No brand of infant formula is best for all babies. You should pick an infant formula that is made especially for babies. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates commercial infant formulas to make sure they meet minimum nutritional and safety requirements. Iron-fortified infant formulas are recommended, and most commercial infant formulas sold in the United States contain iron. Commercial infant formulas come in liquid and powdered forms.

When choosing an infant formula:

• Make sure it is not expired.
• Make sure the container is sealed and in good condition. If there are any leaks, puffy ends, or rust spots, do not feed it to your baby.
• Make sure it is not labeled for toddlers.

Talk with your child’s doctor or nurse if you have questions about choosing an infant formula for your baby or if you are thinking of switching infant formula brand or type.

Homemade Infant Formula

FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics warn against using recipes to make homemade infant formula. Using homemade infant formula can lead to serious health problems for your baby. Your baby’s nutritional needs are very specific, especially in the first year of life. Homemade infant formulas may contain too little or too much of certain components, such as vitamins and minerals (like iron).

Homemade infant formula may also have an increased risk of contamination, which could lead to your baby getting sick or developing an infection. Commercial powdered formulas are also not guaranteed to be sterile. However, FDA regularly inspects these products and the manufacturing facilities where they are made to help make sure these products are safe.

Imported Infant Formulas

There are some public claims that infant formulas sold in other countries and promoted as “natural” or “organic” are better for babies. However, there is no scientific evidence that these infant formulas are better for babies than commercial infant formulas sold in the United States. All infant formulas legally sold in the United States—whether made in the United States or imported from other countries—must be reviewed by FDA. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against using illegally imported formulas, such as products ordered online from third-party distributors. FDA may not have not reviewed these products. Illegally imported formulas also may not have been shipped and stored properly.

FDA reviews all infant formulas sold legally in the United States to make sure they meet minimum nutritional and safety requirements. FDA also makes sure that the water used to make formulas meets safety standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Toddler Milks, Drinks, or Formulas

Toddler milks, drinks, or formulas are not needed to meet the nutritional needs of young children. They typically have added sugars. At age 12 months, your child can be introduced to plain whole cow’s milk or fortified unsweetened soy beverage.

Babies younger than age 12 months should be fed infant formulas specifically designed to meet their nutritional needs. They should not be fed toddler milks, drinks, or formulas labeled for toddlers.

Carefully read and follow the instructions on the infant formula container. These steps will help you know how to prepare and store your infant’s formula correctly. Preparing your infant’s formula according to the instructions is important.

Here are additional pointers to keep in mind when preparing and storing your infant’s formula.

Preparation

• Wash your hands well before preparing bottles or feeding your baby. Clean and sanitize the workspace where you will be preparing the infant formula.
• Bottles need to be clean and sanitized. To learn more about how to properly clean your baby’s bottles and other feeding supplies, visit the CDC webpage How to Clean, Sanitize, and Store Infant Feeding Items.
• Baby’s milk or infant formula does not need to be warmed before feeding, but some people like to warm their baby’s bottle.
  • If you do decide to warm the bottle, never use a microwave. Microwaves heat milk and food unevenly, resulting in “hot spots” that can burn your baby’s mouth and throat.
  • To warm a bottle: Place the bottle under running warm water, taking care to keep the water from getting into the bottle or on the nipple. Put a couple drops of infant formula on the back of your hand to see if it is too hot.
• If you use powdered infant formula:
  • Use water from a safe source to mix your infant formula. If you are not sure if your tap water is safe to use for preparing infant formula, contact your local health department.
  • Use the amount of water listed on the instructions of the infant formula container. Always measure the water first and then add the powder.
    • Too much water may not meet the nutritional needs of your baby.
    • Too little water may cause your baby’s kidneys and digestive system to work too hard and may cause your baby to become dehydrated.
  • If your baby is very young (younger than 2 months old), was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system, you may want to take extra precautions in preparing your infant’s formula to protect against Cronobacter (see box).

Did You Know?

Cronobacter can be caused by germs in infant formula.

Cronobacter is a rare but serious infection that can be caused by germs in powdered infant formula. In most cases, it is safe to mix powdered infant formula following manufacturer’s instructions. But if your baby is very young (younger than 2 months old), was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system, you may want to take extra precautions to protect against Cronobacter.

Use Quickly or Store Safely

• Prepared infant formula can spoil if it is left out at room temperature.
  • Use prepared infant formula within 2 hours of preparation and within one hour from when feeding begins.
  • If you do not start to use the prepared infant formula within 2 hours, immediately store the bottle in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.
• Throw out any infant formula that is left in the bottle after feeding your baby. The combination of infant formula and your baby’s saliva can cause bacteria to grow. Be sure to clean and sanitize the bottle before its next use.
• Store unopened infant formula containers in a cool, dry, indoor place—not in vehicles, garages, or outdoors.
• Once a container of infant formula is opened, store in a cool, dry place with the lid tightly closed. Do not store it in the refrigerator.
• Most infant formulas need to be used within 1 month of opening the container (check the label). When you first open the container, write the date on the lid to help you remember.
• Never use formula after the “Use By” date on the container.

Every baby is different. How much and how often your baby feeds will depend on your baby’s needs. Here are a few things to know about infant formula feeding during the first days, weeks, and months of your baby’s life.

If you have questions about your baby’s growth or how much infant formula he or she is taking, talk with your child’s doctor or nurse.

First Days

• Your newborn baby’s belly is tiny. He or she does not need a lot of infant formula with each feeding to be full.
• You can start by offering your baby 1 to 2 ounces of infant formula every 2 to 3 hours in the first days of life if your baby is only getting infant formula and no breast milk. Give your baby more if he or she is showing signs of hunger.
• Most infant formula-fed newborns will feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. Talk with your child’s doctor or nurse about how much infant formula is right for your baby.
• As your baby grows, his or her belly grows too. Your baby will be able to drink more infant formula at each feeding, and the time between feedings will get longer.

First Weeks and Months

• Over the first few weeks and months, the time between feedings will get longer—about every 3 to 4 hours for most infant formula-fed babies. This means you may need to wake your baby to feed. You can try patting, stroking, undressing, or changing the diaper to help wake your baby to feed.
• Some feeding sessions may be long, and other feedings short. That is okay. Babies will generally take what they need at each feeding and stop eating when they are full.

6 to 12 Months Old

• Continue feeding your baby when he or she shows signs of hunger. Most 6 to 12 month olds will need infant formula or solid foods about 5 to 6 times in 24 hours.
• As your baby gradually starts eating more solid foods, the amount of infant formula he or she needs each day will likely start to decrease.

12 to 24 Months Old

• When your toddler is 12 months old, you can switch from infant formula to fortified cow’s milk. You can do this gradually. You may want to start by replacing one infant formula feeding with fortified cow’s milk to help your child transition.

Babies need additional vitamin D.

Although infant formula has vitamin D, if your baby drinks less than 32 ounces of infant formula a day, he or she will need to get extra vitamin D (beginning at birth) from supplements.

Feeding time can be hard for new parents, especially since babies can’t use words to tell you when they’re hungry and when they’re full. Luckily, they use nonverbal signs and cues to communicate when they need to eat and when they’ve had enough. It’s important for parents to recognize these signs and respond to them quickly, warmly, and consistently―a strategy that’s called “responsive feeding.”

Healthy eating habits that last a lifetime

Practicing responsive feeding when your child is a baby teaches positive eating habits and skills that keep them healthy as they get older. That’s because responsive feeding teaches children to:

• Recognize when their bodies are hungry and when they’re full (and to trust those feelings).
• Clearly communicate their needs to others.
• Eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full (instead of when someone tells them to).

How to practice responsive feeding with your child

Learn to recognize when your child is hungry and when they are full. Babies need to eat when they are hungry, but they shouldn’t eat more than they need. Watch your baby carefully for signs that they are ready to eat and signs that they are full.

Signs your baby may be hungry include:

• Opening and closing their mouth, moving their hands to their mouth, or putting things in their mouth.
• Making sucking noises.
• Putting their hands on their belly.
• “Rooting” (opening the mouth and turning to look for food).

Signs your baby may be full include:

• Starting and stopping feeding often.
• Slowing down or falling asleep while feeding.
• Closing their mouth or turning away from food.
• Spitting food out, pushing it away, or ignoring it.

Fussiness and crying don’t always mean your baby is hungry. Babies cry for many reasons―for example, when they are tired, uncomfortable, teething, or cold. A baby who is crying because they’re hungry usually shows some other signs of hunger first.

Respond quickly and appropriately. Respond right away when your baby shows signs of hunger and fullness. Acknowledge your baby’s cues and attend to them promptly and warmly.

Do:

• Start feeding when your baby shows signs of hunger.
• Make sure your baby is comfortable and remove distractions (turn off the TV, put away your phone) so you can both focus on feeding.
• Use eye contact and touch to engage with your baby during feeding.
• Let them stop eating when they show signs of being full.

Don’t:

• Ignore your baby’s cues.
• Force your baby to eat after they are full.
• Give your baby food to make them stop crying if they haven’t showed other hunger cues.

Be predictable. Establish a consistent schedule, structure, and routine for meals and snacks. This will help your baby know what to expect.

For decades, researchers have puzzled over why type 1 diabetes is becoming more common. Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease in which the body destroys the cells that make insulin. Insulin tells cells to take up sugar from your blood. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.

Researchers have wondered whether infant formula made from cow’s milk might cause children to develop type 1 diabetes. Studies suggested that early exposure to the complex proteins in cow’s milk might lead the body to mistakenly attack the cells that make insulin.

To test this idea, researchers used two formulas. One group of infants received a formula made from cow’s milk. The other received a formula made from cow’s milk that was processed to break complex proteins into small pieces. All the infants enrolled in the study had a genetic makeup that put them at higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

The mothers were encouraged to use the assigned formula whenever they didn’t breastfeed. The analysis included infants who were fed formula at least 60 days.

The results showed that the chance of developing type 1 diabetes by age 10 was the same for children in both groups. The complex proteins in cow’s milk did not raise the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

“This once more shows us that there is no easy way to prevent type 1 diabetes,” says researcher Dr. Dorothy Becker at the University of Pittsburgh.