Confused about which infant formula is best? Here's what you need to know.

Firstly, there's no denying that breast milk remains the perfect source of nutrients and bacteria to support human development. I love EVERYTHING about breast milk. Its unique blend of pre and probiotics, its perfect nutritional profile, its changing immunoglobulins which cater for the baby’s immune system needs. There are COUNTLESS benefits related to breastfeeding, for both mother and child.I always advocate that women reach out for support if they are struggling to breastfeed, for whatever reason. There are also a growing number of donor breast milk programs, which are a viable option for some women. Talk with your midwife, MD or lactation consultant about this.BUT (here’s the but!)… As you know, life doesn’t always go to plan, and individual circumstances can make breast feeding difficult for some. There are many legitimate reasons that can prevent a mother from breastfeeding for an extended period of time.Considering half of all babies are fed some kind of formula in the first 6 months, it’s important that parents can navigate through what’s good and what’s not.

Here are my recommendations:

 1.Choose a formula with a low protein content. Human breastmilk contains about 1.1g protein/100mL, and formulas generally contain 1.2-2.0g/100mL. Although protein is critical, over the first two years of life a high protein intake, especially from formula, increases the production of insulin-like growth factor (a hormone which drives rapid growth and is strongly associated with overweight and obesity in childhood). So, look for infant formulas that sit on the bottom range of protein, and more closely resemble breast milk.2. Look at the percentage of whey: casein. Human breast milk is about 60% whey and 40% casein. Cow’s milk is the opposite (about 40% whey and 60% casein). Opting for a formula which more closely resembles human breast milk is ideal so your baby can more easily digest it. Alternatively, a “hydrolysed” formula means the casein particles have been made much smaller and are therefore easier to digest.3. Offer only when you baby shows signs of hunger, and don’t force your baby to finish the bottle (even if there’s just a little bit left!).4. Add an infant specific DHA supplement (must be good quality) and an infant probiotic to the formula if it lacks these. DHA is an essential fat for the baby’s brain, and probiotics are critical for an infant’s gut and immune system (among other things!).5. Always choose an organic and GM-free formula, for obvious reasons.6. Mix with filtered, non-fluoridated water and give in a BPA (preferably plastic-free) bottle. The levels of fluoride put into our tap water in Australia are 250 times higher than the fluoride naturally found in breast milk (1ppm vs 0.004pm). There are many reasons why this is concerning (Iodine interference, crossing the blood brain barrier, possible impacts on IQ). In fact, fluoride has even been classified as a “developmental neurotoxin”! And yes, the American Dental Association has recommended that parents "do not prepare infant formula with fluoridated tap water". For some recommendations for plastic-free bottles, head here.When choosing between cow, soy or goat milk formula, there are a few things to consider and I generally talk in depth about the options with my clients. For example, if your little one has a suspected intolerance or allergy to dairy, then soy is obviously preferable. If however, there’s no dairy allergy or strong intolerance, I prefer a goat’s milk formula.  Whether you're choosing cow, goat or soy formula... the above recommendations still stand.Finally, although there are dozens of recipes for “homemade formula” on the world wide interweb, I’m not a fan. Infant nutrition involves a whole constellation of considerations and isn’t something to dabble around with.