My baby days are behind me but I have friends who are still in that stage and the ones who have chosen not to breastfeed are starting to get nervous and stressed about the Baby Formula shortage.
Have no fear. Packaged store bought baby formula has not always existed. In fact, many of your mothers and grandmothers may have made baby formula a time or two back in the day. That’s what they used to do when they were unable to breastfeed. Like so many things, they used to make it themselves.
I’ve seen many articles lately warning against making your own baby food; insisting you purchase the mass produced formula… or what? If formula is not available and you are unable to breastfeed, the only other option is making your own.
As with all things, use your wisdom and discernment and reach out to a trusted healthcare provider with any questions (preferably a integrative or functional medicine practitioner)
Full disclosure, most commercial formula options, even organic ones, contain ingredients, additives and preservatives that aren’t good for baby. Emily of Holistic Squid explains the ingredients in one of the best store-bought organic baby formula options:
- Organic Reduced Minerals Whey – In its natural form, whey is a great source of protein and Probiotics. You can read a description of Reduced Minerals Whey from the American Dairy Products Institute here. I’m not sure why you’d want to reduce naturally occurring minerals in an otherwise healthy food. The issue with dried whey is that it is typically dried at high temperatures that denature the proteins and make them toxic. Furthermore, the heating and drying process will negate any probiotic effects of the fresh whey. NOT GOOD.
- Organic Non-Fat Milk – Sounds benign enough, but there is NO reason a baby should ever consume non-fat milk. Not only do babies absolutely NEED the milk fat and cholesterol, but the process of making powdered skim milk creates a substance that is not only devoid in nutrition, but is also laden with oxidized cholesterol and neuro-toxic amino acids. NOT GOOD.
- Organic Lactose – A necessary ingredient, lactose is a milk sugar that naturally occurs in breast milk. GOOD.
- Organic Glucose Syrup Solids – This is a fancy way of saying sugar made from starch. Most glucose syrup solids in the U.S. are made from corn – making what’s also known as corn syrup! NOT GOOD. A better choice to mimic breast milk would be more lactose.
- Organic Palm Oil Or Organic Palm Olein – Not the worst ingredient if it’s coming from a reputable source. QUESTIONABLE.
- Organic Coconut Oil– Good choice to provide the special medium-chain fats found in mother’s milk. Should be expeller pressed only. OK.
- Organic Soy Oil – Soy oil is not fit for human consumption and should not be in baby formula. It can act as a hormone disruptor among other issues. NOT GOOD.
- Organic High Oleic (Safflower Or Sunflower Oil) – Good if expeller-pressed only. QUESTIONABLE.
- Organic Whey Protein Concentrate – See issues with Organic Reduced Minerals Whey above. NOT GOOD.
Other non-organic formula options often contain higher amounts of corn syrup solids, hydrogenated oils, soybean oil and sugar.
Making baby formula sounds like a crazy idea when you first hear about it, but homemade baby formula is not nearly as complicated as you might expect.
Fun Fact: It is estimated that, in 1960, 80% of bottle-fed infants in the US were being fed with an evaporated milk formula. 1 and despite what you may find on google, they lived to tell about it…
The main concern with homemade formula is the lack of vitamins and necessary nutrition. That is where supplementation comes in.
SUPPLEMENTS
If you use homemade formula for an extended period you should reach out to a Doctor about which supplements to give your baby. Here are a few that might be necessary:
Iron: Babies are born with enough iron to last them about 4-6 months. When babies are exclusively breastfed, supplementing with iron beginning at 4 months is recommended. The same would apply to using homemade formula.
Vitamin A: This supplement is helpful for your baby’s immune system and it is recommended for infants 6 months or older who are not eating solid foods (like carrots).
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that supports immunity and collagen production. It also functions as an antioxidant. If your baby is not getting this in formula/breast milk, then you may need to supplement his/her diet with it.
Vitamin D: This supplement is important for healthy bones. When my babies were small we did a mix of Vitamin D drops and sunshine.
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12, which prevents anemia and supports healthy neurological function, is not an issue for all babies but deficiency can lead to serious issues. Consult your pediatrician with questions.
HOMEMADE BABY FORMULA RECIPES
Evaporated Milk Baby Formula Substitute
This recipe is for traditional emergency formula (just like Grandma used to make). One standard-sized 13-ounce can of evaporated milk can make a full quart of emergency formula. The process is simple, fast, and—best of all—does not compromise your child’s health.
As Dr. Andrew J. Schuman writes in his article, “A Concise History of Infant Formula,” this is the exact recipe that was widely used in the 1950s and 1960s for infants who were not breastfed. Please remember, though, that this homemade formula is not a long-term solution since it lacks the necessary vitamins. Parents in the 50s and 60s gave their infants supplemental vitamins and iron along with this formula, as noted by Dr. Schuman.
Ingredients
- Clean quart container
- 13 oz. can of evaporated whole milk (reduced fat, skim, and sweetened condensed milk will not provide enough calories or nutrition)
- 18–19 oz. of water
- 2 tablespoons of white granulated sugar or 1 tablespoon of light Karo syrup
Instructions
- Combine the above ingredients into the quart container.
- Stir until the sugar or light syrup is fully dissolved. The added sugar will help your child break down the proteins in the evaporated milk.
- After serving your child, any remaining emergency formula should be refrigerated.
- Any unused formula should be discarded after three days.
Dairy Free Rice Milk Formula for the Sensitive Stomach
Supplies Needed
- 1 cup of cooked rice (can be any type of rice, but brown rice has more nutritional value)
- 4 cups of water
- 2 tablespoons of white granulated sugar
- Blender
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into the blender.
- Blend until all ingredients are completely liquefied. It will take around 5 minutes for this process to be completed using a standard blender.
- After serving your child, any unused portions should be refrigerated.
- Discard all remaining formula after two days.
Homemade Formula Safety
Homemade (emergency) formulas are not substitutes for commercial-grade formulas or breastmilk, as they do not include the additional vitamin supplements needed to ensure long-lasting health in your baby. If you need to use this formula for more than a few days in an emergency situation, please know that you will need to add vitamin drops. You should always consult your physician about your child’s dietary needs when possible.
I hope this helps a mama out there who is stressed because she can’t find formula at the local store. While our “standards” in 2022 are different than they were in the 1960’s, these are proven formula recipes that many of your moms, aunts, grandmothers etc were raised on and they turned out just fine. Don’t let the news stories and “fact-checkers” scare you. Use wisdom, common sense and discernment and reach out to a holistic health practitioner with questions.
