What's the Best Formula?

Hello W.,

i would talk to your daughters doctor at your next appointment. they should have samples of formula and those cans are smaller and easier to keep and he might also have different brands for you to try. i would think thats something all doctors do so i hope yours does too. well i hope that helped.

A.

Enfamil w/ Lipil was recommended by my son's pediatrician and it's been great for the occassional need for formula. He doesn't vomit it back up at all. He was solely breastfed until 5 months. After that, he had/has formula at the sitter's and nurses when he is with me.

I recommend getting the single powder packets so you can have the perfect amount on hand. It also prevents the waste when you don't use the entire can of formula. My sitter loves them. The singlet packets are sold at Safeway and Target.

Good luck!

All of my have been fed both ways and my favorite is Good Start. There seem to be less fussiness and gassiness than with the others.

I second the idea to pump, it is easy and cheaper than formula. You can even rent pumps from lactation consultants (don't borrow one for sanitary reasons). It is also nice to have the milk for mixing baby food.

I pump and save the milk, but generally use this for when I am working, but for convenience we also use Similac "Ready to Feed" liquid which stays good longer than opening a big container of powder. Sometimes you just want it quick without having to defrost the milk.

I used Earth's Best Organic milk-based formula when I began supplementing at 9 months. I agree with other posters that I wish I had single serving packets or glass bottles (avoid metal cans of liquid formula due to BPA), since I used so little formula.
I know many people who switched their fussy babies to Nestle Good Start with success.
Enfamil Lipil or Gentlease (equivalent to Good Start) would be another decent choice.
I would avoid Similac Organic bacause it is made with sucrose instead of lactose, is much sweeter than other formulas, and may contribute to obesity. The controversy appeared in the NY Times a few weeks ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/us/19formula.html?incam...

Hi W.!!
I supplemented my breastfeeding with regular Similac. But it didn't seem like my son had any issues until I bought the concentrate. It made him spit up a lot. The ready feed was good & the powder was great (don't have to refrigerate in summer). I would use sterile water put in bottles & if we were going anywhere, I would pre-measure in baggies & mix in bottles as needed.
Good luck!

my advice is talk to your daughter doctor.

I dont really know that there is a big difference if any at all between brands. Similac and Enfamil are the oldest I beleive. So if I had to pick one I'd pick one of those, they should have pretty much perfected their formulation by now. If money is no problem I'd go w/ the premixed formula in small cans. The only drawback w/ that is possible waste. Just beware that the protein in the formula can sometimes cause constipation, if that happens you can get low iron.

I would just get an inexpensive pump if you don't have one or rent one and pump some extra milk and keep it in the freezer for emergencies. This is what I do. I don't pump as much as my baby can get when she nurses, but I get a few ounces and just pump some every day or so to gradually build up a supply. You can look online maybe at kellymom to find help with pumping. Make sure you look at reviews for any pump you want to buy, because some work better than others. I usually pump about an hour before I expect my daughter to nurse and do this once a day. Hope this helps.

I had the same question with my first when I went back to work (she was 3 months. You need to feel good about what you're giving your baby and that you are doing the best thing. We split between the Nestle Good Start & nursing / pumping. I was able to still nurse mornings /evenings to a year. So I felt pretty good about that.

My son essentially weened himself three months ago, and will be a year in July -- we've been supplementing Good Start but just started him on the Enfamil ProSoBE(??) for TODDLERS.

Hi W.,
Someone may have already mentioned this, but if you buy a big canister check how long it is good for after you open it. I remember needing to use it within one month of opening it.

I used Nestle Good Start with both of my kids and no problems.

Hi W.,
We use Similac Advance with iron. It's a little pricey, but worth it. All 3 of my kids have had it, and we've never had a problem with digestion. You can buy it as a liquid--then you don't have to bother with the messy powder and boiling water to mix it with. If you want smaller, portable amounts, it also comes in packs of 6 little containers.
This is the formula that the hospitals gave us when our children were born, and we stayed with it. I have asked the pediatrician which brand/type was best, and he said that they are essentially all the same. Just make sure the one you pick contains DHA and ARA (which are in breast milk).
Hope this helps!

Formula is highly regulated. Beyond the obvious differences of soy, hypoallergenic and milk, they are all nutritionally the same. Some people swear by the DHA in formula and some people hate it.

If there are no feeding issues just Enfamil Simulac should be fine. There is also "Next Step" formula for babies 9 months and older that are getting ready for the change to whole milk. But if issues do arise, Gentlease formula from Enfamil is a godsend! Good luck.

Hi W.,

Contact the La Leche League at:

www.lllusa.org/VA/WebTidewaterVA or 1-800-525-3243

Join a parent support group and take some parenting classes:

www.kidspriorityone.org or ###-###-####

www.chkd.org/classes

Good luck. Hope this helps. D.

If you have a breast pump, I would just pump a little extra and freeze it. It is good up to 6 months in the freezer. A glass or plastic bottle is better than the plastic bags for long time storage. The longer a baby nurses the less likely it is to take formula. Another thing to consider is that once you open a can can of powder formula it is only good for a month. Liquid is only good for about 48 hours. If you are going to buy formula I suggest getting single servings. Enfamil Lipil with iron makes individual powder packs. We used them with my son becasue I had a milk suppy issue. Once my milk supply issue was gone he simply refused anything but breast milk.

I used Similac and Enfamil depending on what was one sale. My daughter didn't mind the switch. I got the ones that had the DHA and ARA...Similac Advance (blue) and Enfamil with Lipil (gold.)

i think any formula would do. here's the problem: you said you'll try a few to see which one she likes. you're supposed to use one formula for at least a week or more until her body adjusts to it and see if she likes it or she's bothered by it. so you can't really switch the next day.
i have twins. one used similac adv. with iron. she did good with it. the other one was on similac until we realized it was giving her major stomach cramps. we switched to alimentum with iron. it's expensive but very mild and hypoallergenic (it's been a while, so check this info). she did great with it. also the one in alimentum had less struggle to transition to whole milk.
good luck

Don't know about formula but why not pump some breast milk and just keep it in the freezer until its needed? Just a thought and then you wouldn't be introducing the 'fake stuff' in case of emergency, your babe would just get more of the 'best' :) Just a thought.

S.

I am a foster mother and have used a lot of milk-based formulas. My personal preference would be Good-Start. I find the babies digest it well and have very few problems with gas, constipation, etc. Hooray for you breast-feeding, a great benefit for your daughter!

My 1st took easily to Nestle Good Start. It was a quick transition for us, as my milk dried fairly quickly when I became pregnant with my 2nd. He didn't seem to have any problems regarding taste, and apparently the formulas do taste different, since he wouldn't take any other brand. However, if it's just for emergencies, I'd think about buying one of the brands that are available in single servings- once the formula can is open, it has to be thrown away in about 4 weeks.

My kids really liked Nestle Good Start. Although, I think most of the formulas are pretty compatible with each other! Just remember, once you open it, it has to be used in a certain amount of time

this stuff can go bad if you dont use all of it and you seem like you only plan on giving a bottle a week if that. so my advice is to buy something with a long shelf life that comes in very small bottle sized containers. go to this site and you will see what im talking about. this is a good brand too that i recomend. (get the glass bottles if you plan on using it like once every two days or less get the can if more often tan that)
http://www.verybestbaby.com/GoodStart/Nurser.aspx

I breast feed my 8 month old daughter. I tried to do only exclusive breast milk but I work full time and the sitter ran out of what was stored. So I bought enfimial lipil for back up. She's used it a couple times with no problem. I buy the 8 oz canned liquid kind...I think it comes 4 in a pack. A nurse told me the liquid kind is more sterile than the powder. Plus that way we can just pour it in the bottle and not worry about adding water. Good luck...I'm sure whatever you choose will be fine.

I have no advice as to type as I never needed my emergency stash either, however, if you call whichever company you choose, they'll usually send you a free sample which should be enough to get you by. It's usually a whole can. Good luck!

I highly recommend the Carnation Good Start Formulas. All the other one's made my kids extremely gassy. I'm not sure if they offer anything besides canisters, though.

I was exclusively breastfeeding my son till he was 6 months. Then I had to go back to work and choose a formula. He didn't like Lipil, Enfamil, Similac and Nestle. Accidentally a friend of mine gave me to try Kirkland - he loved it. We went to Costco and got it from there - it's a big box and a lot cheaper than anything else. And the best part - at the back side of the box there is comparison with the other 2 - it's same good and healthy! He is 8 months now and I think if I started with the formula a bit later - he wouldn't like anything. So I would advise you to try to start giving him at least once the formula so he/she can get used to and be open to other tastes also.

I have always used Similac. Mine seemed to spit up less with Similac than Enfamil. I breastfed for a while before switching. You can join the Welcome Addition club and they send you samples and coupons.

Hi W.,

We use Emfamil Lipil with Iron as that is what they had at the hospital and that is what our doctor recommended. I would ask your pediatrician what she/he recommends!

Enfamil Lipid with DHA

Hi, W.. I would talk to a lactation consultant or your pediatrician about this before making this shift. A thought: If your baby is used to breast milk only, springing formula on her in an emergency might just end up with her rejecting it and being hungry. Maybe you should introduce her to the occasional bottle of formula now so she is used to it -- don't give up breastfeeding at all! but see if she will switch back and forth between breast milk and formula, because if there is an emergency (not sure what you mean by emergency, but I assume you mean a time when you're not there to feed her and there's no expressed breast milk handy?)--you want to know she'll take the formula. Do you pump and freeze breast milk? That sounds like the best alternative if you can do that. Good luck.