Lea County Extension Office

Feeding Your Baby

As you bring that new bundle of joy home, you only want the best, and this includes what we feed them.  For years the debate has been Breastfeed or Formula, but today are there other alternatives?  As parents we want our infant to develop and grow, so you may be looking at healthy, natural, or organic options for feeding your infant, while others may be looking at ways to spend less on store bought formulas.
With the shortages of baby formulas on the market, some parents have turned to the internet for homemade baby formula recipes.  Grandparents and others maybe sharing old family recipes with the new parents to help.  BUT, are these formulas really safe for your infant?  Let’s look at what your infant needs to thrive, grow and be healthy first.

At birth an infant is ready to face the world—ALMOST!  Over the first few weeks, an infant grows and develops in many different ways.  The nutrition they get from breastmilk or formula the first six months gives them the needed nutrients for development.  Breastmilk and Formula are specifically designed meet an infant’s nutritional needs, providing fats for brain development, calories for energy, vitamin D for immune system development and iron for hemoglobin production.  After six months, adding in other nutritious foods will complement the infant’s nutrition and continue to aid in growth and development. 

Vitamin D allows our bodies to absorb calcium and phosphorus. An infant’s immune system is not fully developed until 2 to 3 months old.  Although infants can get some antibodies from the placenta at birth and colostrum from breast milk, their immune system must develop and learn to fight off infection.  As Vitamin D works to develop the immune system, it helps their body absorb calcium to use in strengthening growing bones.  Most formulas are fortified with Vitamin D whereas breast fed babies may require a supplement.  Although exposure to sun can give you Vitamin D, most infants need more Vitamin D than the sun can provide.  According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, infants under 1 year need 400IU per day whereas, toddlers over 1 year need 600 to 1,000 IU per day.  Approximately 16 ounces of formula or milk will provide 200 IU of Vitamin D. 

Iron gives our hemoglobin strength to carry oxygen throughout our bodies, making our tissues and organs work properly.  Most formulas and cereals are fortified with iron, and recommended for infants through 24 months.  An iron deficiency can cause learning and behavior problems, so adding vitamin C into the diet can insure proper absorption of iron.  Most infants 7 to 12 months old should have 11 mg per day of vitamin C.  One cup of sliced strawberries will you about 97mg of vitamin C. 

For most of us our diet should be low in fats, but for an infant, fats are good!  Fats are important for brain development, fuel for their bodies, building blocks for hormones and to help the body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.  The brain develops throughout our life, but the first 8 years is a foundation for learning and general health.  It is vital that infants and toddlers get fat in their daily diets, and no fat restrictions for infants under one year.  For toddlers, parents should limit saturated fats only. 

Now that you know what your infant needs, it’s time to look at what options are out there to give them the nutrition needed to grow and develop.  For infants under 1 year, the safest choices are breastmilk, formula or a combination of both.  If you choose only formula, there are several types on the market to fit your baby’s needs.  First have a conversation with your pediatrician, share your thoughts and concerns, and ask for guidance in choosing the best formula for your baby.  Formulas are fortified and designed to work with a baby’s delicate system to absorb all of the nutrients the body needs.  Most babies can handle regular formula that is made from cow’s milk.  However, if needed your baby may use soy or goats milk formula if they develop an allergy or intolerance to cow’s milk formulas.  All animal based formulas contain lactose, whereas plant based formulas like soy do not contain lactose.  Lactose is a carbohydrate (milk sugar) that works in our intestines to absorb calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.  Some babies, like adults have in intolerance or allergy to Lactose and must have a formula without lactose.  In working with your pediatrician, an appropriate formula can be found to give the baby all of its needed nutrients.

So do you still think you can create your own baby formula?  You now know what is needed for your infant to grow and develop, but creating your own baby formula can be risky and compromise the nutrition for your baby.  As stated before, a baby’s system is growing and developing throughout the first year of life, therefore their bodies are not ready for foods we as adults consume.  If you were to compare human milk, cow’s milk and goat’s milk you would see some similarities in the amount of calories and vitamin D.  However, cow’s milk and goat’s milk are higher in protein and calcium. The high amounts of protein are harder on an infant’s kidneys and can cause overload or stress to the kidneys.  Goat’s milk is also deficient in vitamin B12 and Folate. 

When cow’s milk and goat’s milk are created into a baby formula, the manufacturer uses technology to breakdown some of the proteins into a digestible form just for babies.  When you make baby formula at home, you cannot break down all of the proteins into a digestible form for the baby, and thus, their system cannot digest the proteins effectively. 

Food safety concerns also come up with making your own baby formula.  Some parents believe they can simply milk a cow or a goat, add some supplements and give their baby a natural healthy formula.  Not so!  Raw milk, with no pasteurization, is a continuous source of bacterial infections in humans.  Pathogens like listeria, salmonella, brucella, E coli and more have all created life threatening illnesses in adults, children and infants.  Foodborne illness accounts for thousands of illnesses each year, and a baby without a fully developed immune system, can become sick with an infection quickly.  Since the 1920s, milk in the U.S. must be pasteurized for human consumption, since then the number of deaths and foodborne infections associated with raw milk consumption have been highly reduced. 

The modern pasteurization process consists of heating milk to at least 161 degrees F for at least 15 minutes, then rapidly cooling the milk.  At home, it is hard to heat milk to 161 degrees, without bringing it to a boil, and allowing water to evaporate from the milk.  This evaporation simply makes a more concentrated milk that is still not recommended for infants. 

Contamination is also a concern when using raw milk.  The transmission of organisms happens through direct contact with fecal matter, infections like mastitis, bovine diseases like tuberculosis, or environmental contaminates like insects or soiled clothing can create infections at any age.    
Around six months of age, it is recommended that babies start eating solid foods.  For most infants this is a developmental stage, rather than an age.  Babies who start on solid foods must be able to control their head and neck; sit up alone or with support; grasp small objects and bring it to their mouth; and swallow food rather than push it back out onto the chin. At this stage, just like choosing formula, the foods need to be nutritious and healthy with very little additives or sweeteners.  The foods should be easily chewed, and not cause a choking hazard like hot dogs, grapes, nuts or raw carrots.  Some parents may take this time to make their own baby food, which can save some money, but remember, babies have a very sensitive pallet.  When making your own foods, refrain from adding any sugars, seasonings or herbs.  Just the natural food is best.

As your baby grows, they will begin eating more solid foods and less formula or breast milk.  This means that you must make sure they are getting foods high in vitamin D, iron, zinc, and unsaturated fats.  Foods high in zinc (meat, beans, infant cereals) are important for growth and immune function. Feeding healthy foods at this age will start a base for future eating habits.  Encourage foods from all the food groups—grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy, proteins--while avoiding foods or drinks with added sugars or sweeteners.  Plant based “milk” drinks are not a recommended substitution for breast milk or formula for infants or toddlers under age 2.  These drinks generally have a high fat and sugar content with less calcium, but can be consumed occasionally like juice or water. 

Your infant’s nutrition is an important part of their growth and development and as parents we are responsible for creating a healthy foundation to nurture over their life time. If you have questions about your infant/toddlers growth and development, visit with your pediatrician to create a workable eating plan for your family.  Remember, not everything you read on social media or the internet is fact!  For more information on healthy nutrition habits, feeding infants and children, please contact the Lea County Cooperative Extension Service. 

References:
Gavin MD, Mary L. Is Homemade Baby Formula Safe?, KidsHealth.org, February 2021.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumption of Raw or Unpasteurized Milk and Milk Products by Pregnant Woman and Children; January 2014
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025
National Library of Medicine, Cow’s Milk Substitutes for Children: Nutritional Aspects of Milk from Different Mammalian Species, Special Formula and Plant-Based Beverages, August 2019