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Homemade Baby Formula (Recipe and Video How-to)Homemade Baby Formula and First Foods, Raw Milk and Childcare, Videos
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 raw milk homemade 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.
Homemade Baby Formula
Makes 36 ounces
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. Do NOT use ultrapasteurized organic milk!
1/4 cup liquid whey. Do NOT use powdered whey from the store or whey from making cheese. Do not use cheese whey as it will curdle the formula.
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 (optional, but highly recommended)
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 (substitute collagen peptides if not well tolerated)
1 7/8 cup filtered water
1/4 tsp acerola powder
*You can order all of the required ingredients for the homemade baby formula in one package from Radiant Life by clicking here.
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
More Information on Homemade Baby Formula
Feeding an Adopted Baby without Commercial Formula
Homemade Non-Dairy Baby Formula
Traveling with Homemade Formula
High Levels of Arsenic in Organic Baby Formula
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Comments (650)
My baby has pretty bad silent reflux and he refuses to eat unless he's basically asleep. Even then, it's a struggle to get him to eat. The only thing that has worked is adding "gelmix" to his formula (originally used Baby's Only.) the gelmix is a organic carob bean supplement that thickens the milk. (We add the gelmix to water first, to make really thick water and then add formula powder to the water.) Anyway, I've been wanting to try the homemade formula for awhile. I made it the other day and added small amounts to the thickened baby's only. My baby seemed to do just fine. But then when I tried to switch over completely he showed all the silent reflux signs again and I could tell he needed the thickened milk. The gelmix only works if you heat the liquid up before adding to activate it. So I heated the homemade formula on the stove. It got pretty hot– basically boiling. Pretty hot is the only way to get the gelmix to work. I added the gelmix but after heating so much the formula looked and smelled pretty different. It smelled a lot more soured and tasted more soured too (I had tasted it a few times prior to this time that I heated it.) I was afraid heating it had made the oils go rancid or something. So- is this okay? To significantly heat the formula after it's been made? Even to a boil? And should there be any reason that adding gelmix (it's just carob bean) would mess anything up? I really want to be able to feed this to my baby but he simply won't drink if his milk isn't significantly thickened!
my kids have 2 and a half years. Eat a lot and the weston price. Could you tell me if I'm prospering well with this menu:
morning: pressed beet juice, carrot, Apple, banana milkshake, kefir and gem.
lunch: rice and beans sprouted in bone broth, meat and vegetables.
snacks: they're not hungry
dinner: 3 beaten egg yolks with raw milk
I love this information and read your article on commercial formulas, but for someone who is traveling or does not have the resources available, what organic pre-made formula would you consider the better choice?
Unfortunately, I don't believe any of them are worthy of a recommendation I suppose buying an organic one would be best, but even that is a sub-par choice.
My daughter has been on this formula for about two months. She is thriving! Best alternative to not being able to give breast milk. Also a very economical alternative to commercial formula and easy to make
Hi Sarah,
Can I use regular cow's pasteurized milk available in the super market instead of raw milk?
No, absolutely you cannot use supermarket milk! You also cannot use organic pasteurized milk. You MUST use raw milk!
Mandy Luna
Can the formula be frozen, for travel, once prepared? The baby will be traveling with us for 5 days and we will be staying in a hotel.
Here are the options for traveling with the homemade formula: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/hitting-the-road-with-homemade-baby-formula/
Question? I have been scouring the Internet for an answer and haven't found this on any site including the Weston price site…. Does anyone know this. What is the consistency,color , shape, and frequency of the babies bowl movements at the appropriate age group with the homemade formula… We breast feed and used some organic formula so I understand what that is supposed to look like which both where totally different and now that his homemade was posted I would like to know about the finding son this because it will probably be different than breast milk and also formulas… Please respond if anyone has experience with this. Thanks:)
Well, I don't know where you guys are getting raw milk from but it's illegal in many states. If your lucky enough to have a farmer that will sell it to you, most will not and I haven't found one; which kinda scares me. I get that it's "better" but it can also be bad. So, any alternatives?
Um, actually raw milk is completely legal in 42 of the 50 states! You can also get raw camel milk from Desert Farms shipped to your door even if you live in one of the 8 states where it is not yet accessible. http://desertfarms.evyy.net/c/253664/277737/4454
This is because camels have feet (like humans), not hooves, and as such are exempt from the federal shipping regulations against raw milk from hooved animals.
I posted a question in the blog but couldn't find it so I want to ask directly. What is the shape, color, conistanncy, per day average , smell ect… Of this homemade cows milk formula for age appropriate babies. I'm asking for 4-6 months myself. But I understand what the breastfed and formula is as they are big different. But the homemade cows I can't seem to find that info anywhere… Please help of you have experience or info. Thank you
I love this formula and it is really not as hard as you think once you get into the routine. I use the goat milk formula and noticed right away my baby became constipated. I switched to a goat milk derived lactose from Mt Capra and this resolved the issues. Great alternative for moms concerned about cows milk derivatives. I spoke with the people at Radiant Life and they said they would look into carrying this.
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you so much for this information! I was able to find a local co-op that sells raw milk, however, the cows are fed corn regularly in addition to being grass fed.
From the farm:
"The cows are grazed anon chemically treated organic pasture and supplemented with organic non-GMO corn and baleage."
Would you recommend still using milk, whey, and cream from these cows?
Thank you!
Hello! I'm seriously considering switching from commercial formula to this homemade recipe but I have a couple of questions.
In light of recent concerns over the quality of fermented cod liver oil is it ok to substitute with regular CLO?
Also, do you have the nutritional facts for this recipe? I'm particularly intrested to know about the minerals that are included in this recipe. Thank you for your consideration!
Yes, of course you can substitute regular nonfermented cod liver oil. Please see the WAPF approved brands here: http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/cod-liver-oil-basics-and-recommendations/
Thank you so much for this information! I was able to find a local co-op that sells raw milk, however, the cows are fed corn regularly in addition to being grass fed.
From the farm:
"The cows are grazed anon chemically treated organic pasture and supplemented with organic non-GMO corn and baleage."
Would you recommend still using milk, whey, and cream from these cows?
Thank you!
My 17 mo old has been on this formula since she was 5 mos old and has done great on it! We moved about 6 months ago and had to find a new milk share. Everything had been going fine until a week ago when my daughter started having very loose stools. I've eliminated any solid foods that might be the culprit and the loose stools/diarrhea still continues. Our farmer told us that the cows have recently switched from eating hay to grazing on grass again for the season. Any chance the change in the cows' diets is what is causing the loose stools?
Just wondering why a 17 month old toddler is still on the homemade formula? Switching to plain raw cow or goat milk is suggested after the child turns a year old.
In answer to your question, I don't think the cow's dietary switch would impact anything. Perhaps the child has a gastrointestinal illness of some kind. Best to seek out a doctor's advice.
my baby is 2 weeks, I modified the formula milk for best adaptation, she takes organic raw buffalo milk. I removed the yeast, cream and increased 50 ml of water and milk.
However in some feedings she throws up and takes a little milk. That's really the adaptation?
Not sure where you got those adaptations? Substituting raw buffalo milk for the raw cow milk portion of the recipe 1:1 is fine. Only remove the yeast if she cannot tolerate it.
Thanks dear Sarah.
how much milk should I take per day? my baby hasn't gained weight since birth, has 15 days left to live. the development is slower?
Please do consult with your practitioner about that question.
Dear Sarah:
First and foremost, WOW! I'm in awe of your blog, advice, and knowledge. I'm a first time mom, and I've found your information to be quite helpful. I was exclusively breastfeeding for the first four weeks of my baby's life, however, she was losing weight and vomitting almost non stop. To my disappointment, the pediatrician said my only option was formula. At the time, I was so sleep deprived, worried, and hopeless, I listened without giving it a second thought. My baby gained 1 lb in five days and I was ecstatic…until I read the ingredients in the formula her doctor recommended. Oh my goodness. This stuff should be illegal!
Anyway, long story short. My milk dried up and I didn't have a chance to even try supplementing because I put my faith in my pediatrician, not thinking to my gut. Now, I am in deep need of a healthy solution to keeping my daughter on the right dietary track. So, I am going to make your formula and I hope it works for her (I suspect she has a lactose intolerance, she is currently on a lactose free formula). And so I have just a few questions I am hoping you can answer for me.
1. Can this homemade formula recipe be given to an 8 week old infant? Or is the whole raw milk to rich in fat?
2. Is there an ingredient that can stand in as a substitute to lactose?
3. What is your recommended fridge store time for this formula?
Ceasing breastfeeding was a traumatic experience for me, and I regret it very much. I felt like I failed my baby, and as though I broke our bond. However, I found your site and I am filled with new hope, even though I will never be able to get back those moments of breastfeeding.
Thank you in advance for any and all information you're able to provide.
Hi Tina, yes, this formula is fine for an infant of 8 weeks. There is no good substitute for the lactose … remember Mother's milk is very rich in it! One to at most two days for this formula. It is ideally made everyday, but once you get the hang of it, it takes less than 10 minutes to make a batch.
Hi, Thank you for the video and information. I have been really looking into making this formula for my 9 month old as a supplement because I just don't seem to be able to express enough for while i'm away from her, which is just 2 days a week, and probably just 2-3 bottles. Do you have an estimate of about how long these ingredients would last for making it for just a couple bottles a week? Thanks again.
You can reduce the recipe to make smaller amounts as needed. Once made, the formula really should be used within a day or two at most.
my baby is supplemented 95% on the cows formula as I can't produce much milk. I think he is allergic to the whey and yeast. Is this formula still good with both of those foods taken out and is there something I can replace them with? If I have to use the liver recipe for my 7 week old which bone broth recipe do I use. I have the nourishing traditions book do i use the recipe in the book,does it have to be exact do I need to use the peppercorn and how long do I simmer the broth for does it matter if it's under 72 hours?. Does it have to be an exact 4 lb of bones? Please help
Sarah, I had been making homemade formula for my foster baby for two weeks and he did great then had intestinal distress. Weston Price recommended leaving out nutritional yeast and gelatin which I did and he has been betters or over a week. Should I try reintroducing these, maybe one at a time? And if so which one first? Thanks, Jane
Try the gelatin first and use less than the recipe calls for and work your way up.
I was just wondering if this can be frozen for any amount of time? I'm just wondering for the time right after the baby is born and it's more difficult to make the formula. Would it be ok to make up a week or two's worth all at once and pull a batch out everyday?
Yes, you can keep some frozen for an emergency, but it is best to make it fresh for baby every day or every other day.
Marie Nurse Aesthetician
"Some" organic commercial formulas are packed in BPA cans. Not all. I would prefer to make it myself if for some reason I couldn't breastfeed. THANKS for Sharing your knowledge & experience with others! I signed up for the Newsletter. You have a very informative interesting site. I will refer new Moms or Breastfeeding Moms in general to your site for information.
Hi there
I am new to your blog and finding a bit difficult to find infos… shortly..
I live in Australia – no raw milk country – it is actually illigal!! (unbeleivable i know..)
the point… I been starting to make homemade formula however.. the best milk found is still pastaurized at low tep but pastaurized – i live in the tropic so hot and humid – how can i safely reculture the milk? And what about cream? Baba only has the formula 2 nights a week when im working….
Lucille VanderPloog
I was wondering if you think the biokult infant probiotic is fine to use with the baby formula.
Yes, should be fine. This product was not available at the initial writing of this post which is why it isn't mentioned.
Our little one loves this formula. And we tried several different types to find one thst he would eat. However, we are having major issues with constipation. Any recommendations?
Dear Sarah,
We really like your work and approach to health through nutrition. We are following your advice for our 5 mo old twins and they are doing great!
I have a new question for you. We are looking for a naturopatic doctor for our twins. Someone aligned with your way of approaching health and nutrition. We live in Berkeley, CA. Do you have any advice?
If this is not a right question for this blog, I understand. Could you then email me with a suggestion if you have any?
Thanks a lot again and again!
No idea sorry. I live in Florida.
I have one other questions. I have looked everywhere in my area for raw cream and I cannot find it anywhere. The farm where I get my milk does not have it for sale so I have been using "organic valley heavy cream" is this okay to use with the cows milk formula? Or do you recommend another brand?..I've been using 2tbsp per batch.
Unfortunately, I am pretty sure the Organic Valley heavy cream is ultrapasteurized which would not be good at all for the homemade formula. You can skim the cream off the top of the raw milk and use that instead. Don't use the skimmed raw milk for the formula though. Use a fresh raw milk gallon with the cream intact.
Dear Sarah,
We are giving to our boys the formula based on goat's milk. They are 5 months old now and we know that we can feed them egg yolk and beef liver (we have it in powder from Radiant Life). Any suggestion on how to prepare it and how much to give to them daily?
Thanks for your work and presence in the net!
Here's my article on video how-to if that helps: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-first-food-for-baby/
I don't have the time to comb through the 600+ comments, so I apologize if my question is redundant. I will need to formula feed my baby (through surrogacy) after my surrogate's breast milk supply dries up. I have an intense coconut oil allergy which I am concerned may be passed to my child (my mother & sister are both allergic to coconut as well).
Is there a way to safely replace the coconut oil in the various formula recipes without sacrificing the nutritional benefits?
You could probably substitute palm kernel oil (NOT palm oil). Palm kernel oil has the most similar fatty acid profile of any other fat to coconut oil.
Thank you! I've read the hype about the unsustainable harvesting for Palm Oil (& consequentially Palm Kernel OiI). Are you aware of any companies that produce sustainably sourced PKO?
BTW – I do plan to do a coconut patch test before starting formula – who knows, maybe coconut will be okay after all.
I appreciate all your advice.
I recently tried the meat based formula for my now 6 week old daughter. She's had it here and there for supplementation purposes for the last two weeks. She seems to do well on it aside from the fact she has very wet BMs. Is this normal?
It takes a couple of weeks for a baby to adjust to a new formula. So if it was a recent change, you might still see some variability.
Can I use this milk to make the formula? organicvalley.coop/products/milk/grassmilk/
How about the kefir?
Unfortunately no. It is pasteurized … aka "dead milk".
Hi Sarah,
I make my formula fresh everyday but seeing how the formula makes 36 ounces, I only use 30oz. Can that extra 6 ounces be used the next morning or should I throw it away and only use the fresh batch made that day?
You can use it the next morning. Fresh every day is best but overlapping by a few hours to a full day is fine. Otherwise, have some made and frozen in the fridge for emergencies.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am learning a lot and very thankful for the video.
Can I use Flora- Udos choice probiotic for infants ( I already have this)
Nobody here seems to know the answer for where des the iron come from?
Can you please address this question.
Breastmilk is naturally low in iron for a reason because iron competes with zinc, which is needed for neurological development of the infant. There is lacto-ferrin in raw milk which helps the baby absorb all the iron that is there in the milk (yes there is actually iron in raw milk). Check out this link for the nutrient comparison of iron in breastmilk versus iron in the homemade formula. There is actually more iron in the homemade formula. ttp://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/formula-homemade-baby-formula/#chart
As a result, there is no need to add additional sources of iron up to the age of six months. At six months old, the suggestion is to beginning slowly transitioning baby to solid food with egg yolk with a bit of grated liver which supplies additional needed iron at that time. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-first-food-for-baby/
Hi! Do you know if Pure Radiance C by Pure Synergy can be substituted for NOW Acerola Powder which has maltodextrin in it and Ascorbic Acid? Wondering if WAPF is aware of this. Thanks!
That is what I have been using for a few months now. I am doing extra research on it now, but I don't believe at this point that it has had any negative effects on my six month old boy. (I either way don't feel comfortable using the NOW brand vitamin C source with the additive in it; I'd just keep looking for something better if there is something in the synergy vitamin C that wouldn't be good for a baby – it would probably be along the lines of digestibility if there wee any problems.) I don't ever remember my son having any reactions to the change, personally.
On another note, I have been taking the synergy vitamin C for a long time now, and it is certainly the highest quality vitamin C I've EVER taken.
HI, I am going to start my 2 month old on this raw milk homemade formula. I have a question about the cod liver oil. Does it have to be unflavored or can I use cinnamon flavor? The reason I ask is I have a friend who is currently using this homemade formula for their 18 month old and they have been making it since he was 6 months old. They told me to use the cinnamon flavored cod liver oil because the unflavored is very strong? I would like to know your opinion since I want to do what is safest for my son.
Use unflavored as mentioned in the article.
Can I use cream from the top of the raw non homogenized milk?
The farm close to me sells raw milk but is gathered from a variety of cows is that ok? How do I measure the cream when the milk is a mix?
In the cows milk formula where does the iron come from?
If the milk is pasteurized, then no. The milk and the cream for this formula must be raw.
Hi Sarah,
I made the raw milk formula last night and put it in the fridge. This morning it surprised me, it is not in a liquid state. It's in a solid state. Is this how it is suppose to be?
The gelatin will solidify the formula a bit. When you warm it up, it will liquify again.
Dear Sarah,
Thanks again and again for your site and specially for the baby formula. We are using it for our twin boys, almost 4 months old now, and they are growing healthy and beautifully.
I have a question though. Some times they are constipated. You say that for avoiding constipation we can use yogurt or kefir milk. What that means? That we can use yogurt or kefir instead raw cow's milk? Please, let us know how to proceed to change the formula for adressing constipation.
Thanks again and blessings!
Hi Marina .. .simply replace the raw milk portion of the recipe with raw milk yogurt or raw milk kefir. It's that simple
Using the raw milk yogurt or raw milk kefir usually fixes the constipation issues.
Rani Norley
Hi – I am curious to know if substituting the raw milk helped with your childs constipation? What did you use – the kefir or yoghurt?
I just started trying out this formula for supplementing for my almost 2 month old and her poops went from 5 a day to 1 large poop a day. I remade the formula today for half the portion to see how she tolerates it again.
Marina – did the substitution work? What did you use the kefir or yoghurt? My almost 2 month just went on the raw milk (supplementing due to low supply) and has gone from 4 to 6 poops a day to one big poop. I do see her straining at times. Would appreciate any help with this. Thank you!
Please help. My 5 month old is SO constipated from the raw milk formula. She has no rashes, eczema and hardly spits up. Her poop looks healthy, but is very pasty – almost like clay and she has a very hard time passing stool (i.e. it is waking her up from naps, sometimes her face will turn red she is pushing so hard)
I have tried removing yeast. Any other suggestions would be very appreciated. Really hoping not to have to make the liver formula :-/
My 10 month old son has been on this homemade formula since he was 4 months old. I believe this has truly saved his health. I am so grateful to Sarah and her sources for putting this info out there. I breastfed the best i could exclusiviely until he was 2 months but he contracted RSV and also had not gained nearly the weight he should have as a breastfed baby. By the time he was 4 months he had been on 2 rounds of antibiotics and all i could see was sickness for him and his compromised immune system for a long time after. I researched a LOT because i refused to keep Cai on the commercial formula i had been supplementing with. Long story short I came to this website. I started supplementing with this wonderful homemade formula when cai was 4 months. I had to start with low temp pasteurized non-homogenized grass fed cows milk that i cultured back to life…until i could source some raw milk! Which is hard in Mississippi – believe it or not! Since then we have used raw grass fed goat and cow milk, as i can get both.
I would encourage any parent looking into this to not give into fear – the fear of messing this up or just the thought of actually making your baby's primary food all on your own…dont give in to fear. Do your research, source your ingredients (the milk is the biggest challenge) and don't over think this. Your baby is worth it. Its a commitment…but is not your child and their health as it is? They are worth this investment.
We use Dr. Browns glass bottles – love them, a bottle warmer when at home and i order a cup of hot water when out and about. My son does best with a powdered probiotic blend that i add after the bottle is warmed, usually just when at home. Adding a probiotic to the formula and then heating it up, risking killing the probiotic didn't make sense to me, and he stays much more "regular" this way.
Cai has been sick only ONCE since getting him on this formula. I believe it has everything to do with the amazing, living ingredients in the formula.
I just want to encourage you that you can OWN this and watch your baby thrive. You can do this! It is such an amazing feeling to know that i can give my baby the next best thing to breast milk (i wasn't able to continue breast feeding after he was 7 months).
Thanks Sarah for your help and wisdom!
Hi Sarah,
When I had my first son I was unable to breastfeed due to blockage in my nipples . I had not researched any other formulas or what was best health wise because i was fully expecting to breast lfeed.
Now that we are expecting again I am adamant about breastfeeding but in the even I am not able to I would like to be prepared. So I would like to have more than 36 oz ready when going into the hospital. My question is how long does this formula last on a day basis and is freezing recommended?
It really is best to make at least the day before you will need it or have some frozen in little breastmilk bags to be gently thawed for baby. It's always in my opinion to have a few frozen bags always on hand in the future as well. And of course for everyday it's best to make fresh 😊
Hi Sarah,
I am starting to use your homemade baby formula with goat's milk for my twin boys (2 month old) since the cow's milk based one does not work for them.
The liver powder blocks the nipple of the bottle time to time. i wonder if using a liquid b complex would be advisable. And if yes, which brand you would recommend?
I also worry for the lack of folic acid of the goat's milk …. any suggestion about it?
Thanks a lot for your dedication to nutrition and for sharing it with us all! It is a big relieve for us to do not have to use commercial formula but still know that our babies are getting what they need for to grow healthy!
Ocean, Arthur, mom & dad
The liver powder is what adds the B12 and folate in a whole foods base. It is not advisable to substitute with a manmade supplement that isolates those vitamins in a liquid complex. An occasional clog is a small price to pay for using the whole food version of these nutrients.
Hi Sarah,
What are some sites I can get the Raw milk from living in Ohio? Thank you so much for your help and time.
Check out realmilk.com
Thank you for this recipe! I'm still breastfeeding/pumping as much as I can, so I would only be using this homemade formula to the odd feed during the week when I'm at work. Do you think I could make a half recipe? Or would it be easier to make the full recipe and keep it in the fridge/freezer? How long will it last in the fridge?
I've been trying to find raw cow's milk in Canada. I've read that it's illegal to sell in Canada and that all milk products need to be pasteurized here – is that true? If not, do you know of any suppliers for raw milk in Vancouver BC?
hello i am from uk and i want to feed my baby with this recipe but now i am looking to by this ingredients in uk and cant find a bovine Gelatin maybe you can send me what different one i can use with picture and name , thank you
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Sources that ship to the UK are provided in the post via links.
How soon can the baby formula kit be shipped and delivered? Is it best to purchase it from your site or the Weston A. Price site. Or is it cheaper to go out and purchase the products myself. Thank you so much!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
If you click through to the baby formula kit, it is sold by Radiant Life, not the Weston Price Foundation. You will have to ask them how quickly they ship, but I believe it is same day.
Gay davis
My baby is intolerant to whey. Is there a substitute to the whey? She takes the homemade milk firmula good without they whey but seems like she is not getting enough of what she needs. Please help if have any info.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
How do you know she is intolerant to the whey? If she can handle the milk, she should easily handle the whey which is just the clear portion of it.
I prepared all of the ingredients except the whey to begin with bwcause i had only kefir and it required to set a couple of days. I fed her the formula without the whey and she took it fine. However when the whey was ready a couple of days later i added it in and she was terribly fussy as it was hurting her stomach. I left it out of the batch the next day and she took it fine. She was the same way on the store bought formula , earths best i was giving her as it seemed to hurt her stomach. She would cry while giving her the bottle and squirm like she wanted it but hurt as she was taking it. Is there any replacement for the whey i can give her for he whey protein. I dont know if the whey is a longer chain protein that she cannot break down rather the the protein only thats in the milk.?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Try reducing the amount and see if that helps. If she absolutely must have the formula without any whey, that will work, but hopefully she can tolerate at least some even if it is less.
Where I live I can't get anything but ultra pasteurized cream, is there a substitute or what can I do? Thanks
Yes this is my dilemma as well.I only have ultrapasteurized cream available where I live. Please advise.
Hey ladies – this was and still is a big issue for us as well! When u can find raw or low temp pasteurized cream (we have relatives who bring it up to us from FL when they visit) – but as much as u can and freeze in ice trays to have on hand. Also check any local farms or food coops in your area that might at least have some or be able to provide u with some contacts. But don't be too worried about not always being able to use the cream…I would say if anything try to always make sure u have the whey to add. That protein is super important. And helps sustain the child like the cream does. That's just my advice! My son gets both in his formula some days and then only whey added on others. Obviously you do the best u can with what u can!
I am more on bottle feeding my DD because of the nutrition but it will cause my DD constipated. Thanks to my sister recommended Mamil to me and currently feeding my DD with Mamil because of the DHA level is high and also another ingredient named prebiotic are effectively in preventing constipation. It only took me one week to see the result. No more hard stool and I find that she has no more constipation in this few months. I am happy with that.
I am wondering why you say the diet of breastmilk donors is "most likely nutritionally inadequate". As a previous donor I would say this statement is incorrect. To become a breastmilk donor you must undergo a somewhat rigorous screening process that involves multiple steps to ensure you are a safe and healthy donor, including blood work. The process involves them being in contact with your physicians and pediatrician aswell. Not just anyone can donate human breastmilk.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Absolutely anyone can donate breastmilk. Just check out the breastmilk swapping sites on the internet which is where most women get donor milk.
I do believe that the mom, Ashley was referring to donating breastmilk to breastmilk banks that is bought by hospitals for NICU babies. She is correct in the fact that the process is highly regulated and they do blood work. They also separate milk from dairy eating moms, vegan, vegetairian, and non dairy eating moms. I wouldnt want to get milk from some Internet sight if I did need it. I would ask my lactation consultant about buying it through a milk bank or hospital.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Even if the donor milk is tested for pathogens, these Moms are probably not eating a good diet. Certainly, nearly all of them would not be eating a traditional diet that would be high in healthy (saturated) fats which is what is critically necessary for quality breastmilk. Breastmilk banks also usually pasteurize the breast milk too … destroying much of the benefits. I would only use donor milk from a Mom or group of Moms I personally knew and was familiar with EXACTLY what they were eating and what medications they were taking (none is the only acceptable answer) and did she drink coffee etc etc.
Thanks for this awesome resource.
For those who do not have access to ALL of these ingredients, is there a bare minimum list of ingredients from this one one could use for homemade formula?
I mean what could a baby thrive on, as a healthy alternative to store-bought formula?
And what if grass fed, non-homogenized milk is available, but it's pasteurized? Is that ok?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
The resource linked in the article ships the ingredients all over the world so no need to leave anything out. If you have pasteurized nonhomogenized only … please culture it into kefir or piima as instructed in the article and use that to substitute the milk portion of the milk in the recipe. You can get kefir or piima cultures at culturesforhealth.com
Hi Sarah,
I cultured pasteurized non-homogenized milk and baby has been taking it pretty well. But I'm going crazy not knowing if it's curdling when I warn each bottle up? I'm warming yogurt up basically…so how do I know I'm not feeding my baby something slightly…ruined?
great article
Samantha Jeddeloh
Hi Sarah,
My son is almost 10 months old, and is allergic to multiple things. I am wondering if I would be able to switch him to only raw milk, and add the other foods into his diet seperately? I am just concerned that it would be harder to distinguish his allergy if everything was in there at once. I am trying to relactate (I couldn't feed him before without him breaking out and being so miserable) But have not officially gotten any milk yet.
Hi Sarah,
I have a question about the Acerola powder. I was a little disappointed when I noticed that the kit contains Now Foods brand Acerola powder, which contains Ascorbic Acid! I've read that this form of vitamin C is synthetic and not good for humans, especially because of the way it's highly processed! Do you have a better recommendation of where I can get plain acerola powder?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes … I don't like that either. Radiant Life is coming out with one that doesn't have this in it. I will be updating this listing as soon as that's available.
Have you found a better acerola powder?…
Can you recommend a better Acerola powder.
Hi Sarah!
I would like to avoid using the NOW Acerola Powder in my baby's formula due to the ascorbic acid and maltodextrin. Do you think I could use Pure Radiance C by Pure Synergy? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!
Can this formula be given from time of birth or should I wait a certain period of time before introducing?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
It can be used from birth. Please encourage breastfeeding at least for the first few days of colostrum … I understand if a woman's milk never comes in due to a medical condition … the formula can be used right away if this is the case, but colostrum should be there regardless the first few days.
Hi! My baby is 6 months..been on the homemade formula for a month now..she is healthy as can be! But I did noticed she began forming rashes all over her body after starting the homemade formula..not sure if she's allergic to the raw milk or something in the recipe..any suggestions? Thank you..
My daughter is 6 months old and has been on this formula for about 2 months now. My daughter is developing the same rashes also but I think I've figured out why. She did not have any rashes in the first month on the formula but I see now she is getting more constipated as she is only pooping about twice a day. I understand older babies poop less frequently than before. Although, the last two days she has hardly pooped at all, straining to get something out. When elimination channels are clogged, toxins choose another route and it is usually through the skin. I feel the skin rashes are due to the colon not being cleansed. My naturopath said the same thing to me about myself one visit, so that is where I got this conclusion. I'm going to start offering more water and maybe start some strained peaches to remedy this occasion.
Would love some advice-
Made the formula according to the recipe in Nourishing Traditions yesterday for the first time- my 10 month old daughter drank 8 oz right away, but then it all came back up in the afternoon.
1. I wonder if the problem was in how I made it or that if it was a shock to her system (we shouldn't have let her drink that much so soon/fast!). I used vat-pasteurized, non-homogenized milk that I let kefir for a day, but after 24 hours it hadn't kefired well, but I still used it.
2. Anytime she sees the bottle it's in, she starts to fuss! How can I reintroduce it so she doesn't associate it with being awful? Do it cold instead of warm? Use essential oils to change the odor?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
You need to transition slowly. Try starting with a 75-25 blend of the current formula she is getting and then increase slowly from there. Please DO NOT add essential oils to the formula.
My daughter has been drinking this formula for almost 3 months now and has been doing great with it. She is healthy and growing well. My doctor inquired into the ingredients of the formula and had her nutritionist look into it (she did not inquire as to the source of the milk). They said that they have concerns that she is not getting enough of certain minerals/vitamins, particularly iron, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin C. I looked up the breakdown at http://www.realmilk.com/how-to/recipes-for-whole-foods-baby-formula/, but it does not break it down ingredient by ingredient. Which ingredients have iron, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin C to add up to the correct amount that babies need? I want to be able to provide her with all of my research when I see her next week.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Here is the nutrient comparison chart: http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/formula-homemade-baby-formula/#chart
I would strongly advise never to tell your doctor you are making the raw milk formula if you can possibly help it! Some doctors have reported mothers to Social Services for making homemade formula and the result has been harassment by social workers who can threaten to take the baby away!
Thanks for the information. I havent told her that I use raw milk, she never even asked, she was just concerned that she was getting all of the nutrients that ere needed.
She doesnt seem to have a problem with if I choose to continue using this formula, but wanted to make sure she was getting enough iron and a few other nutrients.
Thanks again for your help.
I just researched each ingredient and I'm curious where the iron and zinc numbers come from…which ingredient(s)?
hi Sarah,
i've been supplementing my 6mo old with your recipe for about 2 mo now. she seems to be tolerating It well.
however, she does have mild exzema. if i remember correctly, it started before we gave her the formula. can any of the ingredients in the formula exacerbate it? please remind me what the yogurt whey and cream important for? i left out the cream from the last batch and used half of the gelatin ( clumping purposes). she drank it just fine.
ps-im glad i know about your your recipe. i personally know a few moms that have used it and their babies thrived on it!!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Some babies with eczema do better if the formula is made with goat milk. Here's the recipe for that: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/goats-milk-formula/
Sarah, thank you so much for this video! I just made my first bath of formula and is tastes a lot like the coconut oil. Is this normal or did I use to much coconut oil?
We've been feeding our little guy homemade formula for about two months now and it's great! If I can't make him milk in my body, at least I can make it in my kitchen! I'm so happy to be able to give him real, healthy food instead of the chemical abomination that is store bought formula. We do have a bit of trouble with the formula clogging the bottle nipple with small white chunks. Anybody have the same problem or a solution?
Make sure you are using age appropriate nipples, ours were too small when we started, and also make sure you are heating enough. As the mixture heats the clumpy parts start to blend alone with the milk and oils.
Question. How long can we keep the formula in the fridge once we mix it up? Since it doesn't smell so good to begin with, we are worried that we won't know if it goes bad. We have twins so we make 2 batches at once
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
It should really be made fresh everyday or at least every other day.
Sarah – how long can a bottle sit out at room temperature before it should be thrown away? Also, do babies tend to drink the same daily amount recommended for commercial formulas (2-2.5 ounces per pound)? Thanks!
Sara, What is the recommended time btwn feedings with this formula? The typical 3-4 hours? Or since it mimics breastmilk, more frequently? Can it be more frequent? I feel like my 2 1/2 month old sometimes only lasts 3 hours (during the day) before wanting to eat again.
I have had the same problem, but only the center portion of it coagulates. I'm afraid to use it at all because I don't know how to be sure the the ingredients aren't in different proportions between the coagulated and liquefied parts. I am going to take the gelatin out of my next batch. I wonder if the amount of water needs to be reduced since there would be no gelatin?
Raw cow's milk is unavailable in our area. I'm really hoping to use this recipe by replacing it with something. Can you let me know how to go about doing this? Thanks so much.
I started my baby on the homemade formula with the raw cow milk a week ago i thought everything was going good 2 days after starting the formula her tummy was getting super bloated and she was throwing up some gushy things and a lot of it. I took out the yeast completely and only added one teaspoon of gelatin when it calls for two. Her belly was still getting bloated but not as much and she was not throwing up so thought i would keep an eye on it. Today my daughter threw up a lot with chunks of some white things when i picked it up and felt it was super hard and it felt like rubber. I can't believe my baby had that stuff in her belly and that it passed through her throat. It is very scary. I really want this homemade formula to work i don't want to go back to commercial formula and I'm not able to breastfeed. Does anyone know whats causing this? Which ingredients could possibly be causing this? How can i start the process of elimination and how does it work? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Take out the nutritional yeast and gelatin and see how that works. If still a problem, make the formula and substitute the raw milk portion with raw milk kefir (see my video on how to easily make it yourself). If that still produces problems, try the hypoallergenic homemade formula (video and recipe on my blog).
Thank you. I took out the yeast and gelatin completely and she has been doing very well. She still spit us here and there but not as much and not those big chunks of rubber feel like. Thank you. I have noticed she is not eating as much as before and goes longer without feedings. When i try feeding her she refuses to eat for a while. Is it becuase this forumula is keeping her fuller longer?
Richie Fenner
Hi Jenny..I started to give my baby few days ago..at first it went well but days after it happened also to my baby exactly everything that said here.and also in your last question. That's what I noticed with my baby, she is not eating as much as before and goes longer without feedings. I would like to know the answer of that also.
Hi Jenny,
Your daughter might actually be lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. Although removing the yeast and gelatin may have yielded less and milder vomiting, if her abdomen is still bloating, feeling firm, and she's refusing to eat/eating less DO NOT automatically assume she's staying fuller longer. I'd consult your pediatrician. If you're worried about telling your pediatrician about the raw milk formula, you could just say you were trying to gradually introduce animal's milk into her diet and found she may have had a reaction and you want her tested for lactose intolerance and milk allergies. Or you could be more concerned that YOUR want to feed your child a healthier alternative to commercial baby formula may be doing her more harm than good.
tl;dr: Test your daughter for lactose intolerance and milk allergies before you assume that what you're feeding her is better for her.
Can you show any trustworthy sources claiming that commercial formula is that bad, please? That would make your page more trutsworthy, so far I am just as sceptical to your proffessionality as I am to commercial formula.
Commercial formulas are actually very bad!! One of the first ingredients is corn syrup!! Which is GMO-genetically modified organism- also is just a sweetener. Top brand formulas are basically a big scam on mothers because they know we need it as unfortunate as it is. My daughter is still currently on Similac Soy, which is a double disaster lol because soy is also one of the top GMO foods! We are still in search of a natural way to nourish her, a lot of trial and error, and we also let her nourish on all organic foods to stay away from those GMO's!! the research makes you very worried but just keep trying. Look up related topics with what I just talked about and you will uncover a whole new world of the things that we think are healthy but are actually poison in the long run. I may sound like one of those moms that worry too much but trust me the only thing that really gets discussed in detail in our household is what goes into our bodies everything else is a free for all lol…….You have a good day Laura and good times researching!
Michelle Elliott
Can this formula be frozen at all? If so, for how long? I am having my first baby in May and do plan to breast feed but would like this to be hand in case it is needed. Thanks!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes, it can be frozen for a few weeks. Best to make it fresh though.
Hi Sarah, my daughter only uses 20 of the 36 oz daily so I've been freezing it so far. Is there a way to half the recipe so I can blend it fresh every day? The idea of 1/8 tsp is kind of intimidating. Or should I just keep making fresh for two days and giving her frozen for two days?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Just halve the recipe … 1/8 of a tsp is on my measuring spoon. Not so small that it can't be done
How many months should we keep baby on this formula? Should we increase or decrease any ingredients as baby gets older?
For instance if baby is 3 months old and has been on this formula for 2 months, should I be giving her more milk?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Until the child is one year old. Then you can switch to plain, whole raw grassfed milk.
Thanks, Sarah!
Hi there,
I've been feeding my daughter (4 months) this formula for about 3 weeks now and it seems that she is struggle with her BMs. She sometimes cries and the BM is green and seedy, but mostly hard and solid, not wet. Is that normal? She also seems to be in discomfort right after feeding. Is this a sign of a milk allergy? I am lactose intolerant, but have been drinking the raw milk with little side effects unlike what I got from pasteurized milk. Any ideas? Thanks!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Try fermenting the raw milk into raw kefir (I have a video on this … super simple) and make the formula with the kefir instead of the milk (same amount per batch).
This additional fermentation and probiotics usually will do the trick.
Awesome. I'll definitely try the raw kefir in the formula.
Also, last questions, what is the purpose of the nutritional yeast?
Thanks Sarah!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
This adds extra B12 and other B vitamins. If after trying the kefir, baby is still having issues, you can try removing the yeast and then the gelatin and see if that helps.
It's ok that is gels. As it warms up it will liquify again.
We are getting a wonderful gift this spring–baby number three! At first, I was shocked and intimidated by the 16 month age difference between two and three. Then I understood my plan is not always God's plan… In any case, I've followed the WAPF pregnancy diet for years, but still felt it would be best for my eight-month-old to have homemade formula through the pregnancy. I'm ambivalent about the nutritional yeast, so I leave it out, as baby gets lots of liver. I make the formula every two days. He has loved it! As an added bonus, his teething pain and sleeping have improved. I suspect it's the fatty acids–he is definitely taking in more formula than he was breast milk. He has put on a little more chub, is big for his age, and in all ways continuing to thrive. Anyway, nothing but great experiences. And it's an option I'm so thankful to have!
hi I am in shock at how bad sore bought formulas are I had NO IDEA!! as I read most of the comments it seems so complicated the video seems easy but if your baby doesn't tolerate something in the original recipe how do you all know what to change? I started the first wk with breast feeding my baby was 3 wks early she wouldn't latch. I pumped however my supply dried up! now she is on similac sensitive formula and seems to have discomfort or pains when shes pooping or has to poop but her stools aren't hard so ive kept her on this formula. I want to try the at home formula but this is very confusing. anyone able to help give me suggestions due to what formula I have her on at the moment? also shes 3 wks old if that helps at all. and can anyone tell me what it costs on average a month to make this formula?
Okay, now instead of being constipated, she is pooping like 4 to 5 times a day. How long should it take her digestive system to adjust to this formula? Or should I just switch back to the broth formula? I would rather leave her on the cow's milk because she seems more energetic and fuller this way, but I don't want to make her sick either.
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
My babies always pooped several times a day when I was breastfeeding.
Yes, we have had a lot of problems and not been able to breastfeed. On commercial formula she pooped once a day. On the meat based formula she pooped every other day, but it wasn't hard. She was constipated on the milk formula at first and now it pooping like 5-6 times a day. There is substance to it, but it can be pretty watery too. She does have a a very red bottom and is starting to get a little bit of a rash on her behind. I left out the yeast to see if that helps. She is 5 months old now and I am a little concerned because she has been gaining about 2lbs a month, but since I started her on homemade formula she has increased maybe half a lb in 3 weeks. and seems to not be increasing the last week. She does have a happy and energetic demeanor, but I am worried about upsetting her stomach and her gaining weight as she should. I would go back to meat based formula, but that didn't seem like she pooped enough. I just don't know what I should expect or how long I should wait before I know whether the milk is causing a problem or not.
Nevermind, she just soaked me in throw up, so we are going back to meat based formula. Thank you for your help.
Hi Sarah, I livve in El Salvador and am having difficulty finding pure cream. Here they let it sour and a lot of times add things to the cream. I wad able to get plain cream, but they still soured it despite my telling them that I wanted it fresh. Is it okay for my baby to put the soured cream in the formula? Or should I add more oils instead? If so, how much?
Also, my baby seems to be peeing less with this formula, is that normal? She was constipated and I had to give her a suppository and since then, she has pooped several times, but that should wear off. Could the yeast cause constipation?
Christy de Leon
Sarah, I was wondering if you could give advice on how to get around the hospital using formula after the baby is born. We are adopting and want to stay with the baby after he is born and bring in this formula. Do you think this might not be possible or can I make a request to allow us to provide his formula?
Thank you so much for all your help!
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I haven't adopted a baby so don't really know.
Here is now it happened with us….
Our son is adopted and we had care of him for just an hour old. I would have loved to use the homemade formula, but unfortunately there were two problems: 1. I was in another state and was unable to make it and 2. I did not have 24 hour care of him. We left at 9pm and were back at 9 am the next morning. So, unless you have 24 hour care of him, I would not recomment switching back and forth from the commercial formula to the homemade formual as baby will not like it! Our poor little guy did not like the Enfamil at all, but I continued it until we got back to our state and then made homemade. At 6 weeks he swtiched and he went from being cranky and not sleeping through thenight to happy and sleeping through the night. You would have to talk to the hospital. I am guessing that they will not let you. A lot of doctors are not tolerant of the homemade idea. Good luck!
Christy de Leon
Debbie, Thank you so much for your response. We will have guardianship of the baby before he is born and will be able to stay in the hospital with him and our home is not far from the hospital. I did a search for a natural pediatrician and found one, so I am going to call and talk with her to see if this will be possible. If not then I guess we can just hope he will not be in the hospital very long.
Just made this formula for the first time last night. Initially we were making the bone broth formula because our little one had been on lactose free formula for the past couple months (due to health issues my milk dried up) but that one was really labor intensive, and worried me some (there can be great variance in batches and one person commented there their son had a bad reaction to too much vitamin a in it), so we decided to see if this one would fly. I followed the recipe exactly and didn't have any issues as others have seemed to have. That said, I know that all of these products can vary from batch to batch/brand to brand so perhaps that's why, or maybe it is just that you need to really follow the recipe exactly? Just trying to make sure no one gets scared off from this because it really is very easy to make especially compared to the bone broth formula. I'm sure that even with that one you can get a system down but I definitely prefer this recipe if at all possible. Anyway, one example of how it could get messed up is I ran the blender a little longer than she stated and part of my formula had started turning foamy. Hello! I should have remembered there's cream in it and I don't want to make butter or whipped cream! Most of it was still fine though. I did notice that after refrigerating over night the top of each bottle (I portioned it out right after mixing) had a solid mass on top. I began warming the bottle gently in hot water and it seemed it wasn't helping but by the time the milk was very slightly warm (I think you need to be careful not to heat it too harshly or to make it too hot) it was completely smooth and liquid. So far my little one loves it and hasn't had any rashes break out! No stomach issues or spitting up either but hopefully that will continue as he's only had 2 or 3 bottles so far. Time will tell! Very appreciative of this recipe though! I always felt so bad giving my little guy store formula. While I know breast is best, I definitely do feel in our situation that with this he's still getting wonderful nutrition from live food. No nasty chemicals!
By the way, I used whey from store-bought yogurt because our raw milk still hasn't separated enough. I think it's also interesting to note that I don't have access to raw cream right now so I used Kalona brand from the store and it seems he's fine with it even though it's low-temp pasteurized and he has an issue with dairy normally.
Well, it's been almost 2 weeks now on this formula and I'm sooo pleased with it! I feel so good giving it to him and he hasn't had any issues lately even though store-bought dairy formula would bother him. Even the lactose free would cause him to have eczema off and on. Initially he got pretty constipated on this one but I omitted the nutritional yeast after learning it wasn't completely necessary using cow milk and that has really helped. I never really felt comfortable with that ingredient anyway. It seems the least natural and there's lots of msg talk surrounding it. Anyway, now his face is free of eczema. Just waiting to see if it will clear up on its own on his legs. Also, I saw the video on giving babies a soft boiled egg yolk as a first food so I started doing that. The first day, which I also started putting 4T of cream in the formula, he slept 9 hours straight which he's never done! He hasn't done that every night since but off and on his sleep is much better. Hopefully that will continue to improve over time.
Thank you, Rachael! Your comments are very encouraging!
WE WERE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS TUTORIAL AND RECIPE! Our twin boys were premature and had a host of difficulties including failure to thrive. This recipe was a godsend to providing them with excellent nutrition and us with a formula option whose ingredients list didn't make us sick.
We did have quite a bit of troubleshooting at the beginning. I'll try to post my tips below.
The biggest problems we had with the homemade formula were constipation and 'curdling'. The first is a problem for our kids with milk-based formula in general. The 'curdling' occurs with the homemade stuff when in basically makes a chunk of cheese in the middle of the bottle when it's heated. I'll give you my step-by-step process since by following it exactly we consistently make the recipe with no issues.
I was making 4-5 batches per day. You really do have to mix it fresh each day; the longest it's kept for me without having issues is 48 hours. It seems intimidating but it's really not bad once you get in a groove.
For each batch, I do the following:
– put the milk, cream, cod liver oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, optional butter oil, and probiotic powder in a 1/2 gallon mason jar
– fill a pint mason jar with water just below the 1 cup line and add the nutritional yeast and acerola (I only use 1 tsp. yeast because I found that decreased the constipation)
– fill a second mason jar with the same amount of water and add the lactose, gelatin, and coconut oil
1. Pour the lactose/gelatin/coconut oil mixture into a small saucepan and heat until everything has dissolved; whisking often
2. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the nutritional yeast/acerola mixture into the pan; whisking until all is dissolved
3. Pour everything from the saucepan into the 1/2 gallon mason jar and blend using an immersion blender (or shake hard with a lid on)
4. Fill glass bottles to the desired amount and ADD 1 teaspoon of whey for every 3 ounces of formula; DO NOT SHAKE so the whey remains on top; refrigerate
5. Store any extra formula in a sealed mason jar in the fridge
6. When a bottle is needed, remove from refrigerator WITHOUT SHAKING and heat in a pan of hot water (we heat the water just to boiling and then remove it from the heat; a 8-9 ounce bottle takes about 5 minutes to heat directly from the fridge)
7. Shake the bottle to mix in the whey and test the temperature on your wrist; ideally it will be slightly warm (to make everything flow well) but not hot (you don't want to kill all the good bacteria)
8. Feed the baby!
The finished formula will look different often when you make it; sometimes its a solid clump due to the gelatin sometimes it separates into oils on top with chunky liquid on bottom. When we go to fill bottles with formula that's been kept in a jar in the fridge, I usually have to blend it in the jar first using an immersion blender to be able to pour it into the bottles. I bought a basic Cusinart immersion blender off Amazon and LOVE it (~$30). Totally worth every penny in my opinion!
Also, we use glass bottles since they are being heated. Plastic (even BPA/whatever else free) leeches chemicals when heated. I LOVE the LifeFactory ones (bought on Amazon) but many places carry Dr. Brown which are more affordable.
Hope this all helps someone else! It really isn't bad to do once you try a few times, and it's rewarding to know your baby is getting a great formula!
NOTE: we couldn't use the Green Pastures cod liver oil because the fermentation caused issues for all of us so I found Carlson labs to be the second best; if I was making it now I would use the new extra-virgin cod liver oil found here (http://evclo.com/)
Also, for those who are interested, our mainstream pediatrician approved this recipe for our boys (who were failure to thrive). We didn't discuss the source of the milk, but she was fine with the mix of ingredients providing the correct nutrients. She is against alternate forms of milk and would only approve a cow's milk-based formula.
My milk is curdling when I heat it up …I'm I leaving my liquid whey out to long (raw cow milk whey)?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Are you using cheese whey? That will curdle the formula.
I'm making whey from Stonyfield organic whole fat plain yogurt & my formula is curdling when warmed as well. What should I do?
-Desperate for this to work =/
Sorry, me again. Could it be something other than the whey causing the curdling when heated? The formula looks smooth & gelatinous when refrigerated. Thank you for your help!
-Traci =)
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
The formula should be gently warmed to body temperature … not heated. This will curdle it.
Rebecca Campbell
Traci, sometimes my formula would curdle, but not often. When it hapoened, i was usually able to use the formula anyway, after warming it and shaking it to c I mbine. I used whey from raw milk in my formula. I think too much heat can do it. To be honest there is an i nknown factor as i was never sure why mine curdled when it did. I would watch the heat, make sure you are putting the right amount o f gelatin and not too much. If you can, you may want to try a different whey. Whey from raw milk is the most economical, if you can get it. Try an experiment. Make a batch without whey and see if it curdles. You can figure out whether it o s the whey o r something else causing the problem that way. It will be fine to feed that batch to baby too, you dont have to waste it. Or maybe make it without whey, and try pouring the whey in at the last minute after it is off the heat and cooled. I used this formula for about 2 years and it was a miracle for us I n more than one way. I have been a follower of the weston a price way of nutrition ever since. I am going to take a chance and put my email here if you need anymore help, please let me know. email@example.com
Don't use boiling temperature heat. Hot but not too hot. This seemed to work better for me.
Sarah, I have a question. How do you know how much of the daily vitamin intake to put in this homemade formula? We all know that DHA and Folic Acid and many other vitamins and minerals are necessary in brain development, how do you add this to the formula? Yes breast is best but I too understand that if unable you need a better alternative.
We had HORRIBLE trouble with this, but I've got lots of tips! Email me at email@example.com and I'll send you my list of things to try. I'll try to post them here also but the formatting may not work.
I have been making this recipe successfully…but every now and theno the milk will curdle …..did I let my liquid whey sit out to long fermenting? Suggestions!
Hi Sarah, Thank you for all the information you have provided! I have just finished breastfeeding my one year old son. I currently give him raw organic cows milk to drink. He suffers from eczema so I am looking at ways to heal his gut. I do not believe that dairy is the cause of his eczema but we are still trying to determine what it is. Which formula would you recommend for him or should I just continue with the plain raw milk? He has a very big appetite and has been eating solids since 4 months and he is walking. Thanks
I am a full time working mom who exclusively breastfed/expressed until my daughter was nine months old and my body no longer responded to the pump. I still breastfeed when I am at home, but my daughter gets this formula while I am at work. I have always loathed the thought of giving her commercial formula, knowing that it is poisonous junk food, but out of desperation late one night, I fixed her a bottle of brand X. She had one sip and refused it. I never tried commercial formula again, and immediately visited my health food store to round up the ingredients for this formula. My daughter loves this recipe! She happily chugs it down. Thank you so much for offering an alternative to breastfeeding that I can actually feel good about!
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Can you use Plain and Simple powdered whey to make this formula?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
No, as stated in the post, powdered whey CANNOT be substituted for any reason. No brand is good. It must be raw, unprocessed whey as demonstrated in the video.
Is there a known calorie count for this? For example breast milk is approx 20 calories an ounce (some as much as 22 or as low as 18). I can't wait to make this for my beautiful twins! My starter package arrived today! Many thanks Sarah!
I input the recipe into My Fitness Pal and it came back with 23.16 calories per ounce
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Lindsay DeWitt
Can anyone tell me once the formula is made how long it will last in the fridge??
I felt comfortable using mine up to 48 hours in the fridge, though 24 is probably a better goal. I also froze our formula in mason jars to be defrosted when needed.
how much does it cost to make this recipe ?
I don't remember the exact cost breakdown for us but it was significantly less per counce than the cheapest formula (Nature's One Baby's Only). To use powdered formula for our boys at one point would have cost $600 a month; we budgeted about $75 per month for formula ingredients in addition to our milk cost. And it's much richer in nutrients and doesn't have yucky ingredients.
I do have a spreadsheet with a cost breakdown of ingredients for the initial costs. You can email me at firstname.lastname@example.com and I'll send it to you.
My daughter and I had trouble with breastfeeding, she was burning more calories then what she was getting. She lost almost 10% of birth weight. We ended up supplementing and switching over to Formula, she put weight on but burped and farted like it was no one's business. My husband said we should make Home Made formula, I was hesitant but liked the idea that there's no High Fructose corn syrup. ( I didnt like how your hands always got sticky with regular formula got on them) So at almost 2 months old we switched her from powdered formula to Home made formula. we use a Powdered Goats milk base, no access to raw milk in the woods in Kentucky. She's flourished!! The spitting up stop and the burping and farting slowed down a lot too. I know what's in her formula and what each ingredient is providing for her. I really wish people are more open and understanding of this process, as we don't tell a lot of people as we are afraid of their reaction. Including the Pediatrician. I do plan on telling the pediatrician at her 1 year old check up. we also plan to keep her on this formula as we don't believe it's "wholesome" to switch her to solids and cows milk. Doesn't seem like all her nutritional needs will be met. I'll never go back or regret switching her. As a new mom ( and still figuring things out) I've figured out to listen to your gut, If it feels right then your doing it right.
Great work for using the homemade formula and listening to your "gut" on the issue of infant nutrition!! My son has been on the homemade formula since he was 6 weeks old. He is adopted, and at first he was on Enfamil and he was terrible with it- collicky and would not sleep at night, poor boy. . I had heard about the homemade formula, but I was reluctant at first. AT 6 weeks old, switched to the homemade formula and the change was remarkable. No more stomach issues, slept all through the night at 2 months old and has not been sick at all over the past year. He is now almost 14 months old and super smart and super solid muscled baby! I do not mention the homemade formula to the doctor because as long as I am hearing that he is doing really well and is at the top of his percentile, there is not reason for them to know! I am still feeding him formula first thing in the morning and before he goes to bed and the rest of the day he has cow's milk and solids. I never give him any juice (too much sugar). He does get kefir drink though too.
I agree that more people need to know about this formula, however people do not understand the benefit and right away assume that because the commercial formula is "recommended" it is the best for babies. . Ugh…I read the ingredients and most things I could not even pronounce.
Long winded comment, but I am glad the formula worked out for you!!
I am starting to make broth/liver-based formula. I am worried about the inconsistency in broth making. Today, I used 1 whole chicken with 3 Tbsp ACV and 5 quarts water. I simmered, covered, for 12 hours. I ended up with just shy of 4.5 quarts of stock, which is now in the fridge so I can take the fat off the top. Did I do this right for the purpose of homemade formula? I m so worried about not making it right and not having enough nutrients, gelatin, etc. Please respond as soon as possible! Thank you!
If your making stock all the nutrients come from the bone marrow. I wouldn't use a whole bird, get backs and feet. They will give you a better end product.
I have been making the formula now for a week now. Ever since I switched my baby has been spitting up more, bad cradle cap, has gotten baby acne and is now pooping once a day. He was pooping 3 to 4 times a day. I was using the Holle Organic brand formula which was very pricy due to the fact that it is not made in the US. I was excited for the homemade formula but I am afraid he is reacting. Any modifications I can make?
Thank you
emily howard
maybe its a milk allergy? i was planning on making this with goats milk. i know its not recommended but its a back up only. i know raw milk is suppossed to be better cause it doesnt cause allergies. but obviously i am not medically trained lol. mayeb try making the meat based formula thats on the weston A. price foundation website. good luck!
Hi Jeni, did this acne or cradle cap get better over time? Did you continue using the homemade formula? I find my little girls are having more cheek looking acne and cradle cap after starting them on the goat milk formula. Not sure if this is just overlap in the age with them being 42 weeks and starting the homemade formula at the same time or because it is heavy in oils. Thanks
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Any mums here that can help? have two questions
baby REACTS TO COD LIVER OIL ANY IDEA OF SUBSTITUTES?
Please, can anyone tell me, once the formula is out of the fridge and heated, how long before it 'spoils'? The formulas all say it has to be used within an hour of feeding because of the bacteria. Is this the same for this formula?
If the baby is drinking out if the bottle some if his saliva will go into the bottle. This is what they mean by bacteria, the bacteria from babys saliva. When my baby was quite young i followed that recommendation of tossing the leftover milk after about an hour. However if baby has not drank out of the bottle yet, you can keep the milk out of the fri d ge for quite a while. If i need the bottle to be out of fridge all day i put in an insulated bag with an ice pack. I have had a bottle in my purse at room temp for up to 8 hours before with no problem also.
can you leave the botttle with leftover raw milk up to an hour? even at room temperature? isnt that dangerous? cause once we use the milk, we warm it first by puttin the bottle in a pan with hot water, then the baby sometimes doesnt finish, and we put it back in fridge, which probably isnt smart im guessing with possible contamination, so we going to stop doing that.. so, again, can you leave it up to an hour at room temperature?
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
Yes that's fine.
Here in Indonesia we dont have such complete ingredients like acerola powder, sunflower oil, fermented cod liver oil ,, what are the subtitutes for them
sharon lindsley
My daughter's milk started drying up when she went back to work when my granddaughter was 3mos. she had a hard time with pumping so I "googled non gmo baby formula and loved Food Babes page on it. She compares about 6 organic formulas with charts and the best one is Baby's Only. It's a toddler formula but has all the (ha ha) FDA requirements for infants – I started mixing it with breast milk at first while I could – now my granddaughter is 8 mos and is chubby and very happy and lively – she's done well on this with minor digestion issues in the beginning that I handled with essential oils… BIG IF it would of been my choice she would still be being breast fed – but she's not my daughter only my granddaughter and I can only beat my daughter over the head so much about clean and healthy eating – she'll maybe figure it out on her own… Just wanted to share the results with the Baby's Only..It's even less expensive than the other formulas, I just don't have the time and the means to make homemade for her or I would…
Thanks for listening
I am making the whey from raw milk, but am wondering if I should remove the cream before I do or should I leave the cream in – Maybe it doesn't matter?
On a side note, I looked online for how many grams of protein about is in the liquid whey but could not find any information – Any idea?
Thanks for the info on homemade formula, I am looking forward to making it!
Hi, I have to fortify for my little one who has weight gain issues and a heart condition. I am still pumping and I want to use my milk instead of cow's. How might that affect our change the recipe?
Pls can anyone help!
I am doing the cow milk formula and have been taking out the whey, gelatin and nutritional yeast are there any supplementations for these items…..
Very scared and concerned not wanting little one to lack necessary nutrients or vit.
Since the iron and vit d are low in cows milk formula any advice on supplementation???
Pls someone , anyone help!
Deborah, Is there a reason why you are leaving those ingredients out? (colic, etc?) If not, do put them in because they are beneficial. However, when I talked to my naturepath about the formula, she understood the purpose of each ingredient but also said she has had babies flourish simply on cow's milk, cod liver oil and pro-biotic. Her point was to not over-think it. I ended up using everything but the whey. Isaac did wonderfully on it. He was 5 mos. old when I had to start weaning him off of me due to health issues (mine). I guess bottom-line is, don't over-think it, do what you can do, incorporate what you can, and go with your mama intuition. If your baby is thriving, that means its working!
Alicia thank you so much for your response……
Duke reacts to all those ingredients.Its been 3 dys since we have been on it? and as of today beeing the 3rd day he is spitting up cottage cheese like stuff the whole day, is this normal?
hi deborah,
this is happening with my son too.
on the goat milk this doesnt happen …. no vomiting and any little soit up dont smell….BUT he is more unsettled on goats????? seems more irritable and hungrier….
do the smelly cottage cheese like vomits mean his body rejects the cows milk??
Hello can I ask what quantity per day was your baby taking? I have not seen anything that specifies how much a baby should consume with regard to their age. I want to trial the bone broth formula with my son but I'm concerned about correct daily nutrient intake as too much/too little of some vitamins and minerals can be harmful. Also, how long did you find one quantity of the formula recipe would last? Thanks
Hello! I am running out I my store of breastmilk and considering home made. Unfortunately he only way I can get raw milk is through a cow share which I don't want to do unless this is going to stick with my daughter. My option is local low temp pasteurized non- homogenized milk. I saw how to get a culture for kefir, do you have video to show this? Not sure f I could keep up a culture every day or two. I would love to see how difficult or easy it is as far as time commitment on top of formula making. Also, are glass bottle necessary or can I use bpa free? I would use glass for storage but after going through every bottle and nipple on the market to find one she would take, I can't switch to glass.
Making the formula is a commitment – but a worthy one! Because I live in MT, my only option was the low-pasteurized whole milk at the good food store. I tried culturing it at first, but my baby did not respond well to the 'sour' taste. I ended up not making it into kefir and he did just fine. In the fridge I store it in glass, but his bottles are bpa free plastic. All the oils do make it harder to clean the plastic, but doable! Hope my experience helps!
Hi! You stated that you used low temp pasteurized whole cows milk for your baby? Eventually NOT culturing it? I have been considering this because honestly even with the lactose it's so sour and has a curdled texture no matter what I do. I am still breastfeeding and using this recipe as a supplement, so my baby is still getting a "living" food from me. Please share your experience with using non cultured low temp pasteurized. Thank you!!
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Hello, I'm just wondering is all this that's added in homemade formula safe for a baby to directly consume? Since breast milk is everything a baby needs but the mother directly consumes the food and after the body works it over and digests it properly then the baby gets the milk, but directly feeding the baby this will it be too much for the kidneys or organs to digest? I'm just a little worried… But I really want to try it.
Gina thomas
Do you have direction anywhere on how to use kefir grains to bring pasteurized milk back to life? I cannot get any raw milk. Would buying kefir already prepared be an option instead of the milk?
I tried the kefir grains… Fermenting about 12hours. It made it too sour. Upon my naturepath's advice, i eliminated the fermenting process and the whey. Isaac thrived beautifully from 6months old onwards consuming it this way.
So you left out making your own whey and kept the milk pasteurized?
Every time I've blended my milk even for 1 second it gets this thick solid like foam on the top that clunks and drops into the container when I pour it out? What am I doing wrong?
It more than likely is all the oils hardening. I had this problem too. I'd either shake it up from time to time through-out the day, divide it up into bottles right away so the oils were evenly distributed, or put back some of the chunks iinto the main container if too much went into the bottle while pouring… All depending what i had time for. A bit of a nuesence, but worth it.
I pulse blend for about five seconds and do get quite a layer of form on top, I think its normal. I take the finished formula and put it into clean ball jars store in fridge. Before pouring into bottles I shake it up real well to make sure its fully blended. We have been using this formula for 4 months with our adopted son since he was 2.5 days old and he is doing wonderfully!!!
Hi! A few questions…
When I added the Nutritional Yeast, my little one (3.5 weeks old) got really bad gas and some diarrhea.
So I tried adding the powdered desiccated liver from Radiant Life, but it clogged up the nipple. When she is older, I'll be able to get it through a size 3 nipple, but for now, it won't go through a size 1.
I am concerned about getting all her B vitamins, iron, and folic acid. What would you suggest as a replacement for these? I have heard molasses, but that also can really soften her stool too much so I haven't been adding it.
Additionally, I started adding the FCLO a few days ago and she has been rather fussy and just wants to be held, not sleeping well at night. Could there be a problem processing it? She doesn't seem to mind taking it. She drinks it all up.
Finally, I haven't added the Lactose or Cream. Is that necessary when you are feeding the goats milk version? I am concerned the Dairy will stop her up. It seems to be a constant battle with Dairy causing constipation, and the Nutritional Yeast and/or Molasses giving her diarrhea…
Your help is appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
I'd check with your pediatrician that this formula is OK for such a young baby. Seems a bit risky to be adding/omitting things that may be essential for her nutrition. I had my pediatrician go through the recipe item by item and by amount to make sure it was OK, her conclusion was all the ingredients are important. My twins didn't start
on it until 9 months though and could handle all the ingredients. All the best to you and your little babe.
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Rebecca Horst Campbell via Facebook
Still making this formula a year and half later. I make two batches at a time, it gets used up in two days. Repeat. It's worth it! And it saves a ton of money too. This is a circumstance where eating the best is actually the cheapest option out there!
I am curious why goats milk is not a good substitute for cows milk? I understand about B12 and Folic acid but those could be added in other ways. Would love to know the pro's and con's. I am about to try homemade milk as I have twins and am not producing nearly enough milk. I want to make sure I make the best possible formula for them.
Meg Annan via Facebook
When I needed to supplement my 4 month old, I made the Weston a price recipe every other day. It was fantastic and he thrived!
Damara I. Friederich via Facebook
Well, as a busy mom of three, I chose to freeze my weekly formula making routine. I can only assume it was better than commercial and I was a better loving mom for it. My baby is now a year old. I still give him the formula if he will take it through a straw. Call it his "vitamin drink".
Corina Johnson via Facebook
All three of my kids drank the Raw Milk Dairy formula starting at just a few weeks of age. They are 6, 5, & 2 & very healthy. We do not vaccinate & eat a WAP diet. So glad to spread the salvation that is the raw milk formula. We have also done the liver formula for those who need guidance.
Hello dear have a few questions on d liver formula,,,, pretty concerned about the amount of vit e, used it for 3 weeks and baby broke out in rash all over
Pretty lost at this point. Pls advice!
Shannon Laage Lake via Facebook
Atalie Lehrer for your sister
Molly Frodge Stricklen via Facebook
Kristen You may find this interesting. I did this formula for one of my babies I couldn't nurse because he had a cleft palate. Read some if these comments if you get time, pretty impressive!
Praying for you!
(Let me know if you're tired of me tagging you in these sorts of things, lol! I'm serious 😉
Hope Pumpkin is doing well â¤
Pamela G Almeida via Facebook
Until what age can this formula be used?
Emma Larkan via Facebook
Hi Sarah, do know anything about the length of time you should wait after having amalgam's removed, before you can start nursing again? Have done quite a bit of research and believe me it's not all the same advice.
Andrea Elliott via Facebook
I have been supplementing with this formula for the last 8 months. My son is thriving! Highly recommend this formula over the canned junk!
Brenda Weston via Facebook
Why sunflower oil? I thought that was an oil to avoid? I wish I had known this when I had my babies.
Jen Wakefield via Facebook
Darcie Fugatt
Lisa Fernandez Graham via Facebook
Dolled-Up Nail Spa, this is what I was telling you about yesterday.
Lindsay McHugh Butler via Facebook
My son had a milk protein allergy we discovered when he was 4 months old. The dr. wanted me to put him on nutramigen. I gave it to him for about a week and he hated the taste and was sickly looking and pale. I began to research homemade formulas and found Sara's hypoallergenic homemade formula. I immediately started him on it. He LOVED it! It broke my heart to not be able to nurse him, but seeing how much he loved the homemade formula and how his color improved made the extra effort worthwhile. He's now 16 months old and just dropped his nighttime bottle. He's as healthy as can be! Also – I fired that pediatrician. She didn't think the homemade formula was a good idea.
Schramm Fam via Facebook
I have made this formula for my 5 month old for several weeks now. He is thriving and doing wonderful!!! However, he can't tolerate and is allergic to the whey. We have been avoiding putting it in as the reactions he has are not worth it however, I am concerned about the nutritional value…do you think it is okay?
I left the whey out because my baby wouldn't drink the formula with it. My naturepath told me this would be fine. He has been on the formula this way for 7 mos and doing wonderfully.
Jennifer Buntrock Boston via Facebook
I raised my son on this formula starting at 5 weeks of age. He is now 2.5 years old and is crazy healthy. I will forever be grateful for this recipe and the information from the WAPF!!
Kathrine Montero via Facebook
I started supplementing my little one on this formula last week (he is 7 months) and he loves it. So grateful for a better option than the nasty powder store kind.
Meredith Morgan via Facebook
I made formula popsicles for my 5 months. Old when she started teething. It was perfect for her so she could suck on it and get relief at the same time.
Marta M Diaz via Facebook
Jazmin Sanchez Carmen Cabrer Lacted Kristy Bundy Jessica Biser Jessica Boger Kimberly Yeates
The Healthy Home Economist via Facebook
That's PUMP and discard not toss and discard! LOL
The Healthy Home Economist via Facebook
That's PUMP and discard not toss and discard! LOL
mike A
can anyone tell me how long I can keep homemade whey and cream from raw milk in the refrigerator? I am going out of town for two week and my parents are keeping my son until I get back in town and I am not comfortable enough for them to make the homemade formula.
how long can I keep homemade raw cow formula in the Freezer ?
Thank you very much
Please be aware that as of very recently BPA has been removed from commercial baby formula containers-Google it. That being said I am making this formula to wean my 9 month old twins off of breastfeeding as I feel more comfortable with these ingredients than what I see in commercial formula. I came back to this forum to find renewed motivation to keep making this formula, it's expensive and a lot of work and the powdered stuff just seems So much easier. Some issues I am having with this formula are making me question if it is worth it…
What research proves that these ingredients and ratios are providing our babies with everything they need?
It separates in the bottle, have to shake constantly or baby gets a mouthful of oil
It is so greasy, very difficult to get off bottles
The Acerola powder never blends
The babies spit up smells god awful and looks curdled
I wonder if any other mothers are experiencing the above and losing motivation to continue making homemade formula.
Jody, I can't think of any research off the top of my head that I don't have to go searching for, but my daughter went on this formula after being on commercial, grew well, started to thrive, and because of particular issues she has had several blood draws while on this and after that showed she was in perfect health and getting plenty of what growing babies need. I feel pretty confident saying that it will cover what babies need to be healthy as long as you make sure they're getting enough calories as they grow by making necessary adjustments or introducing solids.
As for the issues you're having, we never had those issues. Which oil is separating? If it's the coconut oil, it helps to melt it in a little bit of warm water first and then add that to the mix. When are you adding the acerola powder? One of the first ingredients or toward the end? I found adding fine powdery dry ingredients before the liquids were in could cause things to clump and not mix well. It blends smoothly when they are added after most of the liquid ingredients. Or, it could be an issue with your blender. More likely when you're adding it though. We never had issues with it being too greasy or sticking to containers. I would definitely try melting the coconut oil if you haven't already been doing that and then add the oils after the milk and water are already in it.
Ok so I've been doing this for 4 months, hope this helps. Whisk the acerola powder into the water oil mixture before adding it into milk whey mixture should blend. The formula is greasy because of the oils which are vital for baby, find a way to deal, bottles come clean in real hot water or a sanitize cycle of your dishwasher. How are you heating the bottles? The separating of the formula could be due to how your warming the bottles. Check out the Kiinde Kozii warmer its expensive but worth it. It warms gently as to not damage the delicate proteins and enzymes in the raw milk. All spit up stinks make sure baby is burped well and keep upright for a bit after feeding should minimize spitting. If not check with you health practitioner could be some kind of reflux. As far as research goes check out the nutritional equivalents in the Nourishing Traditions book of Baby and Child Care. Good luck.
Jody, we just started my 8 week old granddaughter on this formula and I get what you are saying about the greasiness, although we use glass bottles and it doesn't stick to those. However, we do use the Dr. Brown's bottles that have a blue plastic air thingamabob in them and THAT is hard to clean. My guess its all the fats in the formula. She is spitting up some curdled formula as well (she has reflux so she spits up a lot regardless of whether she is getting breast milk or formula). I'm not sure that is a bad thing (the curdles – I KNOW the reflux is a bad thing!). Raw milk does curdle, denatured/pasteurized milk doesn't do that. I notice a little of the reddish acerola powder in the formula, but it gets sucked down through her #1 size nipple, so I don't see it as a problem. Anyway, we're going to continue giving it a try to see how she does.
I was able to get whole milk from a farm. Could anyone explain or tell me the steps making both whey and the cream to make the formula. Thank you somuch – See more at: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-homemade-milk-based-baby-formula/#sthash.vueK5Qi1.dpuf
Cream: if the milk is raw, the cream will rise to the top of the milk, just scoop it off. Or put milk inyo a container with a spout at the bottom, let separate. Drain milk through spout until you start getting cream, stop. Now you have a jug of only cream to use.
Whey: the easiest way is.to buy plain yogurt, scoop some into cheesecloth, tie up the ends and hang over a bowl. The whey will drip out, use that.
DO NOT USE WHEY FROM STORE BOUGHT YOGURT!!! I tried this, with plain, organic, whole milk yogurt and almost had to call an ambulance for my 4 month old son. He started having violent vomiting and diarrhea, so rapid he couldn't even cry. He was lethargic, white, with white lips, and even the color from his beautiful blue eyes had turned to grey…it was THE most devastating thing I've ever had to experience with any of my children and he is my 4th. I firmly believe that this only happened because I had made the formula with the organic yogurt whey (which is pasteurized) instead of raw milk based whey. So, my advice is, don't skip any steps! Make it without the whey and add extra lactose if you need it immediately, but don't rush the whey process because results could be devastating for your baby!
Oh, and I'm a pediatric Emergency Room nurse…I don't call or even think to call an ambulance unless it is truly an emergency…
We used organic store bought yogurt to make the whey and never had any issues with it. Made it a couple of times a week. Sounds like you just ended up being unlucky with a bad batch. Things unfortunately get contaminated sometimes. The same thing is possible with raw milk as well, even though it doesn't nearly happen the way conventional nutrition would have us think (I'm a raw milk drinker). Contamination isn't impossible with anything. It's good to be aware that this has happened to people so that we try to source our products the best way possible and be sure to check what we've gotten for problems as much as we can, but we can't demonize an entire possible resource over a single incident. That's one way in which we've ended up with raw milk being viewed as dangerous (ridiculously) to begin with.
Anyone using this formula have a baby with severe cradle cap? Does this cause some sort of deficiency?
Hey Sarah, I was able to get whole milk from a farm. Could u explain or tell me the steps making both whey and the cream to make the formula.
Thank you somuch
Hello Sarah, i started homemade cow's based formula for my son and he is gassy and i removed lactose but it wasn't sweet enough for him to drink and then I removed whey. Should I just try to remove a yeast flakes to see if that's what's causing the gas?after I started supplementing with formula he did not poop for 5 days.
I have been giving this formula as a supplement to my own expressed milk. He does great on it, but to avoid clogging the bottle (I am using the fastest flow available for Avent Naturals glass bottles) I have to strain it through a standard mesh strainer. It appears that what I'm straining is the nutritional yeast. Has anyone had this problem? It doesn't seem to be the oils hardening as I read from previous comments.
I have been using this formula for about a week and have not had this problem. Here is what I do. I mix the milk/cream/whey/probiotic straight into blender and mix all other ingredients into the warm water mixture. It works great no clogging and I even use preemie nipples because the regular newborn are to fast for my son. Hope this helps.
My two month old has been doing great on this! Thank you Sarah for posting the video.
Sarah, do you know if the Blue Ice cod liver oil/butter oil blend could be used in this recipe? If so, measurement? Thanks!
This is a question for all you parents who have used the milk based formula. My question is about poop. we have been using the formula for two days, no issues, doing great baby's poop is soft and curd like is this normal? I should add he is not having any GI issues is healthy and very content.
Hi Sarah, I'm so excited to begin using the Weston A. Price recipe for baby formula with my 7 month old. It's never too late to replace store bought formula with something better, right? I'm completely new to all of this, and I'm especially new to the world of cultured/fermented foods and I'll admit I'm kind of overwhelmed. I bought some kefir grains, and have them doing their job in some milk right now because the instructions told me it would take them about a week to produce beneficial kefir.
I currently don't have access to raw milk (my husband and I are considering herd sharing since that is the only way to access raw milk in the Cincinnati area), so I'm going to have to use whole pasteurized non-homogenized grass fed milk. When you tell us to culture this milk with kefir, are you saying that we essentially use milk kefir in place of raw milk? I know this is probably a ridiculous question, and I wrote a lot just to ask you a yes/no question. Thanks for all your input and educational blogging and videos!
Has anyone tried this with homemade almond milk vs raw milk? What about goat's milk? Our pediatrician is advising an almond milk formula. But I can't seem to find any recipes on line.
I would very much hesitate using almond milk as a formula base. It does not have the nutrients that a baby needs and would be deficient in many items. And giving any nut product to a baby is highly suspect. The risk of allergy is too high. Honeslty, I would seek the advice of another pediatrician. This one doesn't sound like they know what they are doing.
joyce wang
hi sarah the optional ingredient butter oil, can i use ghee instead? is that the same thing? i have no idea what butter oil is. i know green pasteur sells it but i live in a place where shipping and customs taxes are too outrageous for me to buy from green pasteur, but i do have access to organic grass fed ghee, can i use it?
Hi, I was wondering how much of this formula should my 10 month old consume?
I add the cream along with the milk and liquid whey into the blender.. I use the cream from on top of our raw milk that is not used for formula. If you do not have access to a farm, perhaps organic non-homogenized mile would work, the kind that says "with cream on top"? Hope this helps!
joyce wang
thanks Debbie but when i try to scoop the cream from on top of our milk, i feel like i am scooping not only the cream but also the milk, is that right? i can't really tell cream from milk is what i am saying…
joyce wang
hi sarah, i have watched the video so many times but i don't see where you add the cream in the recipe, can you please advise? also, exactly what kind of cream should i get? i don't have access to a farm so i don't have access to real pure cream, what should i do?
Hi! Just wanted to say I've been making this formula for 3 months now, and our little son is doing GREAT! My parents do raw Jersey milk herdshares and I recently converted to trying to cook/eat more traditionally according to WAPF recommendations. I was unable to breastfeed our first because of health issues and those same issues affected my nursing our son when he was born. I'm feeling much better since changing our diet but unfortunately it came too late for the nursing relationship. Our little son has gained very very well and is thriving, he is happy and enjoys his milk! I make a double batch every other day to save me from having to make it every single day.
Even though I can't breastfeed, I have such peace of mind knowing that I cant still give my son the best advantages possible with this formula! Thank you so very much!
Since I started supplementing with the homemade baby formula my baby's urine is more concentrated. Early morning it is very concentrated. She seems to act normal and gains well, though. I'm just wondering if anyone else has seen this or if it is anything to be concerned over? Is it too hard on her kidneys?
Thanks in advance!
I am not sure if this formula is water soluable, but I do know that is formulated to be as close to breast milk as possible. I have used cloth diapers and have had no problems.
We adopted our son in April and he was started on commercial Enfamil and had terrible gas and colic. When we got home, I ordered everything I needed for homemade formula. At 6 weeks, he started and no more gas, no rashes, perfect skin, happy and healthy and muscular. I have been sharing this recipe with everyone I know, even if they do breastfeed, vecause they usually know someone who can't breastfeed. I HIGHLY recommend this! I am so glad that I got away from the commercial formula! Also, as I told someone the initial investment for the ingredients is high, but in the end it is less expensive than commercial formula. However, even paying a penny or two perounce is worth it for the health of my son, especially knowing that he got so sick on the commercial stuff.
Thank you for this information. I am very interested in homemade baby formula.
Do you know if this recipe for milk formula is water soluble? I am interested in cloth diapering and a water soluble (which breastmilk is) formula would be better.
I wanted to let others know about what has worked for my baby with this formula. Raw milk is not available in our area, so with the first batch I tried making kefir from the low pasteurized, non homogenized milk that is available to us via the health food stores. My baby refused it. I think it was too sour, even though I only let the batch ferment for 12 hours. My naturepath encouraged me to just use the milk straight out of the jug (if you think about it, powdered commercial formula uses regular milk, but worse as its non-fat, etc.). I've been making the formula this way for about 2 months now and my baby is thriving on it! This recipe has been a godsend. I think breastfeeding is best, but have not been able to because of health issues. I was devastated to think that my only alternative w as to give my baby store bought formula. My friend introduced me to this site and I am forever grateful!
Hi Sarah
My husband and I will hopefully be adopting shortly like in the next month and I already know I will be using this formula as well as breast milk from trusted friends. I am wondering if because we will be feeding formula from the get go if we should add colostrum to the recipe for the first few days or weeks. What are your thought?
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for posting this! How long does homemade formula last?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
You really should make a batch every day or two.
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Diego Saporta
Dear Ms. Sarah:
Thank you for your exceptional and thorough instructional video.
My question to you:
What are your suggestions when you have that baby that is very reactive to milk, and would develop symptoms not only from milk but also from yogurt? I am am sure that such a baby would develop symptoms from your formula.
Sincerely yours:
Diego Saporta
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Hi Diego, I would direct you to the other homemade baby formula video on this blog … how to make a hypoallergenic formula. This is for babies with a true milk allergy.
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How long can you store the formula after it is freshly made?
The cream us this whipping cream?
Jeanette Espinal
Yes. And also known as heavy cream too.
Tara Hain
If my milk comes late after birth can I use this formula.
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
Do you have to culture pasteurized non homogenized milk with kefir grains or can you keep it plain?
Do you have to culture non homogenized milk with kefir grains or can you just use plain non homogenized 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.
Loralie Dumont
Hi Sarah, how long does the homemade baby formula last in the refrigerator and can I freeze it like breast milk?
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!
Update: After two weeks of this formula my daughters rash is completely gone! About three weeks ago I ran out of broth and milk so I had to supplement with the old store bought formula for almost a full week and her rash came back instantly. I wish I could post pictures of her on this site to show her rash? But it went a way after a few days of being back on this formula. thank heavens! I alternate between the hypoallergenic formula and the raw milk formula. In less than three months she will be 1 year old.
Sarah Zarling
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.
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.
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!
What's the measurements to make 1 bottle ???
One "batch" makes 6-6oz bottles or 36 oz, so depending on how big the bottles are, yhou would have to adjust accordingly. I just made a half batch because that was all the raw milk ( 1 cup) we had left. It would make 18 oz and honestly would be a lot easier just do half the batch than to try and figure out how to just to 1- 6oz bottle. The measurements need to be EXACT to get the proper balance and it would be really hard when one is doing 1/6th of a recipe.
Hi there , I was wonderin if a baby was sensitive to dairy can be on homemade baby formula??
Kimberly Gordon
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!
Jeanette Espinal
A little late but I buy cream from the same place I buy the raw milk, I do know many farmers don't sell cream, but another option is to buy extra milk, place it in a mason jar, and carefully scoop out the cream from the top.
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?
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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/
Jeanette Espinal
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
Rebecca C
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.
Jeanette Espinal
Thank you Rebecca. You have been great answering everyone's questions. My son has been drinking straight raw cow's milk since 2 weeks after his first b-day. He likes it and I still give him as a supplement, cod liver oil mix with fresh orange juice, and daily dose of coconut oil. He is doing well on it. This formula has been a life saver, since in the end you spend less money, and its much more nutritious than store bought formula.
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
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can raw goats milk be used instead of cows milk?
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?
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Rebecca C
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?
Rebecca C
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.
Rebecca C
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.
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.
Rebecca C
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.
Rebecca C
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.
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 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?
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, 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.
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?
Cassandra Wright
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 ?
Rebecca C
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
Rebecca C
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.
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.
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!
I was wondering if there was a way to add DHA and ARA to this homemade baby formula recipe?
I was wondering if you could add a source of DHA and ARA to homemade formula?
Rebecca C
the cod liver oil is the dha. the ara is from the fat in the milk.
becki pyatt
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?
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, 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.
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.
Rebecca C
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.
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
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 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.
That also happens here. I also long for an answer that can help us!
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, 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.
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.,
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
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).
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!
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?
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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.
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.
Rebecca C
mine is more set up than that. it's the gelatin.
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?
Rebecca C
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 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?
Rebecca C
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.
Rebecca C
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).
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'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.
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!
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)
Did you ever get an answer on this? I ask because I'm curious too-thanks!
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…
Rebecca C
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.
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?
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!
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?
Rebecca C
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 .
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
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
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?
Marietta Jari
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
Elexa Wagaman
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
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.
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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!
Rebecca C
i started my son on it immediately and had no ill effects. in my opinion, it's worse to keep the commercial formula going.
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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.
I have preemie twin boys that are now 3 months and a week old. Since birth they have been on similac neosure but seeing the ingredients makes Mr want to change it to somthing healthier. Also I believe the formula upsets their stomachs and makes them very uncomfortable. They are only eating about 4 ounces every four hours so how should I go about making 36 ounces of formula for each baby every four hours. Is it safe to put it into the fridge for how many hours? This is my main concern other than changing their formula without concent from pediatrician because they say it's too soon
Nick L
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!
Rebecca C
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!
Rebecca C
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.
Rebecca C
oops, teaspoons
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.
Traci P
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.
Frustrated Mom
Rebecca C
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.
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.
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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
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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?
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!
Rebecca C
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.
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Jill Myrand
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.
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?
Rebecca C
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 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!
Rebecca C
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.
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,
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
If you can easily freeze, that would be great. But supplementing with grain during the winter is acceptable as well.
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
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.
Sarah Jane
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.
Tanya Drescher
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???
jenny vega
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.
Traci P
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??
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'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!
Karen King
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 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.
Rebecca C
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 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!
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.
Melissa @ Dyno-mom
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!
Sarah Largent
I think my kids are allergic to milk. Should I substitute goat milk in this recipe? Or what should I do?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist
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.
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!
Heidi Dankers
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!
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
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.
Rebecca C
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.
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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!
Rebecca C
you could put aluminum foil around it. you need to protect it from light, that is the purpose of the dark bottle.
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.
Mia Leonard, MOT, OT/L
Carla – your comment was posted a while ago but I know people read all the older posts. It is useful to add for some that might not know it's possible. Unfortunately it is not always possible for everyone woman to completely breastfeed (or even at all) after adoption or surrogacy -even a newborn, even one that has had milk supply before. There are many circumstances that women turn to this formula. Just wanted other moms through adoption and surrogacy or are unable to breastfeed, feel supported and validated in the choices that is best for their circumstances and this formula can be a god send.
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
The older the formula, the more prone to curdling. It is best to make it everyday or every other day if possible.
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!
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Hi Sarah,
When would you recommend switching a baby from the raw milk formula to raw milk?
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,
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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).
Tanya Drescher
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.
Tanya Drescher
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
You can try substituting the raw milk portion of the formula with raw yogurt or raw kefir. Some babies do better this way.
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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!
Tanya Drescher
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
The liquid is fine too …. Perhaps the info in the link has changed since I wrote the post.
Tanya Drescher
So what are you using in your video? the capsule? Is what is in the capsule powder or liquid?
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.
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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, 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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Can someone please email me the RAW YOGURT based formula recipe? (email@example.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!
Elizabeth Ewing
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
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Kay Conway
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Hi Sarah,
Our baby is only 10 days old and so eats only a small amount per serving. 36 ounces is too much to make every day or every other day. Is this meant for older infants?
Or is it expected to just half the recipe for new borns?
Also the formula had a strong rotten smell the next morning.
The raw milk was about 5 days old and still smelled fresh when used.
Could this be from the yeast or bifidum?
How strong should i expect the formula to smell the next day.
Thank you for your blog,
April Shackelford
can I add something else to the formula to substitute those things?
Rebecca C
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.
April Shackelford
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?
Danielle Mom to twins
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!
Michelle Clapper
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. (firstname.lastname@example.com) Thank you in advance!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Nourhan, all you do is substitute raw yogurt for the 2 cups of raw milk. Everything else stays the same.
Thanks Michelle!
mary love
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
joyce wang
does making culturing milk make the milk taste too sour for the baby to swallow?
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Hi Marilyn, Cultures for Health is great for both yogurt and kefir starters .. here's the link on my resources page:
Sara, thanks so much! You are the best!
I did a cost comparison break down on my blog
if anyone is interested. I tried to be as accurate as possible, using mostly the links from here for the supplies.
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
April Shackelford
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
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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?
Rebecca C
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.
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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!
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
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!
Rebecca C
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.
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 ?
Hi Sarah, what is the best recommendations for yogurt brands to be used for homemade whey ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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,
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 ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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!
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?
Lauren kovar
So can you freeze this in bottle ready amounts like we do with breastmilk?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Yes, freezing works great.
Hi Sarah,
wanted to check on what kind of cream do you recommend to use ? Are there any recommended brands ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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 ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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
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, 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 ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Can this formula be frozen if needed or will it affect the nutritional value?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Freezing is fine.
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 ?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
joyce wang
how exactly do you do that? skimming off the cream off of milk, i tried doing it but it feels like i am just spooning off milk not cream?
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.
Ranjani Krishnan
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Hi Sarah,
I'm still waiting for a reply to my above comment.
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 !!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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,
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?
Is cow colostrum safe for infants?
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
Rebecca C
there is a yahoo group you can join. search for weston a price yahoo group healthy baby and you should find it.
joyce wang
hi michelle, thanks for your comment, it really helps! just wondering if you ever had to skip any ingredient for any reason? and how did that work out?
Elena Cantavero
They no longer carry "salted cod" liver oil, what is the replacement oil?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Plain or antioxidant free is fine.
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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!
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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).
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?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I really don't know about the amylase but slightly increasing the probiotic should be ok.
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?
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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!
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,
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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, Still hoping to know what the purpose of lactose powder is in the formula…
Thanks, Beverly
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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.
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.
Hi again, Not sure this posted. I am wanting to know the purpose of the lactose powder?
Thanks, Beverly
Rebecca C
breast milk is high in lactose.
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,
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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 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.
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.
Rebecca C
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 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.
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.
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
Sarah Mueller
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.
Kimberly @ The Family Fanatic
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 am so glad you posted this. . .thanks for sharing, another good information!
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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 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.
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.
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!
Thumbs up to mamabear023 with great critical thinking skills!!
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
Jamie and Trey + One
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.
Stephanie B. Cornais
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!
Rebecca C
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.
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.
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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:
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.
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
Here is a $5 coupon off your first order NEW344
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.
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?
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
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
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.
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.
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
Yes, Melody. That flavor is fine too. I forgot about that one. Thank you for the reminder.
Thank you sarah, I will try that.
Can the Flavor/Antioxidant free fermented cod liver oil be used instead of the Salty Cod?
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
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, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
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.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama
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!
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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
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!
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
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!
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
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.
thanks for letting us know about low temp non homogenized whole milk! but what about this ingredient?
2 TBL good quality raw or pasteurized cream (use 4 TBL if the milk is from holstein cows). Do NOT use ultrapasteurized cream!
what should we do if we cannot find any? can we skip this?
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
Do not feel bad. Same thing happened to me with my baby born at 32 weeks. I pumped and took milk to NICU for him to feed, I pumped and stored in freezer…when my. Precious baby finally came home he was used to the bottle, would latch but quickly fall asleep or lose interest…. I was exhausted from getting up and attempting to nurse him, heating up expressed milk and feeding him, then putting him to bed then going back to pumping, labeling, storing and cleaning up….. I was exhausted and was losing my mind. I was so happy to be able to buy ingredients and watch this video. I just bought raw milk/cream and my sister will make yogurt and give me the whey…. Don't lose heart and please don't feel bad, you have tried your best.
If you have to give your baby formula try finding one without soy.
Where are you located? The farm I get the milk/cream from is three hrs away from where I live, however , they come down my way once a month so I make sure to get enough for the month. You may have something similar close to you or you can order online.
I wish you and your baby well and hope you are able to make homemade formula.
I thank God for Ms Sarah posting this video.
Ok, lol, just noticed the post from Betty was from 2010.
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.