Baby Formulas

Formulas come in three basic forms: 1) cow milk-based formulas (eg., Enfamil®, Similac®, and others), 2) soy bean-based formulas (eg., Isomil®, Prosobee®, and others), and 3) specialty formulas (eg., Nutramigen®, Alimentum® and others).

Cow Milk Formulas

1) These are the basic infant formulas. If you wish to formula feed your infant, these are the first formulas to try. There are two forms, regular and low iron. Unless directed by your physician, I feel that you should use the regular formula. Scientific studies have shown that colic and spitting have no relationship to iron in the formula.

Cow milk-based formulas are just that. Take milk from a cow, run it through some machines to take some things out and add various nutrients to it until it approximates human milk.

Lactose Free Formulas

Recently, lactose-free cow milk-based formulas have become available (lactose is "milk sugar"). These are useful in babies with a lactose intolerance. It is very rare for a baby to be born with an inability to digest lactose (congenital lactase deficiency), but rather common in older children and adults. However, many babies are rendered temporarily lactose intolerant by some causes of infectious diarrhea (secondary acquired lactase deficiency). This may last as long as one month after the diarrhea is gone.

Soy Milk Formulas

2) Soy bean protein-based formulas are used in infants with an allergy to cow milk protein. About 1% of all infants will be allergic to the proteins in cow milk. However, 20 - 50 % of these babies (some pediatric gastroenterologists even guess the number is closer to 90%) are allergic to the proteins in soy milk as well. Due to this, I don't use much soy-based formulas. Because soybeans don't make lactose, all soy formulas are also lactose free.

Specialty Formulas

3) This last category is most easily thought of as "predigested" (kind of a yucky way to think of it) formula. Some of these formulas start out as cow milk-based, but through specific enzymatic actions in the laboratory, the proteins are broken down. These formulas are used in babies with allergy to milk/soy proteins. They are also quite expensive and smell bad.

There are many other types of formulas. They are used for specific reasons, including metabolic abnormalities, prematurity, continued protein hypersensitivites, or digestive insufficiencies.

Finally, many, if not most, if not all pediatricians would tell you that YOUR milk, Mom - - human breast milk, is the best milk for your baby. But if that is not possible for any reason, infant formulas are only 1/2 step behind, if that much. And please remember to talk to your doctor before making any formula changes.

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