Adding a baby to your family is such an exciting time for everyone around. For new parents, it can be very overwhelming as there is so much information and so much to learn! One topic that will come up in discussion is formula feeding. For many parents, when this topic is discussed it is either brushed over because the plan is to get whatever formula the doctor says, or completely ignored because the plan is to breastfeed.
The issues always arise when the previous plans don’t quite work out the way we hoped. In some cases, moms aren’t able to breastfeed and in other cases, the formula you are giving your baby doesn’t agree with them. So regardless of which option or boat you may be in now, we have a few pointers to help you discuss now. As the age-old saying goes, it’s better to be prepared and not need the plan than not prepared and scramble to make a plan.
Pointer #1: Research the Ingredients in the Baby Formula
Regulations are in place in the food industry to ensure harmful products are kept off the shelves in grocery stores. As such, a parent might believe that the baby products should have much stricter guidelines than all the products, but this is not always the case. As parents, you need to advocate for your child’s health by understanding how each ingredient can affect your baby.
There are some ingredients that may be labeled safe to consume, but necessary to consume. Consider this ingredient in almost everything: sugar. Yes, you can eat sugar safely, but if you consume too much it can have harmful effects on your body. So how much is a safe amount for a baby to consume? I am sure most parents first thought would be none – why would they need this? Breastmilk is naturally sweet because lactose has a natural sweetness to it; so there are baby formulas on the market that have added sugar to mimic breastmilk. This is not the right solution, in fact, it is a terrible one. In many popular brands, you may see it disguised under other names such as high fructose corn syrup, glucose syrup solids, or sucrose. None of those ingredients are necessary and can be completely avoided to raise a happy, healthy baby.
Here are some other ingredients you may want to research further:
- Soy
- Dioxin
- Synthetic Nutrients
- Artificial DHA
- Preservatives
There are plenty of other ingredients that could be considered controversial as well, but as a parent, you need to research them and come to your own conclusions.
Pointer #2: Speak with your Pediatrician, but come prepared
So often parents only listen to a doctor’s advice without digging deeper, because they trust the doctor knows best. Sometimes doctors may not be completely up to date with the latest studies and information, and other times they may not be well-educated on that specific topic. When it comes to formula feeding, doctors in America are taught to recommend FDA-approved products, unless you are visiting a less main-stream doctor. In such a case, your doctor may not recommend a formula from overseas, even though the regulations in Europe are much higher in terms of baby food. Plus, the standards for organic baby formula take into consideration the entire environment, not just the animals on the farm.
All this being said, when you speak about formula feeding with your doctor, make sure you have done a bit of research first. In fact, always do a bit of research before speaking with your doctor on any subject, so that you can have a basic understanding initially. This allows you the chance to ask more pointed questions at the moment, instead of realizing a whole bunch of questions after the appointment.
Pointer #3: Consider your Baby’s Needs
There is a reason there are so many varieties of baby formula available. Not every baby will work on every formula, which is why formulas are designed for your baby’s needs. If your baby is still growing in mom, this will be slightly harder to know. It’s useful to at least know a couple of alternative options for baby’s with sensitive needs – so that if your baby is sensitive to the formula you first try, then you already have done the research on some other options.
Most of the time the sensitivity on the baby has to do with the lactose. To clarify, mom’s milk has lactose, so it’s not specifically the lactose, but rather where the lactose comes from. As a baby is developing, their digestive system may have a hard time processing lactose from different animals. That leaves a parent to discover the different options available:
A. HypoAllergenic (HA) Formula: This formula can either completely omit the lactose or hydrolyze it. When the formula is hydrolyzed, the lactose protein is broken down into smaller fragments to make it easier for the baby’s body to fully digest it. HA formulas are a great first step to helping your sensitive baby. Be cautious of the formulas in this category that omit the lactose and replace it with soy. There have been many scientific studies about the negative effects of soy on a baby, so this would be the absolute last alternative to consider.
B. A2 Formula Milk: Newer to the market, the A2 formula options are expanding as research has shown that the A2 protein is much easier on baby’s sensitive tummies. Most cow milks formula is derived from the A1 milk protein. The two beta-casein proteins are almost identical, each containing 209 amino acids, the building blocks of any protein. The only difference between A1 and A2 protein chains is in the 67th amino acid.
When the A1 protein is broken down, it can create peptide BCM-7; this peptide can cause problems with a baby’s digestive system. For the A2 protein, the proline amino acid prevents BCM-7 from reaching the baby’s sensitive body and therefore prevents possible digestive issues. This means some babies that are having problems digesting cow’s milk might not actually have problems digesting cow’s milk from the A2 only cows. Good news for parents, since when they transition off from formula, there is an actual A2 milk company they can use as well!
C. Goat Milk Formula: This alternative formula swaps the lactose from cow’s to goat’s milk. There are many reasons why this option has been highly successful for sensitive babies. One reason is that goat’s milk is strictly A2 milk; as discussed above, this one protein change can have profound impacts.
Some babies may benefit from the A2 protein, but still have issues because their bodies simply don’t digest cow’s milk well. Goat’s milk has been shown to be closer in composition to breastmilk than cow’s milk, so this is easier on a baby. The proteins in goat’s milk are easier to digest because they form a smaller, softer curd in the baby’s stomach as well.
Conclusion
This is a starter guide for you and your family. The pointers we discussed are only the tip of the iceberg and should really just help you start thinking about the formula you will be feeding your baby. And as said before, if you don’t plan on feeding them formula, at least having this basic understanding is an excellent way to be prepared for any circumstance. We hope you have enjoyed learning with us!
