There is no doubt that breastfeeding your baby is the best option for the child’s long term health and development. Human breastmilk from a well nourished mother is the perfect food for baby. However, in circumstances where the child is adopted or, for whatever reason, the Mother finds herself unable to breastfeed, formula feeding becomes necessary.
Note: There are donor programs available for human breastmilk, but because the diet of the donor mother is unknown (and most likely nutritionally insufficient), and the fact that the breastmilk is pasteurized thereby destroying much of the nutritional benefit, this option is not recommended.
Dangers of Commercial Formula
Commercial formulas are always a poor choice for a number of reasons. First of all, the formula cans are lined with a chemical laced with the chemical BPA. BPA is known to be a significant hormone disruptor and probable contributor to early puberty in girls, and ADHD, urogenital abnormalities and other ills in boys. The European Safety Authority found that canned commercial formula is a significant source of BPA for infants, exposing the child to 13mcg of BPA per kg of bodyweight per day!
Beware that even organic commercial formulas like Earth’s Best are packed in BPA cans!
In addition, all commercial milk formulas are processed at extremely high temperatures which violently denature the fragile milk proteins, render them allergenic, and add carcinogens to the final product. Soy and “hypoallergenic” formulas are even worse – not only are the proteins denatured by the obscenely high processing temperatures, but the large levels of phytic acid in the soy block mineral absorption by the infant. Moreover, plant estrogens in the soy disrupt the hormonal development of the baby!
It seems that for the concerned Mother who is unable to breastfeed, carefully making her own formula at home with safe, pure ingredients is the most prudent way to go!
In the video below, I show you how to make your own safe, healthy milk based formula for your baby. Even though I breastfed each of my children for at least 2 years, I made this exact formula for my own children when I was away for the day or the evening as pumping was not an option that worked well for me.
I even used this homemade formula for an entire day once when I had some dental work done and was advised to pump and discard for 24 hours.
As a result, even successfully breastfeeding Moms can use this wonderful homemade formula as a supplement when necessary to their own nutrient dense breastmilk!
* It is advised that even breastfeeding Mothers have the ingredients for this formula on hand for an emergency. In the event Mom is in a car wreck or sick and unable to nurse, Dad can step in and make this safe alternative until Mom is back on her feet. It takes a few days to a week to gather all the ingredients together to make this formula, which is why I advise having them on hand at all times.
Makes 36 ounces
Ingredients
2 cups whole, raw milk from organic, grassfed cows (goat milk is not a good substitute as it is low in vitamin B12 and lacks folic acid both of which are essential for growth and development of the baby).
* If clean, grassfed whole raw cow’s milk is unavailable in your area, use low temp (vat) pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk cultured back to life with a piima or kefir starter
1/4 cup liquid whey. Do NOT use powdered whey from the store or whey from making cheese.
4 TBL Lactose
1/4 tsp Bifidobacterium Infantis Powder
2 TBL good quality raw or pasteurized cream (use 4 TBL if the milk is from holstein cows). Do NOT use ultrapasteurized cream!
1/2 tsp unflavored, fermented cod liver oil (“salty cod” is the one you want)
1/4 tsp high vitamin butter oil
1 tsp expeller pressed, organic sunflower oil
1 tsp organic, extra virgin olive oil (in a dark bottle)
2 tsp virgin coconut oil
2 tsp Frontier nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp gelatin
1 7/8 cup filtered water
1/4 tsp acerola powder
*You can order all of the required ingredients in one package from Radiant Life by clicking here.
Instructions
Fill a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup with filtered water and remove 2 TBL (this will give you 1 7/8 cup water).
Pour about half the water into a pan and turn burner on medium.
Add the gelatin and lactose and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.
When gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove pan from heat and add the rest of the water to cool.
Stir in the coconut oil and butter oil until melted.
Put remaining ingredients in a glass blender.
Add the water mixture and blend for about 3 seconds.
Place formula in glass bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate.
Before giving to baby, warm glass bottle in a pan of hot water or a bottle warmer. NEVER microwave baby bottles!
* Any Moms who have successfully used this formula feeding your children, please post about your experience in the comments section to encourage those who are considering it and need some Mom to Mom encouragement.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
* This post is shared at Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Fight Back Friday, and Raising Homemakers.
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{ 346 comments… read them below or add one }
I'm so glad you posted this, Sarah! This information NEEDS to get out! Another option would be to hire a wet nurse. Its actually becoming more popular (again). You would have to make sure that the nurse was eating a nourishing diet, but this would be the second best option, if the mother was not able to breast feed her baby. This would be a very expensive alternative though.
I would love to be able to make homemade formula for my baby, but I can't find a raw milk source in my area. I can't even find it non-homogenized. My baby had some issues after she was born that required her to spend 25 days in the NICU. I was unable to breastfeed her and tried to build my milk supply by pumping. When I got my baby home, she wouldn't nurse. I continued to pump and bottle feed her the expressed breast milk, but eventually my milk supply ran out. I currently feed my baby store bought formula because I feel like I don't have any other options. I started her on egg yolks from pastured chickens, but I feel guilty feeding her unhealthy formula. Do you have any advice on how to obtain raw milk? I would really appreciate anything you could tell me. Thanks
Hi Betty, ask your local healthfood store to order "Natural by Nature" brand of low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized whole milk in glass bottles. You can make the homemade baby formula using this milk.
Great point Tiffany. A wet nurse would be great if one could be located that ate a nutrient dense diet and one that was also affordable. For most women, though, this would not be an option and the homemade formula would need to be pursued as the next best option.
How long does this formula last in the fridge? Also, can it be made ahead of time, frozen, and thawed or does that destroy the nutrition? Thanks so much!
Hi Emily, if you use fresh milk, the formula would last about 1 week in the fridge. I would imagine that you would use it up long before that. Freezing is ok, but the cream does tend to get very slightly chunky upon thawing. I do know some women who have frozen/thawed this formula successfully, so feel free to try it – just know that it is not perfectly smooth when thawed.
This is great! Now that I know what most of these ingredients are, it doesn't seem like it'd be that hard to make. There are also other formula recipes for babies who don't tolerate cow's milk well, right? I sometimes considered this when I was afraid I'd be low on supply, but we were able to make it through!
Hi Megan, yes there are other ways to make the formula without using cow's milk which I will cover next week.
Sarah, I just found your website. My son is allergic to any dairy, whether it comes from cows, goats or, unfortunately, from me. Since I have not been able to find how to make formula without cow’s milk on your website, I was wondering if you would be able to email me with the information.
Thank you
Jennifer
I know that if I were ever unlucky enough to struggle with breastfeeding with a future baby (hopefully not as I've had no trouble with the first two, even tandem nursing and well beyond two years!) I would do this. I actually have *most* of these ingredients on hand now, although I don't need it since my youngest is nearly 14 months. I would feel secure knowing they had raw milk and also smoothies (with raw egg yolks, plain yogurt, etc.) should anything happen. Ugh! I can barely stand to think about anything separating me and my babies.
But at least there are good options.
Another option, btw, would be if you had a friend willing to pump for you and NOT pasteurize the milk. I have several friends locally who pump and donate milk but would be willing to give it directly to a friend (and have done this) who eat excellent diets. So if I could manage that if necessary I would!
Not all donor milk is pasteurized http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/
I donated my frozen milk directly to two babies through this network for over 6mo. It was an blessing to be able to donate. Personally I believe that the research shows that the benefits a baby gets from breastmilk, even from a mom with a poor diet, far out weigh anything formula can offer…However, I understand that formula has its place once all other ave. have been exhausted.
Unfortunately, the research has borne out that a Mom with a poor diet has breastmilk that does not nourish the baby well at all. For example, Moms who eat a diet that includes processed foods have breastmilk that is thin, white (instead of beige to yellow) and low in fat which affects the infant's brain development. I would be very wary of any donated breastmilk even if not pasteurized considering that the vast majority of Western Moms eat poorly even if they claim to eat healthy.
I used this recipe 8 years ago, without all these helpful instruction. So glad this info is out there now. BTW my son was on the formula from 6-18 months along with raw egg yolk and raw chicken livers, he is as strong, healthy, and bright as my other children. People always comment on how "dense" he feels, I believe it is his strong bone structure. Having nursed 3 children before him and four since I am very biased to the convenience of breastfeeding, were one can eat nutrient dense foods and God's miraculous design transforms them into the perfect baby food, without all the heating, chilling, and washing.
Sarah, thanks for covering this all-important subject! I recently learned from a Sally Fallon talk that the high levels of manganese in soy formula are toxic to baby's brain, and manganese toxicity symptoms are identical to autism symptoms. Yet another reason to call out from the hilltops about the dangers, and provide sound, scientific, nourishing options like you're doing here.
- Beth
Can the Flavor/Antioxidant free fermented cod liver oil be used instead of the Salty Cod?
Thank you sarah, I will try that.
Yes, Melody. That flavor is fine too. I forgot about that one. Thank you for the reminder.
While I agree that a homemade verison would be better than store bought, I disagree with any formula being used over donated milk. The human body does impressive things. Just like in pregnancy, the nutrient stores go first to the baby, then to the mother. I would be interested in seeing where you got your information from regarding the quality of milk in relation to color.
The first few months my milk was a richer color of yellow and very fatty for the freshly hatched babe, as she got older my milk color changed to match her new needs. Both breastfeeding experiances have lead me to producing a relatively fatty milk, that is a pale cream to white color.
Didn't mean to be Anonymous with my first post…
I have never seen any research that suggests that the cream has anything to do with diet. The cream is different from mom to mom and there is no way to determine what that difference is attributed too. I consider myself to be extremely healthy and my milk was thin with very little cream on top…and Atina is right that the consistency, color and cream changes with the needs of your baby. Regardless of my thin cream I have a healthy 34mo. old who nursed for 33mo and hasn't had a lick of formula. Breastmilk can be different colors and cream amounts but all nutritious when compared to formula.
Can I add that every breastfeeding mother that I have met has been tuned into what is healthy and what is not. I really think that mothers who make the choice to breastfeed have already understood the importance of health in their own life. Given this and the experience I had donating my own milk I wouldn't hesitate for one second to look for donated milk for my own child if I couldn't nurse.
Hi Whitney, here an article that details several studies about how breastfeeding is not necessarily better unless the diet of the mother is better. In particular, there is a study that shows that mothers with a diet that includes transfats (as in processed foods) have a lower fat content to their milk (this is a creamline). The lower fat content to breastmilk impacts cognitive development in the baby.
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/312-successful-breastfeeding-and-successful-alternatives.html
The same thing is observed in cows. Confined cows with an unnatural diet have milk with a small creamline (which is why milk companies like to homogenize milk to hide this fact from the consumer). Cows on grass that are healthy eating their natural forage have huge creamlines on their milk and the milk is not white like the milk from confined cows .. the milk is beige in color indicating ample vitamins A and D.
that is an opinon peice and not a peer-reviewed journal article and should not be used as a reference
Things are rarely completely black and white so the "breastfeeding is always best no matter what the Mom eats" argument seems to not be based in reality. Of course what the Mom eats matters! This is common sense. Do we need studies to tell us something so obvious?
Great video about making formula, I think it can be very helpful, but has anyone input this into a nutritional calculator to see what the actual nutritional output is, that would be nice to see and compare to commercial formula….
however, I have to say I do not agree with this from the article…this sounds too far fetched and not enough data to back it up, because we can clearly see that many moms don't eat well but still breastfeed healthy kids. All this sounds way to much like someone AGAINST breastfeeding and PRO formula.
""A study published in July, 2001, for example, found that breastfed children in Japan had more asthma than bottle-fed infants.1… Those with the best iron status were those who received iron-fortified formula.2…. A study from Norway found that breastfeeding did not provide protection against frequent ear infections.4 A report in Pediatric Clinics of North America noted that many breastfed babies suffer from failure-to-thrive and dehydration.5 The author warned: "Those who enthusiastically promoted breastfeeding for its many health benefits must confront the reality of breastfeeding failure and implement necessary changes in medical education and support services to foster successful outcomes in breastfed infants…… ""
failure to thrive? That is not due to poor breastmilk quality but not breastfeeding PROPERLY. (scheduled feeding is highly promoted in hospitals, 4 hour feedings for newborns! When bm digests in a matter of 20-30 minutes! we just shove a pacifier in their mouths for 3 hours)
I'll have to see if I can find some of the information, but I have always read that breastmilk will actually first take away from the mom while providing the child with the nutrients they need. Then if a mom isn't eating/drinking enough, they will lose their supply because the body can't keep up, all though there are those outside the range. Nature (and God) would want our young to survive to carry on our species, even in "tough times".
The fat content (cream) is not the only thing that determines the health of a mother's milk.
I believe that a traditional diet for a child would be breastfeeding only for the first YEAR and then slowly introducing foods that the baby can pick up and eat themselves rather than mashing up foods and spoon feeding them at 4 and 5 months old (THAT is not healthy nor normal) or traditional for that matter. I just don't think it is that cut and dry, a lot of the things those studies mentioned (cancer, ear infections etc..) aren't "cured" or prevented by being breastfed, The link is in vaccines and chemicals in our foods and environment causing them, but being breastfed certainly makes a child healthier from getting diseases compared to a non breastfed non vaccinated child. I think those studies are comparing apples to oranges and missing over a huge point, breast milk alone isn't the only part of the equation of whether a child is "healthy".
ok, I probably just rambled and didn't make any sense at all. I still think this formula could be a good thing for many, but I personally would give (unpasteurized) donor human milk (from a trusted source) before the formula or at least in conjunction with it. I still think there are millions of beneficial properties still there regardless if it may be lacking in a few areas. There is also proof that even the pasteurized donor milk from milk banks used for preemies in NICU's across the world, saves lives compared to giving those babies commercial formula.
Also have you looked at iherb.com or swansonvitamins…they offer many of those products you linked to on amazon for WAY less.
The now Lactose is only 3.54 on iherb
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Lactose-Milk-Sugar-1-lb-454-g/657?at=0
Here is a $5 coupon off your first order NEW344
I do agree with you (Anonymous) that unpasteurized breastmilk from a trusted source would be better than the homemade formula. I just don't think this option would materialize in the vast majority of cases for women which is why I thought it important to get this info out there in a video so Moms know there is a healthy option to commercial formula.
In response to our question about the nutrition in the homemade formula, here is a link on that:
http://www.realmilk.com/formularecipes.html#chart
Sarah, it is unfortunate that “banked” human breastmilk is not more affordable, and not more readily available. I’m glad and thankful you offered this recipe, and it looks like its a better product than the dead powdered stuff in a can.
Very useful post.
Respectfully I can say that for me what is common sense is that God designed cow's milk to feed baby cows and human milk to feed baby humans. I also understand that yes humans can screw even this up but I don't believe it's to this extreme and other factors may be involved then just diet. I skimmed over those studies and there's one factor I didn't see really mentioned, the environment. How do vaccinations, air conditions, etc come into play with those studies mentioned? Especially, the cancer study.
However, I hope I don't sound like I'm advocating a mother to just pig out on whatever food she desires…but if I had a choice between donated milk from a mother who may not eat exactly according to my standards and formula, I'm pretty sure I'd choose breastmilk. I do consider myself a fairly healthy eater but I wouldn't say that I eat as healthy as Sarah, so would my breastmilk be considered insufficient? I suppose I'm confused on these standards and I guess at this point I'd have to admit that I have my own…I wouldn't want donated milk from a smoker or a drinker.
Hi Sarah, I am curious why the recipe calls for cows milk, but everyone always says babies can't have cows milk till they are at least 1 year old. I don't get it??
And also, like someone mentioned at the top, if you find a local mom to donate breastmilk to you that is the next best thing, the milk and is fresh and straight from the cow….er, I mean Mama, so no paturization needed.
I have had to exclusively pump for my daughter due some phsyical problems she had that made nursing impossible for us and thankfully my supply has been fantastic this whole time. I have donated milk to 5 other babies in my town. Two of them, were still breastfeeding, but were skinny and their mothers asked me for my good, fatty milk to fatten them up!
commercial formula is made from cow’s milk too. you have to start somewhere if you are making formula. but it is important to use the raw milk. it is extremely rare for allergies or irritations to develop with raw milk.
This post was much needed. I just gave a friend my Nourishing Traditions cookbook so she could make her own formula. I am getting all the ingredients tomorrow to keep for a backup. Thanks for this post.
Hi Stephanie, that is a great question! I suspect that the warning about cow's milk before one year old has much to do with the fact that the milk that is warned about is pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurizing of milk denatures the fragile milk proteins and makes an allergenic reaction much more likely for a child so young which is why this formula recommends clean certified raw milk or low temp pastueurized, nonhomogenized milk that has been cultured back to life with good bacteria like kefir or piima starter.
I would disagree that "most" breastfeeding moms eat healthy. Pretty much anyone shopping for food at a grocery store, even Whole Foods is not eating healthy because even the "fresh" food is processed and chemically bathed. Animal products need to be pasture fed and dairy products need to be raw and rarely are they available in that form at the stores, at least where I live. Thankfully we have access to a local dairy and can get our milk, cheese and cream raw. Fresh fruits and veggies even organic ones are picked so early and some are artificially ripened so they have a shipping/shelf life, but because they are off the vine they can not get the minerals they need from the soil, so they are deficient as well. Pediatricians and MDs are the last people you want to go for advice on Nutrition. They get their information from the government who is the one responsible for destroying our food industry in the first place. Cheap Convenient food = Disease
Amen to that!
I would like to see the research to back up your statement that poor maternal diet has shown a difference in breastmilk quality! I am studying to be a Lactation Consultant and have never seen such research. All the research I have seen shows quite the opposite in fact.The malnourished mother can produce a very good breastmilk, it would be at her expense but the baby would not suffer at all. This is disturbing to me that such myths are being put out there.There is a very telling photograph that UNICEF has in their information sheets of a very poor, under nourished Indian mother who breastfed one twin and formula fed the other..the photograph is very shocking as the breastfed baby is healthy and gaining well and the formula fed baby is very skinny adn actually died a few days after the photograph was taken.
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27%3Amyths-of-breastfeeding&catid=5%3Ainformation&Itemid=17&limitstart=1
This is a handout by Dr Jack Newman, a world respected Pediatrician who specialises in Lactation. Page 2 sections 1 and 2 address this issue.
Hi Helen, I posted a link in the above comments that refers to a number of studies outlining this very fact that diet greatly affects breastmilk quality. I'm not saying that the breastmilk of that Indian mother is not as good as commercial formula (which is complete garbage – I think we can agree on that) .. I'm saying its not as good as a quality homemade formula such as what I show in the videoblog.
I am so glad you posted this. . .thanks for sharing, another good information!
Found you on Pennywise Platter. Thanks for sharing this. I breast feed but I'm interested in trying this when I need to supplement.
I thought you might be interested to know that Google is showing ads for baby formula on this page. I think you can block ads selectively.
Hi Sarah, I can't click my own ads to get the URL to block. Please email me what they are and I am happy to block them.
I've been feeding my baby this homemade formula since he was 5 months old. He got sick when he was 4 months old and as a result of him not eating as much, my supply went down. I tried pumping and all other suggestions to try and get my supply back to where it was but I think the stress just kept me from succeeding. I have a very healthy 1 yr old right now. I read all the comments and I'm not sure what the argument is about? Sarah is not promoting that you should feed this homemade formula over breast milk but to use as an alternative to using the commercial crap that is sold in the store. As for the donated milk…unless I knew the donor personally, I would be leery of it also. I definitely wouldn't want to feed my baby pasteurized milk whether it is breast milk or cow milk and how do you know what the donor is exposed to in her environment? I don't think anyone here is arguing that formula is better than breast milk but if you can't breastfeed your baby for what ever reason, this is definitely a great alternative. Thanks Sarah for bringing this to the attention of so many people. I have several friends that read your blog that aren't WAPF. I wish I knew about this when I had my first child.
Hi from Katie–I don't have any of the accounts to show who I am, so I'm "anonymous" — I'm a latecomer to this discussion, but have things to share.
My first baby was 7 months old when I got her. Foster care. I tried different types of formula, but although she seemed healthy, she still spit up a lot. Doctor put her on Nutramigen. No success. I finally looked at the ingredients. Corn syrup solids! I had already told the doctor that she was likely Native American, and prone to develop diabetes during her life. I still couldn't believe he put her on corn syrup! One night I ran out of formula, and in desperation, gave her some diluted milk from the fridge. She loved it, and didn't spit up at all! I threw out the formula. I didn't even know about raw milk back then.
I asked about the milk-after-one-year-old issue, and was told that cow milk is high in sodium, and the baby's system (kidneys?) can't handle it. Formula has had the sodium removed.
My son was born when she was 17 months old, and I had a hard time with breastfeeding, but stayed with it. My milk never really did 'come in.' My dad called my milk 'Blue John,' meaning it was white with a blue-tint and almost zero cream. I honestly can't remember how healthy my diet was, but I was really stressed out. When he had his first immunizations (late) at about three months old, he was sick for a week. Kept nothing down. Finally got back into nursing. We quit once more when I was sick on antibiotics, but resumed until he was 17 months old — he bit me, and wouldn't stop! My son is small boned, thin, and knock-kneed, but he could tell you any phonetic sound in the alphabet when he was 22 months old. He is almost 3.5 now, and academically on a kindergarten-first grade level. I don't even 'teach' him. (But I would never brag)
When he was nearly two months old, I was asked to take a newborn until his adoption paperwork could finish processing. I offered to nurse him, but was kindly told not to. Thankfully, this was a very healthy baby when he was born.
Later I was asked to take an 8 weeks premature infant home–I already had one of her siblings. First thing I did was call everyone I knew who might have breast milk on hand. One mom had some in the freezer (turns out it was sour, and she wouldn't take it), and another had weaned her son two days before. The latter agreed to keep pumping as long as possible, and gave me what she had in the freezer. Of course, I couldn't tell children's services. I wish I had known about this formula then. The baby spit up, had sinus problems, temperature problems, and still had to be fed at least every three hours round the clock during the two months we had her. I tried babywearing with her, but it was just too hot.
Now I'm rambling, but thanks for sharing all this information. Maybe I can pass it on to someone who needs it.
Hi Sarah,
I've been making this formula for my 6 mos old daughter since she was 4 mos old and she is the picture of health…rosy cheeks, vibrant, energetic and a good weight.
I had a lot of problems postpartum (55 hr labor, mastitis and fever for 5 days and surgery to remove leftover placenta/membrane tissue) and as a result I could not breastfeed past 9 wks. I was so devastated when I couldn't breastfeed that I had a nervous breakdown and was prescribed antidepressants to help me cope. For those women who are adamant that 'breast is best', in some cases it just isn't and no woman should be judged based on her physical limitations. Trust me, when a woman cannot breastfeed, it is very traumatic.
This homemade formula is the only thing that allowed me to make peace with my setbacks and I feel much better about things now that I see how much my baby is thriving. So a gentle reminder to all moms to be kind to other moms…support and don't judge. We all want the same thing…happy and healthy children.
Thanks Sara for sharing this recipe…I've long been a fan of Sally Fallon and I'm glad that you're doing such a great job of spreading great nutritional advice.
yes, you are right, it is very traumatic. i know exactly how you feel, in a similar situation. this formula, being whole and real foods, helps to alleviate my guilt over not being able to give my son all breast milk. i work my butt off to pump enough so that he can have some in every bottle with this formula.
Hi Sarah,
Everything your doing is awesome & I sooo desperatly need it!…Anyway I was wondering about the sunflower oil; I was under the impression that it is a "yello oil" & bad for you. Is this not true? & if it is true can I substitute unrefined olive oil or eliminate the ingrediant all together since my baby is now 8months & I read (weston a price found.)that she can stop formula alltogether if she gets a well balenced (traditional)diet.
Thanks,
Erica
Hi Erica, a cold pressed traditional oil like sunflower is fine and absolutely critical to health in moderation. There is nothing wrong with omega 6 oils. If you try to avoid them entirely you will get ill with inflammation just like if you eat too many. The problem with omega 6 fats today is that Americans eat way too many and they are almost always rancid in processed foods. The ratio between omega 3 and omega 6 fats in the diet should be about 1:1 For most Americans the ration is 1:50 or more.
Hi Erica, one more thing. Do not substitute the sunflower oil. There is already extra virgin olive oil in the formula if you see the recipe again. The formula is necessary and your baby is not old enough to stop formula yet. She is only 8 months old .. she needs formula if you are not breastfeeding for another 4 months.
Erica: Ok sarah thank you. I will take your advice. I am still a little confused because i am such a beginer at traditional foods (the only reason I found out anything about them was from stumbling upon Nina Planks book Real food for mother & baby in the library while i was pregnant so I guess I will have to research the oil thing more when i have time but until then i will trust you. thank you so much,
Erica
Hi again, Not sure this posted. I am wanting to know the purpose of the lactose powder?
Thanks, Beverly
breast milk is high in lactose.
Hi Sarah,
My sister-in-law wanted to nurse my nephew but was not able to. When she learned that the hospital put him on a soy based formula, she immediately switched to a milk based formula. I talked to her about a non-soy formula and she was open to the idea. She was not able to find any formulas without soy in them. (Not a surprise to me.) She came to me for advice, they are not open to raw milk, unfortunately, however I think I could convince her to use the “Fortified Commercial Formula” recipe out of Nourishing Traditions. They are more “western” thinkers. On the Weston A Price website I found that the Mead Johnson low-iron milk-based formula is no longer available. Is there another formula that is “less bad”? I want my nephew to be healthy. He is now 2 months old. I know you’re promoting the homemade baby formula with raw milk, I just was hoping that you might be able to help.
Thanks,
Sara
Hi Sara, I do not know of any commercial formulas that are any good on the market. Dr. Mercola is developing one as we speak but it won’t be ready for sale until sometime next year. His will probably be the best one on the market when it comes out, but this is only speculation as I do not know the ingredients list at this time.
I order my raw goat milk 12 hours away. It is key to have grass fed only milk. My farm freezes the milk puts it on a greyhound express and comes to me partially frozen. We do this every week and it works perfect! I don’t agree with the cow milk because the protein structure is too high for an infant. Cows milk is designed to make a baby calf 300 lbs in 3 months, I highly recommend the goat milk and add a supplement like Kindervital. My daughter was raised on raw goats milk only from the time she was born as I could not breastfeed either due to a botched breast reduction a decade ago. She is super healthy, never been sick nor been to a doctor ever also no vaccines. I make a very simple formula of 4 cups raw goat milk, 3 cups water and 30 ml of kindervital. At night time my daughters formula is 6 oz raw goat, 2 0z water and no kindervital, I add a DHA oil supplement/ or fish oil. You can see pictures of my daughter on our website. Of course she is high raw baby too that does eat some pasture eggs but no animal products until after she is 5.
Hi Tonya, do you by chance have a record of your baby’s growth in her first year on that goatmilk diet? Like weight and height throughout the first year? I’ve been breastfeeding, but off and on since my son and I both have difficulty (not sure why, but he just fusses most of the time. It could be a milk production issue, since the first feeding in the morning usually goes well). So I’ve been using raw goats milk, sometimes in Sarah’s formula recipe, and sometimes just straight goats milk. But I just saw your recipe. I am not just planning on using her recipe, but I am interested in how your baby grew. I just took my son in for his 8 month check up to a pediatrician and she says he’s in the low percentile for weight and height and doesn’t want me feeding him goat milk (I did not tell her it was raw). But I hate commercial formula. I’ve used earths best organic and it just makes him spit up all the time. Anyway, I wonder if you have suggestions. (I also feed him egg yolk, and have chosen to not give him any grains/rice cereal/breads until after he is 2)
Hi, Still hoping to know what the purpose of lactose powder is in the formula…
Thanks, Beverly
Breastmilk contains more lactose than is in cow’s milk. This is the reason for adding it .. to closely mimic the amount in human breastmilk as possible.
Hi Sarah.
First of all I’d like to thank you for making a HUGE difference in my life. I have been unable to breastfeed my fourth child with success through the first three. So, you can imagine my disappointment now. Also, I completely agree that canned formula would never be the right choice for my child. So thank you again!!!
I started feeding this formula to my son one week ago. At first he seemed to do well on it. Now however he gets a bit cranky about half way through the bottle. Like his tummy hurts. I am wondering if this may be from the cows milk and should I maybe change to goats milk or the Hypoallergenic formula. I asked our local health food store and they suggested adding a little lactase and amylase to his bottles.
I’d really appreciate your advice.
Traci
Thank you very much for posting this video. I just had a baby and am unable to nurse. I desperately want to start this formula, but raw milk is not easily accessible where I live. The stores here do not sell non-homogenized milk. The only option I have is homogenized, vat-pasteurized grass-fed milk (Vit. D added). But the farms that sell this milk (co-op) are all reliable in their dairy-farming practices. Would it be so terrible if I used this milk to make formula for my 2 week old baby instead of continuing the commercial formula I’m using right now?
Please help,
Dee
Hi Dee, where are you located – perhaps I can help you locate what you need. The milk you are suggesting would not be a great alternative for a baby that young.
Hi Sarah,
My baby is just one month old and I have to add formula to her breast feeding sessions since my breast milk supply diminished due to mastitis.
Is a one month old baby too young for this formula?
My doctor says she shouldn’t have raw milk till she reaches two years, I hate the thought of giving her commercial formula, even organic formulas have soy in them and many other questionable ingredients.
Thank you for all the great info you provide!
Natasha
Hi Natasha, this formula is fine for a one month old baby. I gave it to my own 3 children when I needed a bottle of supplement for any reason and they were babies. Just be sure to get clean, certified raw milk from a grassfed farmer with jersey cows.
Thanks for showing how to make the Weston A. Price recipe! We prefer to use raw goat’s milk for ours, but are curious as to whether we should use cow’s milk cream or skim off the top of the goat’s milk we use for our own consumption. We are concerned about cow’s milk allergies in our family. We are using this formula since my partner had a breast reduction, and has low milk supply (we supplement via home made SNS), and I am so far unable to induce lactation.
Speaking of partners, I sure would appreciate if your language wasn’t so heteronormative. It’s not that hard to say “partner” instead of “dad” seeing as how that word is practically all-inclusive unless mom is a single parent.
Hi Sarah
I am wondering if you would suggest using an enzyme with this formula to help the baby break down the dairy proteins. My son seems to do the best on the cows milk formula. We tried goats milk too. He got constipated from both but not as bad with the cows milk. An Herbalist I work with has suggested I use some Amylase along with increasing the probiotic. What do you think?
I really don’t know about the amylase but slightly increasing the probiotic should be ok.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist\’s last post: Video- Raw-Pasteurized Yogurt Differences
My 4 month old has been on this formula since 6 weeks of age, he is doing great with and growing like a weed. Just last week though, he started getting constipated and I can’t figure out why. Is increasing the probiotic the first step I should take to try to resolve the issue?
Hi Sarah,
I read in Nourishing Traditions that the presence of the gelatin and lactic acid may help with constipation and vomiting. My son is horribly constipated. Do you think it may help if I increase the amounts of these ingredients? Also, am I right that the lactic acid is found in the whey?
Hi Traci, yes the lactic acid is in the liquid whey. I would not change the ingredients but would perhaps seek a holistic physician for assistance in this area. Another option is to try the hypoallergenic formula instead (I have a video on this as well).
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Hi Sarah, question… my husband is totally against cows milk for humans. Why is cows milk the preferred choice? And also, I have heard that humans cannot use animal enzymes to help them incorporate vitamins and minerals. If this is so, why is pasteurization so bad, and incorporating enzymes back into milk doesn’t make sense? I know it kills a portion of the heat sensitive vitamins (A, C?), but others are not as sensitive to heat, and the minerals are not affected by heat. Please enlighten. Thanks for all you work!
Chris
Chris, not sure where to even begin with your questions. First of all, many traditional societies relies on dairy from cows as a primary food. The Swiss is one that comes to mind. The enzymes in raw milk are not “animal” enzymes .. they are simply enzymes that help digest whatever nutrient is in the food. For example, lactase in raw milk is the enzyme that digests lactose, milk sugar. Lactase is present in human breastmilk as well as raw cow’s milk. It is destroyed by pasteurization which is why many folks are “lactose intolerant” and cannot digest processed store milk. On raw milk, however, they are fine as the lactase is present to digest the lactose and no digestive problems manifest. Hope that helps!
Sarah, You mentioned in the video to use Frontier brand Nutritional Yeast Flakes specifically because they are dried at low temperature. I called Frontier & asked about this. All they could say is that it is not cooked but heat may be used in the drying process. I inferred & discussed with the rep that the heat must be lower than 118 F. The origin is propriety information, but it is made in the USA. When I talked to Now Foods, they could not tell me the temperature theirs is dried at, however, whatever it is, the nutrients are retained. Their source is Lesaffre & Red Yeast. I do not see NYF on their website, unless they have another name for it. I have used both brands & cannot tell any difference. Do you know of any? Also, is it necessary to buy certified organic NYF? Thanks for your help!
Hi Gennifer, wet heat is hotter than dry heat in its ability to destroy enzymes. 118F is the max temp for liquids to maintain enzymes but it is 150F for dry heat as in dehydrating. So, if the Frontier yeast is 150F or lower which is my understanding that it is from the WAPF, then that is the one to choose. I do not know about the NOW brand. The Frontier brand is organic I believe. At least it was the last time I bought some.
They no longer carry “salted cod” liver oil, what is the replacement oil?
Plain or antioxidant free is fine.
Thanks for posting this video! I’ve been using the milk based formula for my baby for about 6 months, since he was 2 months old. A few things I have learned to do differently to help with some issues we had in the beginning are: I turn the milk to kefir (this helped to eliminate constipation); I dissolve all the dry ingredients in the water, except the probiotic (this has eliminated all spit up issues); and I add a touch more of the probiotic (which I believe also helped to eliminate the constipation). My baby is a very healthy baby, strong and happy. Before discovering this homemade formula recipe, I was feeding him commercial formula. He was constipated and grumpy on milk based commercial formula, and I was considering a hypoallergenic formula. Luckily I found Nourishing Traditions recipe, and with the help of many experienced homemade formula users, was able to make a few modifications which made it work beautifully. I strongly recommend it to all mothers who cannot breastfeed, as it has made such a difference in our lives.
Fantastic testimonial, Michelle. Thank you for taking the time to share your story so as to empower other Mothers considering the homemade formula for their babies!
Hi Michelle & Sarah, I am wondering if there is an online group/forum of mom’s making homemade formula? My son is a little puzzle. I want to keep with the homemade formula that I started last week, but he’s started puking today.
there is a yahoo group you can join. search for weston a price yahoo group healthy baby and you should find it.
Is cow colostrum safe for infants?
Hi Sarah,
Is the Bernard Jensen’s brand known to be gelatin from grass-fed cows? I can’t seem to find that info on the bottle. Our local store sells another brand of gelatin but doesn’t say anywhere if it is organic or grass-fed. Should I try to contact the company? Can beef stock be used as a substitute for gelatin?
Thanks,
Ranjani.
Hi Sarah,
Is the formula you produce in your video good for a newborn infant? Should we make any changes to the formula based on the age of the child? Our son is only 2-1/2 weeks old.
Thanks for helping !!
Derek
Hi Derek, this formula is fine for newborns. I used it myself with one of my children when he was only a few weeks old and I needed to get some dental work done and had to pump and discard breastmilk for a day or two until the novocaine got out of my system.
Hi Sarah,
I’m still waiting for a reply to my above comment.
Thanks.
I am unable to get the cod liver oil mixed in properly with the formula. Any tricks? Also, if the baby is being given breast-milk 40-50% of the time, can this formula be given for the rest of the time? My baby seems not to like the formula with the various oils. When I exclude them, she chugs it down. Any ideas why? Can I give her the fats separately?
Thanks,
Ranjani.
Hi Ranjani, it doesn’t have to mix perfectly. If you daughter is older than 3 months, then you can give her the cod liver oil via an eyedropper instead and leave out of the formula.
What does this formula taste like? I’m curisous to try it because I’ve tried the Meat Based Formula from Nourishing Traditions and my daughter will not drink it because of the taste.
I am very new to Nourishing Traditions and am now trying to gather ingredients for the baby formula for my 6 month old. I have tracked down a local source for raw milk, but they are very low on supply and don’t have cream to offer. Neither of the local health food stores had pasteurized only cream. Can you substitute half and half? I did find pasteurized unhomogonized half and half at Whole Foods. OR is there anything you can do with the cream on top of your raw milk? Ours is from jersey cows so maybe I can do something on my own using the milk.
Hi Alison, don’t use the half and half. Just skim off some cream from the top of a gallon of your local raw milk and use that (milk that you’re not using for the formula).
thanks so much Sarah. makes sense. i’m new to raw milk as well and have never bought cream in my life. loving it though!!!!
Thanks Sarah. Now that spring is approaching our supplier finally has milk to sell again. I am going to spoon the cream of a gallon to use for the formula. Am I able to make the whey from the remaining skimmed milk or do you need the fat in the whey as well. Thanks for all your assistance and time here on this blog!
Hi Alison, yes you can make whey from the raw milk with the cream skimmed off. Just clabber it on the counter for a day or two until it separates then strain the whey through a tea towel.
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Hello,
I am curious what the storage rules are for this formula. Does it have to be used within 24hrs after being made ? Seems like I have to prepare it fresh daily …
After heating the bottle, within how long would it have to be used ?
Hi Regina, you can refrigerate the formula and it is fine to use for several days even up to a week if the raw milk was fresh when you prepared it. If the baby doesn’t finish the bottle on the first go, then use it up within an hour or so typically .. treat it with the same safety precautions as leftover food from a meal.
Can this formula be frozen if needed or will it affect the nutritional value?
Freezing is fine.
Hi Sarah, one other question… is this raw milk formula doable if we were to leave for vacation out of country – say to mexico ? Can we get good quality raw milk there ?
Or can we revert to commercial formula for the time when we are away ? How do babies do on commercial formula after they were switched to raw milk formula ?
is there a recommended way to transition the baby at 7 months of age to raw milk from commercial ?
Hi Regina, I have no idea what the raw milk availability in Mexico is or whether it would be safe to use it there. I have no experience using commercial formula (other than one bottle of soy formula which basically put my baby in a stupor for 12 hours so I never used it again) so am not able to comment on transitioning either to it or from it.
Hi Sarah, thanks for your help. One last question: what is the best source to obtain tea towels from ? do you have a link to where I can get it on the web ?
Hi Sarah,
wanted to check on what kind of cream do you recommend to use ? Are there any recommended brands ?
There is no brand .. you must buy from a small farm locally. The cream from the store is no good as it is ultrapasteurized. Contact your local Weston Price Chapter Leader for a list of small farms in your area: westonaprice.org
In the case where I am unable to reach a farm( I will give it a shot of course but I live in the city), what would be the best solution ?
In a pinch, you can just get extra raw milk and skim the cream off the top of the milk to add to the formula. You can also mail order raw cream. Order the shopping guide from the Weston Price Foundation. It costs $1 westonaprice.org
So can you freeze this in bottle ready amounts like we do with breastmilk?
Yes, freezing works great.
I have a question on home-made whey: How many hours exactly would it have to stay at room temperature( I am using whole milk yogurt) before refrigeration?
Hi Sarah,
I am not sure if my whey came out right. I used cheese towel over a strainer and left the yogurt there for about 12 hours. What leaked in the bowl is not a clear yellowish liquid but it does have some white color to it as well as is some yogurt curd also leaked into it. is this OK ? or should I remake it ? Where can I get tea towels ? and how many hours exactly should I keep the yogurt out of the fridge ?
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Hi Regina, making whey and yogurt cheese on the counter is not an exact science. 12 hours should be about right though. A bit of white curd in there is fine as well as a bit of white streaks amidst the yellow whey. Perfection is totally not necessary to achieve fantastic results!
Hi Sarah, what is the best recommendations for yogurt brands to be used for homemade whey ?
I buy raw yogurt from a small local farm, but if you must buy pasteurized yogurt at the store, Seven Stars plain whole yogurt is definitely the best brand.
Hi Sarah, please help – I am missing one of the ingredients that I somehow missed of the list – LACTOSE. Can I purchase it from a local Whoie Foods market ? If so , are there any preferable brands or stuff/formulations to avoid ?
THANK YOU AGAIN… I AM ALMOST THERE
Do you happen to have any idea how much formula all of these ingredients will make (other than the milk, of course)?? I’d love to make this, but I’d like to get a feel of how much it might cost per ounce once I’ve bought everything up front.
The whole breast is best argument is all fine and dandy, but there truly ARE some of us out here who have bona fide supply issues. I’m currently pregnant with #5 and got pregnant when #4 was 3 months old. My supply naturally drops at 3-4 months as apparently I’m made for MAKING babies, not FEEDING babies. With my first, I was bound and determined to breastfeed for a year. She was little, she was irritable and my life was miserable. Once she started on milk at a year old, she got WAY bigger, started sleeping well and was generally happy. I’ve done formula with all the rest of my babies since around 5-6 months. My current little guy was on Nutramigen…not only is it ridiculously expensive, it cannot possibly be healthy with the broken down proteins. Everything I read said that I really had no other options when he was so young (4 months)…we’re currently using Enfamil and I’m not THRILLED with using it by any means, but until I saw this, I really had no other option. I fully agree that breast is best…I’m a HUGE advocate of breastfeeding, but for some of us it’s just not possible!
i just did all the calculations for myself. as of jan 2013, pricing the ingredients on vitacost and amazon, and local prices for milk, cream, and yogurt (to make whey), I found the cost per 36 ounce batch to be $3.25. I can buy a 40 ounce can of commercial formula, which makes 40 ounces, for $22.00. So there is an upfront cost to gather the ingredients. But buy in bulk and you will save a lot of money in the long run.
Sarah,
I’m so excited to find out about this formula! Do you know what the iron content of this formula is like? I’ve suffered with anemia all my life, so I want to make sure my little girl has a good source of iron if I blend up this mixture for her.
Thanks so much
Can you use the cod liver oil/butter oil combination? Also, is there another probiotic that can be used? I’ve seen specially formulated probiotics for infants that CONTAIN the probiotic listed, but they also contain others, would this be okay?
Hi Janelle, only use bifidobacterium infantis NOT another brand with other strains. Do not use the FCLO/BO combo as it is in a ratio of 3:1 which is not correct for making the baby formula (the ratio for the baby formula as seen in the ingredients list is 2:1)
Thank you!
I’m headed to Whole Foods to see if I can find any of this without paying the shipping!
One more question, does the CLO have to be FERMENTED?
Okay, 2 more questions: I’m trying to make this as cost effective as possible, while also making it as nutrient rich as possible…could you give me the reasons WHY I would want to include the butter oil? I mean, it sounds fantastic…but will my son benefit GREATLY from it, or is it just another wonderful addition?
the weston a price founddation website basically says to double the amount if it is not fermented. you should go there for your questions. also it says the butter oil is optional. it adds vitamins, including vitamin k which is supposed to be an activator for other vitamins.
How long can this formula be refrigerated for? Another question, which may appear ridiculous but, if baby doesnt drink all of the formula at one sitting is there any longevity to how long it can be out for before it is bad? An hour at most? I wasnt sure and have not taken any chances but was just wondering.
Thank you
April
Hi April, the formula is fine for about a week in the fridge and a couple of hours on the counter does no harm. Remember, raw milk does not go “bad” like pasteurized milk. It clabbers which means the probiotics increase in number and consume the lactose which naturally sours the milk into clabbered milk. But, clabbering is a process that takes a day or two out of the refrigerator.
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I know this may have been asked before, and if it has, I’m sorry…could you please direct me to the comment?
Why is it that we’re told that our babies cannot have milk before their first birthday and ESPECIALLY before they’re 6 months old when the #1 ingredient in milk-based formula is NON-FAT MILK? How in the world is this any different from giving them fortified milk, which this formula basically is?!?! I don’t understand other than the fact that “big formula” stands to benefit greatly off of this advice.
Hi Janelle, whole raw milk is the primary ingredient in this formula, not non fat milk.
The whole milk has additional ingredients added to improve digestibility for the baby’s immature digestion such as gelatin, additional probiotic, lactose (of which human breastmilk is much higher in than cowmilk) – even additional cream is added for improved digestibility. Not giving plain whole raw milk before the first birthday is suggested as it would not provide the nutrition necessary for a baby who is not eating enough solid foods as well which is why the many other ingredients are added as well for the formula to mimic human breastmilk as closely as possible.
I’m sorry, I should have been more specific. I meant milk-based COMMERCIAL formula.
I did a cost comparison break down on my blog
http://troyerfamilyhome.blogspot.com/2011/03/homemade-baby-formula-cost-comparison.html
if anyone is interested. I tried to be as accurate as possible, using mostly the links from here for the supplies.
Hi Sara,
I tried the baby formula about two weeks ago for my 7 month old baby. He loves it and is doing wonderfully, except that he is constipated. I tried increasing the whey and the bifidobacterium infantis (i added an extra 1/4 cup of whey and an extra 1/4 teaspoon of the infantis) because i read on one of the posts that increasing these ingredients could help with constipation, but my baby is still constipated. What should I do to stop the constipation?
Marilyn, try making the formula with raw yogurt or kefir instead. I know one Mother who did this and it eliminated the constipation problem.
That sounds great! Thank you! I will definitely try that. As for the raw yogurt, what’s the best way for me to make it? I’ve never made it before. I wish you had a video on how to make it. I do not want to buy yogurt from the store that’s made from pasteurized milk to make raw yogurt. That just doesn’t make sense to me. Should I buy a yogurt culture online that’s made from raw milk or should I make yogurt from a probiotic? If so, which brands of probiotic should I use and also do you know of anyone online selling any raw milk yogurt cultures?
Hi Marilyn, make raw kefir as it is easier to do than raw yogurt I think. Just get a kefir culture and put it in a quart glass jar with your raw milk and leave on the counter for about 24 hours. I have a video on this if you click “video classes” at the top of the screen.
Ok great! Thank you so much! Where can I get the kefir culture? I really want to learn how to make raw yogurt. What’s the best way for me to make it?
Hi Marilyn, Cultures for Health is great for both yogurt and kefir starters .. here’s the link on my resources page:
http://villagegreennetwork.com/marketplace/fermented-food-starters/?AFFID=123177
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Sara, thanks so much! You are the best!
Is this appropriate sort of milk to use with the homemade formula? http://www.jdcountrymilk.com/Home_Page.html Would it need to be converted to kefir to use in the recipe? Right now, we are comfortable with using donor breast milk we have but aren’t sure how long we will be able to do so for our daughter. We live 30 minutes from Whole Foods Market.
HI Heather, the milk is low temp pasteurized which is ok but it seems to be homogenized (there is no creamline on the milk to be seen) which is a no no. You need low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized milk .. it would be best at that point to make kefir out of it and then make the formula since it is pasteurized, even if low temp.
Hi Sara,
Just wondering, is it ok to add some organic blackstrap molasses to the baby formula? If so, how much should I add? I heard that the molasses will help with constipation.
Hi Sarah…just wondering, I live in Canada and it’s so hard to find any good milk here. All we have in our dairy sections is homogenized pasterized milk. My son is 2 years old and still breastfed, but we are expecting again soon and I would like to have this formula on hand just in case as you say, but finding the actual milk part is what i’m having problems with. Any suggestions?
I also live in Canada and I just finished gather ingredients . You won’t find unhomoginized milk at the grocery store. You need to find an organic or whole foods market or a dairy if available in your area. I have done my research and harmony organics natures whole milk is the best brand availble. You could also try to find a cow share in your area to get the raw milk but most of them are not accepting new members. I live in Ontario where raw milk is illegal to sell so I use the milk I mentioned and cultur it with piima.
Just stumbled upon your site. Looks great! FYI – I emailed Earth’s Best when my child was born and they informed me that their formula cans do NOT contain BPA.
Sarah – We’ve been feeding this formula to our sweet Eli for the last three months or so and are praising the Lord for a sound alternative to commercial formula. He is thriving and is such a happy little guy. He was hospitalized in February with RSV but recovered much more quickly than I was told to expect – in fact, our ped was surprised by how well he was just a week later. While I am sad to not be able to nurse this time I am so glad that I know exactly what is going into his little body – and for me, this has been a big comfort to me. Thanks for the great site and really helpful videos. Mary
Sarah and Marilyn,
I meant to post this a week ago so my apologies for the delay. I have boy_girl twins that are 9 months old. I went back to work when the twins were 5 months and stopped breast feeding then. Sarah has been fantastic with advice for baby formula since then. I initially tried to use the raw milk based formula (recipe on Sarah’s website), but like Marilyn found that it constipated the twins – really my son. However, we switched to the raw yogurt based formula and the babies LOVE it. They really took to it and are growing like weeds. I would highly recommend the formula recipe with raw yogurt. Good luck.
Michelle, Can you please email me the list of ingredients/recipe you use for the raw yogurt based formula? The original formula constipates my baby very much. (Lightofthesun@msn.com) Thank you in advance!
Nourhan, all you do is substitute raw yogurt for the 2 cups of raw milk. Everything else stays the same.
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Thanks Michelle!
I feel deceived! I am seriously near tears! I am so grateful to you for getting this information out. I did not breastfeed to prevent my children from being prone to leukemia. Long story short the HTLVI & II dormant virus (which I happen to have) is passed through breastmilk. If I knew about the GAPS diet when my children were born I could have breastfed. And, if only I knew about home made formula! And the BPA in canned formula… ‘sob’. I will be throwing out all the gargbage I have been feeding my kids and replacing it with this. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So if my baby is allergic to coconut oil, sunflower seed oil and nutritional yeast flakes…what then? Can I just keep them out on the cows milk formula?
can I add something else to the formula to substitute those things?
go to the weston a price website, they have two other formulas that might work for you. also read their FAQs page, it answers lots of questions. i know this comment is old, but for anyone else searching now, like me, it will help.
Sarah – We have made the formula using your direction. The formula is not white – but more a tan or beige. We use farm fresh raw milk and ordered the exact ingredients you recommend. The formula also appears to “separate” slightly. We are using it within a few days of making it. Tell me, please, if this is what you would expect. Thank you.
Yes, beige is fine .. this indicates good quality grassfed cream/milk. You should really make it every day if this is the only source of food for your baby. Every other day at the most.
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Hello. Can you please tell me about how much this formula would cost to make in comparison to store bought organic formula. I know I will be making this for my baby when she gets here but we are trying to make a budget so it would be great if I could know the cost. Thank you so much for all your help in this area.
Elizabeth Ewing
Hi Elizabeth, the cost would vary considerably based on how much you are able to source raw milk per gallon. Raw milk prices vary greatly .. from $4/gallon to $15 or more per gallon.
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Can someone please email me the RAW YOGURT based formula recipe? (Lightofthesun@msn.com) I prepared the original recipe but it constipated my 1 month old for about two weeks. I am now stuck with a 6 month supply of product (lactose, gelatin ect…), and I do not know what else to do to make my baby like this formula. HELP!
Sarah, Is it ok to start my 1 month old baby on this formula? If so, can I leave out the Cod Liver Oil of the formula and give it to him seperately, if so; how much CLO do you recommend I give him daily?
Hi Dede, yes – this formula is fine for newborns. If you are going to give him the FCLO separately, I would give him the equivalent of how much cod liver oil would be in the homemade formula based on the per ounces per day he is currently drinking. Then, it would slowly increase as he grows.
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Sarah,
Do you think it would be fine to give him 1 ml of FCLO per 3 ounces of this formula? I’m having a hard time trying to figure out how much and how often I should give him the FCLO. Thanks!
I think you should add the FCLO to the formula per the amount and directions in the recipe and do it that way. This way, there are no mistakes and no accidental forgetting to give it to him.
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We recently adopted our first child and for the first two weeks he had breastmilk that my gracious sister-in-law had pumped for us. Our son has a very healthy appetite and we started the raw milk formula after we ran out of the breastmilk, and at seven weeks he now weighs over 12 lbs. The one concern I have is he seems to get constipated and his bm seems to be painful for him. Is there anything I can do to help him with this?
Hi Lydia, refer to the comments above .. if you substitute raw kefir or raw yogurt for the 2 cups of raw whole milk this has a good chance to relieve the problem.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist\’s last post: Seeds of Change “Sowing Millions” Project
Sarah,
Do you think it would be fine to give him 1 ml of FCLO per 3 ounces of this formula? I’m having a hard time figuring out how much and how often I should give him the FCLO. Also, I’ve tasted this formula several times but it tastes like spoiled milk, is that because of the Nutritional Yeast? The raw milk I used was from a fresh batch.Thanks!
It tastes soured because of the whey that is added. Your taste buds and your baby’s are going to perceive it quite differently, so no worries. REmember your baby has never had sugar or processed foods before, so things will be much sweeter to him than to you.
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Does this formula gives gas to baby?? i made it for my 2 month old and she seems to like it but after having her 1st formula feed(till now she was having one feed of store bought formula) she got gas and it was intense pain for about 11/2 hour. Is there a way to switch between breast milk(my supply seems to decrease) and homemade raw milk formula. She normally has 4 oz of breast milk so should I give her 4 oz of Homemade formula or less amount? Can you help me with the amount of formula to give as I have heard positive reviews about this homemade formula and would love if my baby has it.
Most lactation specialist (I am not one) would recommend that you increase the times you breastfeed, and possibly the length of your breastfeeding schedule, rather than to start supplementing. Supplementing will definitely decrease your breastmilk supply. A human breast requires stimulation to produce breastmilk.
Not trying to talk you out of anything. Just making sure that you understand that you will decrease your production more, if you begin to supplement. Another option would be to use an SNS (supplemental nursing system) and either this formula or other expressed breastmilk.
Babies will take their food in the easiest way provided; therefore since anything offered from a bottle, cup or spoon, is easier to drink, they will begin to prefer the “easier” food source.
I noticed that the link you have posted for the butter oil is a capsule. Is there a reason for that? Why not the liquid?
The liquid is fine too …. Perhaps the info in the link has changed since I wrote the post.
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So what are you using in your video? the capsule? Is what is in the capsule powder or liquid?
thank you so much for posting this! i have enjoyed reading everyone’s commentary
a friend encouraged me to try this formula as i was having some supply issues. as it turns out, delving into traditional foods for my baby’s sake has opened my mind up to feeding my whole family healthier!
I don’t have enough words to express how wonderful my 6 month old baby girl is doing with the raw milk formula!
I had to supplement starting on the third month, I was hesitant in the beginning, but after trying organic commercial formula and seeing how runny her stools were and how colicky and gassy she was, I decided to give the raw milk formula a try, NEVER looked back, all her symptoms disappeared.
She is thriving, I just add 1/4 tsp of probiotics to her first bottle of the day.
It takes a good week to get the supplements though, it is a good idea to have them handy.
Thank you so much Sarah for answering my questions and for making this helpful video!
HOORAY!
My 18 week old just got his first 2 bottles of half breast milk half raw milk formula 2 days ago and the next day he had the worst tummy ache and gas. Is this normal cause my first son never had any tummy issues with the raw milk formula.
You can try substituting the raw milk portion of the formula with raw yogurt or raw kefir. Some babies do better this way.
Just so you know your link for the butter oil takes you to the “picture” of the product but it is actually the wrong product itself. I ordered it and it’s not butter oil at all. Now I have to pay another 8 bucks to ship it back plus the 8 bucks I lost for them to ship it too me. Just thought you should know in case other people just click your link and order it.
Hi Sarah,
I am making this formula for the first time for my twin 4 month old boys. I’ve finally tracked down all the ingredients and am ready to go except for one thing- I am planning on raising them vegetarian so I am hesitant to use gelatin. Do you know if anyone has tried using agar (or another substitute) in place of the gelatin in this formula? Thanks!
Hi Ria, you can leave the gelatin out. I would not use agar. I would ask you to please reconsider your decision to raise the vegetarian though. Please read Dr. Price’s book on Nutrition and Physical Degeneration and how his travels around the world failed to identify a single traditional vegetarian culture which had health that surpassed the omnivore cultures. It is a very compelling argument against vegetarianism. The China Study has also been completely debunked (westonaprice.org : search on China Study).
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist\’s last post: Pregnancy Diet Affects Child’s Obesity Risk
Hi Sarah! We are going to do the goat milk based recipe. My question is about the cream. Cream with goats milk does not come to the top like our raw cows milk. Can I just skip that part of the recipe since cream is trough out or what do you recommend?
Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
When would you recommend switching a baby from the raw milk formula to raw milk?
Thanks,
Natasha
Sarah,
Some of my batches curdle when I warm the formula up. Since the only thing that is different would be the whey, (my homemade whey always looks different, when I make it). Does the whey make the formula curdle?
Is the formula prone to curdling if it’s older then 24 hours?
Thanks,
Elena
The older the formula, the more prone to curdling. It is best to make it everyday or every other day if possible.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist\’s last post: Seedling Garden in 95F Heat!
Hi Sarah, A friend and I tried making this last night and the formula had curdled by morning. I used whey from whole, but pasteurized yogurt. Could that be the problem? If using clabbered raw milk to make whey is simply outside of the realm of possibilty for this situation, and I can’t get raw whole yogurt, what can we use for the whey portion of the recipe? Is it better to skip that part of the recipe? I am afraid that in my friend’s situation we need to find a simple solution to the curdling or we may end up back with commercial formula. Help!
BTW, I love your blog!
This comment is not meant to counter anything in the above blog post… it is just meant to increase overall knowledge.
Adoptive Mother’s CAN breastfeed their children. It’s called “Induced Lactation” and it’s a perfectly natural and normal breast function, and really helps with bonding and attachment. You do NOT have to have given birth previously or been pregnant, nor do you need to have breastfed previously. This is what your breasts where intentionally created/designed to do!
For women with lowered breastmilk production; either from babies who need to be in NICU or because of dental work, or illness, or for getting breastmilk started or restarted, there is a product called an SNS (Supplemental Nursing System – google it).
I had a terrible time breastfeeding my two children by birth. I did it for only 6 months when I would have loved to have continued longer. I simply did not know about the SNS nor did I understand the biology of the human breast. I didn’t have a mother to help me (she had passed away several years earlier) and my grandmother was (sadly) too embarrassed and uncomfortable to pass along her knowledge. I gained knowledge after adopting two children from the foster care system (they generally won’t allow you to breastfeed “their” children, and most are already beyond breastfeeding years when they are finally adopted.) But there is plenty of information and successful adoptive breastfeeding experiences available out there.
Hope this helps someone.
Hi Sarah,
Why is it so important to use olive oil in a dark bottle? Could I just keep my organic EVOO in a dark cabinet for the same results?
Thanks so much for the video!
Lindsey
you could put aluminum foil around it. you need to protect it from light, that is the purpose of the dark bottle.
Okay, scratch the last comment. I figured it out.
I’ve been making this formula now for about a week, and it’s going well. My daughter seems to like it, despite it’s taste being more “savory” than the commercial formula she was taking. I have much more peace of mind about this formula and am thankful to have the recipe.
She does seem to spit up a little more with the homemade formula, and the spit up smells strongly of vomit (this never happened before). I’m concerned about it and was wondering if you have any advice on how I might should tweak the recipe.
i noticed this with my son. he didn’t spit up more, but when he did it was sometimes just clear and had that vomit smell. i suspect it is the whey. it would smell strongly or sour to us. just my thought.
Hi Sarah
I am really glad I stumbled across this article of yours as I have been looking for it for months! I am currently pregnant and since I have no idea how my breastfeeding will be I needed to search for good options (not powdered milk for babies).
I am curious and I would like to know where you first saw this recipe. Who invented it and s/he based herself or himself in what studies?
Thank you once again
Sara.
I have a 3 month old son and my milk supply is pretty diminished and he has been supplementing with formula but I would love to try this formula. Can I start him on this homemade formula right away or would I have to slowly work this in and work the commercial formula out? Please let me know as I would love to start feeding him this ASAP!
Thanks!
Heidi
Sarah, you are wonderful and brilliant! I desperately need another food source for my baby and just ordered the ingredients for this and you make it look so easy. I was initially scared off by the many ingredients in this, but what I’m doing now just isn’t working – baby has such a hard time pooping, I can’t even stand it. So I’ve decided to switch thanks to your videos, and I will absolutely be following your blog!
Thanks sooo much!
I think my kids are allergic to milk. Should I substitute goat milk in this recipe? Or what should I do?
You can try goat milk but if that doesn’t work I have a video on this blog of how to make a non dairy homemade formula based on homemade chicken broth as well. Do a search under videos for homemade baby formula.
Good advice to have the ingredients ready! I had surgery for a stragulated hernia and my poor baby had organic grocery store formula. If we had been prepared, I am sure that someone could have made this fir her, especially since you have a great video!
This article from the Cornucopia Institute may interest some people – note that this ARTIFICIAL DHA / ARA is now added to many “Organic” milks and other products as well!
http://www.cornucopia.org/2008/01/replacing-mother-infant-formula-report/
Replacing Mother – Imitating Human Breast Milk in the Laboratory, details research questioning the alleged benefits of adding “novel” omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, produced in laboratories and extracted from algae and fungus, into infant formulas. The report presents disturbing research indicating that the new additives placed in infant formula are seriously endangering the health of some formula-fed newborns and toddlers. Aggressive marketing campaigns by some infant formula manufacturers appear to have encouraged new mothers to give up nursing and switch to use of the questionable infant formula products.
Take Action Now! Tell the National Organic Standards Board to remove DHA/ARA from organic infant formula and foods.
NEW – Watch our 4-minute video on Martek Biosciences Corporation’s DHA and ARA in infant formula.
What Scientists Have to Say about Safety Concerns and Questionable Benefits of Martek’s DHA
NEW – Avoid organic foods containing Martek’s DHA and ARA. Click here to see a list of products with these unapproved additives.
I have made this formula for my baby several times, thinking we could somehow make it work, but my little guy vomits every time I give it to him. I have followed the preparation video to the letter, so I know I am making it correctly. He can take milk based commercial formula with no problem, so I am sure he doesn’t have any dairy issues. Do you have any other suggestions for me? I really don’t want to feed him the commercial formula if at all possible. Thanks for any help you can give.
the weston a price website says you can try leaving some things out and put them back in slowly to determine which ingredient is bothering him. go to the site for the details. i just read it a few days ago.
This formula is Great!! I’ve been making it for the past 3 weeks, however, my only problem is the milk curdles when I warm it up. I make it everyday but it seems that once my gal of milk get 6 to 7 days old it does this. Should I be purchasing my milk more frequently?
I’m getting ready to go back to work so I want to start my 5 month old on this homemade formula, I made a fresh batch yesterday and he VOMITED. I have followed the recipe, so I know I am making it right. I’m currently nursing and supplement with Organic Baby’s Only Dairy Formula (which he loves because it taste delicious) so I know he doesn’t have any dairy allergies. What can be going wrong? Please HELP!
Hi Sarah! I really enjoy reading your posts and watching your videos. They have been SO helpful!! Thank you for doing this, and for taking the time to answer our questions!! I wanted to know if it is possible to use sheep’s milk to make baby formula. I have read that it is far more nutritious than cow’s milk. What do you think? Thanks again!!!
I read most all the comments above( i didnt want to duplicate a question). I make theformula exact to the recipe but even right after i make it when i heat it it curdles. my milk is fresh….i heat water and i use glass baby bottles. i heat the water and put the glass bottle in the hot water. a few mins later its curdled milk on top and whey looking liquid below. my baby also has horrible poo now and spits up now and the spit up smells completely rotten and its also curdled. HELP PLEASE!! i’m afraid i’m giving her something bad.
I am interested in any ones opinion on this issue. I also am having trouble with the milk curdling. I am making the formula and if it is two days old I find that this happens. The milk I use is fresh and not out of date any time soon, yet when it is heated in a low temp. bottle warmer I find if I made it a few days prior, the formula curdles and I have to throw it away. Any idea, from any one, why??? Thanks for your help.
This happens to me too! Did you ever get a response or find a solution??
any tricks for the nutritional yeast? I have ground it up finer in my coffee grinder but it still gets stuck in the nipple!
I have had this same problem, but now I’m wondering if it is the Acerola powder! Did you ever find a solution???
I have been making home made formula for my infant son we recently adopted. We started with the hypoallergenic formula and are now using the milk version. We have a happy healthy baby boy! Our only problem has been that the lactose causes a great deal of gas. We found a great substitute with Coconut Secret crystals. It matches calorie for calorie to the lactose. I just couldn’t give him the cane sugar as a substitute — organic or not. I have tried other brands of coconut crystals, but they seem to have more of the coconut pieces and clog the bottle nipples. I really wish I had known about this formula when we adopted our first child 8 years ago. Although, I did know enough to give her high quality probiotics regularly.
She has been solely on this formula for 3 weeks now, at 8 weeks old, and at first there was some obvious discomfort but now she is doing super well on it. I make it every day now and am thrilled that I’ve found the next best thing to breast. I think it takes a few weeks for their newborn digestive tracts to fully get used to it.
We substituted 1/4 dose of a liquid b complex for the yeast. We add 1/2 tsp of good quality grade b maple syrup per 4 oz bottle, a doctor remedy for constipation that works nicely. And sadly we have to use non raw heavy cream, because we can’t find raw. Love that Sprouts carries raw milk! I love this formula. My daughter is thriving on it and it shows. Thanks for your video. I’ve memorized the recipe and enjoy making it each day now. Seriously. It’s kind of fun.
I have been researching the different ways of eating. I am currently feeding my 8 month old veggies, beans, tofu , fruit etc. I am not a huge milk drinker nor meat eater so I have been looking at different alternatives to getting the same nutrients from other sources. I got thinking of how i’d like to switch the formula my son is on from dairy to soy but then have been reading lots on the estrogen in soy products
Soy I decided to keep him on the similac dairy . Then I came across your blog on homemade formula. I am super nervous to go ahead and do anything like this incase he is not getting what he needs but at the same time trying to get away from all this commercial crap … HELP not sure what to do
Hi Sarah,
We have access to raw milk but believe they need to supplement and grain feed during the winter.
Is this acceptable or should I stockpile and freeze the grassfed milk before the first frost?
Thanks for this wonderful alternative! We used Earth’s Best with our first but are happy to find your recipe.
Victoria
If you can easily freeze, that would be great. But supplementing with grain during the winter is acceptable as well.
What brand of liquid whey do you recommend? The link isn’t working and I don’t want to order the wrong thing:) Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
Yet another great post. Thank you so much for providing this information in such an easy to follow, straightforward format.
I hope i’m not missing something, but I couldn’t access the link for the FCLO. Is it just the FCLO capsules available through Green Pastures?
If you could possibly re-post that link or reply with the exact product it would be much appreciated.
thanks again,
Arabella
Hi Sarah,
Me again. I just tried to order several of these products to send to Australia. Unfortunately some of them won’t ship to us. In particular the lactose, bifidobacterium and acerola powder. Any suggestions of how to access these in Australia? Or where I should start looking?
This is a real bummer for us here. I have had several WAPF-member-mums contact me recently hoping to make up this formula but we’ve had some difficulty sourcing the ingredients. I think i might also post it as a question on the WAPF forums.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks again,
Arabella
Belle\’s last post: UPCOMING EVENTS: FOOD & NUTRITION TALK, BOOK SIGNING & COOKING CLASS
I am about to make my first baby formula, and I wanted to clarify first… do I use 2 cups of the raw milk after it has been separated from the cream, or 2 cups of raw milk with the cream still in it? I see the ingredients say to add additional cream so I wasn’t sure if was in addition to the cream in the milk, or if I was supposed to separate the raw milk first and give her that??? Thank you for the clarification!
Kim
you should use the raw milk with the cream still in it. you need to be using whole milk, and taking the cream out makes it not whole milk anymore. if you need to skim cream to use for the cream in the recipe, you should do that from a different container of milk.
The milk I get is nearly one third cream and has not been sepe rated. I would think most milk has been sepweated bwfore you get it.
Also, does the quantity of each feeding change at all when switching to homemade formula… is it like breast milk, not as filling as commercial grade formula?
i did not change the quantity, but i found that my son wants more of this formula, so i actually upped the amounts i am giving him.
I bought the Kalona brand vat pasteurized non-homogenized milk to make the milk-based home-make baby formula. Raw milk is unavailable as there is a waiting list in my area for cow shares. I bought the kefir grains but I need help on how to use these grains to culture my milk back to life….not sure how to do this? Am I essentially making kefir?
I had the exact same question – I’ve been running this over & over in my head, and I agree that culturing pasteurized, non-homogenized milk would make it kefir. This is what I was going to use also as my boyfriend is still a bit weary of raw milk. Where are you getting your whey from? Your kefir, once that is made? I am thinking I may buy some raw milk from a friend just to get the whey.
Hi Sara
I have a few questions and would really appreciate if you could answer them
My son is 1 year old and I have stopped giving him the homemade formula 2 months ago, instead I give him plain raw milk. I have the ingredients for the formula, so I was wondering if you recommend that I keep giving him the homemade formula until he is 2 yrs old? Or is it fine to just keep giving him the plane raw milk?
Also, can I substitute the water with raw milk when making the formula? (Using 4 cups of raw milk instead of 2, and adding no water). I would like him to get as much milk as possible, and he drinks water during the day..
thank you so much in advance!
not an expert, but i would say it depends on what else he is eating. if you have him on a normal diet and he is getting all his nutrition, then you could probably do any combination of this formula as a supplementation. but if he is dependent on this formula for his nutrition to be met, keep the formula the same. my opinion.
I Love this formula… I use Kefier as I can not get Raw milk. Babies pooh was some what paste like and normal. All of a sudden he has round marble pooh he is 4 months is this normal ? or do you have any sugestions?
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SARAH!
We are herdshare owners in a milk coop and there are different kinds of milk available. What is the difference between milk from jersey cows and milk from other breeds of dairy cows? I am making this wonderful homemade formula for our daughter and I plan to write a testimonial about her here soon with more details. Suffice it to say, I’ve tried her on this several times with just the raw milk and she has so much trouble with digestion/constipation. She does very well though when I take the extra step of making kefir first. We have never bought the jersey milk because it’s more expensive, but I was wondering if our baby might have an easier time digesting that milk instead???
Thanks for your time and attention, Shelly
Hi Shelly, jersey milk is preferable to holstein milk as there is much more fat in it. I also have a video on the difference in the proteins in jersey vs holstein milk you might want to take a look at. But, if all you can get is holstein milk raw, then that is fine. If you have a choice, go with the jersey milk.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist\’s last post: Got Asthma? Get Ready to Open Your Wallet
Do you know where I can find low temp (vat) pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk? I am unable to get raw milk were I live. The closest source is just too far away. The whole milks I see at the store are all ultra-pasterized. I would love to make this for my baby.
I so enjoy the post that people are sending and help me feel better when I have a lot of the same questions, unfortunately, I find little response or answers. Why can not someone answer these questions. I am a little disappointed with The healthy Home economist when they encourage the posts yet do not give any answers. I have given our adopted son the raw homemade formula. He is almost one. Do I change the recipe for his older age or not. I do not feel I will get the answer as I have read the questions posted and found that rarely do they get answered.
Signed,
Frustrated Mom
if a baby is getting all his nutritional needs met by regular food, then you don’t have to stick by the formula. if he still needs the formula to give him nutrition, and he is not getting it through food, keep giving him the formula as is. you could probably give it to him through toddlerhood if you wanted to. you could probably drink it as an adult if you wanted. it certainly wouldn’t hurt anything. I’d leave it the same if you’re not sure. my opinion.
i NEED HELP!!! I live in Germany, and the closest place to get raw milk is several miles away. I can’t find milk that you suggest, just reg. organic pasteurized milk from health food stores. Can it be mailed? I’m exhausted from looking.
HI Sarah , Happy New Year,
My wife and I love having being able to give our newborn the same great raw milk we have been enjoying for a couple of years now.
Although, I have a question I need your help with; We just started the formula and made our 2nd batch yesterday. We only made a half batch (cutting all ing. in half) because our boy is still drinking breastmilk and we want it to be freshmade. But the mix when put in the fridge has become a gelitin like texture, when shaken up it breaks up and seems very thick. When heated in the bottle it goes back to the regular milky texture but i wonder if something was wrong with that jelly like state. Is there something wrong with making a half batch? Can you help? thanks in advance!
mine goes jelly like too. i have been trying to find info online where someone with experience addresses this, but so far nothing. i am considering putting the formula directly into 2.5 ounce plastic containers i have after i make the batch, and then i can just put those little containers in warm water to re-liquify it before pouring it in the baby bottle. otherwise i have to use a spoon and try to get it in the bottle which is hard and messy.
Hi, I had this problem too and I started using only 1 tsp of gelatin rather than 2. That solved the problem for me!
Thanks, I reduced it from 2 tablespoons to 1. It is not set hard like before, but still sets up a bit. What I decided to do: When I make a batch of the formula, I pour it into these 2.3 ounce containers that I have, called snappies. You can buy them online. I ended up with a ton of them from the hospital because baby was a preemie and we were there for a while. They are designed for breastmilk and reuseable. Anyway, I pour them into those containers. When I am going to make a bottle, I put those little containers in warm water. It melts the gelatin. Then I just pour it into the baby bottle with some breast milk and it’s good to go. Since I am doing it this way, I may try it again with the full amount of gelatin and see how it goes.
oops, teaspoons
Hi Sarah,
I am trying to locate a provider for raw milk from grassfed cows. I live in Sandwich, Illinois about hour west of Chicago. I want to begin to make my homemade formula ASAP. Thank you.
Hi Sarah,
I just made my first batch of this formula and was wondering if I should slowly transition my son into it? He’s 10 months old and currently on commercial formula. Half and half for a while or is it okay to give him the full homemade formula?
Thanks so much!
i started my son on it immediately and had no ill effects. in my opinion, it’s worse to keep the commercial formula going.
Is it ok to use this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0U40860504&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle2&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle2-_-HW+-+Vitamins++Minerals+++Supplements-_-Garden+of+Life-_-9SIA0U40860504
for the bifidobacterium infants powder?? It’s the Garden of Life Primal Defense Kids probiotic formula.
Our 4 mo adopted daughter has been on the Weston Price homemade formula recipe (goat’s milk based as we don’t have a source for raw cow’s milk) since an outbreak of thrush at 4 wks old. Her mother had been on 3 antibiotics prior/during delivery. But, our daughter has never been on anything herself nor has she had any vaccines.
A rash popped up about a week or so after starting her on the homemade formula (perhaps a coincidence). It was mild and splotchy at first, but then transitioned into dry/bumpy skin in mass. It would flare up at times (I feel like it’s after she eats, but am not sure) and yesterday, it went crazy after I showered her using a pea size drop of castile soap. I bathe her about once a week b/c of her “dry skin”. She is biracial and I had been using a soap for her skin type, but thought that may be the problem so switched to Bronner’s Castile Soap. Not sure if it was the heat and moisture of the shower or the soap or the fact that I just fed her that made it flare up. But, I’m very concerned and wondered if you could recommend where I can start attacking this issue.
I have an appt with our naturopath on Monday, but love your website and respect your experience with this particular formula and infants.
Any ideas you can give me are greatly appreciated. My husband keeps saying to just put her on Earth’s Best and she’ll be fine, but I’m determined to feed her the best I can and commercial formula is not an option.
Thanks in advance.
Elexa Wagaman
Hi Sarah
I just can not decide the “TBL” and the “tsp” both means teaspoon?Or what is TBL means?
I started now to learn to make this baby formula and I stuck in this “TBL” thing.
Thanks for you answer
Regards:Marietta
Hi Sarah! My mom pointed me to your blog recently and I’m eager to try this formula. I’ve seen other videos around but you are the first to explain the vitamin k in the butter oil.
I am due to deliver my fourth in less than 4 weeks and am researching normal newborn care and want to make much different,natural decisions with this baby. I have never made enough milk to fully breast feed my children. I also have never eaten as healthfully as I am now, so I’m hopeful that nursing will go better this time around, but in case it doesn’t, I want to have these formula ingredients ready to go. I’d really love to hear if folks have success freezing this so I could possibly go ahead and have some made.
Anyway, my question is about the vitamin k. I will be declining the shot and was planning to use oral drops. If I’m exclusively nursing, I assume I will need the drops, but if I use the formula, would the amount of vitamin k in the butter oil be enough?
Also, I was just reading about the antibiotic eye drops. Did you decline these? Did you get push back?
Thanks!
Maybe these are dumb questions… I am an european so these measures are a bit tricky here.
1 cup = how many ml?
(TSP) = a TeaSPoon
(TBS)/TBL = a TaBleSpoon
right?
I have all the ingredients for making the formula. However I have no access to filtered water (yet). Can I use bottled water for now?
Last one: we have pasteurized cream in supermarkets but I would love to use a better thing than that. There is a special brand of “rømme” (which is ‘sour cream’ in Norway) pasteurized BUT not homogenized like the other dairy products are. Can I use this sour cream instead of pasteurized and homogenized cream in the baby formula?
Thank you a lot
I am really excited about this. Cross your fingers for us (I really hope my baby loves this formula!)
A hug from Norway
I’ve been trying to make this formula for a few days now. There’s a problem with the oils rising to the top and forming a hard crust during refrigeration. I watched your video to see if you would address this, but you say: “You can simply pour this formula into a baby bottle and warm the bottle”. Well, no. You can’t simply pour it. You can break the crust and pour the “skim” formula into a baby bottle, but then how do you divide the oils?
So, I pour the formula into the bottles (BPA-free plastic, sorry! – glass bottles are apparently unavailable in Canada) and refrigerate them. Then, it takes a while to warm the bottles so that the oils melt, and I do shake vigorously to try to blend the oils, but by the time Baby is near the end, the milk has cooled and the oils line the side of the bottle!
So now I’ve started adding only part of the water to the formula. I calculate it so 1/8 cup or 30 ml of the water is missing from each bottle (the formula makes 1040 ml). When Baby is near the end of the bottle, I add the missing water, warm enough to re-melt the oils and stay warm after the vigorous shaking it takes to get the oils off the sides of the bottles. Test on my wrist to make sure it’s just right for Baby.
All this is a little frustrating. AM I THE ONLY PERSON HAVING THIS PROBLEM? Could it be the plastic bottles? Maybe glass keeps the temperature longer.
Next question (sorry, I’m new at this, I bf’d my babies 100%, but now I have to raise my granddaughter!): how do you keep the baby from screaming while the bottle warms/how do you know when to warm the bottle ahead of time but not too soon?
Also, in my blender (a Vitamix) 3 seconds does not do a good job of mixing. There are streaks of the dark Acerola powder in it, and the oils aren’t mixed well. Should it be on High?
Really hope to get answers! Thanks!
I tried a different cream and did not get the sticky oil problem! I may try storing in jars if this keeps working!
Odddlycrunchy\’s last post: Eggnog Mousse
So I tried storing in two glass jars. The oils and cream still harden around the top of the jars, making it difficult to just pour out the desired amount of milk for the baby’s bottle. I have to pick off some of the hardened oil/cream and add it to the bottle. It melts fine in the bottle as I warm it, but the amounts will vary from bottle to bottle. Not a big deal I suppose, breast milk does same thing.
Also, there is something that clogs the bottle nipple. I’m now filtering it out as I pour from the blender jar. Does anyone else have this happen?
Thanks
you’ve got to get the bottle ready before she is screaming. it can sit at room temp for a few hours. get the next one ready an hour before you expect her to want to eat. i heard to mix all the dry stuff including NYF and acerola in the warm water, instead of putting it directly into the blender, to let it dissolve. then blend it all for 3 seconds or so at the end.
Hand held emersion blender works great .
One more comment: before I found the wapf formula (wapff) and located a raw milk source, I used organic commercial formula (ocf), basically for the first four months. Luckily B’s auntie was able to bf her at least once a day, but moved away a few weeks ago.
Anyway, I noticed some changes during the transition from ocf to wapff which I thought worth sharing:
1. The ocf gave the baby constipation. The wapff has solved that.
2. B’s stools look and smell a lot more like a breastfed baby’s. WOW!
3. Baby is satisfied with a smaller amount, but wants it more often. Again, more like bf!
Anyone else have similar results?
O.
Odddlycrunchy\’s last post: Eggnog Mousse
Hi Sarah and everybody
I have 3 questions and really need some help as I have been doing the homemade formula for about a week and see wonderful results (the only thing that I need to solve is the fact that my baby hates FCLO and refuses the milk after she burps… do not know what to do but something will come up).
1) I did not realise that the lactose would come to an end so soon. I already ordered more but it will come only in about 10 days and I only have lactose for 2 or 3 days more. Can I do the homemade formula (milk) without lactose?
2) About the probiotic. So far I could only find Bifidobacterium Lactis. I know it is different but can I use it until I find the Bifidobacterium Infantis? Getting some things in Norway can be a bit daunting sometimes…
3) My baby still spits a bit of milk. This is really *nothing* compared to what she spat before with the crappy supermarket formula but still… is it normal for a baby to spit up some milk?
Thank you so much. I am waiting for answers that can give me a good help!
1) I had the same thing happen with the lactose! And none of the organic & health food stores carry it (got a few stares when I asked!). I ordered a few days ago but haven’t received it. Yesterday I added 1 Tablespoon of organic sugar instead of the 4 of lactose. There’s some lactose in the cow’s milk, just not as much as in breast milk. Today I think I’ll make the formula without any sugar. When this baby is hungry I don’t think she cares how sweet the milk is! I put in the sugar thinking she needed it to hide the FCLO. Lactose is very important because it breaks into glucose and galactose. Glucose is the brain’s fuel, and galactose is a component of the myelin which protects the neurones. So I will NOT run out of it again! Sugar is two molecules of glucose, so no harm to have a little. From this bit of knowledge I’d guess the glucose in 4 Tb lactose = the glucose in 2 Tb sucrose. Looking at the chemical structure of the two on wikipedia confirms this. But sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and I’m not a nutritionist, just a nutrition nut! So I err on the low side, because sucrose is such a no-no for us (we do the GAPS diet). I’m sure a few days with low galactose will not harm the baby. But I’ll always have 2 or 3 packages of Lactose on hand from now on.
2. Don’t know.
3. Some babies spit up a lot. My little one does, and it doesn’t matter if it’s powdered formula, wapf formula or even after breastfeeding! Sometimes the bottom of the oesophagus is immature and doesn’t close right. When the stomach churns, some of the contents are pushed out. So it doesn’t matter what the contents are. I’ve often noticed another bit of spitting up two or three hours after feeding (depending on the milk). My guess is that the stomach is squeezing again a little more forcefully to empty into the intestines. She gets hungry soon after that!
Odddlycrunchy thank you very much for your answer!
My husband also got funny stares when he asked… no store here has it available for sale.
I will not risk about using sugar… I honestly do not know what to do. I do not want to use commercial formula but I have nothing more to give and she refuses my breast
Please, please, can anyone else answer me? I only have lactose for 1 day now and we have to wait for the package to come
Certainly have learnt my lesson… do not wait for it to ever happen again…
order in bulk. amazon has six packages of NOW brand with prime shipping 2 days free. calculate how many batches that will be good for ahead of time so you don’t run out. organic sugar will break down into glucose and fructose i believe, which is what we’re trying to stay away from with this formula.
Hi Sarah,
I recently switched my 8 month old from breast milk to the homemade cow’s milk formula (almost a month ago) and have noticed his stools are looser. He doesn’t seem gassy or bothered by it, but I just want to make sure I’m not missing an allergy or sensitivity that he may have. The stool is much yellow in color and the odor is stronger as well. Please advise. Thanks!
I’m giving my baby the WAP milk-based formula for 3, maybe 4 weeks now. The first day I gave her the WAP formula she didn’t spit nor even once and that was amazing as she used to spit lots and lots of commercial milk I had to give her. The colic issue was also gone completely. I was feeling soooooo happy!
However, in the corse of days, some other problems started to come.
Her stools were more or less solid, color mustard and not that smelly at first. For the last days I noticed that her stools always runny, mucousy, a bit seedy, green-brown consistency and they smell awfull. She pooped twice daily and now only once.
First I thought that maybe this was due to the lack of the probiotic as it is the only ingredient I couldn’t find. So, instead of Bifidobacterium Infantis I have to give her Bifidobacterium Lactis and Lactobacillus Reiteri Protectis at least until I find a store that sells me the probiotic needed for this WAP formula. Lately I only give her Bifidobacterium Lactis.
Then I remembered that I’m intolerant to cow’s milk and I’m afraid that my baby also can be. I suspect she has diarrhea (I’m a first-time mom so not very experienced) and that she is also intolerant the same way I am. If this is correct then I might have caused her a big issue in her gut. I feel terrible now!, and don’t know what to do. I cannot find goat’s milk and finding organic liver to do the the liver-based formula is impossible here. I can only find liver in supermarkets and God knows what the cows ate or what antibiotics/drugs/vaccines whatever chemicals were given to them.
I really don’t want to give her the commercial formula ever again.
I’m really lost and don’t know what to do.
Can anyone please give me a good help?
Thank you in advance.
Maria, just out of curiosity, are you using raw milk in the WAP formula recipe? I just know that a lot of people who are intolerant to cows milk are actually intolerant to pasteurized cows milk, and when they drink raw milk, it’s actually good for them and their gut can handle it.
How old is your baby? I’m wondering if your baby’s body is just adjusting to the formula? Does she seem to be in pain? Or is it just her stools that are causing you concern? Because babies’ stools can vary in color/consistency and still not be problematic.
Hi Bethany
Thank you for your answer.
My baby is 5 months and a half now and I’ve been giving her this formula for the last 3 weeks. I use raw milk from Hulstein cows who spend everyday out in the fields but I also know that they eat grains. There is also nothing I can do about it as every farmer give grain-based food to their animals here, chicken included. Soy is included in that food.
I make my own whey from yoghurt I make with that milk. Sometimes I can remove the cream right out from the raw milk, other times I have to use pasteurized and homogenized cream. There is also nothing more I can do about this.
Next month I’ll have access to raw milk from Jersey cows (not really sure if they eat grains as well with the grass but most probably they do) and let’s see what happens.
She doesn’t seem to be in pain (colic issue disappeared) and I’ve been sick with a kind of a ‘flu and passed it to her unfortunately. It could have been this that caused the stools to be like that but before I got sick she already had this kind of poop. She also has a rash in her bum and it was not caused by me taking too long to change her. I remember I changed her 5 minutes after she pooped (I use cloth diapers and took that time preparing everything to clean her with warm water and cotton as Ialways do) and her bum was very red – a signal that her stool was really very acid.
This morning her stool was like the 3rd photo that this link shows: http://idanas.blogspot.no/2010/05/baby-poop.html
but 10 minutes later she pooped again and it was more like a mixture between the 3rd picture and the 9th picture. Really smelly
I also thought about teething… she drools a bit more than before but it’s not a profuse production of saliva – at least not yet.
Sorry for the long post but I really need some light.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Can I use homemade gelatinous chicken broth instead gelatin in the baby formula (milk based)??
I use homemade bone broth (gelatinous) instead of gelatin in my homemade formula for months now. It is impossible to find the recommended brand here (Europe) and I do not trust a bit in the only one I managed to find (NOW) as it is GMO (I sent them an email and they answered with some data about this). No GMOs here! I am very pleased with the result, my baby loves it.
I just started the homemade formula it has been 3 day and my son has not gone number two he was on store bought formula for one month pryor to me finding the healthier way is this normal and how many days is too many days with going potty?
is he having lots of wet diapers? if so, he isn’t dehydrated. my son only goes every few days sometimes, but he has plenty of wet diapers and his stool is not hard and dry, it’s wet and loose. that’s just how he is. i’ve verified it with doctors. it is not necessarily normal to poop several times a day for a baby.
As I am always researching this I have come back to this post and these comments several times. Just wanted to update and say that before the formula, while on commercial formula, baby poop was really watery and a weird green blue brown really dark color with a yeasty smell. There was a weird transition for a few days where it was half green and half yellow. But since then it is yellow and pasty and he goes more often, at least every two days, sometimes every day. I feel like this is more normal and closer to breastfed stools, except that there is an odor from eating foods besides breastmilk. It took a little bit of time for this to happen and the transition to be made. Just wanted to add this in case of anyone out there reading every little thing you can find on this formula like I was (still am).
We receive fresh raw milk every other week. I freeze the second week’s supply and thaw it as needed. Can the thawed milk be used to make baby formula? Also, I read on your website that freezing milk 2 weeks makes it safer. Would it be beneficial to freeze all the milk we receive for two weeks?
i don’t know about making it safer, but i know it’s ok to freeze milk if you need to. it kind of puts the living stuff in the milk to sleep, but it awakes as it thaws.
I made one batch that was fine, but the second one like “set up” in the fridge, and is now the consistency of runny yogurt. What did I do wrong????
I’m having the same problem, every time I make it it turns in overnite to runny yogurt. Please someone respond if this is ok to give to my infant.
I’m having the same problem. I think it’s the whey curdling the milk but I can’t find any info on it. Now that its fall it is not 72 degrees in my house and my whey is really cloudy. I feel like it must be the milk solids still in the whey that’s causing the trouble. Someone please help! How can I seperate my milk when it’s not warm in my home?
That also happens here. Just shake the bottle a bit. No worries.
mine is more set up than that. it’s the gelatin.
I have access to an abundance of fresh raw goat milk but am unable to get any raw cow milk. I know that you said that goat milk is deficient in B12; do you have any suggestions for what I could do? Is there something I could add to the formula to increase the B12 for my little guy since cow’s milk is not an option? Thanks for any insights you have.
Introduce liver and egg yolks as soon as possible.
Hi Sarah-
I really want to try this baby formula for my 6 month old but I have a couple questions. Is it possible to make more whey than just what is rendered from the 2 cups of raw milk? I feel like I’d have a science lab set up in my kitchen just for having whey available as needed. Could I double the milk to 4 cups in one container or does it need to be 2 cups only? I suppose I could do 2 separate 2 cup containers at once, if that is the case.
Also, when I get the raw milk, it still has about 3″ of cream on top. Is that cream to be left in and shaken so it’s not separated, and then still add the 2 tbsp MORE cream? If so, what type of cream should I use?
Last, I have read other posts about some people having issues with the cocoanut oil solidifying back after the formula is made. Are they just not heating it up enough before giving it to baby or is there a way to prevent this?
Oh I forgot to ask…
Would I take off any of the cream off the top of the separated milk before making the whey from it?
Hi, Thanks for your recipe.
My baby has allergy to formula and I don’t have enough pumped milk for her, so I had some qhestions regarding this formula.
Do I have to use the nutrition yeast? My baby keeps having thrush and I was advised to stay away from all yeast. Can I use something else instead?
Also, where do I get goat cream? I cannot find it anywhere! My oldest kids have allergies to cow’s milk products, so I don’t wanna try the cows milk cream with this baby because of that reason. Can I use butter instead?
Also, insted of using powders like acerola powder, can I just ad a multivitamin to the formula?
What else can I use instead of lactose? Is brown rice syrup ok?
Thanks so much!
How long can homemade baby formula be stored in the fridge? And can I double or triple the recipe and freeze it so that I don’t have to make it every couple of days?
With us here it lasts 1 day in the fridge. We triple the recipe and freeze it – however we don’t put the probiotic in those formulas (only after thawing each recipe).
Maria-
Try using goats milk. You can usually find it in a pint carton in grocery stores like Kroger, or you can buy the powdered Meyenburg brand on Amazon. It is good too. We used both of these before finding raw goats milk. My son cannot have cow’s. Even raw cow’s. HTH
Hi Sarah,
Is there a way to increase the calorie count of the formula. It looks like the formula is a 23.7 calorie count. Its important that I have a higher calorie count formula for my child’s heart condition. They burn the calories a lot faster than normal babies. I’m trying to reach a 28 calorie count.,
Thanks,
Ty
Sarah, In other posts you have made comments about ways to increase your milk production as a nursing mom. Many new moms seem to be frustrated with the amount of milk they are able to produce, so I thought it might be nice to know what foods increase a new moms milk supply?
Try drinking raw milk. Sarah has a post where she describes that, just search here.
How do you address all of the dieticians etc. that say babies under age 1 should not have cow’s milk because the proteins are too hard for them to digest?
Sarah, I just made my first batch of formula and am noticing that the nutritional yeast flakes (NYF) do not seem to be mixing well. When I first poured the formula into my mason jars, there was a fair amount of NYF at the bottom of the blender. I poured everything back into the blender and blended longer; this time it was better, but still present. Should I add them with the coconut oil to the warm water/gelatin/lactose mix to dissolve them before adding to the blender?
That also happens here. I also long for an answer that can help us!
I put the Nutritional Yeast Flakes and the Acerola Powder in with the warm water to help it dissolve first before mixing with the rest of the formula.
Thanks, Bethany! I’ll do that next batch.
Is anyone using this recipe and a Lact-Aid? I think the formula is too thick for my Lact-Aid and need suggestions if someone has mastered this. Thanks!
To everyone wondering about the formula ‘setting up’ overnight….
I was having the same problem and even threw out a batch thinking it had gone bad. But now that I’ve made it a few times, I think that it’s just the oils hardening due to the cold. All I do is give the jar some really good shakes before pouring to be sure and distribute all the solidified oils throughout. I haven’t had any issues.
Hi, I had this problem too and I started using only one tsp of the gelatin and that solved it. I still have to shake it a bit, but just to distribute the cream. Hope that helps!
I get the glass baby bottles at Target for super cheap, and just pour the batch of formula into the bottles and store in the fridge. When it’s time for a bottle, I warm it in the a bowl or pan of hot water for a couple minutes to help the formula mix together properly. Super easy
Hi Sarah,
Wonderful video! While watching it, I realized this is the same recipe as found in the book ‘Super Nutrition for Babies’ by K. Erlich & K. Genzlinger. I use this book daily for its wonderful baby recipes.
My son will be going to a nanny starting at 10.5 months, transitioning him slowly into this new environment so at one years time he will be there full time while I return to work.
My son has a full body rash and has since food was introduced. Otherwise, he is very healthy. I suspect he has some sensitivities.
I live in a rural community in Northern BC, Canada. Unfortunately, because raw dairy is “illegal” here, it is very difficult to find it from a trusted source. I have however found raw goat milk dairy (also illegal, but the individuals claim its for pets in order to let people get away with drinking it – a trusted source). I realize however it is significantly lower in folic acid and B12 vitamin, both imperative for a babies growth and development.
My question is, would you recommend using raw goats milk instead of raw cow milk in the above recipe (as it seemingly might be my only choice for raw dairy) and adding a few additional ingredients to address the folic and B12 needs? In my book it talks about chicken livers. This idea for whatever reason does not sit well with me???
Despite him going to a nanny each day, I do intend to breastfeed my son in the am when he wakes, when I return from work each day and before his bedtime. I may also increase my pumping to send him with one bottle of breastmilk a day for the nanny. This extra formula is just to get his some additional milk that I believe he will require over and above what I can give him breastfeeding/pumping.
What are your recommendations? Would you advise that I use the raw goat milk and add a few substitutes, or would you advise that I use the low temp, non homo whole cow milk in glass. Truthfully, I dont even know if I can find that up here in the north.
Thank you for your time Sarah.
Roxy
you have to be careful when changing the formula because it can have ripple effects. the nutrients work (or don’t work) in certain combinations. they can also block each other in the wrong combinations. the weston a price foundation has a goats milk formula. yeah it has liver. you should just address your uneasiness about liver. it does not hold toxins, the liver converts toxins to get rid of them. it is healthy, as long as it comes from a healthy animal. it is actually a super food. i’d try it. baby doesn’t have any preconceived notions about liver.
This formula is great. I used it myself for a tube-fed child when I couldn’t keep up my milk supply. However, our child couldn’t tolerate cow milk and we had to use goat milk. Goat milk can be done safely and efficiently with a few tweaks to the recipe. Don’t write it off just for the sake of keeping to the exact recipe. You can still make it work and meet all the nutritional requirements needed for good health.
April, your comment interests me a lot as I use the homemade baby formula with cow’s milk. My baby has eczema and some intolerance to cow’s milk. I have the chance to buy goat’s milk (they eat fermented food along with what they can find in Nature and they even eat algi from the beach) but I have some concerns.
What changes did you make in your formula? I am looking forward to reading your answer as I do not want my baby to lack in folate, iron and B12, for example. Thank you very much!
Maria.
Maria, unsulphured blackstrap molasses can be used as part of the carbohydrate intake for iron. It also helped keep my child really regular. We rarely had constipation issues (and if they did we were able to get them immediately resolved). We did use quality multi vitamins to make up some of the content, but my child was also older than six months when we started giving them this formula. We were able to add meat and other foods to help with vitamin and mineral content. I do think with the formula it is important to introduce organic, whole food and homemade baby food once they are old enough. The Weston A. Price original formula suggests adding grated liver to the formula if you use goat milk.
Also, the nutritional yeast makes up a large portion of the b-vitamins and folic acid. If you use goat milk, be sure to include that. I can’t remember all the specifics on infants off the top of my head, but it may be sufficient in covering the folic acid and b-vits.
April thank you so much for your answers! I gave goat milk’s formula but she vomited it so I gave that option up immediately. It’s impossible to find chicken liver here so I went back to cow’s milk formula… however, as time goes by (she’s 11 months now) her sleep patterns are really bad. She only sleeps 7-8 hours per night and 1 hour per day only… and I am soooooo tired!
Her sleep patterns were soooo good until I introduced some solids (vegetables I think). I give her a whole foods diet consisting on egg yolks, liver, bone broth, chicken, turkey, grassfed butter, vegetables like carrots / brocoli / lettuce / onions / napa or nappa cabbage / squash / pumpkin / parsley / cauliflower and fruits like avocados / apples / pears / (avoid banana and she gets constipated) for example… what am I doing wrong?
Forgot to mention that she doesn’t have any teeth yet.
Have you tried culturing the goat milk or even using goat milk yogurt? I makes the milk more digestible.
Would this formula work well for preemies? My baby boy was born at 31 weeks and is anemic. Are there any natural formula vitamin/mineral/iron supplements you could recommend for him?
I was wondering if you could add a source of DHA and ARA to homemade formula?
the cod liver oil is the dha. the ara is from the fat in the milk.
I was wondering if there was a way to add DHA and ARA to this homemade baby formula recipe?
Meghan\’s last post: Interview/Podcast with Pantry Paratus
Sarah,
Next month we will be adopting our first child & are so excited. I know that commercial formulas are terrible so thank you for showing this information. I am unable to find a source for raw milk at this time so I am planning to go the low temp pasteurized milk route & culture it with kefir grains. I was wondering though, what brand of cream you would recommend since I will not have raw milk source for good quality cream & most pasteurized creams are ultra pasteurized? Thank you for your help!
Can anyone relate?!?!?….After a couple weeks of formula feeding my son he started having blood in his poop….the doctor put him on Nutramigen because apparently this was caused by a milk allergy. Has anyone tried the raw milk formula who’s baby had the same allergic reaction? I read that a baby is “allergic” to cows milk because it is so processed, they can’t digest it. I am praying he doesn’t get blood in his poop and he accepts this formula. I did my research on commercial formula and it breaks my heart every bottle I give him.
Thanks so much for posting this! Breastfeeding was great while it lasted, but it didn’t last quite long enough no matter what I did
My lil one just turned 4 months and has been on this formula for a week or so now. She’s doing great on it thus far! I added a lil less gelatin because it just seemed too thick. Worked fine.
I have a question about the butter oil. I saw your recipe for homemade butter oil (ghee) Would that be a good thing to use in this formula instead of the horribly expensive commercial butter oil? Are they basically the same thing? I’m guessin the chances of you answering me after this being posted for 2 years are pretty slim, but I thought I’d have a whack at it anyway
Thanks again. You’re a Godsend
i’m no expert but i did read that butter oil and ghee are not the same thing. there is a company called nutrapro that makes high vitamin butter oil that is cheaper. one 12 ounce bottle, with 1/4 t per batch, will last for 288 batches. so i went ahead and bought it from nutrapro via amazon and I might have to buy it one more time before baby grows out of formula.
I have a question about what ingredient inside the formula might be making my baby’s stomach upset. I don’t think it’s the cow’s milk, since he does okay on the similac (even though I hate giving it to him). He doesn’t spit-up, just seems to be getting tummy cramps and he is VERY fussy all of the time, but more so on the homemade formula. I want to continue giving him the homemade formula, but I don’t want him to be uncomfortable all of the time. I have heard it could be the nutritional yeast and that some are sensitive to it. Depending on what it is, what is an appropriate substitute for that ingredient? Thank you.
The nutritional yeast is only important if youre using goats milk. It is fine to just leave it out if you’re using cows milk so Id say drop it and see if it helps with the sto!mach
Okay, thank you. If it is not the nutritional yeast, what else could it be? I get stomach cramps when I take the coconut oil, but it’s a lot more that a teaspoon, and I think that is a normal transitional period. What else could it be?
Hello! I’ve been making this formula for 7+ months and it’s great… My baby is almost 1 and will be switching to plain raw milk soon. I”m wondering what you think/know about this… I have a lot of certain ingredients (acerola, yeast, gelatin, cod liver oil), and only a lttle bit of certain ones (infantis, sunflower oil, lactose). Will it be beneficial to use up the ingredients I have? Or harmful if they’re not all included? I don’t know how they interact with each other, so I’m not sure if it’s better or not… I don’t want to just not use all these great supplements, and would rather not keep ordering because of the expense.
Thanks for your help.
Hannah, you can switch to raw milk only at 10 months, but it wouldn’t hurt to add in some of the ingredients as supplements.
The formula wasn’t holding my baby over at all and I was told by my Pediatrician that he was eating too much, she said he’s not supposed to have over 32 oz in a 24 hours period. Well, he was having 45 +. Last night I added another 1/4 cup of whey to his formula and it is holding him over better. Is that okay to do? am I hurting him by adding that in? Thank you.
Hey Sarah I just got all the my stuff together to make the formula this week. How long does it last at room temp ? Say if baby gets like two oz and then takes a nap and there is 4 oz in the bottle.. do you know how long it can be left at room temp ?
if baby has drank from the bottle, it’s only good for about an hour. the saliva gets in the bottle and starts to grow bad bacteria.
Hi Sarah,
I just started my baby on this formula, I pump and feed her breast milk but she needs one bottle of formula each day as I can’t seem to keep up!! I had tried an organic powder formula before but she hated it but didn’t have any digestive issues. With this formula she seems to spit up a lot and this morning she threw up twice about 2 hours after I gave her just 3 oz of this formula. I’m considering stopping it but I don’t want to as it seems like the healthiest thing out there..
But if she isn’t able to digest as little as 4 Oz per day I wonder if I should reduce the oils in it? Any suggestions?
Sarah
I wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. I was not prepared to have my baby at 34 weeks, I was not prepared to not be able to breast feed my lil girl the first month of her life and I was not prepared for the small amount of breast milk I produced the 8 months I pumped. I hated giving her store bought formula and had no clue that there was an alternative. It was heart wrenching to see other women I worked with so effortlessly produce milk for their babies. Still to this day, I feel like I let my child down… When we have our next baby I will be prepared to give him/her an alternative, if these problem happen to arise… so
thank you!
Julie
Julie, I didn’t have my children early but did have true difficulty producing milk and used formula with my first two kids. I highly recommend the book “The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk”–it is written for women who have true supply issues. With my third I was able to nurse and supplement for 4 months before switching to this recipe completely. There is an excellent chapter on grief vs. regret that helped me process my experiences. I encourage you to get a copy and read through it before your next child.
I would like to make the homemade baby formula. As I don’t have access to raw milk I would like to use low temp pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk. You suggest to culture it back to life with kefir starter. How exactly do I do that once I have the milk kefir grains which I will get from a friend?
We have been making this formula for my son for 8 weeks now (he is just over 2 months old). It is normal to have your child spit up quite a bit more with this formula. My son does also spit up sometimes a clear substance (which I suspect also is the whey) but he has had no issues aside from spit up. He is never constipated, seems to digest it well. He has about 24 oz a day right now. We only leave the formula out for an hour if he doesn’t drink all of it. We put it back in the fridge and reheat it later…seems to be no issues. Also, the website that the formula recipe comes from states to make this formula fresh daily (I don’t know how it would last a good week in the fridge without being clumpy due to the cream etc??). I suppose there is a reason they suggest it must be made everyday verses making a big batch for the week and putting it in the fridge. So, we make it daily!
I’ve been doing it for probably four weeks now. baby is 5 months, but adjusted age is 3 months (2 months premature). He doesn’t have much spit up. I think maybe it depends on the child more than the formula. Not sure what you could do to reduce it except maybe make sure he isn’t drinking too fast or something like that. If he is having really excessive spitting up maybe he has a problem with an ingredient. But it doesn’t sound like it is excessive from your description. anyway, my experience is actually a little less spit up than before, but baby is also older so maybe that would have happened anyway.
How do you know the local raw milk you buy is safe? In Florida it is only supposed to be consumed by animals according to law. This is giving me some concern.
I’ve heard others say that they label it for pets only to get around laws against selling to humans. The best way to know if the milk is safe is to find out how they do things on the farm where it is produced and to ask questions. In your case maybe you want to ask other customers. I bet most of them use it for themselves and their families. In my state it is legal to sell to people. There are a lot of myths out there about raw milk, and probably a big dairy lobby that are affecting the laws to promote their products that try to make raw milk illegal for humans.
im afraid to use raw milk, because i bought some for my other two kids (ages 6 and 3 healthy boys) and two to three days later they were very sick. its winter now so the cows were not eating grass… and i dont know if they are clean when milking the cows….when i make this recipe can i buy raw milk but then boil it to kill any harmful bacteria, then refrigerate it in a glass bottle when cooled down then atempt to make formula then? Back in my native country Azores the milk tastes really different there, its better,but my mother would always boil it first.(maybe it wasnt homogonized). If my baby doesnt seem to like the taste of this formula, what can i do to make it more appetizing… add a sweetener of any kind?
Also i found out about Babys only organic formula seems to be gmo free but some studys show tons of arsenic in organic brown rice syrup, and thats the first ingredient in it..
I believe your other children may have had stomach upset because their bodies aren’t used to the enzymes in the raw milk. You cannot immediately switch them over to raw milk when they have never had it before. It has to be a process of introducing it slowly. Also, I would not pasteurize the milk at home, as this ruins the whole purpose. Unless you low-temp pasteurized it and then cultured it with some milk Kefir grains. However, the raw milk is much better for them (my, and most others’ opinions on this site). Most likely the baby will love the taste of the formula. If you are worried about the Cod Liver Oil, you can purchase a flavored one like lemon or cinnamon or whatever you prefer. Once my baby had this formula he refused powdered formula. Taste them both and see what you think. The RMF is much better and has a pleasing sweet aftertaste. Also, the sweetener in the formula is the lactose. There is a WAP yahoo group that you can join http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/newwaphb/ they will answer your questions and you will get a lot more opinions. Hope that helps!
I just left you a really long comment and it didn’t post for some reason. I will make this short and sweet. The lactose in the formula is the sweetener. It tastes great with a sweet aftertaste. If you are worried about the Cod Liver Oil they have great flavors. Do not boil the milk, it ruins the whole point. Your children probably had a bad reaction because their bodies are not used to the enzymes. You have to introduce raw milk slowly. There is a WAP yahoo group where tons of people will answer your questions. Here is the link: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/newwaphb/
Yes, it did post. lol
to add to what mary said about how it tastes, I have tasted the homemade formula and it really isn’t bad. also my 2 and a half year old asks for a cup every time I make it. Now commercial formula is disgusting. I would stick with the plain cod liver oil flavor because you really can’t taste it in the formula. it’s only a half teaspoon per 36 ounces. I like to stick to plain flavors so my kids don’t start demanding flavored milks and yogurts that often have extra sugar or bad stuff in them.
thank you so much Mary,and also Rebeca…. I apreciate all your comments, it helped me alot, i feel more confident about making this formula for my baby.. Do you think that i should introduce this slowly into his diet?
As soon as I got the ingredients together (ordered all of them online except for the dairy), I just jumped right in and started feeding it to him, but I did add some breastmilk to the bottles. If you are only feeding formula, I say just go for it, unless your child is really sensitive to things. If you have breastmilk, try mixing half and half. My son didn’t have any problem going straight onto the formula, but of course every child may be different. The sooner they stop taking commercial formula, the better, in my opinion.
The only reason to be afraid of raw milk is if the cows and sick and dirty. First of all, that would be bad for business, so why would farmer’s do that? The best way to be confident about your milk is to check out the farm, talk to the people, talk to other people that buy the milk. Do your homework. If you boil raw milk, you may as buy pasteurized milk, because you will be pasteurizing it yourself by boiling it and you will kill all the good parts of the milk like the enzymes, and denaturing the proteins, etc. In other words it will no longer have those health benefits. If the cows are healthy, and they clean the cows with iodine or similar before milking, and put the milk into cold storage, the raw milk should be fine. Milk from the cow is not homogenized, that means that the fat has been mixed into the milk in a way that it cannot separate, the process of doing that harms the milk. I am also concerned about all commercial baby formula and so I make this homemade formula instead and it is great for my baby, he loves it and he is healthier and gaining weight really well. He was a two month premature baby, but now at five months he weighs almost the same as his one year old cousin, about 16 pounds.
I have been supplementing BF with this formula for two months, with my twins. They both liked it until my hubby accidentally added 1 extra tsp of yeast flakes. My little guy vomited, and won’t take the formula since. I’ve reduced the amount to only 1 tsp yeast, but he still won’t drink it. Do you have any suggestions for ingredients to omit / ways to change it so he might like it? I think it’s more than the yeast flakes he’s objecting to at this point. Thank you.
I have been supplementing with the formula for the last three months. It seems now that my 8month older is breaking out in bumps/rash (diaper area, stomach, face, arms and back). I don’t think he is allergic to milk as I tried him on commercial formula and he does well! I suspect it is one of the ingredients in the formula. Have you had anyone that has had this same problem? I would like to continue making the homade formula but unsure of how to tweak it. I tried the broth based formula and my baby did not like it.
Sarah, my son is going to be 10 months soon and I’d like to try the homemade formula but I was wondering if I could get all the ingredients at WholeFoods. Do you think goat milk is another alternative, my baby needs to gain a little weight since he fell off the chart from losing his appetite due to teething. Thank you for your help
We just started my 4 month old son on this formula this week. He takes it fine but he is spitting up a lot more than with the Earths Best Formula for fussiness and has he was on. He was on that b/c he has always been very gassy and spitty. the amount of spit up has drastically increased and It stinks to high heaven too! It actually turns my stomach to smell my boy! With the next batch we are reducing the nutritional yeast like the Weston A. Price website suggests. Any other suggestions? I want to use this instead of the powdered organic formula but the amount of spot up and the vomit smell are just awful.
Ashley, I am having that same issue which is why I’m reading comments from others and looking for answers. Has anything you’ve done helped with the spit up or the smell? did you have to go back to the powdered organic regular formula? Please let me know if you can. Thank you.
Hi. Just a quick question. My daughter is 16 months and I am just now stopping the raw milk formula recipe, do you think it’s okay she drank it this long? She only drank about 13 ounces or so a day in the past 2 months or so. She doesn’t like just plain raw milk so I continued to use the recipe. Now I’m worried she had too much for too long. Any thoughts on this ? Just worried about being taxing on the liver or kidneys from the oils.???? She est well, pretty much meats, veggies, fruit etc. I’m Judy going to try raw milk only now and keep up with probiotics and cod liver oil only. But , do you think she is okay being on it until 15 months old?
can raw goats milk be used instead of cows milk?
Hi sarah,
I’ve just found your blog and am def going to be making this formula (if needed) for my baby, I am expecting, however I wish I would have know these things and researched for my son who is now 5. I gave him canned infant formula and feel horrible about it!! So many moms aren’t even aware…. Do you have any suggestions as far as vitamins/ nutrients/ supplements for my 5 yr. old? Thanks
Hello Everyone, I have been giving my son this homemade formula since he was 4 months old substituting one bottle a day and breastfeeding because my supply was low. When he turned 6 months he weaned himself off breasf feeding and I have been giving him the formula ever since. He has never had any stomach issues and he is growing so strong and has not been sick. I have a question for those of you who make this full time…How long do you think I need to feed my son the formula? He will be a year in 2 weeks, and I am wondering if straight raw milk is fine? Any insight would be great, but for now, I will continue making this liquid gold
my child is younger than yours so I am not there yet but I think it would be good to introduce raw whole cows milk along with the formula, like you did when you started using the formula slowly along with breastmilk. That being said, when I make the formula for baby, my toddler always wants some and I give it to her. I really think you can use this as milk for a long time, but you could start giving plain milk too just to make it easier on yourself along with it.
Sarah
i just made this and mines a little lumpy, little white clumps, it keeps clogging bottle. What did i do wrong?
Probably nothing… unless I have been doing something wrong the last 4 months. Mine is like that too! But it doesn’t clog the bottle. If you want another place to ask questions here is a link to a Yahoo! group I am in and you will get lots of helpful answers. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/newwaphb/
Hello i need to purchase the ingredients for this homemade formula, but for some reason the link you gave is not properly working? Could you please send me the correct link?
Hi, I am going to start making this formula for my daughter and have all the ingredients. I am confused on what type of cream it calls for? And where to get it. Thanks!
Hi there , I was wonderin if a baby was sensitive to dairy can be on homemade baby formula??
What’s the measurements to make 1 bottle ???
It doesn’t look like Sarah responds to questions any longer, but I am desperately wondering if someone else might be able to help me out. How do you culture pasteurized organic whole milk back to life for the homeade formula? Am I basically making kefir then, or do you just add a starter before you do the mixing? Raw milk is illegal in Montana. I have not been able to find any information on this. Please and thank you!!
Hi Alicia,
You simply culture it for 12 hours with kefir starter grains. So not as long as it would take to actually make kefir.
Hope that helps.
Claudia
That is helpful, Claudia, thank you so much. The starter instructions said 18 – 24 hours for milk kefir, but I don’t want the formula to taste sour!! I will try 12 hours. Thanks again!
Sarah, I can’t thank you enough for posting about this. I recently had a baby and it was discovered after he was born that we had a situation of velamentous cord insertion causing him to be underweight at birth. I took him to the doctor to have him get weight checks and after a few times of him not gaining what the doctors thought was adequate, they strongly recommended that I supplement breastfeeding with formula. Obviously, they were recommending I use commercial formula, and that thought terrified me because I strongly feared that by trying to make my baby healthier by feeding him formula, I was, in essence, putting him at risk for future illnesses and unnecessary chemical exposure. So, thankfully for your post and video, as well as some invaluable information I read from the Weston A. Price Foundation, I am able to feed my baby a safe and healthy formula that I can feel good about giving him. I have noticed that he has become more alert and has had increased bowel movements in the days since starting the homemade formula supplementation. I so appreciate the work you all do so that we are better informed and can make safer and healthier choices for our families.
Hello, I just found this recipe 2 weeks ago and ordered right away. I finally received all the ingredients in the mail. The first 36 oz I made exact. My daughter rejected it over and over and gagged. When I tasted it the cod liver oil taste was over whelming to me so I made a batch without it to see if that was it. She drank about 1.5 oz then pushed it away. Good enough for the first feeding maybe she needs to acquire a taste for it. My son on the other hand would woof down anything you gave him. People seem amazed when they see him eating spinach and kale and broccoli, etc, but that is all he has ever known. A little background: My daughter is 7 months and I have a 4 yr old son. I for some reason cannot produce enough to exclusively breast feed
I supplemented with my son’s aunts breast milk when he was a baby but with my daughter I am unable to so that is why I have looked for a different formula option. She has been on earths beast formula. She has a rash (Dr. calls eczema = I don’t know what is causing the rash) I wish I had discovered this sooner so this is all she has ever known but better late then never. I am going to slowly add the cod liver oil to get her use to it. Thanks for posting Sarah!
Hi Sarah, how long does the homemade baby formula last in the refrigerator and can I freeze it like breast milk?
I made this formula today using pastuerized milk that I cultured back to life with kefir starter. It smells horrible – probably the ‘fermented’ milk and maybe the cod liver oil. Baby only drank 2 1/2 oz of it and then started crying. It makes me wonder if I should/could try using the low pastuerized milk without culturing it as it would at least be a lesser evil then the commercial powdered formula. Does anyone have advise on this please? Also, when warming a bottle with the bottle warmer it curdled.
Do you have to culture non homogenized milk with kefir grains or can you just use plain non homogenized milk?
Do you have to culture pasteurized non homogenized milk with kefir grains or can you keep it plain?
My question is about the amount of lactose in the formula. I am able to nurse my little guy who is 7 weeks old but have to supplement at very feeding. I had to buy the gentle ease store formula. Over the 2 days That I gave him the home made formula he was really fussy, he didn’t spit up any more than usual. I’m not sure if it was the formula or if he was going through a growth spurt. Would it be ok to decrease the amount of lactose in the formula? I’m going to make another batch this week to see how he takes it.
Thanks so much
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