Babies are amazing aren’t they!
They also cray. And their little intestines are seriously the topic of 90% of new parents’ conversations. Did you ever thing the first question upon seeing your partner at the end of the day would be “How were our toots and poops today?” You know you’ve been there!
As a side note spoiler for you – it doesn’t actually ever end. You just switch from asking your partner to asking the toddler himself endless questions about his excretions…
“Do you have to go potty?”
“Why is there a crayon in your poop?”
“Why did you poop in that hat?”
“Are you going potty RIGHT NOW?!”
(Yes, all phrases I have sadly said…. multiple times)
To get back on track – when your baby has been having intestinal issue, it is often recommended that you try a partially hydrolyzed formula. I am actually a huge fan of these formulas for babies experiencing digestive distress, and for newborns who aren’t getting breast milk.
Partially hydrolyzed formulas have had their proteins pre-processed a bit so the size of the proteins is smaller than the original (intact) cow’s milk proteins, and are closer in size to human breast milk proteins. I’ve got a whole article on these proteins, so this article is a bit more practical and aims to help you choose between the individual formulas that fit into this category.
The good news is – you have lots of options if you decide your baby needs a partially hydrolyzed formula. Gerber has 3 options, Enfamil has 2 options, and Similac has one. The European company, HiPP also has it’s own partially hydrolyzed formula that comes in two varieties (one made in the UK, one made in Germany).
There’s not one BEST choice. It depends on what your little one’s needs are. Are you looking for a lot, or a little lactose? Are you looking for a probiotic or a prebiotic? These answers will all lead you to different choices.
The biggest choice to me is: what starting protein do you want?
The term “partially hydrolyzed” simply refers to the size of the proteins. So you can have a whey and casein blend that is partially hydrolyzed (like Enfmail’s options) and you can have 100% whey that is partially hydrolyzed (like Similac and Gerber’s options). Here there is no right choice either. I just encourage you to think about the decision strategically. If your baby has a sensitivity to a casein protein or a whey protein, then avoiding large doses of those proteins may help.
The only way to know if this is the case, is to know what you are feeding her and observe how she reacts. And that’s why it’s great that we have so many options.
So here’s the master chart that compares the differences in partially hydrolyzed options for you. This should help you make an informed choice.
| Brand | Protein | Carb | Fat | Pre & Probiotics | Non-required Extras | $ per oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Enfamil Gentlease |
Partially Hydrolyzed Nonfat Milk + Whey
(60:40 whey:casein ratio) |
80% Corn Syrup Solids , 20% lactose | Palm oil (45%), Coconut oil (20%), Soy oil (20%), High Oleic Sunflower oil (15%) | No | Carnitine, Taurine | $1.25 |
 Enfamil Reguline |
Partially Hydrolyzed Nonfat Milk + Whey
(60:40 whey:casein ratio) |
50% Corn Syrup Solids , 50% lactose | Palm oil (45%), Coconut oil (20%), Soy oil (20%), High Oleic Sunflower oil (15%) | Polydextrose, Galacto-oligosaccharides
(prebiotics) |
Carnitine, Taurine | $1.32 |
 Similac Total Comfort |
Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein | 80% Corn Syrup Solids, 20% Sugar | High Oleic Safflower oil (40%), Soy oil (30%), Coconut oil (30%) | Galacto-oligosaccharides (a prebiotic) | Carnitine, Taurine, Nucleotides, Lutein & Lycopene | $1.73 |
 Gerber GentlePro |
Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein | 70% lactose, 30% maltodextrin | Palm olein oil (47%), Soy oil (27%), 20% Coconut oil (20%), High Oleic safflower or sunflower oil (6%) | Galacto-oligosaccharides (a prebiotic)
Bifidobacterium Lactis (a probiotic) |
Carnitine, Taurine, Nucleotides | $1.05 |
 Gerber SoothePro |
Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein | 70% maltodextrin, 30% lactose | Palm olein oil (47%), Soy oil (27%), 20% Coconut oil (20%), High Oleic safflower or sunflower oil (6%) | Lactobacillus Reuteri
(a probiotic) |
Carnitine, Taurine, Nucleotides | $1.09 |
 HiPP Comfort – UK |
Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein | maltodextrin, lactose, starch | Vegetable oils with beta palmitate (palm kernel oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil) | Galacto-oligosaccharides (a prebiotic) | L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, taurine, L-tryptophan, L-Carnitine | $1.66 |
 HiPP Comfort – German |
Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein | maltodextrin, lactose, starch | Vegetable oils with beta palmitate (palm kernel oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil) | Galacto-oligosaccharides (a prebiotic)
Lactobacillus fermentum hereditum (a probiotic) |
L-tyrosine, Carnitine, Taurine | $2.21 |
I want to mention a few things before closing.
- All these formulas have DHA and ARA The HiPP formulas have a combo of fish oil and hexane extracted oils. So all the formulas use hexane extracted sources of DHA and ARA. HiPP comfort just uses a bit less.
- HiPP Comfort uses a special type of palm oil that avoids all the potential issues related to palm oil. (Awesome!). Check out this article and video to get all the biochemical details about what makes “beta” palm oil special.
- Remember that all US formulas HAVE to meet the needs of babies between 0 – 12 months of age. So …. even if a formula is marketed as “for supplementing” or for babies with constipation, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it if you want. That is JUST marketing! In fact, I have had great success with clients using Reguline and Gerber for Supplementing when the baby was not suffering from constipation or being breastfed at all. It’s all about the ingredients, and only the ingredients!
- Lastly, HiPP Comfort is a great formula and obviously has some desirable characteristics for a partially hydrolyzed formula (hello no palm oil calcium soaps and biodynamic farms). BUT, please read my article about US vs European formulas first if you are thinking of using an EU formula. I’m not trying to scare you at all, I just want you to be totally aware for the differences and pros and cons – like with any other important choice you make, that’s all.
I hope that’s helpful!
Remember, all babies grow out of their little tummy issues. All babies eventually learn to toot on their own (I promise!). All babies stop spitting up eventually.
You’ll get through this! And now you can feel really confident that you are making your formula choice from a place of empowerment and not desperation.
You got this!
xo, Dr Young
What is the protein size difference between a Partially hydrolyzed cow milk formula and a normal goat milk formula? I read a lot of buzz about goat milk been better for babies but is it better than partially hydrolyzed? I have a 10 month old and I’m afraid my BF journey is coming to an end so I want to be prepared with the best option. He had some issues with me drinking milk earlier on so I went dairy free for a while and now just limit it. And after many tries and thanks to this site my eldest did great with Gerber Good Start but I would like something more simple with less ingredients that is still partially hydrolyzed or goat milk. Any suggestions?
Hey Karen-thanks for your comment. This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. This may be a great video for you to check out that will help you answer some of your questions. And here is a playlist with all of Dr. Young’s videos on goat milk. As always, chat with your doctor, take changes in formula slowly and You are doing great! 10 months breastfeeding is amazing!!!
Do babies typically grow out of the need for partially hydrolyzed milk proteins? My 8 month old is doing great on Earth’s Best Gentle, but it’s increasingly hard to find. Is it reasonable to switch him to the standard and see how it goes? Is there an age by which their digestive systems usually mature enough to handle unhydrolyzed milk?
Hey Alice
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. This is a great video that may help you consider if you want to switch. Of course this video is much older and before the formula shortage (great video here about that) so we totally understand that if you want to switch because it’s hard to find then by all means that makes sense. Just take the change slowly like she advises in the video or this video here. As always chat with your doctor, take changes slowly like those videos suggest and you are doing great! hang in there. Only a few more months to go before one year!! Congrats mama
Our 1 month old was started on Enfamil Gentlease in the NICU. About 3 weeks along he started having gas and bloating and seemed extremely upset/uncomfortable with a hard, bloated belly. Pooping would bring some relief but it was a struggle – we do a lot of massaging, warm baths, gas drops trying to help. Our pediatrician hasn’t given much specific guidance on formula, but I wasn’t crazy about the corn syrup solids in Gentlease and decided to switch to Gerber GoodStart GentlePro for the Whey content, Lactose, and pre/probiotics which she supported. Unfortunately, the gas and discomfort hasn’t gotten better – at this point he is passing large amounts of extremely smelly gas and is especially miserable at night (colicky?). It seems like everything I read suggests trying one of these gentle formulas for these symptoms, but if he’s not doing great on these formulas (unless it’s just not the formula and something else causing the issue), I’m not sure where to go from here, since we’ve had 2 formulas with different protein mixes and carb mixes already. What generally is a good next step? Something like a goat formula that might be easily digestible but similar protein? A higher casein formula?
Hey Jess
This is Emily, Dr Young’s assistant. I am so sorry to hear about your little one struggling. A few things to clarify. Since we are not medical doctors we cannot give medical advice and we don’t know your little one’s history and why he was in the NICU or if he was full term. That being said here are a few resources that may help you. This is an excellent starter page for some recommendations. Also this is a great video on switching formulas and how to do it to minimize reactions. And finally, this is a great video about baby gas that may help relieve some of your concerns. If you still feel helpless consider Dr. Young’s course, keep chatting with your doctor, take changes slowly and you are doing great mama!! Congrats on your little one being home and getting through these early months!!
Hi, I’m curious how broken down Gerber gentle pro milk proteins are? I know they’re partially hydrolyzed but would you say at least 50% broken down or more? I’m wondering if it’s more or less broken down than HiPP HA formula? I’ve read that HiPP is around 83% broken down.
Hey Megan
Thanks for your question. This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. Here is an excellent video where Dr. Young compares all the Gentle (Partially Hydrolyzed formulas) including HiPP. Just for reference the protein source in Gerber Gentle Pro is Partially Hydrolyzed Whey. You can read more about Protein Source here.
Love this every information I get from this website and love Dr. Young as well. I will explain my issues with my little guy as briefly as possible. So’ I have a 12 weeks old that has been a really gassy baby. From the get go he would feel uncomfortable pooping but he has never suffer from constipation. He poops every day and the hardest consistency he has gotten has been like paste. He retains gas, a lot of them, and just gets fussy because of it. We started on Gentlease right after a week born and we have been steady on it but the tummy issues have stayed with him. Another note, he does cry a lot less, spits up only because of the gases he retains but his poop and toots smell horrible. Should I keep waiting to see if his tummy adjusts to it or is there any better formula I should start trying to see if it works better? TIA
Hey Daphne
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. Here are a few resources that may help. This article has a good rundown on gas drops/gripe water with a video embedded that may give you more explanation. This is a great video all about Baby Gas! and this is a great resource for how to know when a formula is working or if you should switch.
As always, keep communicating with your doctor, take changes slowly if you decide to switch and you’ve got this!
Is there ever a circumstance where partially hydrolyzed would NOT work well for a baby?
Hi Danielle, my name is Bri. I’m Dr. Young’s assistant. As you may already know, partially hydrolyzed formula is broken down proteins. We consider the components in a formula most likely to cause a reaction the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat). In other words, there are still some things to take into consideration when choosing a formula. Some babies may need a reduced lactose formula or need to avoid palm oil, etc. You can learn more about that here In addition, some babies may have a cow’s milk allergy and/or be recommended a hypoallergenic formula by their doctor. You can listen to Dr. Young speak on hypoallergenic formulas here If you are considering which formula to choose for your precious baby then I highly recommend you check out Dr. Young’s formula course where she teaches you how to be an expert yourself. You can learn about the course here. I believe in you mama, you got this!
NAN Supreme has partially hydrolyzed proteins and is 100% lactose based
Hey Carmen
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I realize this question is very old but I wanted to answer for others in case they are looking for the answer. Now that the FDA has approved some foreign formulas in light of the shortage here is a great resource and breakdown of those approved formulas that does include NAN Supreme.
Hello, my 6-month-old has a high cow milk allergy and eczema. His allergist prescribed Elecare, but he seems to dislike the taste and won’t drink it no matter what. What are my options in terms of formula. Can I give him hypoallergenic formula? I am desperately looking for a formula for him that he will accept.
Hey Amistha
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am so sorry you have been on such a journey with your little one. Dr. Young has a playlist all about hypoallergenic formula on her YouTube channel.
I hope these help you and as always check with your child’s doctor first, take any changes slowly and you are doing an awesome job!
Emily
Hi! Two quick questions. 1. What is the difference between HiPP Comfort & HiPP HA in terms of hydrolyzed aspects??
2. My 6 month old is on Gerber Gentle Pro (large can). We have just two issues: eczema (no known allergies, and confirmed by allergist test) and A LOT of straining to poop. What formula would be suggested to help with either eczema or ease of pooping?? Please help 🙂
Thank you so very much.
Hey Alana,
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. Thank you so much for your questions. First to answer your question about HiPP Comfort & HiPP HA. The proteins in Comfort are partially hydrolyzed and the HiPP HA is a hypoallergenic formula so the proteins are fully hydrolyzed. Dr. Young has a video about the differences in proteins here that may be helpful.
In regards to your second question Gerber Gentle Pro with eczema and straining you actually are using a great formula for your little one. Dr. Young mentions eczema midway in this article and recommends a partially hydrolyzed formula which you are already using. And I am so sorry your little one is straining to poop. It can be so painful to watch! I do know that Dr. Young recommends Mommy’s Bliss Constipation Ease. I believe you can find this at Target or even the drugstore. You also have so many options now that your baby is 6 months old and trying solids. You can introduce apples, prunes and other foods that help move that little digestive system!
As always, check with your doctor, take any changes slowly and keep being an awesome mom! If you still feel like you need help, check out Dr. Young’s online course!
Emily
After doing the research on your site we selected Gerber Good Start to begin our transition from breastmilk for our 8wk old. We started five days ago with a 30/70 split. He was good for the first day and then stopped having bowl movements on day 2-4. Then had a pint sized pea soup blowout last night and now nothing again for 13 hours. He has extreme fussiness and seems to be be struggling to go (he kind of always has but the fussiness has increased). I selected the gerber bc of the partially hydrolized proteins and the lactose/maltodextrin ratio. Do we push on to see if he just needs more time to adjust? Or is the extreme fussiness & lack of poo unusual? He is wetting his diaper almost every hour and is passing some gas. Will talk to the ped but was curious your perspective.
Hey Katie
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am glad you found Dr. Young’s website. Couple of items to consider, make sure you got the right size can of Gerber! The smaller size (12.7 ounce can) has changed their recipe to an intact protein and it is very confusing. Luckily, Dr. Young breaks it down in this very informative video to make sure you know what the ingredients are and the differences.
This is a great playlist that Dr. Young has on her youtube channel about switching formulas safely. This may help give you some more direction in the process.
And finally this article on fats has a video on Palm Oil including inside of it that may help you with your next steps. Some baby’s can get constipated with palm oil and it may be worth watching/reading to see if this applies to your little one.
As always, check with your pediatrician, take the changes slowly and you are doing an awesome job investing your child’s feeding journey. You’ve got this momma!
Emily
What is the percent hydrolyzed in the Gerber Gentle Pro? THanks.
Hey Zoey,
Thanks so much for your question. This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I spoke with Dr. Young and she said that all the major name brands (Enfamil, Similac and Gerber) are 100% partially hydrolyzed. Generics are often not 100% which can be misleading sometimes. Here are a few videos that also may help you and your little one. Here is a video comparing gentle partially hydrolyzed formulas. Here is a video that discusses Earth’s Best Gentle. Earth’s Best is a unique formula because it is a mixture of intact and partially hydrolyzed proteins which she discusses in her video. I hope this helps you. As always, check with your pediatrician, take any changes slowly and you are doing a great job loving on that sweet one!
Emily
Thanks for all of this helpful info. Do you know what percentage of Gerber good Start Gentle Pro is hydrolyzed? I’ve read that Hipp HA is about 86% hydrolyzed so we were thinking of switching to that if Gerber is lower. Our 4 month old has eczema and Gentle Pro seems to help after switching from Earths Best Gentle but can’t seem to find the Gentle Pro % hydrolyzed info. Thanks!
It’s it possible a baby who tolerates standard formula (gerber gentle) also has discomfort from a PHW formula (gentle pro). My (third baby) 3 month old has been fine on breast milk and gentle issued by WIC but we tried the gentle pro concentrate and it made her gas and fussiness much worse. She does ok on regular intact formula but we were just seeing if we could get less constipation from a partially hydrolyzed formula bc we plan on discontinuing breastfeeding completely around 6 months. Maybe I should’ve slowly transitioned but we didn’t get through one whole 8oz carton of concentrate before going back to what works. I was just curious if you’ve heard of this before? I just assumed my baby would have zero issue switching bc she did alright with intact proteins. She doesn’t do well with powder Similac pro advance though (but rtf Similac + enfamil is fine). Ultimately I’m glad she’s doing great on WIC formula though lol (we’ve stockpiled with the full formula package so we won’t need to gamble on a generic different kind). We can use our other samples when she’s an older baby or donate them if not (she just turned 4 months).
Hey Helen
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. Thank you so much for your question. Hopefully I can answer this question for you by pointing you towards some amazing video resources that Dr. Young has.
First of all there are some differences between the WIC size Gerber Gentle and the GentlePro. Dr. Young did a video all about that and you can view it here..
As far as switching formulas you can watch several videos by Dr. Young here, she guides you through the process of how to transition from one formula to the next so it causes the least amount of reaction for your little one. You can also watch this video on mixing breastmilk with formula for some tips that may also help with your little one’s digestion!
And finally here is a video about why your baby may take Ready to Feed instead of powder and some tips to help you move them over so you can save some money in the process!
I hope these help answer your questions, as always talk with your pediatrician first, take any changes slowly, and you are doing an awesome job loving on that baby and investing in their feeding journey! You’ve got this Momma!
Emily
Gerber recently transitioned from producing their “GentlePro” version to the “Gentle” version in some formula sizes (12 oz). A representative said the GentlePro formula was a 100% whey protein, partially hydrolyzed formula with 70% maltodextrin and 30% lactose, while the Gentle formula is a 70:30 whey casein blend with 100% lactose. Is there much difference to this?? My baby is 4 months old and has been on the GentlePro version, but we are unable to obtain it now because of the transition of the company only producing the Gentle. Side note- we tried the Gerber Soothe and didn’t respond well to it.
Chelsea
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. Thank you for your comment. I wanted to let you know Dr. Young has a happy hour about Gerber’s formula size recipe changes that may help you.
Thanks
Emily
Hey Doc, Here is the lowdown
Have tried
Gentlease
Similac A2,
Similac pro advanced
Gerber soothe
Reguline
2 month old little man!
On similac total comfort
Partially hydrolyzed
100% whey
Lactose reduced to the Max
Has a pre but no probiotic
He seems to be ok EXCEPT
1. Smelly gas (very smelly)
2. Very uncomfortable, painful, firm bowel movement’s that cause a little tearing, only Q2 days if I’m lucky.
(Babies sister has EOE)
I know ask his doctor but honestly they really are clueless when it comes to formula unfortunately.
Thanks girl!
Hey Meghan
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. It sounds like you certainly have been down a long road of formulas! I know it can be so hard in the beginning finding the right formula for your little one. I wanted to let you know that along with her website, articles and videos, Dr. Young also offers an online course if you need extra help. I can say with confidence that most formula questions can be answered by taking this course. Dr. Young is so sure it will help you she offers a 30 day monday back guarantee.
Our course is video based and self-paced. You can view the course on your computer, tablet or mobile device. We give you everything you’ll need to be a pro yourself in 6 easy lessons that take a total of 2.5 hours to complete. It is like having Dr. Young right beside you helping you decide exactly what formula would work for your individual baby. And we offer access to our customer service team! To learn more about the course or enroll click here
Good luck and you are doing an awesome mom-as always check with your doctor first and take any changes slowly!
Emily
Thank you for creating this website and sharing your wealth of knowledge! I do have a question about the Earth’s Best Organic Gentle Infant Formula (teal can). The ingredients show Organic Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein.
I saw a YouTube video of Dr. Young saying that this formula isn’t great, because only the Whey is Partially Hydrolyzed, and you wouldn’t really consider this “gentle”. However, on the table above, there are multiple examples of formulas that only have Partially Hydrolyzed Whey.
What is the reason for not thinking the Earth’s Best Organic Gentle is “not” gentle? In the video Dr. Young seemed so perplexed as to why they would only have the Whey be hydrolyzed.
thank you
Hi Christie! Thanks for reaching out. My name is Bri, I’m Dr. Young’s assistant. The Earth’s Best Gentle formula has a combination of whey and casein for the protein. In this specific formula, only the protein of the added whey is partially hydrolyzed. The casein and whey in the nonfat milk is not broken down at all meaning half the protein in this formula is still an intact protein. Some of the other formulas you see on the chart have only whey protein in them. For example, Similac Total Comfort is 100% partially hydrolyzed whey (no casein). Others such as Enfamil Gentlease have partially hydrolyzed non-fat milk (casein and whey) and added partially hydrolyzed whey protein. All the protein in these formulas are broken down. Whey protein is usually easier for a baby to digest than casein protein. I hope this helps! Keep bein’ a rock star momma!
Seeking some guidance! My 7 month old son is combo fed. He is on alimentum ready to feed right now. When we added formula he had large amounts of mucus in his poop so we switched to the powder alimentum. He still had a tiny bit of mucus so we switched to the rtf since it had no corn and the mucus disappeared. It’s so so expensive I would like to switch to a somewhat less expensive formula but also don’t want him uncomfortable. I slowly started the Reguline since it had equal amounts of a corn ingredient and milk protein. Now he has stringy mucus in his poop. Should I try one without lesser amounts of corn but more milk protein or lesser amounts of lactose/milk protein and more corn. Which do you suggest? Thank you SO much.
Jess,
Hey there! This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am sorry your little one is struggling a bit and trust me I totally get the cost of formula especially hypoallergenic formulas. My sister’s children both had to be on that and it was definitely discouraging.
Dr. Young has Hypoallergenic playlist that has all her videos on the topic that may help.
I also wanted to let you know that along with articles and videos, Dr. Young also offers an online course if you need extra help. I can say with confidence that most formula questions can be answered by taking this course.
Our course is video based and self-paced. You can view the course on your computer, tablet or mobile device. We give you everything you’ll need to be a pro yourself in 6 easy lessons that take a total of 2.5 hours to complete. To learn more about the course or enroll click here
Good luck and you are doing an awesome mom-as always check with your doctor first and take any changes slowly!
Emily
4month old has been on Enfamil gentlease since birth but has been having severe constipation. Please help! Do you have a formula recommendation? She is so miserable. I don’t know if we should switch to Gerber Comfort or Soothe or Enfamil nutramigen??
Beza,
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I know it is so hard to watch your little one suffer like that! Currently your Enfamil gentlease is a partially hydrolyzed whey (60%) and casein (40%) ratio. Tweaking the whey to casein ratio may help like she discusses in this article . Both Gerber Comfort and Soothe are 100% partially hydrolyzed whey formulas. You can also learn all about this and help with constipation in Module 2 of Dr. Young’s formula course. As always check with your Pediatrician, take any change slowly and you are doing a great job!
Emily
Hello!
I have been loving all of the information you provide on your website as well as YouTube. We have a 1 mo. old that has been breast fed with formula supplementation. She’s had some issues since we introduced formula (we used HiPP Dutch) like lots of gas, acid reflux, and fighting the bottle/breast while feeding. Our pediatrician was concerned last visit and did a quick test for blood in her stools. After finding the test came back positive for blood in our daughter’s stools, she sent us home with Nutramigen to rule out a dairy allergy. We have been on this for almost 48 hours, and it does seem like it might be making her gas and reflux better, but it smells so bad. I am pumping milk and storing in my fridge as I remove dairy from my diet. After this trial period, I would like to see if we could get away with a partially hydrolyzed formula rather than this fully hydrolyzed one, and give her my milk when the dairy has left my system. We will be okay with serving her the Nutramigen if it’s necessary, but I think it’s worth a shot to give Gerber smooth or HiPP comfort to try. I’m wondering if you can think of a way in this case to find out if partially hydrogonized proteins would be a better fit for her. Would it be too hard on our baby to go from Nutramigen straight to the other formula back to back? We will likely stay with Nutramigen until all the samples are gone (about 4 days). I will add that the first day switching from Nutramigen cold turkey was really hard on her, and she is feeling better the second day, but I’m just not sure what to do next.
Hi Hailey! Congratulations on your precious baby! My name is Bri, I’m Dr. Young’s assistant. You have most likely made your decision by now but I wanted to make sure to reply in case you are still in need of an answer. I think you’ll find Dr. Young’s Happy Hour video on Hypoallergenic Formulas helpful because she talks about when a baby truly needs a hypoallergenic formula and if your baby does need one, the comparison of your options on the market. If you are still using Nutramigen, you can watch her video “Why do Hypoallergenic Formulas smell so bad and what can you do?” If you are still considering Gerber Soothe or HiPP Comfort you can review their comparisons in the chart above in the article. I recommend you keep very open communication with your pediatrician and always take any formula switch very slowly to minimize reaction. You can listen to Dr. Young’s tips on how to do so here. Remember, momma knows best so trust your intuition. I certainly hope your precious baby is doing well and that momma is too!
If baby (8m) is on hipp comfort, but would be the ideal state side alternative? I believe that the 100%?whey is what he needs over the hydrolyzed aspect. Didn’t do great with Alimentum or Nutramigen. Would Baby’s Only Whey/Dairy we a good choice or should I consider Soothe? We have chronic constipation.
Hey Taylor,
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am sorry to hear about your little one dealing with constipation. That can be so painful. I do know that Dr. Young recommends Mommy’s Bliss Constipation Ease. I believe you can find this at Target or even the drugstore. I also will direct you to an article where she discusses Organic formula and has the breakdown of each including Baby’s Only. She also has a You Tube video where she compares all the organic formulas here. As always check with your baby’s doctor first, take any transition slowly and you are doing a great job!
Emily
What are your thoughts on Gerber’s new Goodstart A2 formula vs the Goodstart GentlePro? Switching a 3 week old over to formula and getting to decide. I have used GentlePro with last kids but saw they just release this new formula. What are the benefits from A2 milk?
Hey Morgan
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am sorry if this response is late but Dr. Young did do a You Tube Happy Hour on the new Gerber A2 formula and you can see it right here. I really hope this helps.
Emily
Hi! My son has been on Hipp HA, the hypoallergenic formula and does well, because we were concerned he might have a milk intolerance, but DR said they can grow out of those around 6 months. He’s 7 mo now and I’m sure he does not have a milk allergy, but definitely could be sensitive to dairy. I’d like to start transitioning him to a less hydrolyzed formula, is that typical? I don’t want to be on the hypoallergenic formula if he doesn’t need to be, but I felt like jumping straight to a regular formula would be too much of a shock to his system, so that felt like a logical next step. My DR recommended the Similac Total Comfort, but I’d like to stick with my Hipp brand for now, but the HA had two stages and the Comfort only seems to have one. Is that still fine for 7 month old? What are your thoughts? Thanks so much!
Well you are on the right article! You can definitely feed Comfort to your baby up to 12 months. Just be sure your doc is OK with it. Comfort does have a bit less iron than Total Comfort. But if your baby is healthy and you have some sources of iron in his solid foods (like baby cereal or meat puree) then you’re good! But that’s why you want to check with your pediatrician.
What is you’re opinion on enfamil neuro pro ?
It’s all about the ingredients! Infant NeuroPro has a pretty standard base. Here is a a video all about it. I always think the major ingredients matter more for keeping your baby comfortable.
Good day we suspect our little one might have a small cow’s milk allergy, she has been having a stuffy nose for over a month now and recently got some eczema. The eczema we treated with cream and is 99% gone. If we switch to a partially hydrolyzed milk will it help?
Definitely check with your doctor. But, there are good studies showing that switching to a partially hydrolyzed formula can help improve eczema, so its a great option to consider!
Do you have any information comparing generic partially hydrolyzed formulas? I can’t really afford name brand and would like to figure out what to start my newborn on this April. I know of store brand gentle and tender. I would love to know the benefits of both and if it’s worth ordering tender online.
Jennifer
This is Emily, Dr. Young’s assistant. I am so sorry for the delay in a reply to you. I hope you have found a formula that works best for your little one and is affordable. I am a mom myself and I totally get the cost concerns! I am sharing this with you (even though it is delayed) in the hopes that it can still help you and perhaps other mamas out! Dr. Young has an extensive library of videos and in this play list she covers several store brand and generic versions. Hope this helps!
Emily
Is there a partially hydrolyzed formula that is organic?
not in the US anymore 🙁 Plum Organics Gentle was, but the company discontinued it. It was a big loss. But the non-organic brands are very safe and can be very helpful if your baby needs a smaller protein! Non-GMO is available!
After reading your site I want to start feeding my 8 month old partially Hydrolyzed formula because his father’s side is type 1 diabetic. Is it too late?
Not “too late”, just probably not necessary! If he has been thriving on intact protein – then I would stick with it. All that research is done in the first few months after birth. At 8 months, your baby is having solids and totally ready for full-size proteins. You’re doing an awesome job
Greetings Dr. Young! Thank you for your extensive research and expert opinion on these important topics related to baby formula. My family and I appreciate your Blog as well as your Youtube channel greatly. Honestly, dont know what we would do without you!
Our 3 month old has been off breast milk due to supply and exclusively on formula. With a family history of auto-immune diseases (celiac, diabetes and pemphigus) and a bad case of eczema we are convinced (thanks to you) that partially hydrolyzed formula is for us. However, we are still struggling with WHICH one. We are currently on Gerber Good Start Soothe and she seems to need very frequent feedings and has not shown signs of improvement in skin rashes. Our question is, do you think we should stick to this formula or transition to another?
My mommy instincts says a better fit for her. exists out there in this vase formula world. Would Gerber Good Start Gentle instead of Gerber Soothe be more fitting? Also, what are your thoughts on Enfamil Enspire Gentlease/ NeuroPro Gentlease with our issues of auto immunes and eczema that we are contending with?
Thank you in advance for your time on this response. Looking forward to hearing back from you!
Help! I think Plum has discontinued the gentle formula. It is no longer on there website. My subscribe and save with Amazon was cancelled. I bought the last 3 at my local WF. Every other place I check is out. Any suggestions for my 10.5 month old (very healthy weight, eats everything)?
Yes they did! I am so devastated and obviously have to update this article. I did make a video about this since so many parents are sadly in your same position. Good luck Mama!
Hello,
We adopted an infant who is 2 months old today. Needless to say breast feeding is not an option. For the past 2 months we have struggled with formula and he seems to have gas issues that are painful. We started with Similac Pro Advance from the hospital and moved to Happy Baby Stage 1 then to Happy baby Sensitive. We just called our pediatrician and she suggested we go with a partially hydrolyzed formula. I had planned to switch to Plum Gentle, but just called and they have discontinued making formula and the only inventory is what is still on the shelves. So my question now is what to choose. My wife would like to stay with organic, but it seems that Gerber, Similac and Enfamil are the major partially hydrolyzed formulas. Any organic options in the USA or Amazon? Also open to non organic if needed as we need to solve this issue.
Hi Dr. Young,
First of all, I am SO glad I stumbled across your site. My 3 month old has been getting exclusively breast milk other than the occasional formula. She has been dealing with gassiness and fussiness I’m additional to also have reflux and on Zantac for that. She does take a probiotic daily as well. For a couple of days I used a sample of Similac Pro Total Comfort to see if maybe it was something in my diet causing the poor mood. She seemed to do very well with it. I am wondering what the closest organic formula would be to this (US or EU). I would prefer no palm oil or corn syrup. Thanks so much!
Hi! My daughter is 14 weeks and has been in alimentum since 4 weeks due to having diarrhea, mucousy and bloody stools. That alimentum cleated that issue, but she was NEVER fussy from it. The dr thought it may be protein sensitive due to the bloody stool. After we switched, it’s been a battle ever since to get her to eat. Recently, she has been refusing bottles after getting halfway finished. At her 8 week appointment, she was prescribed Zantac because we thought she may be having reflux, but the Zantac makes her vomit as soon as she takes it. I’m wondering if we could try a partially hydrolized formula that she may like better and eat better. She went from the 30th percentile to the 15th percentile in weight and will only drink 4 oz, 5 times per day. I tried to get her to take a bottle 6 times, but when I did that, her intake per feeding went down. Before we switched to alimentum, she actually let me know she was hungry, but now she acts like she could go all day without eating. Any suggestions?
Hello Dr Young! My son is 5 months, has been on breastmilk supplemented with Hipp Dutch Stage 1 for 2 months. He just tested positive for blood in his stool and she gave me a sample can of Alimentum to take home. She did give me her blessing to use other formulas as long as the protein component was the same. The ingredient listed in the Alimentum is casein hydrolysate I believe. I would prefer an organic European brand if possible, but am having a hard time finding consistent information regarding if the protein is completely or partially hydrolyzed and if the formula makeup is whey/casein or both. Also do you have any recommendations or info on goats milk formulas? I know some babies can respond to both. My son has a small amount of eczema on his back and arms, no fussiness or excessive gas, and takes his bottles just fine. We caught this very very early. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!
Hi Dr. Young,
I would like to start with a big THANK YOU! Your website and videos have been a blessing. I have a quick question regarding my babies poop color. I recently slowly switched him from Holle goats to Hipp hypoallergenic and now he is having green poop. Is this something I should be concerned with?
This is the forth formula I have tried due to bad gas and colicky episodes from Hipp – cow and Holle goat. It’s been 24hrs 100% on the hypoallergenic formula and a total of 6 days switching him over. He has zero gas and seems a lot more peaceful and barley any crying (thank God.)! But now his poop is green and stinks SO bad. I’m so frustrated:(
Would love to know your thoughts. Thank you in advance for your help!
Regards,
Venessa Greco
obviously check with your doc … but green foul stool is normal on HA formulas! Black or red in the stool is not OK, but a green color is normal. And stool from partially or fully hydrolyzed formula is worse smelling in general. With all the other positive results, i’d say it sounds like you are on the right track!
Hello, thank you so much for all of this information. My five week old is BF except for around 4-8oz of formula in the evenings due to supply. Since going from around 4oz a day to 6-8oz a day, he is very gassy/fussy in the early morning. I am currently using Happy Baby stage 1. Would you suggest I switch to sensitive or Plum Gentle? Thanks in advance!
Hi Lauren, I would ask your doctor. Plum Gentle (which is partially hydrolyzed) may help. Enfamil Newborn (which is 80% lactose compared to the 30% in Happy Baby) might also help too. Ask your doc which one of these changes may be better suited to your baby’s situation. Also, mix the formula with breast milk as much as possible! I know this may not be possible if you don’t have a freezer stash. But if you can mix – this often helps with formula tolerance.
Congratulations on your new baby!!!!
Hi there,
My babe was born premature at 29 weeks he’s now 40 weeks, did very well through it all. His biggest gripe has been constant straining and gas, borderline constipation (every 2 days avg). First few weeks of life was on only donor breast milk and what I could provide, plus human milk fortifier…he was fine. Once they added in formula and iron is when he stopped being regular and having discomfort. He is on 50% enfacare and 50% breast milk as I don’t make enough milk, still on iron for now. I want to switch him to something with lactose, no corn syrup as well as something hydrolyzed for ease… I can’t see if there is such a thing? I’ll look up the “Plum” one you listed to see if I can get in Canada…but wonder if formulas that avoid casein altogether are a bad choice if not necessary as it’s not balanced like breastmilk. Also how can I tell if something has been hydrolyzed when shopping? Is it impossible to have a partially broken down formula with no corn syrup and a regular casein to why ratio?
Hi Jennifer! As you know – Preemies are very special angels with special unique needs, so I can’t give you advice. I can suggest some things to think about with your doctor. Honestly – I bet my bottom dollar the constipation is from the iron which you can’t avoid. He needs it, and we would all take gas and straining over anemia. So switching may not actually help 🙁 Also Enfacare is a premature formula with extra nutrients, so BE SURE your doc is OK with you switching to something lower calories (like a standard formula) before you do so. To answer you question: Plum Gentle is the only formula in the US that is both partially hydrolyzed and all lactose. Gerber Gentle is the next closest (at 70% lactose). The lack of casein does not bother me as it is a complete protein with plenty of the amino acids he needs to grow. To know if a formula is partially hydrolyzed, you will see the words “partially hydrolyzed” or “hydrolysate” on the label. “Hydrolysate” is sometimes used to refer to both partial and full hydrolysis. These are points to discuss with your pediatrician and neonatologiest before switching. Good luck Mama!
Hi Dr. Young, this write up has been tremendously helpful in understanding partially hydrolyzed formulas! What do you think of Similac ProTotal Comfort vs Total Comfort? Looks like Corn Maltodextrin is the first ingredient, but I think it also is in Gerber Soothe (according to the Abbott and Gerber websites). My baby didn’t tolerate Gerber Gentle; then we tried Soothe (both caused gas, constipation, extreme fussiness). Thus we would like to try something else, and are considering ProTotal Comfort (one of your posts mentions palm oil causes constipation, and I believe Similac ProTotal Comfort doesn’t contain it). Thanks!
Hi Susan! Yes, all similac formulas are palm oil-free, which is nice! The only difference between PRO total comfort and regular total comfort is: the PRO has the prebiotic 2FL in it. Here’s a video where I explain this ingredient.
Thank you for this site! My daughter is 7 months old and has only had breastmilk (and solids since 4.5 months). I work full-time and have to pump to get her through the day. However, I haven’t been able to pump enough lately to fulfill her milk needs. My pediatrician recommended supplementing breastmilk with partially hydrolyzed whey protein formula, but I didn’t realize how many options there were! My daughter is also dealing with some reflux issues, spitting up pretty often, but it hasn’t affected her weight or temperament, thankfully. So I’m wondering a few things as I navigate this new world of formula! First, is it necessary to do partially hydrolyzed? Would that be best for my daughter if I continue breastfeeding as well? Will it be easy for her to transition to cow’s milk down the road? Second, is there a formula you would recommend that might help with reflux? Based on your table, I’m thinking Gerber for Supplementing. Does that sound like a good option? I know that’s a lot of questions! Just not sure where to start! Thank you!!!
Hi Jamie, well I”m sure this comment is going to help since it took me so long!! (Sorry – I just fall behind with all the comments!) But if your doc has recommended partially hydrolyzed, then def start with that. I have actually found it does help some babies with reflux (but not all). Any of the Gerber formulas would be fine to start with. You can also consider Plum Gentle – which is 100% lactose so that may be a good choice for an older baby. And your LO should do just fine transitioning to cow’s milk at 1 year – just be sure to do it very slowly so she has time to adjust to the bigger proteins.
Hello Doc. Thanks for these articles. Reading your earlier post informed my decision to try Hipp Comfort for my daughter. She was exclusively breast fed for the first 6 months. I introduced formula when she turned 7 months and she would projectile vomit EVERYTIME. We tried Similac Advance, Pro- Advance, Sensitive and even Nestle NAN and SMA Gold. She couldn’t keep any one down till we tried Hipp Comfort. The catch is that I can only mix it into her cereals as she won’t drink it (I don’t blame her. It has a nasty taste!) She turns 1 next month and I’m wondering what toddler milk we should be thinking of transitioning to. I would really love for her to have at least two bottles of milk a day between meals. Please help!
Hi Christina,
Well you certainly have a lot of things to think about. I would work closely with your Dr to ensure that the vomiting was not due to an allergy. If it was not, then you really can consider any milk since she is now 1 and likely outgrown her earlier issues, so you may just be able to do whole cow’s milk or goat milk. I can tell by the formulas you listed that you’re not in the US – and that limits me quite a bit since I am not as familiar with all the toddler formulas available outside the US. I would suggest trying dairy food (only with your Dr’s approval!) and then if she does well, you know you have the world of options open to you. Good luck!
Bridget
My 4 ment granddaughter has eczema on her cheeks only , but so bad it got infection, so we went from Similac sensitive, to Nutramigen but she really doesn’t care for it so we mix it with her other formula but they eczema still has not gone away it has gotten a little bit better with that and with the eczema prescription lotion but do you suggest a different formula I seen it Similac does have a pro Comfort do you think that that would be a good one to try for eczema or is there something else that you think we should be doing
Hi Kathie – you really need to work with the doc on this. I can tell you that – if the eczema is triggered by the original formula, then even a little bit mixed in can continue to trigger it.
If she has a true allergy, than a partially hydrolyzed formula won’t be broken down enough. But ask the doc of you can try this mixed with the Nutramigen instead. It might be enough to help if she has a sensitivity – but you really need to clear any changes with our doc first.
Hi I am wanting to start the transition to formula from breast milk for my 8 week old baby. I think I have decided between similac or enfamil but would like to know the comparison/differences of high oleic sunflower to Palm olien oil. And if have any recommendations to find a formula that has 100% lactose with a whey/casein ratio similar to breast milk with hydrolyzed proteins.
Hi Randi, I have the fat breakdowns here (all formulas within a brand use the same fat source). The ONLY partially hydrolyzed formula that uses 100% lactose is Plum Gentle. It is a 100% whey partially hydrolyzed protein base.
I’m struggling with what kind of formula to use. Baby is constipated on similac pro sensitive and has diarrhea and screams on the advanced. What do you recommend for easy digestion?
Hi Mekelle, you’ve got lots of options. Both the formulas you mentioned are intact (large) proteins, so it may be worth trying a partially hydrolyzed formula. Talk to your Dr about which is best to start with. If you are transitioning from Similac Sensitive (which is almost lactose free), it’ll be best to pick one that is lactose reduced (most are) to avoid discomfort resulting from introducing a large amount of lactose all at once. The chart above helps you understand the differences between your options. Share it with your doc and see which would be the best to start with. Good luck!
Hello, LO is 5 months. Started with breast milk and top ups of good start everything was fine. Then I ran out and tried similiac cause I had all these samples and then he developed a rash on his face slowly, then it exploded with Kirkland, cause everyone online said it was the same as similiac. I went back to good start and his face was great for 5 days then exploded again. My mom convinced me he has a milk allergy like my brother so I tried soy this week and his face is worse and he’s still barfing. What do I try? He seemed best on goodstart before and it has the least amount of lactose, it’s main ingredient is whey.
Hi Sarah, I am so sorry to hear this! Well, Gerber is partially hydrolyzed which means the proteins are smaller. This is very different from all the other formulas you tried (which are larger intact proteins). Its of course something you should definitely talk to your Dr about. If the rash is eczema – then Gerber may be a good formula to stick with since partially hydrolyzed whey is well studied to be a good protein for eczema. Eczema can take a while to completely go away once it is present. Definitely discuss it with your Dr.
My 6 month old son was on Enfamil AR for reflux from 3-4 months old, until he had an NG Tube put in for dysphasia. We are now using Earths Best because thickened won’t go down his tube but he is having bad reflux. Would you recommend Earths Best Gentle (partially hydrolyzed) or Sensitive (reduced lactose) for reflux? Thanks!!
Oh dear Courtney – I am so very sorry! This is obviously a conversation you need to have with your doctor. I don’t know what will help him best. I can tell you that a smaller protein size has more of a chance helping with reflux than a lactose reduction with full-size proteins. If you and doctor agree to try a partially hydrolyzed formula, I’d suggest picking one that is all partially hydrolyed. Earth’s Best Gentle is about 50% partially hydrolyzed, 50% intact protein. So, if you use it and it does not help, you won’t learn much about your son’s reflux trigger. So, bring these points to your GI, and see what they suggest.
Thank you so much for the wealth of information you provide–it has helped us tremendously! Question: Do you still recommend partially hydrolyzed formula for healthy babies in families with no history of severe food allergy or auto-immune diseases? We have a 6-week old being fed Enfamil Reguline (based on your recommendation) in addition to pumped breast milk (1-2 bottles of milk per day). We feel like we’re missing out on the 100% lactose and access to more “sexy” ingredients found in intact formulas. We’re wondering if it’s too early to try an intact formula or if you recommend we stick with this for a few months?
It sounds to me like your intuition tells you he’s ready – so go for it! I hate making universal “recommendations”. I only have the page since it’s what everyone asks first. The truth is – every baby is different. Lots of babies are born and can handle intact protein from day #1 (especially if they are also getting some breast milk). since you have no family history of allergy/autoimmune disease, then feel free to go for it (as long as your doc is OK with the switch too). Just do the switch very slowly. This will give his body time to increase the enzymes he needs to digest the bigger proteins and more lactose. Great question!
Hi! So my little man back about two months ago had a little blood in his stool I was exclusively pumping we took him to the pediatrician and she said it’s could be due to the Milk protein I had eaten a bunch of yogurt the day prior. He had been on the enfamil 22 calorie before that when I was giving him formula and that never seemed to bother him so I was wondering if it was the yogurt that bothered him? . My dr wanted to give him alimentum or however you spell it but he won’t take it. So my question is do you think partially Hydrolyzed formula would be okay? I’m not pumping anymore and I’m not sure what to give him.
It’s possible a partially hydrolyzed formula would be enough broken down to not bother him. Enfamil 22 is an intact protein – so it’s possible that he doesn’t need a fully hypoallergenic formula. But you have to trust your doctor and your intuition. Have a discussion with your doc and see if a trial of partially hydrolyzed formula is worth the risk. I hope that is helpful!
Hello! I’m just curious what your recommendation would be for a 7 month old with chronic kidney disease? His main food source has been EBM, but because of the CKD has fallen off of the growth chart. 🙁 We have tried fortifying with PM 60/40 (which is what the renal dietician has recommended), but he does not tolerate it. Recently I have began fortifying with DuoCal, and he seems to do ok with it. But I would like to be done pumping soon, and he will be starting peritoneal dialysis within the next 6 weeks (CKD 4/5). I have been comparing formula labels and feel that possibly the Gerber Soothe would be a good fit for him after dialysis begins. What are your thoughts?
Oh my dear – what a journey. I am so sorry to hear your precious one is sick. I can’t give any advice for babies with such specific and complicated medical issues. I can tell you that PM 60/40 is intact protein so a partially hydrolyzed (like Gerber) would be different and potentially easier to digest due to smaller proteins. But you need to make the decision with your doc/dietitian and be sure you are using the caloric concentration they want for your baby. Sorry I can’t be more helpful… good luck Mama!
Did Gerber remove Lactose from their Good Start Gentle formula? According to the ingredients list on their website, Corn Maltodextrin is now the first ingredient and Lactose is no longer listed.
I actually called to check! Gentle is still 70% lactose and 30% maltodextrin (phew!) 🙂
Hello Dr Young –
First off – thank you so much for all your research and articles, I’ve found them all very helpful!
Background story – my LO has been dealing with reflux since she was very young 4 ish weeks on..we’vr Tried all sorts of formulas including similac alimentum ready to feed and still can’t seem to find one she will take without fussing…we have weaned off medication as reflux is no longer an issue.
I recently – I tried Hipp Dutch stage 2 however it seems my LO needs something a bit broken down..we tried alimentum but I think that was too broken down..her symptoms are best on gerber soothe but she has trouble pooping (that’s the only symptom)
Initially she had very horrible reflux which then turned to silent reflux we were on meds and are now weaned off.she will be 9 months in two weeks..very petit..trying to find her something for these last few months to help her gain some weight and maybe get her to enjoying milk..should I try Hipp Comfort? uK or German?
What are the differences between gerber soothe and the Hipp
Comfort that could aid in relief from the constipation?
Thank you so much looking forward to a response
Hi Paruvi! So glad the reflux has subsided. The biggest differences between Gerber Soothe and Comfort are: Comfort has a little more lactose, and uses a fat blend with no palm oil which may help reduce constipation!
Gerber Soothe does have the HMO, which Comfort does not.
The protein source is the same in each – but Comfort is organic. So you have to weight which criteria you think will be most helpful, and make your decision based on that. Good luck!
Hello!
My 8.5 month old very petite daughter has been playing the formula game since she was 6 weeks old…we’ve been through the gamet and she seems to do best with gerber soothe but it seems to give her some constipation…i had tried HiPP Combiotok stage 2 but she was kicking through all bottles and had bad gas that woke her….I’m thinking about trying HiPP Comfort…do you think this is wise or should I stick it out with the Gerber? I want her to put on weight and she’s only drinking 3-4.5 oz per feed 5ish times a day and eating solids 3 times/day. She weighs just 14lbs at 8.5 months. Any advice would be appreciated. She had lip and tongue ties revised at 4 months old and it seemed to help for a while but now she’s taking long to drink bottles again….
Hi Paruvi, It might be best to set up a time to speak with me. here’s where you can find the info about my services.
Hi Dr Young. My 6 week old was recently switched from the similac pro advance that we started her on as supplement to breast feeding and expressed breast milk, to neutramigen a week ago due to problems with diarrhea/mucousy stools and severe diaper rash. I also was instructed to cut out dairy in my diet. Since starting the neutramigen the diarrhea/rash issue has completely cleared up yay!! However I am not happy with the corn syrup component of the neutramigen. I also would prefer a formula using organic and non-GMO ingredients. I have read and re-read your article here multiple times trying to make sense of it all. The choices are dizzying lol. I am leaning toward continuing to supplement with a European formula as the organic grass fed “biodynamic” aspects really got me. However I was upset to read that the HiPP comfort formulas are not using organic milk sources? Are there any European partially or fully Hydrolyzed infant formulas you can recommend that are also made using organic or grass fed/“biodynamic” milk sources? Thank you!! Also can you please weigh in on what element of the pro-advance baby was previously consuming you think may have been causing the diarrhea, mucousy stools, diaper rash (i.g. Whey vs casein etc?) Thank you in advance! And thank you so much for your amazing article and all the hard work you put into researching and compiling this info for all us sleep deprived brain dead new moms lol
Hi Summer! I am so glad the rash cleared up! Your poor little one! Nutramigen is a fully hydrolyzed (hypoallergenic) formula, and from some of those symptoms, it sounds like your baby needs it! So I bet it was the protein SIZE of the Pro Advance (which as intact/giant proteins) that was causing the issue. If your baby really needs a fully hydrolyzed formula (smallest protein size possible), you really have limited choices, and you really need to clear a formula change with your Dr. HiPP Comfort is a partially hydrolyzed formula, so the proteins are smaller than Pro Advance, but bigger than Nutramigen. So trying something in that category is a risk you need to discuss with your Dr. It would buy you a lot less corn syrup though – which I totally understand. The European formula in the fully hydrolyzed category is HiPP HA. I do not know if it is biodynamic though – sorry.
But if your little angel needs a fully hydrolyzed formula to thrive and have a sweet soft bottom – then it’s completely worth the “downside” of the corn syrup. That’s my opinion anyway. I hope that is helpful!
My son has been formula fed since day 1. We experienced a lot of spit up initally with regular enfamil as well as fussiness and gas. We then switched to enfamil gentleeasewith diarrhea and similar results. Our son was on a schedule of eating almost every 1.5 to 2 hrs as well. Our pediatrician recommended similac total comfort and we saw a slight improvement with gas reduction. I then decided change nipple levels to a slower level and that helped immensely with fussiness during/after feeding. However our son is still on a kick of eating every 2, sometimes 3 hours,if we are lucky. I guess I am curious if it is possible he is digesting this formula too quickly? I have a feeling his issues early on may have been his bottle, not the formula?
Hi Laura, it does sound like some of those issues were bottle related. I”m glad the Total Comfort provided some relief! You didn’t say how old your son is or how many oz he’s eating over 24 hours. But if he’s a real freshling, eating every 2 hours is very normal. If he’s a bit older then you can try the classics of trying to be sure he’s really hungry before offering the bottle (check the diaper, soothe, etc). There are literally books on this topic so I am not going to droll on here.
I will say that load of parents have told me that partially hydrolyzed formulas seem to “move through” babies quickly, so I really believe that is true…
Hello ! I was breast feeding exclusively until I was hospitalized for postpartum preeclampsia, I started having issues producing enough so I began supplementing with Soy . It was a quick decision I had to be hospitalized more than once unfortunately and I remember standing in Publix with a 180/100 blood pressure trying to decide what formula was best for my baby . Not the most ideal situation, I wish I had seen your website prior . I choose Soy d/t most everyone in my family having a cows milk allergy. I grew up on goats milk as a child . However after things settled down I read the ingredients and was alarmed with all the corn and not ideal ingredients. Questioning if I made the correct choice for my baby , I decided to transition him to the gentle ease emfamil hoping it would give him some relief from the gas. After a couple days of breast feeding and fully transitioning baby to the Gental Ease , my baby developed a rash and development what I believe was colic . I recently switched baby back to soy . I can concerned about leaving him on soy, what r the cons of soy . Should I try Holle cows formula or go right for the goat ? I’m kind of lost on where to go from here.
Hi Betsy, oh dear I am so sorry! Postpartum preeclampsia is a b&^*h.
If your baby was thriving on soy – he can absolutely stay on soy! My motto is: if your baby is thriving, then you have found the perfect formula. You can absolutely try Holle goat. I honestly have no idea if it will help, so you have to weigh the risk of another switch out with our Dr.
My best advice is: trust your intuition!
Hello! Your site is so helpful!
My baby boy is 6.5M, has eczema (and a potential peanut allergy) and has been breastfed so far. When I’ve had to supplement here and there, I’ve given him Gerber Good Start (Gentle) and he tolerated it OK. After doing more research, I wanted to try an organic brand so I ordered HiPP Stage 2 (no starch), but the little guy would only eat 2 ounces and seemed very unhappy with it. Do you think Gerber Good Start (Gentle) is an OK choice if I decide to transition to formula full-time (knowing about his eczema, etc.) or should I continue to try for the organic (European) brands? Thank you!
Jacqui, ask your Dr. If it were me (based on what you’ve written), I’d stick with the Gerber! 100% Partially hydrolzyed whey (what Gerber is) is a great formula choice for eczema in particular.
Is there a specific formula you recommend for constipation or hard stools?
Oh boy – not universally. The best thing to do is to compare formulas you have been on to try to figure out what ingredients have been changed, and which have stayed the same to attempt to figure out what is triggering the constipation. I do usually recommend avoiding palm oil for constipation – this pretty much leaves you with Similac (as both Enfamil and Gerber use palm oil in their standard formulas).
Hi there,
I was wondering if you know the whey:casein ratio for Gerber Gentle vs. Plum Gentle?
I can’t seem to find it anywhere online.
Thank you,
Kali
Hi Kali! I sure do! Both are partially hydrolyzed 100% whey. They have the same protein base.
Hello doctor. I have exclusively breastfed for 3 months. Unfortunately work schedule will not permit me to continue so I want to start mixed Feeding. My LO was born at term and healthy. Which formula would u recommend? Do I need to choose a partially hydrolysed protein source or i can go for a simple whey dominant formula.
Hi Nana, Congrats on making it to 3 months breastfeeding!! If your baby is healthy and hasn’t had digestive issues, go ahead and start with an intact protein, why dominant formula. I bet he/she will do great, especially since you will be mixing with breast milk. Good luck!
I think there’s a new partially hydrolyzed option since this blog post was written, and I’m wondering if Enfamil Neuropro Gentlease might be an equivalent or superior option to your recommended formulas (Gerber Good Start – Gentle Stage 1 and Enfamil Reguline), since the Neuropro is partially hydrolyzed but also has the MFGM? Thank you for your videos!
Yes, that DID come out since I wrote this! Gentlease is 80{d3431cee00683dd1c43a4eb0fdbd2aadf61cae39541cb3bcdd241b07539079d2} corn sugar, 20{d3431cee00683dd1c43a4eb0fdbd2aadf61cae39541cb3bcdd241b07539079d2} lactose for the carb. If your baby needs that much lactose reduction, then I would definitely recommend choosing the formula with MFGM. but if your baby can handle more lactose, then you (unfortunately) have to choose between less corn sugar vs MFGM. There’s no right answer there, so I would encourage you to trust your parental instincts! Thanks for bringing it up!
First of all, thank you for sharing your knowledge! I’ve learnt so much from your articles and your recommendation on the partial hydrolysed formula really helped my baby who developed skin rash (almost immediate) after drinking the normal type of baby formula! I was really helpless buying random formula for him to try until I found you! I have a question which I can’t seem to find the answer. Since my baby appears to be sensitive to cow’s protein and he also has eczema since day 1 (5mths old now) , should I 1) stop drinking cow’s milk since I am breastfeeding 2) is my baby better off drinking partially hydrolysed formula instead of my breastmilk – will that help with his eczema? I know everyone says breastmilk is the best, but can my baby be allergic to my breastmilk that may be causing him eczema?
Hi Ling, it’s very possible that you giving up dairy may help … especially if a partially hydrolyzed formula helped the eczema. Babies can absolutely have bad reactions to things their Mom eats! I would highly recommend trying that before thinking of giving up breast milk. Other common irritants in Moms diet are eggs and soy. So you may consider giving those up next if there is no relief from the dairy. I would suggest starting there. There are so many other things in breast milk that help keep a baby healthy from infections that it is really hard to compare outcomes (like – is it better to have less eczema but get more colds?) So I’d try a few things with your diet, and hopefully provide him relief that way! I hope that is helpful.