You're ready to introduce your baby to formula. You've started to inspect the baby shelves in the supermarket but you realize that you might want a little bit more than the generic, off the shelf, mass produced brand.
But there are so many different types of baby formula!
Where do you start?
Which do you choose?
We feel your struggle so we've put together a guide of the different types of baby formula. Along with a few of our own great organic baby formula too of course!
There are 3 main categories:
1. Cow’s milk–based formula
2. Organic formulas
3. Soy-based formulas
This last category is the closest you can get to a vegan baby formula but it's one we don't feel comfortable recommending yet for your baby's health and growth. Read more here about the dangers of soy based formulas here.
Within cow’s milk formula and organic formulas there is a huge range of alternatives for babies with allergies or special dietary requirements. A few things to consider when choosing your baby formula are:
1. Cow milk allergies
Some babies have an allergy to cow’s milk. It could be an allergy, or an intolerance, it could be a reaction to the lactose in cow’s milk. We’re not doctors! So it's always best to consult your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your babies reaction to formula.
If your baby has this allergy or intolerance you may choose an extensively hydrolyzed formula like HiPP HA Combiotic or an amino acid-based formula. These baby formulas have broken down proteins so the formula is a bit more gentle and isn't so likely to cause an allergic reaction.
As an alternative there are goats milk based formulas which are available on the Organic Baby Food Shop.
2. Colic
Doctors have defined colic as "prolonged or excessive crying in an infant who is otherwise well". One of our moms had a colicky baby. Her bub would cry from 5pm to 9pm every day for 3 months. Not cry, but scream.
It's torture. It's devastating. And it really pushes the limits of your calm and happy place and makes it hard to have patience. Organic baby food shop Colic formulas could be a good place to start helping your baby and you through this really tough time. You might try some of our special formulas from the very wonderful organic bio farmed German brand HiPP.
3. Reflux
This is when your baby spits up a bit after every feed. It's not the end of the world, but it can get pretty messy and it's not much fun for parents or for your precious and beautiful baby. HiPP formulas again can be a great starting point to try. Look at some of the customer testimonials if you’re not sure and reach out to other parents in blogs and baby groups.
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing your baby formula. Your baby’s special needs, allergies, digestive problems, availability, price, potential detrimental effects. We really hope this breakdown of some of the different types of baby formula has helped simplify the choice a little bit.
We always recommend that you consult with your pediatrician, consider any family history of allergies or digestive problems, and don't be afraid to try a few different formulas until you settle on one that makes your baby happy.