organic infant formulas, see our FAQ “Are there any benefits of organic infant formula compared to non-organic infant Formula?" on our website infantmilkinfo.org.
SMA pre-term reformulation/rebrand
SMA Gold Prem 2, a first infant formula for preterm low birthweight infants post-discharge, has changed their packaging and their recipe. This applies to both their powdered format, and the Ready to Feed 90ml and 200ml.
This is a food for special medical purposes and should only be used under medical supervision.
The specific changes to the recipe aren’t outlined on SMA’s website; however, it is worth noting that they use microalgae oil and not fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids and seem to have added two synthetic ‘Human Milk Oligosaccharides’ (HMOs).
Check the package label to confirm the ingredients as older formulations may still be on the market.
SMA Althéra and SMA Alfamino replaced by SMA Althéra Advance and SMA Alfamino Advance
SMA Althéra Advance and SMA Alfamino Advance were introduced in June 2026 to replace SMA Althéra and SMA Alfamino.
The products’ clinical indications remain unchanged. SMA Althéra Advance remains an extensively hydrolysed whey-based formula for the dietary management of cows’ milk allergy, while SMA Alfamino Advance remains an amino acid-based formula for the management of severe cows’ milk allergy and multiple food allergies. However, prescribing systems and local formularies will need to be updated to reflect the new product names.
There are some small compositional changes which are reflected in our report on Specialised milks for infants with allergies in the UK Information for health professionals.
The reformulated products contain the synthetic ‘Human Milk Oligosaccharides’ 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT).
We have published an FAQ entitled, Does adding synthetic human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to formula offer any benefit to infants?, which may be of interest. It is available here. The FAQ explains that there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that adding artificially produced HMOs to infant formula provides a health benefit to infants.
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New FAQ: Making up infant formula abroad and during travel
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Image credit: javy_indy on Magnific
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Parents travelling overseas often ask whether it is safe to prepare infant formula using bottled water, and how to make up feeds safely when travelling by air. This can be a particular concern where access to safe tap water is uncertain or when families are away from home for extended periods. To support healthcare professionals in providing clear and practical advice in response to this query, we have published a new FAQ “Making up infant formula abroad and during travel”. This FAQ may also be of use in situations where usual water supplies at home have been disrupted.
The FAQ is intended for healthcare professionals who support parents and carers using infant formula. It explains considerations parents may need to take in advance of travel, how parents can may choose water abroad, and how parents may prepare feeds while away from home or their accommodation, as well as a travel preparation checklist for parents.
Powdered infant formula is not sterile and may contain bacteria that can cause serious illness in infants; therefore, NHS guidance advises using freshly boiled water at least 70˚C when preparing powdered formula.
Ready-to-feed liquid infant formula is sterile until opened and may be the safest and most convenient option when travelling. However, for longer trips this may not be practical due to cost, availability, weight or luggage restrictions or storage requirements.
Before travelling, plan ahead to ensure access to facilities for boiling water, cleaning and sterilising equipment, and preparing feeds safely.
Practical measures may include:
- Checking whether accommodation provides a kettle or other facilities for boiling water.
- Taking a travel kettle that is compatible with the local electricity supply.
- Carrying an insulated flask containing freshly boiled water.
- Taking some ready-to-feed formula for flights, transfers, delays or emergencies.
How to choose water abroad
Where local tap water is safe to drink, it can generally be used in the same way as in the UK. If the safety of local water supplies is uncertain, parents should seek advice by looking online for information from local public health authorities before traveling. Accommodation providers may also be able to advise on local water supplies.
Current UK guidance does not recommend using bottled water for routine preparation of powdered infant formula, because it is not sterile and may contain too much sodium or sulphate. However, it may be used where safe tap water is not available.
Where bottled water is used, UK guidance suggests parents should:
- Choose still bottled water and avoid sparkling or mineral water.
- Prioritise the lowest sodium (salt) and mineral content available.
- If natural mineral water is the only option, choose water with:
- Sodium below 200mg/L
- Sulphate below 250mg/L
- Dry residue at 180°C below 500mg/L
- Avoid using bottled water where the label states it is ‘not suitable for regular consumption by infants and children under 7 years of age’.
Bottled water must still be boiled before use.
When preparing feeds while away from home or accommodation
Carrying ready-to-feed liquid formula may be the most convenient option if you need to prepare a feed away from home or accommodation. If this is not possible, then take with you:
- A measured amount of formula powder in a small, clean and dry container.
- A vacuum flask of hot water that’s just been boiled.
- An empty sterilised feeding bottle with cap and retaining ring in place.
When travelling by air, parents can usually carry infant formula, breastmilk and baby foods through airport security when travelling with a baby, although items may be inspected. Parents should check requirements with their airline and departure airline before travelling.
To read the full FAQ, including the travel preparation checklist for parents, see our website infantmilkinfo.org
The above content and our FAQ are in line with the latest FSA guidance on preparing infant formula safely which was published at the start of this week and can be found here.
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Updated FAQ: Are there any infant formulas suitable for vegetarians?
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We’ve updated our FAQ “Are there any infant formulas suitable for vegetarians?”, which was last updated in December 2023. The FAQ outlines why infant milk products in the UK may not be suitable for vegetarians, including the use of fish oils and/or the use of animal-derived enzymes used in the production of whey. It lists the powdered and ready-to-feed formats that are suitable for vegetarians currently available in the UK.
In addition, the FAQ outlines products that are not classified as suitable for vegetarians due to processing, potential cross-contamination, or possible trace ingredients, but do not contain fish oil. This may be useful for infants with a fish allergy, or families who choose not to feed their children animal meat but are less concerned about processing/cross-contamination.
Always remember to check the ingredients list on each package. Product reformulations happen often, and while a manufacturer may advertise that their formula is vegetarian, there may be older formulations still available in the market that aren’t. Additionally, manufacturer websites may not always be accurate when indicating their formula is vegetarian.
Our full FAQ, including the comprehensive list of infant formulas suitable for vegetarians can be found on our website infantmilkinfo.org.
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New paper: Frequency and timing of specialized formula prescriptions for children under 2 years
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This retrospective, population-based cohort study examined specialised formula prescribing for children under two, born between 2009 and 2021. It provides the first large-scale, population-based estimates of the frequency and timing of specialised formula prescribing for cows’ milk allergy (CMA).
Specialised formulas have an important clinical role in managing appropriately diagnosed CMA among babies who are not breastfed. Products included in the study were extensively hydrolysed, amino acid and soya-based formulas.
However, although CMA affects approximately only 1% of infants, 5.7% of children in the cohort had received a prescription for specialised formula. Prescribing increased considerably over time: between 2009 and 2021, the proportion of infants under one prescribed these products rose from 1.65% to 7.85%. The estimated volume prescribed also increased, from 6.09 litres per live birth in 2009 to 23.42 litres in 2025. This compares with an estimated 1.24 litres per live birth if prescribing were limited to infants with clinically confirmed CMA.
These findings raise questions about whether specialised formulas are being prescribed appropriately and whether common infant symptoms are being mistaken for CMA. They are consistent with previous research suggesting that CMA is over diagnosed. The researchers highlight criticism of clinical guidance that may encourage common early-life symptoms (including crying, vomiting, reflux-like symptoms and changes in stool patterns) to be interpreted as evidence of CMA. These symptoms are not specific to allergy and also occur in infants without CMA. Prescribing most commonly began in the first two months of life, when such symptoms are particularly common.
Unnecessary prescribing has important implications for infant health. Many specialised formulas contain glucose polymers or other carbohydrate sources in place of some, or all of the lactose typically found in standard first infant formula. Free sugars can raise insulin levels and promote fat storage, which may contribute to the risk of long-term conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life. They can also cause tooth decay. The study found that more than three-quarters of children prescribed specialised formula received multiple prescriptions, with prescribing continuing for approximately four to eight months. Some infants may have consumed more than 200 litres of glucose-polymer-based formula during this period.
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Image credit: Wiley Online Library
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Key messages for health workers supporting families
- Specialised formula should not be prescribed in response to common symptoms in early infancy, such as crying, vomiting, reflux-like symptoms or changes in stool patterns.
- Specialised formulas have an important role for non-breastfed infants with confirmed CMA, but a prescription alone does not establish a diagnosis.
- The findings highlight the need for careful assessment, appropriate diagnostic pathways (to tackle over diagnosis) and timely review of ongoing formula use, led by healthcare professionals with appropriate allergy expertise.
Our report, Specialised milks for infants with allergies in the UK, provides further information on products marketed for infants with diagnosed food allergy. It covers extensively hydrolysed and amino acid-based infant milks, examines prescribing and composition, and reviews manufacturers’ claims about their efficacy.
We are also launching formula-feeding training with the Breastfeeding Network (BfN) later this November. This includes a section on Specialised Milks for Common Symptoms, exploring concerns about products marketed for common functional gastrointestinal symptoms and the clinical considerations for healthcare professionals. Further details will be shared soon.
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For infant milk information please visit our website www.infantmilkinfo.org. If you can’t find what you’re looking for please email rachel@firststepsnutrition.org
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Baby Feeding Law Group UK news
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Consultation: Scottish Government Consultation on Price Controls on Essential Food Items
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On 1 September 2026, the Business and Better Regulation Directorate of the Scottish Government published a Consultation paper about Price controls on essential food items. The consultation seeks views on the proposal and design of a potential scheme to introduce legal prices caps on essential food items sold by large supermarket chains in stores or online. The Consultation Paper contains 9 Chapters and 2 Annexes with 48 questions. Chapter 3 considers which goods should be subject to a cap and how that might be determined, and includes a paragraph on infant formula, and a request for views on whether the introduction of price controls for infant formula would be effective, and what else would need to be in place to increase affordability of infant formula. There is a comprehensive Respondent Information Form that can be completed and there is a webpage with Useful information about responding to this consultation.
The deadline for submissions to this open consultation is Tuesday 24 November 2026. We are planning to submit a response to call for price controls on infant formula, which we believe are warranted to make infant formula more affordable for families who use it. If you would like to receive our draft response to inform your own, please email katie@firststepsnutrition.org
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Free webinar: How infantmilkinfo.org can support your work, Wednesday 11 November, 1-2pm
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Do you support families who use infant formula? Join First Steps Nutrition Trust for a free webinar introducing infantmilkinfo.org, our independent, conflict-of-interest-free resource on infant milks marketed in the UK.
The website brings together information on different types of infant milk, individual products, nutritional composition and costs, alongside answers to common questions about ingredients, feeding and safety.
We’ll show you how to navigate the website and find information to support your conversations with families. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. Whether you’re new to Infant Milk Info or already use it and would like to learn more, we’d be delighted to see you.
Book your free place on Eventbrite.
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The Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative virtual conference, 18 - 19 November
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This annual conference brings together those involved in the care of babies, their parents and families to learn about the latest research and innovations in infant feeding and relationship building.
The 2026 conference is now open for bookings - find out more here: 2026 Virtual Conference - Baby Friendly Initiative.
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The Maternal, Parental and Infant Nutrition and Nurture (MAINN) conference abstract deadline, 30 November
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The MAINN Unit at the University of Lancashire is hosting its biannual conference from 28–30 April 2027.
Building on a long-standing and highly regarded conference series, MAINN 2027 will bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, advocates and students to explore the biological, psychological, social, cultural, political and economic dimensions of nutrition and nurture across infancy and early childhood.
The conference continues MAINN’s commitment to advancing biopsychosocial understandings of infant and child feeding, caregiving and wellbeing, and to fostering meaningful dialogue between research, policy and practice.
The deadline for submitting abstracts and posters is 30 November 2026.
For information about the programme and to book, see here.
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Coming soon: New formula-feeding training
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First Steps Nutrition Trust has been working with the Breastfeeding Network (BfN) to develop new online training for professionals supporting families who use infant formula, whether exclusively or alongside breastfeeding.
The training brings together clinical and public health guidance, research and practical information to help professionals provide safe, consistent and compassionate support. It aims to build confidence in answering families’ questions and helping them make informed feeding decisions, using information independent of formula industry influence.
The training is due to launch later in November. We look forward to sharing further details, including how to access it, soon.
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