What is Aptamil Lactose Free First Infant Milk?
Aptamil Lactose Free is a European lactose-free infant formula for bottle-fed babies from birth, in which lactose has been replaced entirely by glucose syrup — the prepared feed contains under 0.007g of lactose per 100ml. It is for babies who cannot digest lactose, on a pediatrician's advice. This listing is a single 400g box, about 98 fl oz of prepared formula.
It is worth being precise about what this formula changes and what it leaves alone. It swaps the carbohydrate: out goes lactose, in comes glucose syrup with maltodextrin. It does not touch the protein — that is still standard, non-hydrolysed cow's milk protein, as calcium caseinate. So this is a formula for a digestive enzyme problem, not an allergy problem, and it is not suitable for a baby with a cow's milk protein allergy.
Lactose intolerance in young babies is genuinely uncommon, and when it does appear it is usually secondary and temporary — most often after a bout of gastroenteritis has stripped the lactase enzyme from the gut lining, recovering over a few weeks. That is why we would rather you started this on a doctor's or health visitor's recommendation than as a general "gentler formula" experiment. Fussiness and gas alone are not a diagnosis of lactose intolerance in babies.
Aptamil is Nutricia's infant-nutrition brand, part of Danone, and this box is made to EU infant-formula standards. It is halal certified but it is not organic, and it contains palm oil, fish oil and soy lecithin — Aptamil's argument here is clinical formulation, not organic farming. It is nutritionally complete, so it can be your baby's sole nutrition from birth to six months and part of a weaning diet from six to twelve months.
From birthSole nutrition to 6 months
400 gSingle box
~98 fl oz≈ 20 × 5oz bottles
<0.007 gLactose per 100ml
What's in Aptamil Lactose Free per 100ml?
Prepared as directed, every 100ml provides 66 kcal, 3.4g fat of which 1.5g is saturated, 1.3g protein, 7.6g carbohydrate with under 0.007g of lactose, 68mg calcium, 0.71mg iron and 0.48mg zinc. It contains DHA and arachidonic acid, and the carbohydrate comes from glucose syrup and maltodextrin.
- Carbohydrate 7.6 g
- Fat 3.4 g
- Protein 1.3 g
| Per 100ml prepared | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 66 kcal / 276 kJ |
| Fat | 3.4 g |
| — of which saturates | 1.5 g |
| Protein (calcium caseinate) | 1.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.6 g |
| — of which lactose | <0.007 g |
| Calcium | 68 mg |
| Iron | 0.71 mg |
| Zinc | 0.48 mg |
| DHA and arachidonic acid | Included |
The ingredient deck opens with glucose syrup, then a palm, coconut, rapeseed, high-oleic sunflower and sunflower oil blend, calcium caseinate from milk, and maltodextrin, followed by minerals, fish oil and Mortierella alpina oil for the long-chain fats, soy lecithin, the amino acids L-cysteine and L-tryptophan, taurine, L-carnitine, inositol, nucleotides and the full EU-mandated vitamin spread. Declared allergens are milk, fish and soy.
Nutrition figures are Aptamil's own published data for this formula. Percentages in the chart are each macronutrient's share of total macronutrient grams and are rounded, so they do not add to exactly 100.
What replaces the lactose in Aptamil Lactose Free?
Glucose syrup, with maltodextrin alongside it. A standard first infant milk gets almost all of its carbohydrate from lactose, the sugar in breast milk. This formula gets 7.6g of carbohydrate per 100ml from glucose syrup and maltodextrin instead, leaving under 0.007g of lactose — a trace, not a portion.
Aptamil Lactose Free
Glucose syrup replaces lactose
- Glucose syrup and maltodextrin
- Lactose — under 0.007 g
- Protein unchanged, not hydrolysed
No lactase needed to digest it
Standard infant milk
Lactose as the carbohydrate
- Lactose, effectively all of it
- Requires lactase to digest
- No substitution
The feed this is a change from
Figures are schematic illustrations of the carbohydrate split, not to scale. The standard-formula column is a generic comparison, not a specific competing product. Replacing lactose does not change the protein, which in this formula is standard cow's milk protein.
Is Aptamil Lactose Free really lactose-free?
Effectively, yes. Aptamil's published panel gives under 0.007g of lactose per 100ml of prepared feed, against roughly 7g in a standard first infant milk — about a thousandth of the amount. It is halal certified, contains DHA and ARA, and keeps standard non-hydrolysed milk protein. It also contains palm oil, fish oil and soy lecithin, and it is not organic.
- Lactose under 0.007 g per 100ml
- Glucose syrup carbohydrate source
- Halal certified
- Contains DHA and ARA
- Standard non-hydrolysed protein
- Suitable from birth
Contains milk, fish and soy. Not suitable for infants with galactosaemia — see the safety notice below. Not organic certified. Because the protein is unchanged, this formula is not suitable for a baby with cow's milk protein allergy.
How does Aptamil Lactose Free compare to Aptamil Comfort and Aptamil HA 1?
These three Aptamil formulas solve three different problems and are not interchangeable. Lactose Free removes lactose completely for a baby who cannot digest it. Comfort reduces lactose and adds starch for colic and constipation. HA 1 changes the protein for allergy-risk families. None of the three is organic certified, and only Lactose Free comes in a 400g box.
| Aptamil specialised range | Lactose Free | Comfort | HA 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is for | Lactose intolerance | Colic and constipation | Allergy risk reduction |
| Organic certified | No | No | No |
| Age band | From birth | 0–12 months | From birth |
| Protein | Calcium caseinate, not hydrolysed · 1.3 g | Partially hydrolysed whey · 1.5 g | Partially hydrolysed whey |
| Lactose per 100ml | <0.007 g | 2.7 g | Full lactose |
| Carbohydrate source | Glucose syrup, maltodextrin | Glucose syrup, starch, maltodextrin, lactose | Lactose |
| Palm oil | Contains palm oil | Contains palm oil | None in the oil blend |
| Energy per 100ml | 66 kcal | 66 kcal | See product page |
| Calcium per 100ml | 68 mg | 59 mg | See product page |
| Halal certified | Yes | See product page | See product page |
| Pack size | 400 g box | 800 g box | 800 g box |
| Prepared yield | ~98 fl oz | ~210 fl oz | ~185–195 fl oz (estimate) |
Being straight with you: the pack sizes are not comparable, so never compare these three on sticker price. Aptamil Lactose Free is a 400g box against two 800g boxes — half the powder and roughly half the prepared formula, so it will run out about twice as fast and the true cost is the price per fluid ounce, not per box. That is the honest downside of this product. If your baby's problem is colicky crying or constipation rather than a lactase issue, Aptamil Comfort is both the better-matched formula and the better-value box, and its reduced-lactose recipe is enough for many babies. If the concern is a family history of allergy rather than digestion, Aptamil HA 1 is the right one, and it is also the only one of the three with no palm oil. Aptamil Lactose Free's own case is narrow and real: it is the only one that actually removes lactose, it has the highest calcium figure of the three, and it is the only one confirmed halal certified.
How many boxes of Aptamil Lactose Free will my baby need per month?
Expect roughly 5 to 8 boxes a month, rising with your baby's age, because this is a 400g box rather than the 800g boxes most European formulas come in. One box makes about 98 fl oz of prepared formula, which is roughly 20 bottles of 5 fl oz.
The arithmetic is worth doing before you order. A baby taking around 24 fl oz a day gets through roughly 730 fl oz in a month — about seven and a half of these boxes. That is not unusual for a 400g pack, but it catches people out when they are used to buying one or two tins at a time, so buy deeper than feels necessary and set a reminder before you run low.
The 98 fl oz yield is calculated directly from Aptamil's own stated mixing ratio for this formula — 90ml of water to 13.8g of powder, making 100ml of feed — rather than quoted from a retailer. The monthly bands are our own arithmetic from that yield against typical intake between birth and six months. Some retailer listings cite a lower 3 to 5 boxes per month for this pack; we think that understates it for a 400g box, and we would rather show you the working than a comfortable number. Use these for planning, not as a target.
How do you prepare Aptamil Lactose Free?
Boil fresh water for each feed and let it cool to about 104°F (40°C). Pour the measured water into a sterilised bottle first — 90ml of water for every 3 level scoops — add the powder, shake until fully dissolved, then cool to about 98.6°F (37°C) and check the temperature before feeding. Three level scoops weigh 13.8g and make 100ml of prepared feed.
~104°FWater temperature (40°C)
3 : 90mlThree level scoops per 90ml
4.6 gOne level scoop in this box
4 weeksUse within, once opened
1
Sterilise everything
Wash and sterilise the bottle, teat, ring and cap, and wash your hands before you start.
2
Boil and cool
Boil fresh drinking water for every feed and let it cool to about 104°F (40°C) before any powder goes in.
3
Water into the bottle first
Measure the water into the sterilised bottle before you add any powder — 90ml of water for every 3 scoops, never the other way round.
4
Add level scoops
Add 3 level 4.6g scoops for every 90ml of water, levelling each on the scraper edge of the pack — never packed or heaped.
5
Cap and shake
Put the cap on and shake until the powder has completely dissolved and none is left clinging to the sides.
6
Cool, test, feed
Cool the bottle to about 98.6°F (37°C), test a drop on your wrist so it feels body temperature, and feed straight away.
Never use artificially softened water or water that has been boiled more than once. Make a fresh bottle for every feed, never reheat, never microwave, and throw away anything your baby does not finish rather than saving it for later. Always follow the preparation instructions printed on your own box, which are the authoritative version.
A note on water temperature. Aptamil specifies water at about 104°F (40°C) for this formula, and that is the instruction printed on your box. It is set deliberately — hotter water damages the heat-sensitive vitamins this formula is built around.
Many health authorities, including the NHS and WHO, advise 70°C or hotter for any powdered formula, because powder is not sterile and that temperature kills bacteria that can occasionally be present. The difference matters most for newborns, premature babies, and babies with weakened immunity. If your baby is in one of those groups, ask your paediatrician or health visitor which to follow for your situation.
A note on water temperature. Aptamil specifies water at about 104°F (40°C) for this formula, and that is the instruction printed on your box. It is set deliberately — hotter water damages the heat-sensitive vitamins this formula is built around.
Many health authorities, including the NHS and WHO, advise 70°C or hotter for any powdered formula, because powder is not sterile and that temperature kills bacteria that can occasionally be present. The difference matters most for newborns, premature babies, and babies with weakened immunity. If your baby is in one of those groups, ask your paediatrician or health visitor which to follow for your situation.
Please read before buying
Aptamil Lactose Free is not suitable for infants with galactosaemia — this is a manufacturer contraindication, not a precaution. It is a targeted formula for a baby who cannot digest lactose, and should be started on the advice of a pediatrician or health visitor rather than as a general gentler option: lactose intolerance in babies is uncommon and usually temporary. The protein is standard, non-hydrolysed cow's milk protein, so it is not suitable for a baby with cow's milk protein allergy, which needs an extensively hydrolysed or amino-acid formula prescribed by a doctor. Contains milk, fish and soy. Breastfeeding is best for your baby — talk to your health visitor or doctor before starting or changing a formula.
Store sealed in a cool, dry place between 5°C and 25°C. Once opened, use within 4 weeks. Never reheat or microwave prepared formula.
Lactose intolerance is not a milk allergy
They are constantly confused and they need opposite products. Lactose intolerance is a shortage of the enzyme that digests milk sugar — uncomfortable, not dangerous, and this formula is the answer because it removes the sugar. Cow's milk protein allergy is an immune reaction to the protein — potentially serious, and this formula is not the answer, because the protein here is unchanged. If nobody has told you which one your baby has, that is the question to ask before you buy.
Aptamil Lactose Free: frequently asked questions
What age is Aptamil Lactose Free First Infant Milk for?
Aptamil Lactose Free is suitable from birth. It is nutritionally complete, so it can be your baby's sole source of nutrition from birth to six months, and part of a weaning diet from six months to one year. There is no separate stage two in this line. Because it is a specialised formula for a specific digestive issue, start it on the advice of your pediatrician or health visitor rather than as a general switch.
How much lactose is actually in Aptamil Lactose Free?
Under 0.007 grams per 100ml of prepared feed, according to Aptamil's published nutrition panel. A standard first infant milk contains roughly 7 grams per 100ml, so this is about a thousandth of the usual amount — a trace rather than a portion. The carbohydrate comes from glucose syrup and maltodextrin instead, which do not need the lactase enzyme to be digested.
Can Aptamil Lactose Free be used for a cow's milk protein allergy?
No. This formula changes the carbohydrate, not the protein. It still contains standard, non-hydrolysed cow's milk protein in the form of calcium caseinate, so a baby who reacts to milk protein will react to this formula too. A diagnosed or suspected cow's milk protein allergy needs an extensively hydrolysed or amino-acid formula prescribed by a doctor. Lactose intolerance and milk allergy are different conditions with different answers.
Is lactose intolerance common in babies?
No, it is genuinely uncommon in young infants, and true lifelong lactose intolerance from birth is rare. Far more often it is secondary and temporary — typically after gastroenteritis has damaged the gut lining and stripped out the lactase enzyme, with normal digestion returning over a few weeks. Gassiness, fussiness or frequent stools on their own are not a diagnosis, which is why a doctor should be the one to point you here.
How much prepared formula does one 400g box make?
About 98 fluid ounces, or roughly 20 bottles of 5 fl oz. That figure comes straight from Aptamil's own mixing ratio for this formula — 90ml of water to 13.8g of powder makes 100ml of prepared feed. Because this is a 400g box rather than the 800g pack most European formulas use, expect to get through roughly 5 to 8 boxes a month depending on your baby's age, and order accordingly.
Is Aptamil Lactose Free organic or halal?
Halal yes, organic no. Aptamil confirms halal certification for this formula, but it holds no organic certification on this or any of its specialised range, and it contains palm oil, fish oil and soy lecithin. Aptamil's positioning is clinical formulation rather than organic farming. We have not found a kosher certification for this product, so we do not claim one.
Can my baby go back to a normal formula afterwards?
Often, yes. Where lactose intolerance is secondary to an illness such as gastroenteritis, the lactase enzyme usually recovers within a few weeks and most babies can return to a standard lactose-containing formula. Your pediatrician will advise when and how to make that change, and it is normally done gradually rather than overnight. Do not keep a baby on a lactose-free formula indefinitely without medical advice.
Related formulas at Bonpek Baby
- Aptamil ComfortReduced lactose plus added starch, for colic and constipation.
- Aptamil HA 1For allergy risk in a family with a history of it — a different problem.
- Aptamil HA PREThe newborn-stage hydrolysed box, lactose as its only carbohydrate.
- Kendamil Comfort MilkVegetarian, palm-oil-free comfort formula with algae DHA.
- HiPP Comfort (German)Reduced-lactose German comfort formula with beta-palmitate.
- All baby formulasBrowse every European formula we stock, by brand and stage.
Why parents buy from Bonpek Baby
- Authentic from Europe for 8+ years
- US stock — no shipping or customs delays
- Same-day pickup & delivery for locals
- Always fresh — receiving weekly
- Best prices, or we'll match and add a free gift
- Trusted by 9,000+ parents in the US
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Product information last reviewed by the Bonpek Baby team in September 2026 against the manufacturer's current published ingredient and nutrition data. Always check the label on your box, as manufacturers reformulate from time to time.
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