How do you choose the right infant formula?

Is breast best? Well, there's a time and a place for that discussion, but this is not it plenty of parents formula feed, and new parents or new formula feeders can sure do with some advice on how to choose the right infant formula. It is best to choose a formula in consultation with your doctor, but here are your options.

Powdered infant formula is your average, run of the mill, formula format. But not all formula is the same, and it helps to read the label carefully, to check if there were bad news reports about the brand (especially recalls for safety issues) and to ask your doctor about it before buying. If you are on WIC or some similar government support program, your formula may be prechosen for you.

Powdered formula has several advantages over liquid formula, including being able to keep for much longer, being more portable, and its packaging having s smaller risk of containing harmful chemicals. There are situations in which ready to use liquid formula is better, for instance if you are traveling somewhere with unsafe drinking water. Liquid formula is, like liquid concentrate formula (to which you still need to add some additional water), easier to prepare than powdered formula.

There are formula options for infants with all kinds of allergies and food intolerance like lactose intolerance, for prematurely born babies, underweight babies... and so on. Vegan formula and soy formula are also around. It can be hard to know what to pick, so it is a good idea to discuss your baby's formula with his pediatrician in detail. Many hospitals and clinics are still sponsored by formula companies, and may offer free samples. If this happens to you, it is a good idea to research the brand before selecting one, because good advertising doesn't necessarily equal the best quality infant formula.