Baby Formula 2014

Breastmilk is the perfect food for baby, however, there are often situations when a mother cannot feed her baby milk from her body. This could be baby refusing to latch on, or mom not producing enough to adequately feed her little one. Whatever the reason, baby formula is a great supplement that will help your baby get the nutrients she needs.

There are many choices nowadays so let us break it down for you.

First of all, there are basically three forms to choose from. First, there are powders. These are usually the cheapest and need to be scooped out and mixed with water.

Liquid concentrates are more expensive and are already diluted with some water in the container.

The most pricey kind of formula is ready-to-use though they cost more, they are very convenient. These can be great to throw into a diaper bag when you are out and about and not able to mix it with water conveniently. Being able to pour them straight into the bottle will help you save time and energy.

What’s in Formulas?

You need to decide what base of formula you want to feed your baby. The most common is milk based formulas. These are made from cow’s milk, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals. They often come fortified with iron as well.

Soy is also popular but contains corn syrup and sucrose for carbs. These are also offered with iron as well. This makes a good choice for babies who are dairy allergic. It is not recommended for low birth weight infants though.

If you want specialty baby formulas, you can find them as well. These are often used for babies who are low birth weight or need low sodium. Some babies also have issues with the whole proteins that are found in cow’s milk and milk based formulas. I would suggest getting a formula with DHA and ARA omega fatty acids. These are found to help brain and nerve development.

The best way to decide what formula to get your baby is to ask your pediatrician for recommendations. Make sure you don’t ever buy containers of formula that are damaged in any way. You never know what it was exposed to, or how the compounds might have changed from the damage.

Look here for more information about how to choose the right formula for you little one.

Organic Formula for Babies

One of my personal favorites is Baby's Only Organic Toddler Formula. Anything organic is going to be healthier for your baby than not.

All ingredients inside are certified USDA organic so you can rest assured that there are no pesticides used in any of the ingredients. This is a dairy, iron fortified food for your baby that includes other healthy things such as sunflower oil, coconut oil, vitamins D3, B1, B2, and B12. It’s flavored with organic vanilla and only has 6 grams of sugars in it, and 25 mg of sodium.

This product is scientifically formulated to meet the nutritional standards established by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is also a product that is made in the United States as well.

You will also be relieved to know that this company does not use BPA in the can lining so your baby won’t be getting any that has leached into his food. If your baby tends to turn his nose up at the smell and flavor of other formulas, give this one a try; it even smells appetizing to me!

Another great organic choice is Earth’s Best Organic Formula. One thing that I love about this company is that they promote non genetically engineered foods.

This company makes formula in both dairy and soy blends for your baby’s specific needs. They are often fortified with DHA and ARA as well which help brain and eye development. The company claims that their blends do not contain growth hormones, steroids, antibiotics or pesticides and fertilizers.

The formula comes from as close to breastmilk as they could make with with high quality proteins, carbs, as well as various vitamins and minerals. The whey/casein ratio is almost identical to that of mother's milk too.

I like that this product is Kosher and USDA organic certified. Made from whole grains, no added salts, sugars and starches, as well as having no artificial colors or preservatives, you can trust that your baby is getting something very healthy.

This has seemed to be a formula that my baby can easily digest. This is great since she typically has issues with gas and bloating. Every baby is different but give this a try and see how you do.

Take a look at Enfamil Nutramigen with Enflora Powder Formula. This pack of six 12.6 ounce cans is a hypoallergenic blend that is fortified with iron. This is good for babies who have milk allergies and issues with colic.

It features hydrolyzed proteins to assist with the bad gas and pain that comes from colic. Colic is quite normal and may babies experience it as their digestive tracts are developing. Infants that have a milk protein allergy means that their bodies think the proteins from cow’s milk are foreign bodies which cause an immune response, therefore resulting in inflamed intestines.

This blend has HDA and ARA as well. I love that not only does it have the proteins to assist with tummy issues, but it includes essential probiotics to ensure healthy bacteria in the gut. This formula does not smell great, but most babies don’t seem to care and will eat it just fine; a baby will eat when it is hungry enough!

It seemed to cause some looser stools with my little one but nothing that was alarming. After a while, she seemed to get used to it and they hardened up. This is a bit more expensive than other formulas on the market, but if you find something your baby can handle, the price is worth it, is it not?

Top Rated Baby Formula Review

Another good choice for babies with gas issues is this Similac Sensitive Formula. Your purchase here contains six cans of 23.3 ounces. It is recommended for babies 0 to 12 months of age.

It is formulated with DHA and ARA as well. I love that the scoop is stored in the lid to keep from cross contaminating the food with germs that may have gotten on the scoop from your hands. It’s easy to open and very user friendly.

This contains no lactose so it is much easier to digest. It has a unique blend of carbs to reduce gas for sensitive tummies. You should be aware that when it is mixed with water, it tends to get quite a bit of foam; you may want to skim some off before giving it to your infant.

The smell and taste is actually quite mild as well. Many babies do well on this formula so give it a try.

You might also be interested in this Similac Advance Newborn Formula. This comes as a pack of 48. Recommended for babies 0-12 months of age, it is fortified with DHA and ARA. T

There is also quite a bit of calcium in the formula as well. The exclusive palm olein oil free fat blend is where the calcium comes into play.

I love the packaging which makes running out the door very easy! I highly recommend that you use this product for supplementation or when you are on the go. We’ve used them on airplanes quite frequently when we fly back and forth to see family; it makes travel so much more convenient. You basically can twist off the lid, add a nipple and ring to feed your baby directly from the bottles included.

This particular blend is great for boosting the immune system as well. The only drawback is that you have to buy your nipples separately since they don’t include any with your purchase. Similac is a brand that many parents end up going to if their babies have gas issues with other brands.

If your baby doesn’t seem to have tummy issues, you might like Enfamil Newborn Powder. Your purchase includes 4 packs of 23.4 ounce cans.

I love that it contains a good amount of vitamin D as well. The research on vitamin D is astounding so I was excited to see this in this product.

It also features a prebiotic blend that will help your baby’s immune system and make it easier to digest. This formula was made to help your baby absorb calcium and phosphorus easier as well.

I like the reusable tub too since I hate wasting materials. I found that my baby, who had constipation quite a bit from birth, was pooping much better after a week of using this formula. Overall, it is not only a good blend, but more affordable than many others as well.