Baby Formulas

New mothers and babies have many things to learn and discover, maybe the most important being feeding. Breast milk is well recognized as the ideal source of nutrition for babies, proven by thousands of years of motherly research.

No formula can provide the immune components and nutritional benefits that breast feeding does, but there are many circumstances when babies need to be fed formula. But which one is best for you and your baby?

Infant Formula Basics

There are many brands of formula on the market. Most of these can be divided into two basic categories, being either dairy or soy based formulas. Traditionally, formula has been dairy based, but demand for an alternative has led to an almost equal number of soy based formulas now found on store shelves. It seems strange that the first food that we introduce to our babies is milk from a cow, but maybe that is because we see so many people at our clinic who have dairy allergies.

Unfortunately, soy is not always a better alternative, as many people have a soy allergy or otherwise have difficulty digesting soy. But soy allergies are less common than dairy allergies. Notably, these formulas also usually contain corn products.

Lactose Free Formulas

Lactose intolerance, an enzyme defi ciency, is another issue to consider. Some people who are not allergic to dairy may still have a lactose intolerance. Standard formulas such as Regular Similac Advance, Enfamil Lipil, and Nestle Good Start Supreme contain both lactose and cow’s milk based proteins. But there are also lactose free formulas, such as Lactofree and Similac Lactose free. These will help an infant with a lactose intolerance, but they still contain dairy proteins such as casein and are not appropriate for infants with a dairy allergy.

Hypoallergenic Formulas

On the surface it might appear that the best option for many babies would be one of the “hypoallergenic” formulas. Two of the most common are Similac’s Alimentum and Enfamil’s Pregestimil Lipil hypoallergenic formulas. Both actually contain dairy in the form of casein, and they also contain soy and corn.

The dairy is enzymatically broken down, making it easier to digest. However, these formulas are certainly not completely hypoallergenic if you have a dairy, soy or corn allergy. Interestingly, there is no standardized definition for the word “hypoallergenic,” a term coined by advertisers. And there is no regulation specifically defining or governing the use of the term “hypoallergenic”.

Truly Dairy Free Formulas

Two of the most “hypoallergenic” formulas available are Neocate and EleCare. Although they do contain soy and corn components, they do not contain dairy. They may be the best options for infants especially sensitive to dairy.

Avoid Bacteria

Keeping baby formula and breast milk clean and free from bacteria is also important. The primary means of avoiding this risk are to limit storage time, use clean preparation practices, avoid storing prepared formula at room temperature, and discard any unused prepared formula after a couple of hours if kept at room temperature and after 24 hours when refrigerated.

Keep A Watchful Eye

If you have an allergy to dairy or soy then the risk is higher that your infant will also have that allergy.

Signs that your baby may be allergic to their formula include vomiting, colic, extreme fussiness, continuous crying, persistent diarrhea, excess gas, poor weight gain, skin rashes, and failure to thrive. If any of these are present, then you should see your physician.

If you think your baby might have an allergy, be sure to completely read the label on the formula and look for potential allergens. Then try out different formulas and see which one works best for your baby.

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Image thanks to bestbabybottles.net