Babies are the most incredible blessing in any parent’s life. As soon as you hold those little bundles of joy in your arms, a surge of parenthood and delight runs through your veins. However, it ends as quickly as you start worrying about how you would raise them and the kind of decisions you will have to make for their well-being.
For starters, several new mothers straddle between the decision of whether to feed their child through breastmilk or baby formula.
While both options are equally healthy and provide plenty of nutrients for a child’s holistic growth and development, going with the option of baby formula can provide you with the much-needed respite you might need with all the other baby duties that might have dawned upon you.
It is not easy to take care of a child. From changing their diaper to ensuring that they are being fed properly, taking care of a baby is a full-time job that you must dedicate all your time and efforts into at every step of the way.
However, most mothers struggle with the question of how to choose the right formula for their baby since parenting is not a skill that comes naturally to everyone, and you might face several difficulties as you figure out things along the way.
As a result, for parents who are keen on researching before making a choice for their child’s feeding needs, here are some tips you can follow while choosing baby formula for your infant.
1. Allow your baby to enter the world
This tip is for all the over-excited parents out there who like to plan everything and want to stockpile diapers and baby formulas beforehand. Planning and painting your nursery before your child arrives makes sense.
However, hoarding baby formula before your infant arrives can pose a few problems for you, including what if your child is allergic to a particular brand’s baby formula that you have bought. As a result, let your child arrive and test different brands before making the decision. See which product your baby is compatible with and whether it is triggering any allergies.
2. Purchase from Superstores
If your decision to feed your baby through formula is set in stone, then purchasing from superstores that have multiple chains across the country will make more sense since you can get exciting discounts on bulk purchases. It will not only allow you to save on quantity purchases but also set the pace for your baby’s routine.
3. Get the largest box on the shelf
If you have birthed multiples, cost-saving is one of the most significant aspects that you will obviously consider while purchasing baby products. If you are aware of the concept of economies of scale, then you would know that larger boxes are usually priced lower than smaller boxes. Therefore, pick the largest box of baby formula you can as it will also aid in establishing your baby’s routine with the product.
4. Go for the powdered type
It’s almost perplexing to see the number of baby formulas that sit on the shelves of supermarkets. And, if you are a parent who is not used to such a sight, then you have stumbled upon the right article. If you love to travel and do not want to hamper your favorite pastime now that you have a baby at home, then the powdered baby formula can be the holy grail to all your baby feeding problems.
In addition to being convenient to store and use, powdered baby formula can also allow parents who are currently transitioning to work-life to breathe a sigh of relief. You can buy the largest box of powdered baby formula and store them in ready-to-use small quantities to save time and get your baby ready to be left at the daycare in no time.
5. Make one brand the holy grail
Switching brands will do your baby and you no good because once you have set your child’s pace with a particular brand and cracked the compatibility, moving onto a different one will cause inconvenience to your infant and who knows, they might refuse to get used to it altogether.
While you may dream of the moment when do babies stop drinking formula, making one brand the holy grail until they do should be your motto and is what you must follow for your baby’s convenience and health.
6. Try using an organic formula
There are several baby formulas with different base ingredients. For instance, there are formulas meant for a specific condition; some focus on metabolism, others function as a fortifier, while some are lactose-free.
However, the best one out of these is using an organic formula for your baby. There isn’t a significant difference between organic baby formula and the traditional ones, except that it uses organic milk instead of regular cow milk. However, you must gauge your baby’s condition before making any decision.
Read the ingredients carefully
Since there are so many products available on the shelves of supermarkets, picking any baby formula won’t cut it when it comes to your child’s health. Therefore, please read the list of ingredients and run it by your doctor to verify whether you are making the right decision. Since many newborns suffer from diarrhea, choosing a baby formula equipped with probiotics can help your child’s gut thrive and protect from any foreign virus or bacteria.
Conclusion
Raising a child is a whole other ballgame for individuals who are becoming parents for the first time. However, as you navigate through the various duties and decisions that you might have to make for your child, choosing the right baby formula is essential in ensuring that your baby receives adequate nutrients during their formative years.
Since so many baby formulas are available on the market, choosing the right product for your child is imperative. Therefore, we have highlighted the tips you can follow as you figure out things along the way. Additionally, if you stumble upon any homemade formula recipes, it is strongly recommended that you do not follow them as it may result in future complications.