Homemade Baby Formula: Is It Safe?

Is it safe to make your formula?

You might wonder if you can make your baby formula at home if you are feeding your child commercial formula. Some commercial recipes are expensive or difficult to find.

Homemade baby formula is not safe for babies. It is not safe to make or give to your baby.

Your baby could become sick if your homemade formula is contaminated. Your baby may also not get the nutrients they need to stay healthy and grow. The Food and Drug Administration has received reports about infants who were fed homemade baby formula and had to be hospitalized for low calcium.

Call your doctor immediately if you are the parent or caregiver of a child who is experiencing symptoms after consuming homemade formula.

Why is commercial baby formula safer?

If you are unable to breastfeed, or you do not wish to do so, commercial infant formulas may be the only nutrition your baby receives.

FDA ensures that these products meet the minimum standards for nutrition and safety. The FDA does not do this with homemade recipes for infant formula, such as those you may find or make yourself.

The FDA has set certain nutritional requirements that commercial formula manufacturers must meet. The FDA sets maximum and minimum amounts of nutrients for nine out of 29. It is possible to harm your baby by giving them too much or not enough nutrients.

Even if you are only short-changing yourself for a couple of days or weeks, it can have a lasting impact. This could affect a child’s ability to thrive in school and grow strong.

The FDA can remove formulas from the shelves if they do not meet its nutrition standards.

It also monitors how formulas are made and stored. The agency regularly inspects the facilities and procedures where they are made. So they can ensure that the manufacturers follow the rules in order to prevent recipes from becoming contaminated or spoiled.

• Which birth control is OK when you are breastfeeding?

What should you do if you cannot find baby formula?

In the event that you are in an emergency and there is a shortage of infant formula in your area, you can use these tips from The American Academy of Pediatrics.

Speak to your pediatrician. Talk to your pediatrician.

Contact your local WIC office. WIC can suggest where you can find the formula.

Shop at smaller drugstores or grocery stores. You may find formula at smaller stores when larger ones do not.

Buy formula online. Try this option if you can. Buy only from pharmacies and distributors you trust. Avoid buying procedures in individual cans or on auction sites. Avoid buying procedures outside of the United States, as the FDA does not review imported recipes.

You can choose any commercial formula available, even store brands. It is fine for most babies unless they are on a special procedure prescribed by their doctor (like formulas with the words “extensively hydrogenated,” “predigested,” or “amino acids-based”). Ask your pediatrician for other options if you cannot find the formula that your baby uses.

Social media is a great place to start. Consult a group dedicated to formula and infant feeding. Members of the group may know where to buy formula. You should always consult your pediatrician before following any advice.

Baby formula should not be diluted. This is not a safe way to make your formula last longer. This could cause your baby to have a nutritional imbalance and serious health issues. Follow the instructions on the bottle exactly unless you are told otherwise by your pediatrician.

Is milk a safe substitute for baby formula?

Cow’s milk is not recommended for babies under the age of 12 months. The cow’s milk in commercial formulas is altered to make it safer for babies.

Cow’s milk, as well as milk alternatives like soy, almond, or hemp, do not provide the nutrition that babies need, such as iron, calcium, vitamins, and protein.

The AAP states that, if the formula is unavailable in an emergency, parents with babies older than six months can ask their pediatrician whether it is OK to give them cow’s dairy milk for a short time. This option is for babies older than six months old who normally feed on formula. It is not for special products for health issues like allergies. It is not ideal to provide cow’s milk, and it is best not to make this a regular practice. The AAP states that it is better than homemade formulas or diluting commercial formulas with water.