Which formula for newborns

The Enfamil line alone has over 11 products. Be sure to read labels carefully before purchasing a formula. Occasionally, infants will present with a milk-protein allergy. This is when the body cannot break down casein and whey proteins.

This milk-protein allergy has several symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, weight failure, and occasionally blood in the stool. Should your little one present with these symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician. Because most formulas use milk-based ingredients as the primary protein source, infants with a milk-protein allergy require special formula. Similac Alimentum is unique for its hydrolyzed , or predigested, casein protein structure.

The main protein source is casein hydrolysate, and the carbohydrates come from sugar. Medium Chain Triglycerides, soy oil, and safflower oil are the primary fat sources.

Similac Alimentum is also free of corn and palm olein oil, which may promote softer stool. Alimentum certainly has a strong smell and taste, but taste is usually not a barrier to intake for infants who require this product. It also is a more expensive product , which is important to note. In some cases, depending on the severity of symptoms, physicians may be able to write a prescription to help cover the cost of this formula. Certified using the EU standards as opposed to the FDA standards, Holle uses a goat milk base rather than a cow milk base typically found in American products.

Some children with milk-protein allergy or intolerance may better tolerate a goat's milk base. Holle's Goat milk 1 is appropriate for babies from birth to six months. The formula uses organic full-fat goat milk powder which contains DHA, as well as organic maltodextrin, lactose, sunflower seed oil, rapeseed oil, and algae oil. Holle is presently unavailable in the United States but can be purchased online and is generally considered safe for consumption.

A study of common European formulas, including HiPP and Holle note that this was on cow-milk, not goat milk , showed that most formulas met the majority of the FDA standard for minimum nutrient requirements; however, there were some concerns over a lack of labeling for linoleic acid. When listed, the formulas did meet the requirements for linolenic acid. Note that purchasing a European formula from a third-party seller means that the formula is imported outside of normal supply chains, bypassing safety regulations, which increases the potential for tampering with or contaminating the formula.

If you choose to purchase European formula, choose a trusted third-party seller. The amount of formula we feed our infants depends on the infant's age and the individual needs of the baby. Formula is designed to provide the same nutritional value as breast milk, so we commonly recommend the same volumes that a breastfed infant would take.

For the first few weeks of life, infants typically take about 2 to 3 ounces every 3 to 4 hours. As your infant grows, they will start to take larger volumes spaced approximately every 4 to 5 daytime, waking hours. This will also support healthy sleeping patterns.

On average, infants should be getting around 80 to calories per kilogram of body weight, so as they grow, so will their formula needs. Infants and children, however, have remarkable internal hunger and satiety cues.

That means that infants can self-identify when they are hungry and full and should naturally support their growth needs by listening to their hunger and fullness cues. There are certainly anecdotal reports that formula causes gas and constipation.

It can be common that an infant has some constipation following a transition from breastmilk to formula. If your infant has constipation on formula, you have a few options. Check with your physician to ensure your infant is getting enough hydration. They may recommend a little bit of prune juice to help move the system along. If after two weeks the constipation has not improved, you can consider switching formulas, with the support of your pediatrician. Preparing infant formula is unique to each product.

Always check the formula packaging to confirm mixing instructions. Be sure to measure the water first and add the powdered formula. This ensures adequate calorie concentration. If the powder is added first, we may inadvertently create a more concentrated final product which could contribute to constipation and discomfort. Tap water that is fluoridated is the preferred water source.

If you are using deep well water and live in an area with livestock or mushroom farms, it would be advisable to get the water tested for bacterias that may cause Botulism. Using baby or bottled water can get expensive and providers would recommend supplementing with fluoride at six months of age. It is safe to mix breast milk and formula, but you must be incredibly mindful of what and how you are mixing. Mixing the two can be done for several reasons.

If your child struggles with weight gain, your pediatrician or Registered Dietitian may recommend adding a teaspoon of formula to expressed breast milk.

Sometimes, if maternal supply is insufficient, providers may recommend formula and breast milk. If that is the case, be sure to mix and prepare the formula separately and then add it to the breast milk to ensure that the calorie concentration is correct. Yes, even for partially formula-fed infants, it is still recommended that you supplement with Vitamin D drops.

Adequate Vitamin D from formula is met with the intake of milliliters 1 Liter or approximately Always speak with your pediatrician about your baby's individual supplement needs before starting or stopping any product.

You will know if the formula is working for your infant the same way you will know if breastfeeding is working for your infant. You will have an appropriately growing little one with good urine output who is stooling regularly and meeting their developmental milestones.

Infant formulas are stressful to navigate. Lauren Cohen MS, RD, LDN spends nearly every day of her professional career working with parents and caregivers to help educate on formula and simplify what this industry has made quite confusing.

To write this article, Lauren consulted with trusted peers in the pediatric healthcare system and referenced multiple studies and papers. She used her experience in clinical practice to inform her category-specific choices and furthered her education on formula ingredients by diving deeper into published clinical research. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Food and Drug Administration.

Updated May 8, Early nutrition influences developmental myelination and cognition in infants and young children. Advocacy for improving nutrition in the first days to support childhood development and adult health.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Updated May 27, Different kinds of goats' milk formula are available in pharmacies and shops. They are produced to the same nutritional standards as cow's milk-based formula. Goats' milk formula is not less likely to cause allergies in babies than cows' milk formula. Goats' milk formulas are not suitable for infants with cows' milk allergy also known as cows' milk protein allergy , as the proteins they contain are very similar.

Although it's often described as suitable for "hungrier babies", there's no evidence that babies settle better or sleep longer when fed this type of formula. This type of formula is thickened with the aim of preventing reflux in babies when babies bring up milk during or after a feed.

Although it's available in pharmacies and supermarkets, it's recommended you only use it on the advice of a health professional. The instructions for making up anti-reflux formulas may be different to standard formula.

The usual guidelines for making up formula recommend using boiled water that has stood for no more than 30 minutes, so that the temperature is still above 70C. Some manufacturers of anti-reflux formula recommend making it up at lower temperatures than are usually recommended. Otherwise it may get lumpy. Follow the instructions on the pack or speak to a health professional for advice.

It's important to take extra care when making up and storing these products as powdered formula is not sterile and making it up at lower temperatures will not kill any harmful bacteria it may contain. This type of formula contains cows' milk proteins that have already been partly broken down partially hydrolysed. This is supposed to make it easier to digest and help prevent digestive problems such as colic and constipation.

However, there's no evidence for this. This formula is suitable for babies who are lactose intolerant. This means they cannot absorb lactose, which is a sugar that's naturally in milk and dairy products. Lactose intolerance is rare in babies. Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, wind and bloating. Lactose-free formula is available in pharmacies and shops, but if you think your baby may be lactose intolerant, it's important to speak to a midwife, health visitor or GP.

If your baby is diagnosed as being allergic to cows' milk, a GP will prescribe an appropriate infant formula with fully hydrolysed broken down proteins. Formula with partially hydrolysed proteins comfort formula is available in pharmacies and shops, but it's not suitable for babies with cows' milk allergy. Research shows that switching to follow-on formula at 6 months has no benefits for your baby. Your baby can continue to have first infant formula as their main drink until they are 1 year old.

The labels on follow-on formula can look very similar to those on first infant formula. Read the label carefully to avoid making a mistake. Some follow-on formula has cereal added to it and is sold as a special formula for babies to have at bedtime. Babies who are fed breast milk exclusively or who receive both breast milk and infant formula need extra vitamin D, starting shortly after birth.

They can get this through over-the-counter vitamin D drops. Babies receiving only infant formula do not need vitamin D drops. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D.

Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.