by Elise Bowerman
Both my children were given formula as babies. I had a super difficult time breastfeeding and pumping, and then found an exceptional lactation consultant who helped diagnose my issue - when I had my second child. (I was pumping every 2-3 hours for 20 minutes bilaterally with a hospital-grade pump for one month straight only to produce .5 ounces of milk total... depressing to say the least! And yes, I was taking all the supplements and whatnot as that is my m.o.)
My son, firstborn, was fed a mixture of organic infant formula and breast milk. He had constant colic (fussy, spitting-up) and had rough skin. Eventually he became extremely ill; resulting in life-saving procedures from the best at U of M's C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital. Thankfully he recovered quickly as I got him out of the medical model of care as soon as possible, and is healthy today.
After that stressful first year, I was bound and determined to inform myself to better prepare for my daughter's arrival. I knew there had to be resources out there so I wouldn't have to suffer through another year of colic - with a toddler running around, too.
For the first five days of her life, my daughter received breast milk from me. After, a loving local mother gifted us some of her extra breast milk. Then, I finally tried homemade baby formula after reading an article by Dr. Mercola.
This stuff was amazing!
- It was easy to order all the ingredients.
- All the ingredients are whole-food (no synthetic anything, no chemicals, no artificial food dyes, no hormones - all wholesome, nutrient rich supplements to nourish a growing baby.)
- It only took about 20 minutes to make 36 ounces.
- She LOVED it, and THRIVED on it!
- She began to gain healthy weight, had smooth skin, and was never sick - one fever in over 13 months... no runny nose, or ear infections = no excess mucus.
- It was the same price or cheaper than organic pre-packaged formula.
- Made it easy for dad and helpers to feed baby.
- Best of all - it's chemical-free and sugar-free!
Begin to Nourish Your Baby Today
According to The Weston A. Price Foundation and Nourishing Traditions there are two ways to make homemade baby formula: milk-based or liver-based. (I did milk, so below are my recommendations.)
- Purchase Nourishing Traditions: the Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon.
- Learn where to purchase the ingredients for the homemade formula. (I started with the 3-month kit from Radiant Life, then bought the ingredients as needed. Sometimes Whole Foods, Zerbo's, and Better Health had the ingredients, too.)
- Follow the directions to learn how to make the milk-based formula
- Find a local farm that leases their cows to obtain:
- Raw cow milk
- Cream
- Kefir, or you can use store-bought Organic Whole Milk Plain Yogurt (that's what I did) to make whey
- Two liquid containers to store 36 ounces of formula once made. (Formula expires after 2-3 days. You will use it all.)
- A blender to hold 36 ounces of liquid.
- I'm happy to meet to help you get started. It may seem overwhelming, but I promise it is easy when all the ingredients are handy. It'll become a habit in no time!
re: Acid Rlux / GERD
With an increasing number of parents offering their newborn/infant reflux medication, I had to share what I have found about this subject. You will find that your baby will likely effectively digest the homemade baby formula AND have a strong gut because of it.
Giving a child, let alone a newborn or infant, acid reflux medication can cause further stress on their digestive system in the long run. During the first year of life the baby's digestive system is still developing. That's why babies drink breast milk or formula as their main source of nutrition in the first year... easily digestible.
Reflux medication neutralizes the acidity in the stomach. It may sound like a fine solution, however when the acidity is raised to neutral, then the body is no longer learning/growing/developing to know how to process food and drink. The body is not able to absorb what it needs from the food being ingested, and it is not able to break-down the food to get rid of anything toxic.
It makes me wonder how many children with food allergies were given medication or formula to neutralize the acidity in the stomach as babies. If their digestive systems were never fully developed due to neutralization, then it would make sense that the gut flora would not be present to absorb nutrients and eliminate toxins when digesting. Thus, an allergic reaction may occur.
You will find numerous sites listing acid reflux/GERD home remedies by just looking online. Chiropratic care also helps. Seek alternative professional advice before medicating. Once any medication has started, it can be a long haul to get off the medication, or it may create a domino effect (causing something else in the body to not function at it's highest level.) Natural remedies are designed to be used first; rather than last. So try the homemade baby formula today!