I am all about empowering parents with the education to make their own informed decisions. BUT, without a doubt, the most common question I receive is, “What formula do you recommend?”

I hemmed and hawed about whether to write this article for several reasons. First, I want parents to make their own educated decisions, and not blindly follow recommendations. Secondly, I don’t have a universal recommendation!

There is no perfect formula! Similarly, there is no poison formula!

All babies are different. One blanket recommendation won’t be the right fit for every single family. Often families have to try 2 or 3 formulas before finding the right fit for their individual baby’s unique biology. Switching formula is stressful and I recommend doing it in a planned and strategic fashion.

But everyone has to start somewhere. I totally get that! The majority of my parents I work with originally intended to breastfeed and then don’t know where to begin once they decide to use baby formula. Inevitably, you make the decision to try formula at 3AM, when the baby is screaming and you haven’t slept in 3 days. You don’t have time to read my enormous articles and casually decide. You need a recommendation NOW!

Well, as long as you promise to go back and read the articles about how to choose baby formula, I’ll give you some starting options to consider discussing with your doctor. These depend on the age of your baby:

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For healthy term infants with no major health complications who are younger than 3 months, or infants with a rough digestive history, ask your doctor about these options:

• Gerber Good Start – Gentle Pro

• Enfamil Reguline

• Burt’s Bees Ultra Gentle

Don’t just take my word for it!  Keep reading to see why I have grouped these together.  They are all partially hydrolyzed protein formulas – meaning the proteins in these formulas are broken down to be smaller and closer to breast milk-sized proteins.  This can be helpful for newborn infants adjusting to life outside the womb and/or infants who have had a rough digestive history previously.

Let me be clear – you do not NEED to start with a partially hydrolyzed protein if your baby is a freshling. Most babies do just fine digesting the larger proteins in standard cow’s milk formula. But some do thrive better on the smaller proteins that are partially hydrolyzed.

Let’s look at each of these options:

You know we have to start at the list of ingredients.  That’s all that matters.  The major ingredients are (color coded as: protein in red, fat in green, carbs in blue)

Gerber Good Start GentlePro

WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE (FROM MILK, ENZYMATICALLY HYDROLYZED, REDUCED IN MINERALS), VEGETABLE OILS (PALM OLEIN, SOY, COCONUT, AND HIGH-OLEIC SAFFLOWER OR HIGH-OLEIC SUNFLOWER), CORN MALTODEXTRIN, LACTOSE

How do the major macronutrients stack up?

Protein: This is a whey partially hydrolyzed protein.  Awesome. Two thumbs up for little babies.

Fat: This blend does contain palm olein oil.  Since I’m giving this recommendation for healthy term babies, I’ve got no problem with that.  So the fat blend is OK

Carbohydrate: The last two ingredients are the carbs: corn maltodextrin & lactose.  Normally, I do prefer a lactose source, but some babies do seem more comfortable with a small lactose reduction.  This formula offers that.  Notice that lactose is listed after corn maltodextrin, which usually means there is more maltodextrin than lactose.  However, Gerber provides nutrient breakdown info to health care practitioners so we know this formula actually 70% lactose and 30% corn maltodextrin… So mostly lactose, not bad!

How do the micronutrients stack up? 

POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM CITRATE, CHOLINE BITARTRATE, 2′-O-FUCOSYLLACTOSE, M. ALPINA OIL, C. COHNII OIL,  MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, TAURINE, NUCLEOTIDES (CYTIDINE 5′-MONOPHOSPHATE, DISODIUM URIDINE 5′-MONOPHOSPHATE, ADENOSINE 5′-MONOPHOSPHATE, DISODIUM GUANOSINE 5′-MONOPHOSPHATE), INOSITOL, FERROUS SULFATE, ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, CITRIC ACID, ZINC SULFATE, NIACINAMIDE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, L-CARNITINE, COPPER SULFATE, VITAMIN A ACETATE, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, MANGANESE SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, FOLIC ACID, PHYLLOQUINONE, BIOTIN, SODIUM SELENATE, VITAMIN D3, VITAMIN B12, B. LACTIS CULTURES, SOY LECITHIN.

Pretty great!  All the vitamins and minerals are standard. DHA and ARA are added. This formula also has two bonus ingredients added – the PRObiotic Bifidobacterium Lactis.  This is a good probiotic that is in breast milk.  You can always add your own probiotic to your baby’s formula (see how here), so it’s not a requirement for me.  However, it’s nice to have Gerber do the work for you here. In the recent recipe change, Gerber also added a PREbiotic that is found in breast milk! To my knowledge this is the first major formula on the market that has BOTH a PRObiotic and PREbiotic.  Love that!

This formula is available at really any major store, or you can always buy it online.  

Enfamil Reguline

Partially hydrolyzed nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate solids, vegetable oil (palm olein, coconut, soy and high oleic sunflower oils), corn syrup solids, lactose

How do the major macronutrients stack up?

Protein: This is a partially hydrolyzed protein which is a great starting point for newborns.  The whey:casein ratio is 60:40 – like breast milk.  Awesome. Two thumbs up for little babies.

Fat: This blend does contain palm olein oil.  Since I’m giving this recommendation for healthy term babies, I’ve got no problem with that.  So the fat blend is OK

Carbohydrate: The last two ingredients are the carbs: corn syrup solids & lactose.  Normally, I do prefer a 100% lactose source.  But some babies do seem more comfortable with a small lactose reduction.  This formula offers that with a different protein source than Gerber.  Enfamil provides nutrient breakdown info to health care practitioners so we know this formula is 50% lactose and 50% corn syrup solids.

How do the micronutrients stack up? 

polydextrose, galactooligosaccharides, Mortierella alpina oil, Crypthecodinium cohnii oil, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D₃, vitamin E acetate, vitamin K₁, thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin, vitamin B₆ hydrochloride, vitamin B₁₂, niacinamide, folic acid, calcium pantothenate, biotin, ascorbic acid, choline chloride, inositol, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, cupric sulfate, sodium selenite, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, potassium iodide, taurine, L-carnitine

Pretty great!  All the vitamins and minerals are standard. DHA and ARA are added. This formula does not have a PRObiotic, but you can always add your own probiotic at home (see how here), so it’s not a requirement for me.  Reguline does have a PREbiotic! Love that!

This formula is available at really any major store, or you can always buy it online.  

Burt’s Bees Ultra Gentle

Organic lactose, organic partially hydrolyzed whey protein, organic palm oil or palm olein, organic soy oil, organic coconut oil, organic high oleic (safflower or sunflower) oil

How do the major macronutrients stack up?

Protein: This is a whey partially hydrolyzed protein.  Awesome. Two thumbs up for little babies.

Fat: This blend does contain palm olein oil.  Since I’m giving this recommendation for healthy term babies, I’ve got no problem with that.  So the fat blend is OK.

Carbohydrate: This is the only partially hydrolyzed formula on the market that has 100% lactose carbohydrate source.  Not only that, but it’s the only partially hydrolyzed formula that is organic. Awesome.

How do the micronutrients stack up? 

mortierella alpina oil, schizochytrium sp. oil, vitamin a palmitate, beta-carotene, vitamin d (cholecalciferol), vitamin e (dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate), mixed tocopherol concentrate, vitamin k (phytonadione), ascorbyl palmitate, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, niacinamide, folic acid, calcium pantothenate, biotin, ascorbic acid, choline bitartrate, inositol, calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, cupric sulfate, magnesium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, potassium phosphate, potassium hydroxide, potassium iodide, sodium selenite, sodium citrate, taurine, organic soy lecithin.

Pretty great!  All the vitamins and minerals are standard. DHA and ARA are added. This formula does not have a PRObiotic or PREbiotic.

This formula is available at most major store, or you can always buy it online.

 

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For healthy term infants with no major health complications, you have TONS of great choices. Ask your doctor about these options:

• Bobbie

• Similac Pure Bliss

• Earth’s Best Dairy Formula (red can)

• Happy Baby Dairy Formula

• Burt’s Bees Dairy Formula

• Similac Advance (any type, including store brand)

• Enfamil Infant (any type, including store brand)

If your baby is healthy and was term (and your doctor hasn’t told you otherwise) then there’s no reason to avoid intact (ie: full size) cow’s milk protein in formula.  Plus, if your baby is over 4 months and has tried any type of dairy (yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, etc), and tolerated it well, then you know they should tolerate an intact protein formula.  So, literally every formula option is available to you!

Since that’s the case, I would recommend starting with a formula that has additional whey added to the protein source and minimal carbohydrate from corn sugar or sucrose. There are some organic options that offer this! There are quite a few organic formulas on the market, and I have a pretty darn cool breakdown of all the organic formulas in the US here.

But, if you can’t afford the price tag of an organic formula – do. not. worry. about. it.  I mean it!

There are small differences between the formulas listed above, particularly in their whey-to-casein ratios, and whether or not they have palm oil. This chart summarizes those differences:

• All are cow’s milk based with additional whey (score!).
• All contain lactose as the sole carbohydrate (like breast milk).  This means no corn sugar, glucose syrup, or table sugar.
• All are easy to find in stores and online!

The decision to feed formula is difficult to make.  Always check with your doctor before doing so.  After you’ve made the decision to feed formula, the overwhelming selection and lack of support is literally enough to bring a postpartum-hormone-ridden-sleep-deprived-mother to tears!

Remember, there is no bad choice!!

My hope is that these suggestions start you off on the right path and buy you some peace of mind while you continue to do your own research with your doctor.

After you are back from the grocery store, read my series all about infant formulas.  This will make you an EXPERT on formula ingredients.  If you have to switch formulas, you’ll be able to do so like a pro! 

Still feeling overwhelmed? Wish I could walk with you and give you a step-by-step solution to finding the right baby formula? You’re in luck because I absolutely can! I offer an online course if you need extra help.  This course comes with a money-back guarantee to remove any anxiety.  Check it out!  I am excited to take this journey with your family. 

Your baby is just the best!
Dr. Young