What is important is for your baby to get the nourishment that he needs as he grows. Although breast milk is the best, some babies do not thrive to breast milk. In this case, you have to switch to formula feeding. You have many options to choose from.



The taste and quality of formula milk can be very different from breast milk. For one, the taste remains the same because it is not reliant on the mother's dietary choices. Nursing mothers are often advised to put a limit in their intake of spicy foods, chocolate and certain vegetables and meat. These foods can affect the digestion of the mother and eventually result to upsetting the tummy of her little one. However, mothers who are into formula feeding can eat whatever they want and even enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, if they choose to do so.

Contrary to what many people think, the brand you choose is not really that important. Different babies react to different things. This is the same with feeding - certain formula milks that have worked for many babies may not work for yours. All formula milks that are available in the market undergo FDA screenings and should pass all regulations, specifying the minimum and maximum nutrient level prerequisites needed for infant formulas. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, which makes sure that the formula milks sold in the market are complete with the nutrients that your baby needs and that they are safe for drinking, recommends these.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse or promote any particular brand of formula that your infant may drink once you decide not to breastfeed. However, they do recommend those formulas that are high in iron.

Milk formulas usually vary in the kind of sugar and protein that they contain. Ordinary iron-fortified milk formulas such as Enfamil Lipil, Similac Advance, and Nestle Good Start Supreme are prepared with lactose and cow's-milk-based proteins. Majority of infants who are not being breastfed should be fully provided a cow's-milk-based iron fortified formula.

There are also the less-recommended soy formulas that have soy protein and are lactose-free. They can be given to children who can not tolerate lactose or milk proteins. They are, however, proven to be less nutritious compared to cow-milk-based formulas.

If your family has a history of allergies with milk formulas and you do not want to breastfeed, you have the option of giving your baby soy or elemental formula which can also be good for him. Elemental formulas are lactose-free and are processed with hydrolysate proteins that are very tolerable because they are easy to digest for infants with protein allergies.