Homemade Formula for Infants

While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization both agree that breast milk is best for babies, it's not always possible for mothers to nurse exclusively. Parents then turn to formula. Stop in the baby aisle at any grocery store and you will see rows and rows of different kinds of baby formula. Some babies don't respond well to commercial formula, though. Some parents don't trust it. So they decide to make their own. And that is a big challenge.

  1. What Babies Need

    • Babies less than 10 to 12 months old cannot digest pure cow's milk properly, nor can they get all the nutrients they need from it. So formula fills in the gap. The Food and Drug Administration regulates formula strictly, and makes nutritional requirements based on the recommendations of the AAP. Commercial infant formula and breast milk always contain protein, fat, vitamin A, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, niacin, iron and zinc.

    The Authorities

    • The FDA and the AAP do not recommend feeding your baby homemade formula. Both recommend breastfeeding and, barring that, commercially made formula. Scientists are always striving to get the closest match to breast milk, so now commercial formulas also includes DHA, a component of breast milk linked to brain development. The FDA regulates these additions, as well as encouraging expert nutritionists to develop ever better formula. Homemade infant formula recipes are not designed by experts or developed in labs where the goal is to simulate breast milk. Therefore, no reputable agency supports the use of homemade infant formula.

    Potential Problems

    • The major concern over homemade infant formula is that the infant may not get enough nutrients. It's very hard to measure things reliably in a home kitchen day after day. Plus, because there will have been no large scale studies of the formula recipe you use, you have no guarantee that even if it is reliably measured, it will have enough nutrients. Babies who are not getting enough nutrients can become listless or have their brain development negatively affected. In rare and tragic cases, they may even die.

    Chemicals

    • The advantage to homemade infant formula is that there will be no chemicals in it. Low levels of melamine have been found in U.S. formulas (higher levels were found in Chinese formulas which led to the deaths of a number of children several years ago). The FDA says that these low levels are safe, but it can still be disturbing for a lot parents.

    Considerations

    • If you are going to make homemade infant formula, be sure to use goat's milk, as soy milk is not recommended except in rare cases. Find a reliable recipe (see Resources) and keep track of your baby's weight gain weekly so you know that he or she is getting enough to eat.

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