Homemade Baby Formula Recipes

I have a toddler who broke out with eczema so I removed dairy completely from her diet and the eczema has cleared up completely. I have been learning a lot about cows milk and how bad it is for you (contrary to popular opinion) and have been looking for ways to replace it in our diets. For my toddler, I replaced cows milk with Rice Milk and Almond Milk. Some of these have added sugar and some don't, so depending on how much sugar you want your child consuming, this is something to consider. I do not give her cheese or yogurt either, but goat cheese is fine for her (however very expensive).

So now my baby, 8 months old, has broken out with eczema. She is formula fed as she is my foster child. I looked on the ingredients list of my expensive brand of formula and the first ingredient is Milk Powder. The second ingredient is CORN SYRUP!! That stuff is terrible for you! (Soy is also bad for you, contrary to popular opinion. More on that in a later post.) And after reading about levels of arsenic in baby formula being higher than what's permitted in drinking water, I have made up my mind to make my own formula. At least then I will know what I am putting into my child's little body. Here's the link to the article about Arsenic in Baby Formula.

This seemed daunting to me. Research = blech! in my world, but I found out that it's not that hard to make it and not that different in price. You will need to visit a health food store (make sure online they have what you want before going so you don't waste your time. Some health food stores have more products than others). The first recipe has a bunch of things that you'll have to buy once and it may be quite expensive initially, but they will last you quite awhile. It is a liquid formula and it is milk based which I personally would be replacing with Goat's milk which is way better for you. I am attaching a link to the site that has that recipe as well as a second recipe which is for powdered formula. Liquid & Powder Milk Based Formula Recipes
For more healthy recipes and ideas buy the book called  Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G Enig, PhD

 Below is the recipe I am using (neither of the previous ones).

My recipe (this is a recipe I got from a friend's Naturopath and the recipe that my friend used with her daughter):

2L Goats milk
1-2 Tbsp Blackstrap Molasses
1 capsul of Omega 3
1 scoop of Infant Probiotics

So you want to pour the milk into a container (for mixing) and add about 1 Tablespoon of the Blackstrap Molasses. If you find that your baby is getting constipated, add more Molasses (up to 2 Tablespoons per 2L of goats milk) and if your baby has runny poo, then use less Blackstrap Molasses.
Open the capsul of Omega 3 and empty into the milk. Add the scoop of Infant Probiotics and shake. Keep refrigerated.

Goats milk can be a little heavy, so if your baby is getting really constipated try adding a little water (about 1 cup to 2L of goats milk) to thin it.

Make sure that you are using Blackstrap Molasses and not Fancy Molasses or Cooking Molasses. Blackstrap Molasses will provide the following nutrients and minerals:

Per 2 tsp (13.67grams)

Manganese 18%
Copper 14%
Iron 13.2%
Calcium 11.7%
Potassium 9.7%
Magnesium 7.3%
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 5%
Selenium 3.4%

Here is a link if you would like More Info on Blackstrap Molasses.

When choosing an Omega 3 you are going to see letters followed by numbers. For EPA you want the number to be 400 or higher and for DHA you want the number to be 200 or higher (if possible). It's okay if the numbers are lower than the ones I listed, but if the numbers are high, it is a better product.

Here's a link for How to Choose Omega 3 Capsules

I am including a picture of the infant probiotics that I use. It is about $26 for the container and it will last awhile. The scoop inside is tiny. This stuff should be refrigerated after opening even though it is a powder.

This is my index finger. The scoop is also very shallow.

I hope this has been helpful and that it enables you to make a better choice for your baby's health. I am happy to answer any questions, you may leave them in the comments or you can email me directly at fairmaidenwalking@yahoo.ca.