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Home › Articles › Babies › Baby's First Meals

Baby's First Meals

Choosing the Best Formula

By Ginny Hermann

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Iron-Fortified
Experts recommend iron-fortified formulas for babies from birth to 12 months of age. The added iron ensures that the child is receiving the nutrients necessary for normal mental and physical development. Elizabeth Ferree, of Yuma, Ariz., breastfed her baby until her doctor suggested switching to iron-fortified formula. "My daughter had reflux and was losing weight," Ferree says. "By putting her on iron-fortified formula, the doctor figured she would gain some weight. It worked."

Low iron formulas offer an alternative for parents looking to decrease abdominal pain, constipation, colic and/or irritability. In recent years, iron has been found to be essential to the proper growth and development of infants, so the FDA doesn't recommend use of these formulas. If your doctor suggests a low iron formula, be sure she is monitoring your child's iron status and prescribing iron supplements, if necessary.

Soy
Like milk-based formulas, soy formulas are fortified with vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fats to help a baby grow and develop. According to the FDA, 20 percent of formula sold today is soy-based. Many times, soy formulas are used when a baby exhibits symptoms that point to a cow's milk protein allergy. If your baby is often irritable during and after feedings, consistently spits up and exhibits a rash, stomach pain or diarrhea following milk-based feedings, you may try switching to soy. "e started with iron-fortified and used it for almost two weeks," says Carol Miller of Clermont, N.J. "At that time, my daughter started showing signs of an allergy, so we switched to soy, which we used for a year. During that time, she grew well, didn't have one illness and was extremely happy. There were no problems at all." If your baby shows signs of lactose intolerance, soy may be the answer for you, but be aware that soy protein can cause allergic reactions, as well.


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