From the time your baby is born until they are at least six months old, they need to have either breast milk or specially designed baby formula in order to meet their nutritional requirements.
Breast milk is a straightforward choice, but the varieties of formula in the shops can be somewhat bewildering. There always seems to be a new type of formula making its way onto our shelves. From goat’s milk variations to lactose free formula, there is a huge variety.
Continue reading to find out more about the different types of baby formula, like enfamil newborn vs infant, and which one might be the best for you and your baby.
Standard Formula
This is the formula that you will see most often on the shelves of the pharmacy or supermarket. It is based on cow’s milk and is the formula that most babies will use. The formula contains the protein found in cow’s milk in its unadulterated form.
When you decide to use formula, this will generally be the first type that you try with your baby. There’s usually no a need to venture away from standard formula and your baby will thrive and grow on this type of formula.
Soy-Based Formulas
As you might have guessed, this type of formula is not made from cow’s milk, like a lot of vegetarian foods, it is made from the protein found in soya beans. This means that these formulas do not contain lactose. You might think that they would be a good choice for the lactose intolerant baby, but in fact, it is not recommended to give these infants soya milk because more often than not, if you are allergic to lactose, you are also allergic to the protein found in soya.
The soy-based formula is popular with vegetarian and vegan parents, and it is beneficial for babies that are allergic to a specific sugar found in cow’s milk known as galactose. However, this is quite a rare metabolic disorder. Sometimes paediatricians recommend a soy-based formula after a bout of diarrhoea.
Hypoallergenic Formulas
These formulas also go by the names of protein hydrolysate formulas and extensively hydrolysed protein formulas. They contain the normal proteins found in cow’s milk, but the difference is that these proteins have been broken down into much smaller pieces. They are also lactose-free.
Typically they are used for babies who are allergic to the proteins in cow’s milk, or they suffer from proctocolitis or proctitis brought on by those proteins. Some babies that have rashes, eczema, and wheezing, gain relief from their symptoms when they start using a hypoallergenic formula.
A significant drawback to these types of formulas is that because they have to be highly processed, they are also a great deal more costly than the standard formula.
Amino Acid Formulas
These are also a type of hypoallergenic formula, but the proteins are broken down even further into the smallest possible unit, the amino acid. Again, they are lactose-free and can be given to those infants who suffer from proctocolitis or proctitis. They are pricey but might be the only option if your baby has extreme difficulty with other formulas.
Pre-Term Formula
This is a very nutrient-rich formula with additional protein, calories, and calcium. This allows babies who are born prematurely to catch up on their growth. This formula can replace some or all of their diet and can be combined with breast milk.
Anti-Reflux Formula
If your baby is spitting up milk and is unable to eat without difficulty, they might have reflux. This means that the valve to their stomach is not yet fully formed so it opens when it should not, allowing food and milk to return up towards the mouth. This formula is more jelly-like due to containing rice-starch, and it will help your baby to be more comfortable if the suffer from reflux.
Lactose-Free Formulas
These are made from cow’s milk but with the lactose removed. It is used when babies cannot digest lactose, which is evident when they suffer from diarrhoea and are not thriving. If you see these signs, talk to your paediatrician in case your baby is lactose intolerant. Bear in mind though, that quite often babies have diarrhoea and it is not because they are lactose intolerant so be sure to check with your doctor.
Which Formula?
The most important thing is to monitor your baby’s health. If you have started on standard formula and s/he is thriving, then there is no need to worry. If s/he is losing weight and seems unhappy then talking to your doctor or paediatrician is essential so that you can move onto a suitable formula.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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