Homemade Baby Formula

Breast is often best, but what do you do when that’s not possible? Even the organic baby formulas are highly processed and highly sweetened – not a desirable option, and the conventional standard Similac, which is 40% corn syrup and 10% sucrose, is even worse. Plus, food allergies are an issue even for babies!

Here are some guidelines for making your own baby formula – whether you’re supplementing your own milk, or strictly bottle feeding, homemade formula is the best you can get.

This recipe does not include exact measurements, as I generally tweak it for each family that I work with, but it should provide a general guideline to get you started. There’s also more information out there – google “homemade baby formula”.

Here are the ingredients I often use:

• Native Forest brand (BPA-free cans) or SO Delicious brand (cartons in the milk cooler) coconut milk. the Native Forest “Simple” – it’s a gum free product, which is best if there have been digestive issues or colic. You can also make coconut milk from dried coconut according to this recipe. I use coconut milk because so many people are allergic to animal milk, and there are concerns for allergies with nut milks.
• egg yolks – NOT the whites, which are more likely to be allergenic – just the yolks. If there is a known egg allergy, leave this out.
• vitamin D3 –Current standard guidance is 400-1000IU (10-25mcg) for babies. There are various brands of liquid vitamin D drops – make sure that you’re getting D3 and not D2, and look for a brand that uses a good quality carrier oil, like extra virgin olive oil.
• high quality probiotics – even a dropperful or a few droppers full (depending on the quantity you’re making) of a fairly neutral-flavored kombucha works great!
• Nettle + Seaweed tea, or another high mineral tea. My favorite seaweed comes from Atlantic Holdfast. 
• add some Chamomile, Catnip, or Fennel to the tea if colic has been an issue, or just because it’s nice!
• a small amount of good quality ghee – Organic Valley and Pure Indian Foods brand ghee are grassfed, and casein and lactose free. This may harden if the formula becomes cold, and will liquify again on warming.
• a small amount of dark maple syrup
• a good, additive-free multi-vitamin. Open the capsule and add a portion of the capsule to the formula, based on the baby’s age and weight. I typically look up the RDA for two or three ingredients of the multi for the baby’s age and weight and use those to calculate what percentage of a dose is right per day, and then what percentage of that is right per serving of formula. It will be a small amount.

I much prefer food sources of nutrients than supplements, and i really really dislike supplements, which is why I include seaweed and nettle (or other high-mineral) tea. but sometimes they’re necessary, and this might be one of those times. Dr. Ron’s supplements are very high quality, and food-based, without all the additives found in other supplements, so if you prefer to know for sure what the ratios of your vitamins and minerals are, go with that option. there are other great food-based options available, just make sure that they don’t have fillers or additives.

Blend ingredients in a blender (or with a whisk, or shake it in a mason jar). Taste it yourself, but remember that babies may have different taste preferences than we do. Adjust to baby’s taste, and make the formula fresh every day.