Which brand of formula is better for my 6 month old baby?

Q: Which brand of formula is better for my 6 month old baby?

A: Before I answer your question I have to briefly get on my soapbox and extol the wonders of breast milk. It is easier on your baby's stomach, boosts your child's immunity, decreases the risk of ear infections, and more.  From a mom's standpoint, it helps you lose weight, there's no need to prepare bottles and boil water, and it's easy on the budget.

With that being said, some mothers exhaust all means to breastfeed and find that formula feeding is the only feasible avenue available. Other times, medical reasons like poor weight gain, poor breast milk production (for triplets), or infectious causes necessitate supplementing with or choosing formula. The good news is that the formula companies have approximated some of the nutrients of breast milk, so your child has an alternative.

Your head is probably spinning with all the media hype of taller, healthier babies with higher IQ from lipil and DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), etc. The truth is, if you are going to give your baby formula, the cheapest reputable brand will be just fine. I don't endorse one formula versus another (in fact, when I started supplementing with formula, I used whatever brand was readily available in the store). There are honestly no randomized double blind scientific studies that will show one formula as being superior to another (and this is simply because it would be unethical to withhold a superior product from a test group of babies). My personal stand is any baby formula will suffice as long as your baby's digestive and immune system can handle it.

About the author:

Rosanne Sugay, M.D., is an Internist and Pediatrician at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.