How to choose the right baby formula

As a new mother, you have a lot of decisions to make about your newborn baby. Depending on how your baby reacts to breastfeeding, you may need to use baby formula. Whether you have the right support to finish breastfeeding or if you are physically able to in the first place. Everybody knows that breast milk is always best, however it’s just not the only option, which means that you might have some decisions to make. 96% of mothers intend to breastfeed, but not every baby is breastfed and that’s OK. 

There is supplemental feeding: there is formula feeding, there is donor milk feeding. As long as your baby has been fed the very best you can give it, that’s the thing that matters the most. The trouble is that if you have decided in the end that formula is what works best for your family, you then have to figure out which formula is the best one to give your child in the first place. They’re all soy formulas, and there is a lactose free formula on the market. There are hungry formulas, and there are formulas for each stage of growth. Choosing the right one. It’s not an easy decision to make. And whether your baby is mixed fed or fully formula fed, you have to make sure that you are choosing the appropriate one so that you don’t deal with any tummy issues as a result. Here are some tips to help.

• Formulas have to meet stringent guidelines. Almost every single formula is made with the exact same vitamins and iron because there are minimum guidelines that have to be met to be considered formula. Your mother or your grandmother might tell you that they felt their babies on carnation milk or other brands of tinned milk or even bottles of water, but the advice that you’ll get from 50 years ago or longer is not going to work. Today, research has come a very long way since the 1960s and you have to understand that when you are choosing which type of formula to feed your child.
• You have to read the labels. Formula manufacturers are often deceptive with their wording. They have to sell you the same product, and every single product is the same, just packaged differently and priced differently. If there is a new ingredient or new research, the formula companies will be first out there to advertise to you so that they will buy their product. Understanding the labeling is important so you can avoid being scammed.
• Some formulas can only be prescribed. If your baby is lactose intolerant or diagnosed with a dairy allergy early on, then their formula may be prescription based. Speaking to your pediatrician is so important because thickened formulas and lactose free formulas are not readily available on the market once you understand this you might have a better idea of what your baby will specifically need but you should have a conversation with your pediatrician or with your midwife before you make any solid decisions.

Do you have any tips for expectant mothers on breastfeeding? Your comments are welcomed below. With mine, Noah didn’t want to breastfeed and I did try, I used a breast pump for the first few months to give him my milk. And, with Isla she latched on well from the start and I breast fed her for the first few months. They both had formula from birth, either exclusively or with breastmilk as a supplement. Getting the right baby formula can feel like a huge task, but there are lots of choices out there.