Help! I need a formula recommendation – NOW!
If you’ve found this page, then chances are – you are the parent of newborn.
You probably intended to exclusively breastfeed but something has changed, and your family has decided to feed baby formula to your new angel. Of course you are determined to find the absolute best brand. It is also likely 3AM, and you probably haven’t slept much (or showered) in the past few weeks and feel like a strange blend of mother hen meets zombie. I get it! I understand! …. and I can help …
This site is dedicated to taking the mystery out of baby formula and helping parents like you feel confident that they’re making the right choice for their baby. At the bottom of this page, there’s links to a lot of must-know information about choosing and switching baby formulas, along with lots of other info about baby health that will make you queen of the playground gang for sure! PLEASE promise me you’ll read it when you have time.
If you are desperate – here are recommendations if you are just starting formula for the first time – remember to be sure your doc is cool with it first.
For healthy term infants with no major health complications
– who are younger than 5 months –
I recommend starting with either:
In a nutshell – here’s why:
All are a partially hydrolyzed formulas that contain mostly lactose, ranging from 100% (Plum) to 50% (Reguline). The protein in Gerber and Plum is whey-based, and Reguline is a blend of mostly whey and some casein. Plum is a simple recipe. Gerber has a fancy PREbiotic found in breast milk, as well as a Probiotic. Reguline has a PREbiotic only. All three have DHA.
Here’s a link to the full breakdown of ingredients, and more details about each so you know why I like these formulas as a starter for tiny tummies.
For healthy term infants with no major health complications
– who are older than 5 months and have already had dairy food –
I recommend starting with either:
Plum Organic Formula
Earth’s Best Dairy Organic Formula (red can)
Honest Co Standard Formula (NEW recipe)
I like these because both are organic and have additional whey (awesome). Neither have additional corn-base sugars. And you can choose if you want to have DHA and ARA (Plum and Earth’s Best) or avoid it (Honest Co).
There are a few minor differences between the three, but they are all great choices. For a full breakdown of the ingredients, visit here.
I hope that helps solve your immediate problem… take a deep breath … you are doing a great job!
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!
Check out our awesome free resources here, including the Formula Ingredients Cheat Sheet, and Baby Formula Shopping Guide.
Check out the answers to the most common Baby Formula FAQs, including “Does my formula need to be organic?” and “Is name brand formula better than store-brand?”
Click here to get more information on me (Dr. Young).
I am excited to take this journey with your family.