What to Look for When Choosing Baby Formula
There is so much to think about when we are deciding on the perfect first food our baby will ingest: brand, price, ingredients, allergies, sensitivities, and even recalls. All of these can come into play when choosing the right formula to make sure our child is healthy and thrives.
Choosing the Brand
When we say choosing the brand, we don’t so much mean whether to choose Enfamil or Similac. We mean the different kinds of formula, like milk-based or soy. Formula in the United States is regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and has to meet certain standards in order to be sold. And today’s formulas are as close as you can get to breastmilk – minus the antibodies. They provide the necessary proportions of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, sodium, vitamin, minerals, water and other nutrients. They come in different bases and forms, though, and your individual child’s needs will determine which one you choose.
First you will want to talk to your doctor. Barring any known complications at birth such prematurity or metabolic disorders like PKU, he or she will likely recommend a cow’s-based formula to start out with. Don’t be fooled into thinking regular cow’s milk is good enough, though. A baby under one year old is unable to digest cow’s milk. Formula has been fortified with all of the nutrients a baby needs, so make sure you choose a formula. Your doctor can give you some samples so you can figure out which ones will be the best for your baby before you actually purchase one.
If your doctor determines that your child can’t handle cow’s milk, he might recommend a soy-based formula. These are only recommended for babies who have a special health consideration like a cow’s milk allergy. The problem with soy is that it has been shown that babies drinking it are more likely to develop a peanut allergy later on.
There are also lactose-free formulas and hypoallergenic formulas which can cause fewer allergic reactions in babies. These formulas are generally only recommended for babies who are prone to allergies. These are also far pricier formulas, so don’t bother trying them unless your doctor recommends them. If your doctor does say your child needs to be on one of these special formulas and you are worried about affording it, ask your doctor if he can write it as a prescription. Some insurance plans will pay for specialty formulas, but you will have to find a pharmacy that can supply them.
You can probably avoid the follow-up formulas that are designed for older babies when your baby reaches a certain age. Again, check with your child’s doctor, but regular baby formula should have everything your child needs to thrive for the first year or more of her life.
You want to make sure you have an iron-fortified formula. While you can get low-iron formulations, these aren’t considered a healthy option. The AAP recommends babies receive iron-fortified formula from birth until one year old.
Finally, just watch your baby for cues that she’s accepting it. Spitting up is to be expected, but if it seems excessive and is coupled with uncontrollable screaming every time she eats for more than a week, then you might want to consider a switch in formula. Always discuss it with your pediatrician to see what he recommends in this situation. It might just be that the brand needs to be changed, or you might suspect a milk allergy and need to switch to soy. Just consult with your doctor.
What’s the Best Concentration of Formula
As if choosing the right formula wasn’t hard enough, you also have to decide which form it comes in. This is really personal preference. Formula comes in four different forms: ready-to-use, ready-to-pour, concentrated liquid, and powder.
Ready-to-use is already premixed formula that is in bottles. They come in either 4- or 8-ounce bottles. This is typically what hospitals give out. All you have to do is add a nipple to the bottle and you’re ready to go. These are for single serve, though. If your child does not finish the whole thing, then you have to dispose of the unused portion. This is easy and convenient, but it can be more expensive.
Ready-to-pour is a liquid formula that is already mixed with water; you just have to pour it into the bottle and feed it to baby. Once the can is opened, you must store it properly in the refrigerator. While this is cheaper than the ready-to-use version, you are still paying extra for the extra convenience.
Concentrated liquid needs to be prepared. You have to dilute it in equal parts of water to make the formula ready to drink. You have to be very careful with this measuring too, because too much water is not a good thing in formula. This also needs to be stored in the refrigerator once opened. Again it’s cheaper still than the ready-to-use and the ready-to-pour, but it is less convenient.
Powder is the least expensive option and can be the most work and potentially the messiest. It’s kind of like powdered milk. You have to reconstitute it with a specified amount of water. The up side to powder is it does not need to be refrigerated. This makes it easier to be out and about. You just add water when you need it. Making sure it’s mixed properly can be a bit of a nuisance, though.
Choosing formula is all about preference and what your baby can handle. Don’t assume that because your child is super fussy right after having a new formula that it’s solely because of the formula, though. You’ll have to give it some time. When in doubt, ask your doctor for his recommendations. And pay close attention to recalls as well. While it doesn’t happen a lot, it does happen with all foods; so you want to remain aware of possible problems.