Breastfeeding is the most wholesome food that you can give your baby. But baby formulas are bliss when trying to wean the baby off the breast milk or if you cannot breastfeed the baby for one reason.

Studies show that around 85 per cent of new mums choose to use baby formula. This can be either to complement the breastmilk or as a complete replacement. Luckily, modern varieties are advanced enough to provide all the necessary nutrients that babies require as they grow up. In fact, if the mother cannot provide enough breastmilk for the baby, using baby formula is the only safe alternative. Supplementing it with cow’s milk or even homemade formulas might end up hurting your baby. But before you start shopping, read this article to know more about it. Having a better understanding of them will help you make better choices when you shop.

Different types of baby formulas

Baby formulas are one of the greatest inventions of the modern world. It was first concocted by a German chemist by name of Justus von Liebig in 1865. Formulas have gotten a whole lot better in the century following that. Today, there are various formulas, each designed for specific stages of the infant’s development. So, before you start shopping for the formulas, you should have at least a basic idea of all the different types of formulas on the market. Here is a list of the four most common types of them. In this write-up, you will also find some fantastic tips that you can use while shopping for formulas.

First infant formula milk

As the name suggests, this is for newborn babies. It is rich in milk proteins, including casein and whey. Apart from that, it also has other vital nutrients that are necessary for the development of the newborn till you start to introduce solid foods to the baby. You can continue giving this formula for up to one year after the baby starts eating solid foods. There is not any particular reason to switch your baby to another type of formula unless the doctor suggests so. Sometimes it can happen that the baby does not like the taste of a particular brand of infant milk. In that case, you can try a different brand.

Goat’s milk formula

First, infant milk formula is based on the composition of cow’s milk. But apart from this thing, you will also find others that follow the composition of goat’s milk. Nutritionally, there isn’t any significant difference between the two. But if your baby is allergic to cow’s milk formulas, then you can try replacing it with this. In fact, goat’s milk formula is less likely to cause any allergies in babies. So, you can prefer this if your baby has some problem with the cow’s milk. But some babies are allergic to both cow’s milk infant formula and goat’s milk formula. This is because both of these have similar protein compositions.

Hungry baby formula

Some babies tend to feed constantly and regularly wake up from sleep because they are hungry. In that case, a formula that takes longer to digest can be helpful. Hungry baby formula contains more casein than others. As casein takes longer to digest than whey, this type of milk will keep your baby calm for a longer period. This might not necessarily solve the problem of them waking up constantly in the middle of sleep, though. Similar to the infant formula and goat’s milk formula, this too is suitable for newborns to one year old. So, you can consider it for your munchkin.

Anti-reflex baby formula

If your baby always brings up the milk after feeding, then the anti-reflex formula might help you. It is thicker than the regular one to prevent reflux in babies. That being said, always consult a doctor before using it. The methods to prepare these formulas are also different from the others. Generally, you should use boiled water that is allowed to cool down for half an hour to prepare it to get the right consistency that is palpable for the baby. But this can vary between manufacturers. Some of these formulas work even if you use colder water.

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