New to baby formulas? They're not as complicated as you think! Before you head on to choose a formula, it's best to know that most formulas are almost the same in nutrition, with some being altered to suit a specific problem. Also, it can depend on your baby's taste. If they don't like the formula, it can pose a problem for you and your baby's feeding habits.
Still, you're in luck! We've dug to find out some of the popular and suitable choices among parents via Lazada and Shopee reviews as well as forums. Remember, it's also based on your baby's taste and any issue they're facing. Therefore, do take our list as just recommendations but you still can be flexible with your choices!
Note: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mothers to breastfeed their infants for the first six months from birth. But for mothers who encounter difficulty in breastfeeding, they may consult doctors before trying milk powder or infant formula. This is to ensure that your baby receives the necessary nutrition for both mental and physical development.
So if you’re set on offering formula to your little one, let us break it down to you on the essentials to know.
How much milk to feed your newborn?
A fine rule to remember is that newborn and younger babies will feed more frequently, in smaller amounts whereas more formula is fed but in fewer feeding sessions for older babies. Assuming your newborn is feeding on formula in the first 4-6 months:
- Upon birth, 45ml to 60ml, whenever your newborn asks for it. Breastfed babies typically take less formula, but requires more feeding sessions.
- In the next 3 weeks, your baby would require about 60ml to 90ml, feeding every 3 to 5 hours.
- After the first month, your baby would want about 90 to 120ml of formula every session. By this time, your baby would have more or less a predictable feeding schedule (roughly 3 to 4 times a day).
- By the 6th month, your baby would require 175ml to 235ml of formula, and feed 4 or 5 times a day.
As all babies are different, the best way to determine if your baby is getting enough is by understanding their pattern. Look out for these common signs that your newborn baby is hungry:
- When your baby finishes fast and is looking around "for more"
- Smacking their lips
- Sucking (dismiss this temptation with a pacifier if your baby is feeding too much)
- When your baby cry (but this is a late cue)
Clear signs that your baby is fully satiated is when they feel relaxed or turn away from the bottle. Also, do bring your baby to see the doctor for a check-up to ensure that they are growing on track.
More: Raise a Healthy Little One With These 7 Nutritious Organic Baby Formulas!
Is mixed feeding good for babies?
Mixed feeding is when a baby is fed both formula as well as breastmilk. Although exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months is optimal for your baby, mothers may need to concern themselves with mixed feeding if they run into issues with breastfeeding. For your infant to be healthy, it’s important that he or she receives enough milk and the right nutrients.
For mothers with low milk supply, this is where supplementing with infant formula becomes a lifesaver. Everyone knows caring for a baby is tough work, which is why most mothers support mixed feeding. Mixed feeding not only helps partners develop bonds with their babies, but it gives mothers a break when the load is shared between parents.
Here are the best formulas that are recommended for newborns:
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Most doctors would recommend a hydrolyzed formula as they're much easier to digest as well as hypoallergenic. And that is all found in this formula which is recommended by many doctors, even locals, to be suitable as a substitute for newborns.
The formula has almost everything you need to feed your child the right nutrition. It actually consists of an optimized protein blend call OPTIPRO H.A, whereby protein is partially hydrolyzed, and broken into much smaller pieces that will easily be digested. This blend is also made of high-quality 100% whey protein so babies who might be lactose intolerant, can drink this formula as well.
Other nutrients found in the formula include DHA and ARA - both are fundamental replacements to breast milk and helps with strengthening the immune system and overall physical components of the body. The formula also has probiotics, an important element to help you baby produce a good digestive system. There's also iron and zin fortified into the formula to ensure healthy growth and production in blood cells.
Needless to say, Enfamil is a well-known brand for baby milk powders. Among its line of delicately-designed formulations, the Enfamil A+ Stage 1 Infant Formula Baby Milk Powder is well suited for most newborn babies. And it's not just strictly for those that are a few months old, but from the time they're born until 12 months later!
The formula is infused with vital building blocks DHA at 17mg2 and ARA at 34mg for each 100 kcal; the former lens support to the development of your baby’s brain while ARA is for the eyes. Also consisting of a unique blend of PDX (Polydextrose) and prebiotic GOS, the formula is meant to help your infant’s digestive system to thrive healthily.
Reviewers say that this formula dissolves easily, which means not much bubbles will go into your baby. This also proves that the formula is an easily-digestible one.
More: 7 Nursing Covers To Make Breastfeeding Much Easier in Public
Organic milk means it is milk that comes from free-range cows that also eats organic food. Truth be told, researches found little to support the idea that organic milk is better for your baby. However, they're definitely a better choice for those who are environmentally-concern.
Some researches also found that organic milk commonly contains more omega-3 fatty acids, which may help with the development of the baby's coordination skills. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found to help tone down inflammatory effects.
Suitable for babies up to 6 months old, Kendamil Organic Stage 1 is a British-made formula containing 100% organic whole milk. With Kendamil Organic, parents can enrich their babies with the natural goodness of full cream nutrients. Rid of palm oil, this premium first infant milk is packed full of the essential nutrients for a healthy baby.
Many parents have raved about its formula being accepted by colicky, underweight and even fussy babies. They find that their babies are budding into a healthy-weight growth.
A premature baby would need all the additional nutrients it can get in order to retain the healthy growth of their babies. As such, Enfamil has created this A+ Stage 1 Post-discharge Infant Formula which contains a higher concentration of certain nutrition perfect for premature babies.
The formula has more protein, Vitamin D and calcium. Protein ensures strong tissue muscles while calcium supports proper bone growth. Whereas vitamin D helps to better the absorption of nutrients in order to lower the risk of bone-structure deficiencies.
Custom-made for premature babies transitioning from the hospital to their new homes, this delicate yet comprehensive formula gives parents reassurance in sustaining the healthy growth and development of their little ones. Consisting of the must-have nutrients such as DHA and ARA, the formula also ensures that your newborn's eye, brain and bone development will grow healthily alongside other newborns.
Common observations by parents who frequent this formula noted that the formula is not thick and is easily digestible by their babies. They also mentioned that their little ones were able to achieve a healthy weight gain.
More: 9 Best Organic Baby Cereals To Meet Your Little One's Nutritious Needs
Worried about too much acid in your baby’s stomach? Make Similac’s Total Comfort Stage 1 your go-to for reducing the reflux in your infant. This formula has been spotted to be used by hospital nurses for feeding newborns when necessary. And the secret lies in what this formula holds;- an abundance of nutrients that are essential to nurturing a strong, growing baby.
For starters, this formula is able to relieve acid reflux in an infant’s stomach. The formula is easily digestible, being lactose-free and formulated with prebiotics (FOS). This results in a blend that'll support the healthy growth of good bacteria to maintain a healthy digestive system for your infant.
To top it all off, this hypoallergenic formula is infused with EyeQ Plus nutrition system. This nutrition system consists of a mix in Lutein+, natural Vitamin E, and DHA, which all are essential for quick as well as healthy eye and brain development of your little one.
Apart from the easily-digested formula, some parents have commented that this formula has also helped to soothe a colic baby.
Is your baby crying too much? Your baby may be experiencing discomfort in their tummy. Or, if they're crying too much (over 3 hours daily), they may be experiencing colic, which also will cause symptoms such as wind or intestinal obstruction, and then cause great discomfort.
Suited towards infants between 0-12 months, the formula is designed to carefully alleviate colicky babies from their tummy discomfort. Don't worry about the milk underperforming as it still contains the usual 17mg DHA & 34mg ARA per 100 kcal to meet a growing baby.
This formula has been recommended by paediatricians, and parents can attest to its gentle formula. A user even said that the formula has less oil compared to others and that it aided in a smooth feeding session for their baby.
Babies are rarely born lactose intolerant. But a baby suffering from lactose allergy usually means that your baby is having a hard time digesting a cow's milk, which is what most formulas are made with. Moreover, it could be that your baby is just consuming too much air when being fed or from crying. Therefore, make sure to have your little one be checked. And if they've been medically diagnosed as lactose intolerant, then read on.
Infused with high-quality soy protein isolate, Wyeth Nutrition S-26 GOLD NurSoy Stage 1 is designed to nurture and soothe your baby’s digestive system. It excludes ingredients such as animal fats, sucrose or lactose, making it perfectly safe for a vegetarian diet or part of a weaning diet.
This Ireland-innovated formula is enhanced with nutrients to reduce irregular bowel movement as well as strengthen your child’s natural defences and developments. Not forgetting your baby's growth, the formula contains Lutein for the eyes, Choline for mental-functioning, Taurine for both mental and physical development, and Calcium for strong bones and teeth.
In general, parents are pretty happy that their babies are accepting this formula which also helps to ease digestive problems. But some do worry about the formula being sweet. As such, the formula is best for combination feeding or be mixed with slightly more water than regular formula.
This formula is for babies who are born prematurely or have very little feeding sessions due to fussiness. In such, inducing weight gain is highly important in babies, which makes Kendamil Stage 1 First Infant Milk a parent-favourite for such an issue. The formula ensures that there are no GMOs, fish oils and palm oil used to feed your infant safely to gain a couple of kilograms.
The formula's secret is that it's made with full cream milk from grass-fed cows, thus supplying extra calories to nourish lightweight infants. Aside from that, it also features DHA (Omega-3 LCPs) which derives from botanical plants instead, Omega-6 ARA for a baby's brain, neural and eye development as well as prebiotics. Thus, you can be assured that your baby gets the perfect vegetarian-friendly formula for their healthy development.
Parents attest to this formula as a rich, good-smelling and tasting formula which even fussy babies did not refuse. They generally recommend this as a substitute for formulas that make infants gassy.
One of the reasons that your baby may be gassy is because you are swirling or shaking the bottled-formula too much in order to dissolve the contents. As such, you should actually switch your baby's formula to a more soluble option, or find one that brings digestive benefits.
Frisolac Gold Stage 1 Infant Formula is carefully formulated for babies who struggle with gas in their tummy. Not only does it have nutrients that'll help your baby's digestive system, but it is also easy to dissolve as reviewed by several parents.
Along with promoting the growth of good bacteria such as the Bifidus bacteria, your newborn’s overall growth will also benefit from the prebiotic (GOS), Selenium, Taurine, Choline, DHA and AA infused into this formula. Also, the formula is designed with an advance process technology called LockNutriTM, where it'll prevent milk nutrients from overheating and retain the milk's protein structure. This also makes the milk easier to digest, so your baby will benefit well from the goodness of milk in whole.
Although parents are pretty satisfied that the milk has no problems in their health, they did find that stools passed by their babies are smellier.