Why would you want to make homemade baby formula? Everyone knows breast milk is the best thing for babies. But some of us have not been blessed with an easy time breastfeeding. I loved breastfeeding and had no problems… until I started having issues with my breast milk supply when my baby Kate was only 4 months old.
I tried everything to increase my breast milk supply (fenugreek, round-the-clock pumping, taking her to bed with me for 3 days, etc.). But to my great despair, I had to start supplementing with formula. I felt like a complete failure as a mother.
When my Great Uncle Roy (in his 80s) read on my blog that I was having breast milk supply issues and had to start formula feeding, he emailed me a link to the Weston A. Price Foundation to warn me about the dangers of soy formula.
The more I read, the more I realized that every formula on the market these days has soy in it (usually soybean oil and/or soy lecithin). The more I read about the dangers of soy, I came to the conclusion that there is no good commercial infant formula available. I became determined to find a healthier alternative for my baby. Enter Sally Fallon and Mary Enig’s recipe for homemade baby formula.
I’m so grateful we found the homemade baby formula recipe. My daughter got a bad case of cradle cap on commercial baby formula. When we switched to homemade baby formula, her cradle cap disappeared and it never came back.
Notes on the Recipe
The recipe that follows is slightly modified (just the method, not the ingredients) from the recipe by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig published in the book, “Nourishing Traditions”. This recipe is also reprinted on the Weston A. Price Foundation website, where you will also find a recipe for the goat milk and meat-based formula, which can be used when raw cow’s milk is not available, or for infants who are allergic to cow’s milk. These recipes are also on the Real Milk website.
Many, many thanks to Sally Fallon and Mary Enig for formulating and publishing these wonderful recipes. I’m personally forever grateful for them.
Lastly, here is what Sally Fallon writes about the homemade cow’s milk formula:
Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow’s milk but leaner in casein (milk protein). The addition of gelatin to cow’s milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.
The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (see my resources page for sources of starter cultures).
Now… on to the recipe!
Homemade Baby Formula
Makes 36 ounces
Equipment Needed:
Blender (you can use a whisk and a bowl but I think it’s much easier in a blender)
Glass bottles (you can also use BPA-free plastic bottles like Medela or Born Free; do NOT use plastic bottles with BPA — it’s toxic!)
Ingredients:
LIQUID
Whole milk, preferably unprocessed (raw) milk from pasture-fed cows (2 cups) — where to buy milk
Filtered water (if you don’t have a filter, use bottled distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or spring water) (1 7/8 cups)
Homemade liquid whey (Click here for the recipe for homemade whey — scroll down to the bottom of the page) Note: Do NOT use whey from making cheese — it will cause the formula to curdle. Use only homemade whey made from yoghurt, kefir or separated raw milk.(1/4 cup) — where to buy milk
Good quality cream (ideally organic and raw, but at least not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows (2 TBS or more)
Coconut oil (2 tsp) — where to buy coconut oil
High-vitamin cod liver oil (store in the fridge) (1/2 tsp) — where to buy cod liver oil
Expeller-expressed sunflower oil (store in the fridge) (1 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
Extra virgin olive oil (store in a dark cupboard) (1 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
DRY
Lactose powder (4 TBS) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes (2 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
Gelatin (2 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
Natren bifidobacterium infantis (store in the fridge) (1/4 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
Acerola powder (1/4 tsp) — available from Radiant Life — see my resources page
It is very important to use the exact amounts that are called for (I have not changed any of the amounts). This recipe was formulated by a nutritionist (Mary Enig) and is designed to be as close as possible to human breast milk.
If you are looking for a homemade formula made with goat milk, please see the goat milk version on the Weston A. Price Foundation website.
The only thing I changed in the recipe is how I make it. In the original recipe, they say to add the gelatin powder to the filtered water and warm it slightly until the gelatin dissolves. Many people also like to add the coconut oil to the water so it liquifies. I used to do all of that but after making formula day in day out for over a year now, I find it’s easier just to throw everything in the blender and then scoop out the frothy stuff at the top. You can try it both ways and see what works better for you.
It is also very important to use the recommended brands. If a brand is listed, buy that one. The Weston A. Price Foundation has done a lot of research on these brands. When a brand is specified, there is a reason for it.
Please DO NOT use regular olive oil from the grocery store. adulterated with cheap oil. Also, get a good quality cod liver oil (one of the brands listed). Brands like Carlson are not recommended (they have the wrong ratio of vitamins A & D).
Most everything on the list is available from Radiant Life catalog — you can find them on my resources page. I buy my lactose, sunflower oil, gelatin, acerola powder, olive oil, and nutritional yeast from them. They ship fast and their customer service is great. You can usually find coconut oil and Natren bifidobacterium infantis at Whole Foods or other health food store if you have one close to you.
Recommended Brands:
High-vitamin cod liver oil: Green Pastures (see my resources page)
Nutritional yeast: Frontier
Gelatin: Bernard Jensen
Acerola powder: Now
Olive oil: Chaffin Orchards, Bariani, Olea — see my resources page (There are a few more acceptable brands listed in the Weston A. Price shopping guide which is available from their website.)
Instructions:
1. Add the 2 cups of milk to the blender.
2. Add the 1/4 cup of whey and the 1 7/8 cups of filtered water.
3. Add all the dry ingredients. (I add the dry ingredients first because then I don’t get my measuring spoons wet.)
4. Add the rest of the liquid ingredients.
5. Set out some clean glass bottles. How many you will need depends on how much your baby drinks at each feeding. I use 6 bottles and fill them all about 6 ounces each.
6. Using a teaspoon, scoop the clumpy snow-like top layer of formula and distribute evenly into the glass bottles. if you don’t scoop it off the top, it will not pour and will get stuck at the bottom of the blender.
7. Distribute the formula into the bottles. When you get near the bottom, you’ll notice that the gelatin is kind of sticking around down there (this is why they recommend warming it in water). If you just swirl the formula around in the blender, making sure the gelatin mixes in, you can easily distribute it among the bottles.
8. Put clean nipples and lids on the bottles and stick them in the fridge.
9. To serve, take the bottle out of the fridge and set in a Pyrex measuring cup or coffee cup halfway full of boiling hot water. When warm, shake bottle well and feed baby. Never, never heat formula in a microwave oven!
I bought this Zojirushi hot water dispenser. It was a wonderful investment for warming formula and baby purees. I think you can also use a baby bottle warmer.
I do not recommend setting a cold bottle just out of the fridge in a saucepan of simmering water. I broke a few bottles doing that — which is why I bought the Zojirushi. If you are going to use a saucepan on the stove, use a room-temperature bottle only.
For more information on making homemade baby formula, check out the Homemade Baby Formula FAQ on the Weston A. Price Foundation website.
Also, for help and support with making the formula, check out the wonderful Yahoo group, WAP Healthy Babies. It’s a great discussion list with many fabulous mothers (and a few fathers). I have made many friends on this list and I’m so grateful for their support and friendship.
Disclosure: cmp.ly/4 and cmp.ly/5
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Does your formula ever separate while sitting in the fridge? Mine has been doing that a lot lately. Its been getting really clumpy when heating it up too. I wonder if the goat whey I got from (Natural Family farms? oops I forgot, you know the chicken/duck stand) came from cheese making which would explain it.
For anyone seeing this info for the first time, there is now a kit available for the needed ingredients, available through Radiant Life.
Thanks for this post. I wish I had it when I started making the baby formula. It will be nice to direct others to your site, who want more of a hands on experience.
I was wondering how do you store your nutritional yeast (cupboard, frigde, freezer)?
I bought mine in bulk from Frontier and don’t want it to go bad.
Hi, Jungleen,
What do you mean when you say “separate”? I’m not really sure… I just shake it up and stick it in the bottle warmer. When it’s at the proper temperature, it is not clumpy.
I suppose it could be the whey… I have never noticed a difference.
AM,
My formula separates into clearish liquid on the bottom and opaque liquid on top. Or maybe its the other way around! I shake it up before I plop it into the bottle warmer but as its warming up it separates again (into clear liquid and opaque liquid). Its really weird because it never used to do this and now its happening to every batch I make!
Mine has never done that…
You could try going back to homemade whey made from yogurt (or raw milk) and see if that solves it.
Hello,
I would love for my baby (hopefully) to take homemade all-natural baby formula. This recipe looks truly beneficial.
Don’t forget the 2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, just like in mother’s milk. Lauric acid is the most plentiful medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) in both coconut oil and mother’s milk. In fact, the ratio of lauric acid to other MCFAs in breast milk is similar to that in coconut oil.
MCFA-rich coconut oil improves nutrient absorption, help regulate blood sugar levels, aid digestive function, etc.
Cheers,
Frederick
http://www.coconut-oil-central.com
Your Drugstore in a Bottle
How long are you planning to keep giving your toddler the formula? She’s about 18 months now, right? (I know because you and I had our babies at about the same time). I stopped giving mine the formula once he started eating all the same foods we were eating. I didn’t want to always make him a separate meal, and he didn’t react to any foods, so he just ate what we ate, and he still does. Both kids get kefir and CLO and fats and all the good stuff I can get into all of us. I hope I haven’t made a mistake by stopping his formula intake prematurely… What are your reasons for continuing Kate on it?
Hi, Jessica,
She will be 18 months old next week.
I know lots of moms don’t give the homemade formula (or commercial formula for that matter) past one year.
I decided to keep Kate on the formula as long as possible mainly because if I could, I would still be breastfeeding.
The homemade formula is a substitute for breast milk. She drinks about 12-18 ounces of homemade formula per day. So I can make the formula every other day.
It’s easier to just give her milk — but I think it’s worth the effort to continue making the formula.
I’m not sure how long I will continue with this — as long as I can I guess (ideally it would be three years but if I make it to two, that’ll be great).
Oh, and one other thing — I don’t ALWAYS give her the raw milk formula. There are some weeks that I slack off and just give her milk. Like this past week — I have been too busy with life so she’s just gotten raw milk.
And when we travel, she gets plain raw milk. Except of course, when we go to visit Seth’s parents. Seth’s mother is the best. She not only goes to the farm co-op and picks up the raw milk for Kate, but she gets all the ingredients for the homemade formula and she makes it for Kate when we are there. She also buys beet kvass for us and pastured chicken and duck and chicken livers for Kate.
How lucky am I to have a mother-in-law like that?
When my mom used to watch my baby, I didn’t think she would be amiable to feeding my kid crazy concoctions or raw milk. So I devised a way to get some good fats in my boy. I created my own secret weapon called: Baby Custard.
It was published in the Wise Traditions Journal, Volume 6, Number 2, Summer 2005 the special Baby Edition.
Mix 1 cup raw milk, 1 cup raw cream, 6 egg yolks, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of stevia powder. Pour into buttered ramekin dishes. Place ramekins into a Pyrex dish filled part-way with water. Preheat oven to 310 degrees and cook for about 1 hour.
More baby recipes are here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/nourish-baby.html
Enjoy!
Dan Corrigan
http://blog.corganic.com/
Baking raw milk? Might as well use pasteurized then, n’est-ce pas? And some of the nutrients in the other ingredients will also get damaged.
Yum! That sounds so good. I’m going to make it for Kate.
Thanks, Dan!
I was wondering what you do with the cream cheese left over from making whey. I have started making this formula for my baby (thank-you for the information, by the way) and now I don’t know what to do with the cream cheese.
My daughter is not thriving on the commercial formula and my chiropractor suggested making this formula for her. I’m waiting on some of the ingredients and have been doing research and I’ve found a lot of things that say making homemade formula can kill your baby. I haven’t said anything to her pedi yet and am scared to honestly. I was upset yesterday and called my SIL to just have her listen but today she called back and chimed in all kinds of things on how raw milk can kill you and homemade formula is bad for the baby. I want to talk to someone to see how their children did on the homemade formula. Thanks
Geraldine – you can eat the cream cheese like you would normally eat any cream cheese.
Andrea – look at the Chinese formula that is killing babies. I’ve made both the formulas in the NT book for my baby. Although, he didn’t really like them. He preferred his mom’s milk. My baby’s first foods were: raw egg yolks, then raw egg yolks mixed with raw liver, then raw butter, then raw milk, then cod liver oil. We’ve gone years without a pediatrician. He is happy, healthy and vibrant. Everywhere we go, he draws people to him like a magnet. This one waitress at a local restraunt told us that she HATES babies and toddlers. But, our son was the first baby she didn’t hate; in fact she loves him and can’t wait to see him again! I attribute this to feeding him REAL foods during his first 2 years (and not getting all the vaccines).
Dan
Dan,
Thank you. What vaccines did you not get. I told my pedi I wanted to postpone the vaccinations since my baby is in a “fog” most of the time. I’m not telling her about the formula. I tried to breast feed but am physically unable. Thank you for that information about the formula.
Andrea
Andrea,
Kudos to you for postponing the vaccinations. My son is now 4, and he hasn’t had any vaccines. Most parents seem to make fear-based decisions when it comes to babies (it’s only natural). My sister kept delaying the vaccines until finally the pediatrician really turned up the heat and verbally/emotionally attacked her. She gave in. After the shots, the kid turned into a zombie. A happy go-lucky kid stopped talking and walked around with zero emotion, just a blank stare. Luckily, the kid shook out of it after a few days. But those long days were a living hell for the parents. (I’ve got two Godsons on the autism spectrum due to the shots).
Regarding the raw milk formula, I remember a girl that was in my raw milk group about 8 years ago. She had an infant and she couldn’t breast feed. Although I was drinking raw milk, I was horrified that she was making formula from raw milk. “What if the baby dies,” I thought. At the time, I was still trying to undo my conditioning that pasteurization was good. (It’s probably good for factory farmed cows). Anyway, her kids were happy and healthy… and no, they didn’t die from drinking homemade formula.
Dan
Hi, Andrea,
I highly highly highly recommend the homemade formula. I will not even let Kate drink pasteurized milk anymore.
Where are you? Do you have access to raw milk from a good dairy or farmer?
I was scared of raw milk at first too but the more research I did, the more I found that pasteurized milk is not only nutritionally substandard to raw milk but it is also very hard to digest because the enzymes are deactivated — the body cannot easily assimilate it.
“I’ve found a lot of things that say making homemade formula can kill your baby.”
Can you direct me to some sources? What are you finding?
I found stuff like that online too when I was doing my research. I researched for a whole month before I felt comfortable giving Kate raw milk. However, the more I read, the more I found that the people saying raw milk is bad were either vegans (who think all milk is bad) or had some kind of monetary interest, i.e., they were funded by multinational corporations like Monsanto who make money off of pasteurized milk.
For example, this website:
http://www.milkismilk.com/blog/2007/07/why-not-raw-milk/
I found this in one of my searches.
I did a little research on the people who paid for this website and guess what? It’s funded by multinational corporations including (just to name a few):
Monsanto (makers of the bovine growth hormone, Posilac — something raw milk dairies would NEVER use)
Cargill (makers of animal feed — something raw milk dairies do not use — their cows eat grass as nature intended)
Archer Daniels Midland (they produce the corn and soybean that is used to make the feed for cows)
All of these companies have a vested interest in commercially produced pasteurized milk made by large dairies. They do not want raw milk to catch on because it will negatively impact their bottom line.
You can see all the corporations who fund the Hudson Institute here:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Global_Food_Issues
By contrast, check out the Real Milk website:
http://www.realmilk.com/
This site was built by the Weston A. Price Foundation. The WAPF receives NO funding from corporations or government officials. Their only funding comes from their members.
“The main sources of support for the Weston A. Price Foundation are the dues and contributions of its members. The Foundation receives no funding from any government agency or food processing corporation. Although many of our members are farmers, the Foundation has no ties with the meat or dairy industry, nor with any organization promoting these industries. The Foundation promotes the production of food by independent farmers and artisans, and not by industry.”
http://www.westonaprice.org/funding.html
One thing I found on the Real Milk website was this powerpoint document:
http://www.realmilk.com/ppt/index.html
Download it and take a look. It convinced me of the safety of raw milk.
The other thing I did was I read The Untold Story of Milk by Dr. Ron Schmid:
http://www.amazon.com/Untold-Story-Milk-Pastures-Contented/dp/0967089743
That book really opened my eyes.
Lastly, I joined this group:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/newwaphb/?yguid=198021637
I recommend you join and post your questions/concerns to the group. That is what I did in the beginning. Most of us are mothers (there are some fathers too) and many of us feed our children the raw milk formula. All of our babies are thriving.
It was reassuring to know other parents who were doing this — and it was also helpful to have them to answer questions about the formula.
Lastly, your SIL sounds like she may be uneducated about raw milk and about baby formula in general. Most pediatricians are as well.
Re: vaccines, why do you say your baby is in a “fog”? How old is s/he?
Kate had her vaccines up until 6 months. I stopped them because of the research I found showing how dangerous they are. My pediatrician chewed me out when I said I wanted to wait until I did more research. I switched pediatricians and now have a holistic MD for a pediatrician. I believe we are going to do homeopathic vaccines.
Ann Marie
Oh and PS: I have a friend who also postponed vaccines because her little guy (about 6 mos old at the time) went mute, stopped babbling and stopped making eye contact for 2 whole weeks after his scheduled vaccination. Scary stuff! Trust your mother’s instincts and do your research.
i am a mom of twins with ALMOST enough breastmilk to feed both but need a natural supplement for a few feedings a day. This is the recipe I continue to find from various sources. the one thing i cannot figure out is HOW LONG IS THE FORMULA GOOD FOR ONCE MADE AND KEPT IN THE REFRIDGERATOR? ALSO, HOW LONG IS THE HOMEMADE WHEY GOOD FOR????
thanks!
Hi, Twinsmom,
When my baby was younger I supplemented for a few feedings a day, too. I made the formula every other day and stored it in the fridge in glass bottles. You can also store in a Mason jar and shake it up before you pour into a bottle, then warm it.
I wouldn’t keep it in the fridge more than 2 days. If you don’t need to make very much, you can just cut the recipe in half and make a half-batch.
They whey keeps in the fridge for several months.
Good luck! You have very lucky babies that you are doing this for them!
AM,
Hi, I am from Bangkok. I am so happy that I finally found raw milk in Thailand. But I couldn’t get the rest of the ingredients because Radiant Life do not ship internationally. I am out of wits… I’ve been trying to find other online stores but no avail. Could you recommend other online stores that can deliver internationally?
I’d need: Lactose powder, gelatin & Acerola.
My son’s 14months, and he is really small in size. I hope the raw milk can make him stronger and healthier.
I’ve also bought some kefir grains and am going to start making kefir drink for my son.
I love your site. Keep up the good work!
Hi there! After a LOT of research and determined preparation, today will be the first day that I make my son’s homemade formula! I must admit I’m a little nervous–not sure if I’ll do it right–but like I said, I’m determined!
I made the homemade whey last night using Brown Cow yogurt; I emptied the entire contents of a 32 oz tub into the towel lined strainer and it didn’t give me a heck of a lot–about 2 cups. So I was wondering, will I be buying a big tub of yogurt each day to make the whey? Or did I do something wrong. I’d really appreciate your help!
Sandy, congratulations!
Sally Fallon says you’re supposed to get about 5 cups of whey from 2 quarts of yogurt.
I’m thinking maybe the towel you used was too thick. If the towel is too thick, it soaks up the whey. Maybe you could try using a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
Also your curds (the leftover cheese) should look a lot like cream cheese after the appropriate amount of whey has been drained; it should no longer have the consistency of yogurt. If the curds haven’t drained long enough that could be another reason why you didn’t get enough whey. After it drips through the strainer, you can then tighten the cloth and hang it and let it drip some more.
Best of luck to you and your son. My daughter has done so beautifully on the formula. I’m still making it for her at 20 months.
Thanks for the reply! Yeah, the consistency was still very much like yogurt so I think my towel was too thick.
But I think something went wrong, because when my son spit up (as he always does), the smell was quite sour. I don’t know if I let the whey stay out too long today or if the raw milk was bad (I bought it at Whole Foods on the 10th and it has Dec 17 stamped on it). I hadn’t opened it until today and it was at the bottom of my refrigerator until I used it this afternoon. The smell of my son’s spit up was so sour, I just figure something was wrong. My goodness I feel so dumb and lost!!
Well, next, in all my online research I found the recipe on other websites by other mothers who have used it. One mother gave a recommendation for bulk preparation in which she fills separate ice cube trays with whey (2 tbsp per cube), cream (2 tbsp per cube), and the mixed oils (2 tsp coconut oil, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp sunflower oil, 1 tsp cod liver oil per cube). Then she pops them out and stores them in freezer bags ready to toss in the recipe when needed. What do you think about this? Do you know if this is something Sally Fallon approves of? It seems like it would be a huge timesaver, especially for someone like me.
Also, how do you travel with all the ingredients if you’re going by plane? I’m going out of town tomorrow and as I said above, the bottle of raw cream I have has Dec 19 stamped on it and the bottle of raw milk I have has Dec. 17 stamped on it. Should I freeze those? And what about taking everything (including the items that need to be refrigerated) on the plane?? Do I pack the olive oil as well or can I buy one at the health food store while we’re visiting my mom?
And FINALLY, what is your take on raw goat milk as opposed to raw cow milk?
I know I’ve thrown a lot out there but I’m trying so hard to give my son the best (especially since breast feeding was such a difficulty much to my chagrin) and I was so worried when his spit up was so sour.
Thanks again.
Hi, Sandy,
Please don’t feel bad! You’ll get the hang of this.
I doubt your raw milk was bad. Raw milk doesn’t really go bad like pasteurized milk does. It gets cultured but it doesn’t get sour.
If the curds still have the consistency of yogurt, you are not letting it drip long enough. I usually let mine drip for 10-12 hours.
I don’t know about making a batch and freezing it. I have never tried that. How would you defrost it? I worry about the sunflower oil since it is so fragile… if I did do batches as you are describing, I would always put the oils in last.
The only thing I have read Sally say about making formula is that she recommends making it fresh every day or every other day. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not that big of a deal to make up a batch. I still make formula every 2-3 days (Kate drinks 2-3 bottles a day). It takes me about 10 minutes to make it.
I have traveled many times while making the formula. Call your mom and ask her what she has available locally. Make sure the olive oil she has is real olive oil (most olive oils on the market are adulterated).
Freeze your raw milk and cream (enough for the trip). Best thing is to pour the milk into breast milk bags and then freeze them. This is what I always do when I fly with raw milk. They have never questioned me (you’re allowed to bring as much breast milk as you want).
Count the number of days you will be traveling and fill small Tupperware or Gladware containers (the tiny ones) with the various things you need like coconut oil and sunflower oil and so on. The powdered ingredients can go into small Ziploc bags.
Anything that is not perishable can just go in your suitcase if you are checking it. I usually put all the various Ziploc bags into a bigger gallon-size freezer bag, and I include a printout of the recipe for homemade formula — just so it’s obvious what those things are for in case anyone ever went through my suitcase (they never have).
Buy a small cooler (the kind you can carry with a strap; I found one at Target) and put your various Tupperware containers with perishable ingredients (sunflower oil, cod liver oil, etc.) in there, and the frozen breast milk and cream, along with some freezer bags full of ice. They will make you dump the ice at security but you can go to a restaurant and refill them before you board the plane. You can also carry a few bottles in there with formula — for the trip.
If anyone asks, just tell them that you are bringing breast milk and “nutritional supplements” for the baby. I’ve done this several times with no problems.
Goat’s milk and cow’s milk are both good. If you have a source for goat’s milk, go with that. But you do need to modify the formula recipe (see above) if you use goat’s milk — since the nutritional profile is different.
See the link above for the Yahoo group WAP-HB — it’s a great group where we discuss all this kind of stuff.
Good luck, and have a wonderful trip! Happy holidays!
Ann Marie
A million thanks again! I was able to take the products back to my local Whole Foods and get all new fresh ones! So, I’ll start over now. lol
I bought some goat milk kefir to make more whey and was wondering if it’s okay to use the raw milk but use goat milk whey with it (as opposed to milk yogurt whey). Also, how long can the yogurt/whey stay out of the refrigerator while I wait for all the whey to be produced?
HELP! I’m away from home for the holidays and was very thorough in bringing all my ingredients with me. However, I went from my dad’s house to my mom’s house and thought I left my supply of whey in my dad’s refrigerator. But I just got here and it’s not here! And I’m going to have to make my son’s formula tomorrow! What can I do??? It’s Christmas evening and none of the stores are open for me to go buy yogurt or kefir to sit out overnight. Is there anything else I can do?? Or is it okay to make it without the whey? HELP PLEASE!
Sandy – yes it’s OK to make it without the whey!
Hi Anne Marie,
I stumbled across your blog today (fantastic!) in a panic — my breastmilk supply is possibly too low for my 4 month old’s needs and I may have to supplement with formula. Because I was the “Michael Phelps of milk production”
with my first child, this experience is taking me by great surprise/disappointment and I see you did the same pumping/Fenugreek/constant nursing program which I’m also doing, in hopes of revving-up my milk supply. And now, my questions:
-I’d really like to make my own formula, but like you and others were, I’m still in the ‘freaked out by raw milk’ stage. Is all lost if I use pasteurized milk??
-Wouldn’t you know it, my pediatrician wants me to fully vaccinate my 4 month old *right now* even though he’s lost weight. Do you mind sharing who your pediatrician and holistic MD is in LA?
I’m new to posting on a blog, hope I’ve done so correctly and if not, set me straight!
MGirl, have you tried taking iodine? I would try that before you use formula. I have heard that people have great success with producing more milk after supplementing with a little iodine.
I say this only because it is a lot of work to make formula and as you know it’s so much easier to breastfeed. And of course, breast milk is best.
If it were me, I would try supplementing Iodoral first. I’d start slow with one pill (12.5 mg) per day and see if that helps. Or even half a pill (cut it in half). I buy mine here:
http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/order.html
If you find that you can’t get your supply up and you have to make the formula, get a Lact-Aid. That will stimulate your supply while you are supplementing.
http://www.lact-aid.com/
I wish I had done both of these things when I had trouble with my supply…
I have also heard that fresh squeezed carrot juice works. It has to be freshly pressed. Try drinking a glass every morning and every evening.
Re: the homemade formula…
You can use pasteurized milk but it is nowhere near as nutritious, doesn’t have the enzymes or probiotics, and it is much harder to digest because it does not contain lactase and the other enzymes. I would only use pasteurized milk if I absolutely had to and if I did, I would culture it first as described in Nourishing Traditions or on the WAPF website.
My pediatrician is Dr. Lauren Feder.
http://www.drfeder.com/
By the way, re: raw milk, please read “The Untold Story of Milk” by Dr. Ron Schmid AND go on the Real Milk website (http://www.realmilk.com) and read the powerpoints on there to educate yourself about raw milk. This is what I did and it convinced me.
this is so interesting–what a great resource!
Hi there…..
I have one word……….HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel like I’m just doing this formula thing all wrong. I have bought all my products as directed but I’m dropping the ball somewhere.
First, my BIG question/concern is in making the whey. I first tried it with a 32 oz. tub of organic plain whole milk yogurt but didn’t get the 5 cups that the recipe said I should get. I used a linen towel the first time, then I used cheesecloth only to see actual yogurt going through the cheese cloth. How can I tell what’s the correct thickness of cheesecloth or towel to use?! And are we supposed to leave the yogurt or kefir out of the refrigerator when making the whey?? Doesn’t leaving yogurt/kefir out make it go bad??
Now, I’ve noticed that when my six month old son spits up (as he does a lot even when on organic formula), he/the spit up has a bit of a sour smell to it. Has anyone else experienced this?? I don’t know what I’m doing wrong and wonder if the whey is the problem in my situation–that I’m not making it correctly, that leaving yogurt/kefir out of the refrigerator is the culprit, who knows….oh! question…on December 19, I made some whey out of goat milk kefir and it’s been in my refrigerator. Can I still use it? And can I use it even though I’m using raw cow’s milk and raw cream and raw colostrum? I mean, I just went to the Farmer’s Market on Sunday and got 2 half gallons of fresh raw milk, raw cream, and raw colostrum from the Organic Pastures stand; plus I got all the ingredients as listed and felt so ready! Especially since this was my attempt at making it again since coming back from our vacation (where we couldn’t get raw milk and I’m sure I messed up the whey that I tried to make from yogurt), I thought I had it down. I guess I should’ve taken it as a sign when I put all the ingredients in my blender and it started spilling out the top once I turned it on! {sigh} And my poor baby spit up what I consider to be a whole heck of a lot after one of his bottles. HELP!!
Please, please, please, please, please lead me through this like a three year old! LOL I know it may sound so silly on my part, but I’m so determined to give my son this formula because I believe in its value, and I just want to do it correctly and not mess him up!
I’d truly appreciate your help. Thanks so much!
Good morning…it’s la madre loca here (at least I feel pretty loca right about now!)…
Ok, has anyone experienced their baby not liking the formula? This morning my son seemed to be making a face and pushing away the bottle when he woke up and I tried to give him the formula. He eventually drank it but I did notice that.
Also, Anne Marie, how long can the formula be out of the refrigerator before you have to throw it out? I made a batch yesterday (see my crazy story above) and took 2 bottles with me because I was going to be out for about 3 hours. While I was out was when he had a big spit up, almost a throw up if you ask me. So because I was so nervous and thought the spit up had a very sour smell to it (as it has seemed to have when I’ve made the formula before as opposed to the organic formula I bought), I just threw the two bottles of homemade formula out. So if you could tell me how long I can have it out and what’s the best way to transport it when I’m out running errands, I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks so much,
The Very Harried, Very Frustrated, Feeling Very Defeated Mom
Hi Anne Marie,
Two things, I called the Weston A. Price Foundation but unfortunately the person who answered wasn’t able to answer my questions; so I’m hoping you might be able to help!
First, I have been making the homemade formula (after lots of confusion and lack of faith in myself!) for over a month now and it’s been great, but I have NOT been using the homemade whey. The reason for that is that I never felt I was doing it correctly and felt very insecure about how it was coming out so I’ve just made it without it. My baby seems to be doing fine with it and is definitely thriving. So do you think it’s okay for me to continue to not use the whey?
Second, just yesterday, I’ve noticed a horrible, I mean horrible smell coming from the formula. It’s really weird because I haven’t changed a thing..all the ingredients are the same. It’s the biggest mystery to me because it just happened yesterday. I noticed it at first when I was trying to give the remainder of a bottle to my son and he kept turning from it.
What’s the limit as to how long the formula can be out of the refrigerator once your child has been drinking it? For example if I heat up a bottle as we’re heading out the door and he only drinks half (which he usually does and I give him the rest a while later), what’s the time limit until it should be discarded?
I’ve never had this problem with this funny smell so I’m very concerned.
Oh, I plan on going to the San Fernando hub store of Organic Pastures this weekend! I’m so excited to be able to save on my raw milk! Do they sell the cream at a discount too?
Thanks so much!
Hi, Sandy,
I would absolutely add the whey. There are many health benefits including enzymes, probiotics and other nutrients. I think it’s vital.
I would not leave the formula out at all. The sunflower oil goes rancid if left at room temp.
Perhaps you could make smaller bottles for your baby. That way they won’t go bad.
Where can I find cream? Should the farmer’s market have it? That is where I am getting the raw milk from.
Tori where are you? You should be able to get raw cream from the same source as your raw milk.
Hi! Thanks for your website. I have been making this formula for my 5 month old son for the past three and a half months. On the whole he is doing very well although my husband and I have noticed some changes which concern us. He smells like a cheesedoodle, he spits up copious amounts of rancid smellng curds which also smell mostly of coconut. Lately he has begun to gush out clear liquid spit up. He’s quite fussy and his poops have drastically changed in odor. I also breastfeed but I don’t think that could be behind any of these symptoms. Any advice?
Hi, Amelia,
How long has he been having all of these issues? Did they start recently or was it when you started the formula? What color are his poops? Is he constipated or having diarrhea? How often is he vomiting? And by fussy do you mean he is having gastric distress?
How often are you breastfeeding and what are you eating? Do you have any digestive issues or food sensitivities?
Does he have any other signs of allergies like red ring on anus or skin rash?
G’morning!
I was at Whole Foods buying my Natren infant probiotics and I saw another one by Udo’s. Since Udo’s is a line whose products I’ve used before, I was wondering if you’ve heard anything about their infant probiotics and if that could be an option we can use to buy. It comes in a bottle that’s almost double that of the Natren bottle and could be more cost effective.
In other news, I am finally in the groove of making the formula for my son for almost 2 months now (corrections, still haven’t gotten the whey making portion down yet, but I do add a bit of the Qephor and about 2 tablespoons of Raw Colostrum by Organic Pastures to the batch–I can only make a half batch at a time for my blender) and I must say my son is doing beautifully on it!! In fact, a few weeks ago there were a couple days when I heartbreakingly had to give him an organic powdered formula because I ran out of some needed ingredients and my son just wasn’t the same. He was cranky, not eating heartily, just wasn’t his usual self. As soon as I had my ingredients together and made him this formula, it was as if he was saying, “Ahhhh, thanks, Mommy..finally!” lol
Anne Marie, thanks so much for letting us know about the Organic Pastures hub in San Fernando. I went there for the first time a couple of weeks ago and met Sean and bought my 10 half gallons (to get the discount), raw cream, raw colostrum, and raw butter and I’m so glad I did! Oh, I’m sure you know this already but as of March 14, the hub will be moving to I-5 and Los Feliz Blvd (which is actually closer to me–yippee! lol).
Awesome, Sandy! So glad your son is doing so well!!!
I love the OP Hub store! Isn’t Sean fantastic? Yes, I know they are moving in March. I think a lot of people will be happy about that (for me it’s the same distance).
I don’t know about Udo’s. In my experience, many probiotics just don’t work. If it were me, I’d stick w/ Natren. Biokult is very good too.
udo’s parent company is flora, who makes the sunflower oil recommended for the formula. they are a very good company and they are very purist. i would guess that their infant probiotics would be very good.
Hello,
I appreciate the information on your site.
I have been making the formula for my baby for four days now. Her stool is yellow and very runny. I used an organic dairy based formula prior and she did fine with it. How long would you anticipate an adjustment to her system to the homemade formula? I am concerned it is not agreeing with her system even though she seems to really enjoy it. Also my sunflower oil was at room temperature in a chilly house and I did not realize it needed refrigeration until reading some of the other comments. Do I need to get another?
Thank you for your time.
Our son is almost six months old and has for the most part been been exclusively breast fed up till last week. He is on his third day of the homemade formula and is having the same issue. Every time I give him a bottle and sometimes in between he has a loose yellow BM. Did this ever stop with your daughter after a little time had passed? I don’t want to give up on the homemade formula but I am worried he is having a reaction to the formula. I also left the Sunflower oil for a few days after it arrived before I realized it was supposed to be refrigerated. Is there a way to tell if it is bad?
@Leah See my response just below this — I think you should give it a couple weeks and see. See if the loose stool resolves itself. If it does not, it may be food allergies, in which case I would switch to the meat-based formula.
As for the sunflower oil, if your house isn’t too warm it might be OK. But you may want to be on the safe side and get a new bottle.
Hi, I’d give it a few weeks and see if her stool firms up.
She may be reacting to the probiotics in the raw milk (and the added probiotic powder). It’s quite normal to have a runny stool (or become constipated) for a period of time when probiotics are added to a diet. This is because there are not adequate good bacteria in the gut. When the good bacteria is added, the pathogens are killed off and are being ushered out of the gut via diarrhea (or other detoxification pathways). So sometimes a runny stool is a good thing.
If it were me, I would get another bottle of sunflower oil. It goes rancid very easily. It needs to be kept in the fridge at all times.
Keep me posted on how your little one does!
Thank you again! I’ve been really nervous about making the formula. It’s easy to make but I worried about whether he would be getting the right nutrients. I know it’s the right thing to do but it’s hard sometimes when there are so many differing opinions out on what is the “right” thing to do. There isn’t exactly a doctor you can call and ask about it. It was great finding your blog. He is our fourth and last child. I want to do what’s best for him. I only wish I knew about all of this with the others.
Thank you so much for your prompt reply! I will keep her on the formula and let you know how she does. Can I omit the oil until I get more? I live in a rural area and will have to order online. May the Lord bless you. Thanks again.
Yes, I would omit the oil until you get more. Good luck. And you are very welcome.
Hi there!
I’d love to get your help on this. In June, when my baby will be 11 months old, we will be traveling out of the country for about a month. I’m worried because I highly doubt I will be able to get raw milk, even if I am able to carry all the other ingredients. I think I mentioned I have been giving my son this great formula since January, however without the whey since I honestly have never felt secure with how I make it. I have added a tablespoon or 2 of raw colostrum though, and when I spoke to Sean from the OP Hub, he told me I could add some of their Qephor.
So what should I do if I can’t get the raw milk? Especially since I will be gone for a month.
Thanks so much!
Sandy
If you ever want to read a reader’s feedback
, I rate this post for 4/5. Decent info, but I have to go to that damn yahoo to find the missed parts. Thanks, anyway!
H E L P !!!!!!!
I’m traveling with my 9 month old tomorrow (we’re fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco), and I’m having a bit of an anxiety attack wondering how I’m going to carry all the ingredients I need for his formula!! Especially since we’ll be attending a wedding for most of Saturday (tomorrow) and we’ll be staying in a hotel. What should I do????????? My baby has been doing so beautifully on this great formula since January and know has been eating lots of wonderfully healthy pureed vegetables and fruits. But I really don’t know what to do since we’ll be out of the controlled comfort zone of our home.
I’d appreciate any advice you all could pass my way.
Thanks!
Hi, Sandy, don’t panic!
I flew lots of times with Kate and all the stuff I needed for her formula.
Just make up a batch of formula — enough for the time you’ll be gone — and then pour it into single-servings in those little breast milk bags (the kind you use when you pump) or Medela plastic baby bottles. Then stick those in the freezer tonight to let them freeze overnight.
In the morning, transfer the frozen breast milk bags and/or bottles into a small cooler. Fill a few freezer bags partway with ice and put those in the bag to keep your formula extra cold. (This probably isn’t necessary for you since you’re flying such a short way but you may as well do it just to be safe.)
You can carry the cooler on the plane with you. They will let you bring as much breast milk as you need to. Just tell them that’s what it is. They will not question you. Esp. if it’s in breast milk bags!
They’ll make you dump your ice when you go through security but you can just go to a restaurant in the airport and fill up your freezer bags with ice.
Defrost as needed by sticking a bottle into a coffee cup and pour hot water in. Or, better yet, bring a bottle warmer with you.
Easy peasy!
Worst case scenario, if you have to, feed your baby raw milk, sans the other ingredients. Raw milk is available at all the Whole Foods stores in California so you should have no problem. I did this once when we were on vacation when my daughter was 9 mos old. She handled it just fine.
Hello,
I have been giving my baby the formula since she was about a month old. She has done very well with it and is thriving. I have a couple of questions… I keep getting the question about zinc and iron. Where are these nutrients in the formula? I am uncertain how to answer. Also, I have run out of the lactose sugar and live out in an area where I cannot get any until later today. The formula I currently have made does not have any. My baby is six months old. Will she be alright with her formula without the lactose for some feedings? Thank you for your information, time and help.
Ivellise
Ivellise –
Yes, your baby will be fine with a few bottles without the lactose. Just get it as soon as you can.
As far as the zinc and iron is concerned, the homemade formula recipe was designed to mimic human breast milk as closely as possible. Human breast milk is not high in iron or zinc.
Traditional cultures around the world start feeding foods high in iron and zinc — egg yolks, liver and cod liver oil — when the baby is around 6 months to one year old. I have talked to friends who grew up in small villages in Guatemala, Honduras and Russia. They all said they were breastfed for over a year but their mothers started them on liver, egg yolks and cod liver oil at around 6 months.
Liver and egg yolks are high in zinc and iron. I’m not sure about zinc but I know that for iron, the baby can store it for up to around 6 months (maybe a little longer — it’s debatable). So they are living off of what they have in storage from their time in the womb.
That said, the stores do deplete at around 6 months which is why it is recommended to start giving some high iron foods when the baby is around 6 months old. Some people like to do extended breastfeeding and not give any solids well past a year. I do not think this is a wise practice, nor is it even a traditional practice. While I think extended breastfeeding (or formula feeding — my daughter got the homemade formula 3 times a day until she was almost 2 years old) is wise, I think babies need iron and zinc from solids at around 6 months of age.
When my daughter was 6 months old I started her on one egg yolk with grated raw liver (frozen for 2 weeks) and 1/4 tsp of cod liver oil daily.
Hi there!!
. I would’ve loved to have seen you and thank you personally for opening my world to the homemade formula and raw milk in general. In fact, I’m hosting an Organic Pastures raw milk presentation at my home next week!
Ann Marie, it seems we just missed each other at the Organic Pastures hub a couple of Saturdays ago
I wanted to ask you—how long did you have your daughter on the homemade formula. My son just turned one last week, and I still give him about 3 bottles a day now. He eats plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as organic brown rice and some organic poultry and fish. But one thing I’ve never been sure of and have wanted to do is try him on the egg yolk. How do you prepare it for your daughter? Raw? Cooked? Do you get your eggs at the farmers market? Also, I saw were you said you give her some grated frozen goat liver. Could you tell me where you get that as well. I remember as a child, eating liver was a regular practice (I’m from the Caribbean). My son has just flourished on the raw milk formula…I tell every expecting (or soon to be expecting) woman I meet to PLEASE look into it as opposed to the store bought processed formula. I also tell them about the joys of cloth diapering since that’s what I’ve exclusively done for my son since January. I am so so so happy when I think of how much money I’ve saved on both formula and diapers!!
Thanks so much for your answers, Ann Marie!
Hi, Sandy!
My daughter got the homemade formula until she was almost 2. I figure I would have breast fed that long if I could have, so I might as well give her what she needs nutritionally.
She’s super healthy! Rarely gets sick, and she is HUGE. She’s only 2 years and 3 months now but she wears 3-year-old clothing. People say she looks heartier and more solid than other kids her age.
I gave her egg yolk pretty much daily until she was a year old — and then I gave her whole eggs every day until she was about 2. Now she gets eggs 2-3 times a week, sometimes more (she eats grains now so she has more variety for breakfast — oatmeal, homemade granola, etc.).
I always gave it to her slightly cooked but still runny. And she also got freshly grated frozen beef liver every day as well — up until she was about 1. I also often fed her sauteed duck and chicken livers.
Yes, I get my eggs from Rocky Canyon and Healthy Family Farms at the farmer’s market.
Around 18 mos she started refusing liver. I’m going to start putting small amounts of it into her ground beef so I can make sure she gets it — until she learns to like pate and liver and onions. Oh and I’m going to start giving her the US Wellness Meats Braunschweiger – most kids love that. I also mix beef heart into ground beef.
Dear Ann Marie,
I have been thumbing through this wonderful post and others on your blog and I thought it worth a try to see what you think of my formula problems. I am considering giving up homemade formula because I can’t seem to get it to work.
Ben, 9 mos. was breastfed until 3 mos. when I had supply issues and few resources, much like yourself. Before that I had to eliminate milk and ice cream from my diet. (He seemed ok with cheese.) He started spitting up around 1 week and then projectile vomited at 2 weeks. That’s when I made the change.
Later he went on Similac Sensitive, which is a lactose-free formula, just like his big sister drank (she has a ton of allergies). When we introduced solids at 6 months, he broke out in a rash for everything. That’s when I started looking for alternatives. I started Nourishing Traditions just after that, including making his formula. I’ve been trying to “perfect” the formula ever since.
If I add the lactose, he vomits all morning. So I omitted it, but now it’s not sweet enough I think, and he doesn’t want to drink it. Even with Rapadura added to it, he still doesn’t want to drink it! I guess because he’s so big now he has a real opinion! I’ve been adding crushed Lactaid pills (lactase) to counter the existing lactose in the milk and cream.
Today, after his morning bottle (5 oz.) he had diarrhea. Possibly it’s from sickness – he’s had an earache. He’s going to be 1 soon – 2 1/2 mos. Should I keep trying or just give him raw milk at age one? Is Rapadura okay to add to the formula instead of lactose to sweeten it? What alternatives are there? What else could he be reacting to? He’s been getting LifeStart and cod liver oil in his bottles regularly since 6 mos, so I know it’s not that. I need to get him to drink it AND not react!
Thanks so much for your time. This is a great service you’re doing for us newbies!
Michelle
Michelle,
What are the foods he is allergic to?
If he’s allergic to casein, I would definitely NOT give him raw milk.
I also wouldn’t give him raw milk at this age because babies need more nutrients — cow’s milk doesn’t have the right profile. That’s why we make the formula — to compensate for the differences between cow’s milk and human breast milk. I made my daughter the homemade formula until she was almost 2 years old.
If he is allergic to casein and/or gluten, I would start him on the GAPS diet. Instead of milk formula, I would give him coconut milk and broth. I would also get him on adequate probiotics. If it were me, I would give him Biokult, and also give him plenty of fermented solids. I would also not let him eat anything with complex sugars, acc. to the GAPS protocol.
I’d get your older child on it too if she’s got allergies.
Ann Marie,
Ben hasn’t had any formal allergy testing. He’s reacted to banana, red pepper, oatmeal, peas, avocado, homemade chicken broth, etc. with either a chest rash or constipation.
He’s been drinking a “milk-based” (corn syrup solids is 1st ingredient) formula that is lactose-free, so I know he’s not allergic to casein, thank goodness. I tried the meat-based formula and he reacted to that, so I went back to milk. Older sister has allergies to coconut, so I decided to stick with what he was already drinking (milk-based), just pump up the nutrition. I honestly think he has a lactose intolerance, although I know that’s unusual.
I just ordered and started reading about GAPS. I’m very excited about it for my oldest. I also ordered Biokult and the baby one. I’ve been doing LifeStart and cod liver oil, but I I guess he needs more. He’s also sick right now (ear/throat I think) so it’s hard to make drastic dietary changes. His sister starting getting ear/throat things around the same age, so it’s scary…
Thanks so much for your thoughts.
Michelle
Ok here we go… I have adopted a baby, and managed to do induced lactation for about 4 months. Then ran out of the pills that I had to take for the induced part.. So, we are now fully on Similac… which I am not crazy about, so I started googleing homemade formula and here I am! How would I do the switch from similac to this.. gradually I am assuming. I just emailed a dairy farm in the area to see what I can get from them. Any advice for a newby?
Cjohn33,
I switched from Similac to raw milk formula. It was easy once I got all the ingredients and got the hang of making it. I made it pretty much overnight. I was so sickened by the ingredients in commercial formula, I wanted to get her off of it as quickly as possible.
I recommend that you join the WAP Healthy Babies list on Yahoo (the link is above, at the bottom of this post). The women on that list helped me sooo much when I was making my transition.
Also, try contacting your local WAPF chapter to see where you can find raw milk locally.
http://www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html
And/or check out http://www.realmilk.com
Best of luck to you. Your baby is so lucky that you are willing to do this for him/her!
Hello I recently switched my whole family to a more traditional diet but one thing remains…the formula. My son is just now 11 months and has been on earth’s best organic formula most of his life. I see that you had given your daughter this formula until 2 years but I was wondering what you would recommend for me. I planned on not switching him at first because I thought I would give him raw milk when they told me I could feed whole milk at one year and I didn’t want to switch him too many times. But then I just saw here that you fed your daughter this formula after age one. He will be one on Sept. 30th. I asked the pediatrician when I could give whole milk (I didn’t mention that we drink raw milk) and she said not until one…..oh I’m so confused on what to do. Should I switch him now to homemade just for one month? Should I switch him now and feed him longer? Should I just wait and give raw milk at one? Should I just give raw milk now? And how to switch do you mix them together first little by little?
Hi, Cassie,
Congrats on your move to a healthier traditional diet.
I switched my daughter from commercial formula to raw milk formula cold turkey and had no issues.
Here’s my reasoning on keeping my daughter on the formula until she was almost 2…
The raw milk formula is designed to mimic breast milk. If I had been able to, I would have kept breastfeeding her well past age 1 — until 2 if I could have, even longer if she wanted it.
So why should I switch to raw milk at age 1, just because I technically can? I wanted her to get as much nutrition as possible — and since breast milk is best, I wanted to mimic that for as long as possible.
Sure, it’s more work, but it’s worth it. And you don’t have to give them as much formula when they are older. I slowly tapered her off of it.
Ok, well I just ordered the kit from radiant life. I wish it was here now! Would you tell me what you did when you went out. We like to go to the zoo and different places a lot and wanted to know how you dealt with that. Did you say this formula keeps for 2 days?
Hello,
I’ve been trying the liver-based formula because my daughter has a milk sensitivity, but she is still having problems (i.e., spitting up, fussiness/tummyache). I think she may also be sensitive to the whey. I know how nutritious whey is supposed to be, but is there any substitute for this? I’m afraid I’ll have no other option but to put her on a commercial formula if she can’t even handle the formula for babies with milk allergies. Please help!
Hi, Susie,
If she’s a GAPS baby, she can’t tolerate whey. It’s on the list of “avoid” foods on the GAPS diet:
http://gapsdiet.com/The_Diet.html
Try leaving out they whey and just use the probiotic powder. See if that helps. Please comment again if it doesn’t.
At that point, you might want to try a homemade formula of coconut milk and chicken stock (plus the coconut oil, probiotic powder, etc.). Many people with GAPS babies have had great success with that.
Hi, I have a 2 month old baby who was born premature. I have been looking into making her formula. I was woundering if it would be ok to usegoats milk in the formula.
She is constantly fussy and spitting up I don’t know what to do. I herd some peoplee give their kids goats mik. what is your thought on this.
Thnk you
Ashley
Hi, Ashley,
Are you breastfeeding now or formula feeding? I would try to breastfeed if you can. If she’s spitting up on your breastmilk, I’d put some Biokult on your nippes (and take it yourself). I would also try modifying your own diet — try cutting out gluten, dairy and other allergens for a few weeks and see if that helps.
Yes you can use goats milk. But you have to add some chicken liver because goat’s milk does not contain folic acid is too low in vitamin B12, which your baby needs.
Here’s the recipe variation for goat’s milk baby formula from the WAPF site:
“Variation: Goat Milk Formula
Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folic acid is essential. To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat’s milk, add 2 teaspoons organic raw chicken liver, frozen for 14 days, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.”
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/recipes.html
If you can’t breastfeed and she is still spitting up on the goat’s milk formula, you will want to do a GAPS-type formula. Homemade chicken stock, liver, and coconut milk, as well as probiotics, coconut oil, olive oil, and most of the other ingredients in the formula (not the lactose, and possibly not the whey either — if she’s allergic to dairy).
I’m curious, couldn’t you use breastmilk instead of raw milk? I’ve taken Mothers Milk tea, which has fenugreek and blessed thistle in it, and which was a TREMENDOUS help in increasing milk supply, but I believe I will eventually not be able to pump enough milk for my daughter (she was born early, so spent the first couple months in the NICU being tube then bottle fed, and I haven’t been able to get her to actually breastfeed, so I’ve been pumping). I could freeze enough breastmilk to make a batch of this formula once her demands again outpace my production. She is 4.5 months but has an adjusted age of 1.5 months, and I’d really like to keep her on breastmilk (or natural formula) for at least her first year. Could this work?
you probably wouldn’t need to make formula out of your own breastmilk, but adding some fermented cod liver oil and introducing her to pastured egg yolks once she is 5.5 months old may be a good idea.
Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention is I live in NY, which doesn’t allow raw milk to be sold.
Danielle -
I’m not sure exactly what you are saying. Are you saying you want to use breast milk in place of the raw milk in the formula?
If so, no I don’t think that would work. This formula recipe, to my knowledge, is meant to replicate breast milk. Breast milk is complete as is — you don’t need to add anything to it.
And you CAN get raw milk in NY. My mother-in-law buys it from a local group on Long Island. They have it trucked in from the Amish in PA. Go to http://www.realmilk.com to find local sources.
That said, I have a theory — TOTALLY a theory, which is not tested or based on any studies or anything, so take it with a grain of salt — that low milk supply is caused by hormonal imbalances, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and iodine deficiency in particular.
I have read about farmers using iodine to feed their cattle to boost milk production. I also know that the Jersey cows who grazed on iodine-rich soils in the British isles (next to the ocean) produced more milk with a higher fat content.
I also know that iodine is stored in the breasts. It’s very important for breast health. I also know that pregnancy and breastfeeding does deplete the mother of iodine — all you have goes to the baby first. And it’s common for people to be iodine deficient in our modern world — due to things like soy (common in the food supply), fluoride, etc.
And I have heard of people who started to supplement with iodine and had increases in their milk supply.
Sadly, I did not learn about iodine and the possible connection to breast milk supply until after I stopped nursing my firstborn at 9 mos. If I had known about it, I probably would have started taking Iodoral to see if it helped. I tried everything else (More Milk Plus, etc.) with no success. Do a search on my blog for iodine and you will find more articles and info about iodine deficiency.
I also worked w/ Dr. Jorge Flechas (google him) over the phone and by mail to have my iodine levels tested. It turned out I was deficient. I’ve took 50 mg of iodine for 1 year and now I’m down to 1 pill per day (which is like 12 or 13 mg).
Again, it’s just a theory! But perhaps it’s something to explore.
And major kudos to you for being dedicated to doing everything you can to nourish your baby.
Hi there!
I have a 18 month baby who is breastfed, but my supply is getting low day by day. In her last well-check her ped recommended that we supplement her with a hypoallergenic formula (she has eczema and food sensitivities). So i have been supplementing her now but everytime i give her the bottle my heart breaks (she hates it too, it has a bad smell and taste. i force feed sometimes coz she needs calories, my heart breaks . she is on the very low end of the scale).
I was looking for alternatives and found this site. I have been shopping since sometime but not given much importance on making raw milk formula since she is allergic to milk. Since past one month i have been adding raw milk (.5 -1 oz) of raw milk in the bottle and she was a bit itchy but no other reactions except few rashes (has eczema).
Could you please give me the recipe for coconut milk based formula. How about chicken stock? Please, please help me fet out of this hypoallergenic formula situation. Sorry for the long background, just thought it will help. Thank you so much for the great suggestions that you have posted in this website.
God bless!
minu
Hi, Minu!
So sorry you are going through this. I am going to ask around and find out the exact chicken stock/coconut milk formula for allergic babies. I’ll post as soon as I find out. Hang tight!
Hi. Just wanted to let your readers know that there’s another option besides store bought or homemade formula if you can’t breastfeed. I recently found out about MilkShare, which is a nonprofit that matches up moms whose babies need breast milk with those who have it to spare. http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/ They say that as of August 2008 they’d matched 16,000 families. Moms just join a yahoo group and post their needs or their offers and what area they’re in (some donors will ship the milk but others look for local families to donate to). Some moms even post offers of special types of milk (like dairy free) if they’re on special diets for their own babies. The milk is free, though recipients pay shipping costs if there are any.
I think we all agree that breast milk is the optimal and I was just really happy to hear that such an organization existed.
Hello,
Could you tell me how long whey made from yogurt will keep? Do I need to take note of the expiration date on the yogurt and use the whey by that date?
Also, what is the best way to transport this formula if I am out of town for a day?
Finally, how many days will it keep in the refrigerator once a batch is made?
Thank you!
Hi, sorry to take so long to respond to your answer. Since my baby’s been home from the NICU, I’ve been faced with many decisions. Like, Should I shower or eat? Laundry or sleep? ANYWAY, I thought your mention of iodine was interesting as I do sometimes take it. I took some and re-experienced a crash in breast milk output that took upwards of a week to regain, which I was only able to do with frequent pumping and many cups of Mothers Milk tea. I then remembered the last time I had taken iodine was right before my milk output crashed last time, but didn’t put it together. So, I would say it’s probably true some breastfeeding women, probably those who have a hypo-thyroid (my thyroid runs hyper, although you wouldn’t know that by the size of my rear), need iodine as they run deficient, but I’ll chalk up that bit of advice to my philosophy that no one remedy is true for everyone. In the meantime, I have – painfully, as some moms have experienced – had to go back to relying on dreaded formula for at least one or two feedings a day. Ugh. I noticed with it came cradle cap. Like I needed another reason to avoid formula! I know how healthy raw milk can be, and discussed it with my hubby, but we decided against giving it to our baby, especially as she’s a preemie. Is there something else that can be used in place of it to make garbage-free formula? Even the super organic, hormone free formula I found (which she hates and refuses to eat, even when split with breast milk) has soy oil in it! I have spent a LOT of time trying to find a soy free formula and I’m convinced it doesn’t exist.
And thank you so much for providing all of us with all your info and encouragement!
Hello,
I’m just wondering whether it is OK to leave the cod liver oil out of the recipe. My daughter is 9 months old and has been exclusively breastfed. I am having the most difficult time getting her to take this formula. I have tried mixing small amounts of it with pumped breastmilk to get her used to it, but as soon as she smells it, she wants nothing to do with it. I have tried the flavored cod liver oils as well as the unflavored. Thank you!
Yes try it without the cod liver oil. You can always give it to her separately… Or, once she gets used to the formula without the cod liver oil, you can try adding it back in bit by bit until she adjusts.
We just adopted a newborn in October and because he was so spit uppy, we changed formulas a couple of times. Then I ran across a couple of articles about the raw milk homemade formula. I admit I was a little nervous at first (I’ve been raised in this society!), but am now very glad we have learned about raw milk and this recipe. Our son has been on the homemade formula for about 4 weeks. I was reading some of the previous comments and questions and noticed a couple of questions I was also wondering about, but did not see your reply. I think the new formula is going to work out, but our son still spits up a little more than I am comfortable with.
* Any ideas…are some babies just prone to this until their little digestive tracts strengthen up? We do burp often (often with a mouthful of milk), we prop him “up” to eat, and use slower nipples. I also tried taking the yeast out (read about that), but it wasn’t any different, so now I just reduce the amount. He is growing although I think he doesn’t feel good after he eats because of all the spitting up.
*Like a mom that commented earlier, sometimes (about 15 minutes after bottle) some clear liquid comes up. Does this mean anything I should be concerned about?
*His spit up is very sour smelling. Is this normal for this type formula?
PS- I have tried joining the yahoo group you mentioned…but so far it isn’t allowing me access…still working on that…..
Hi, Jennifer
How much spit up are we talking about here? Also, how old is he?
Does he show any other signs of food allergy or skin issues? Are his stools normal?
Jackson is 6 weeks old now. Estimating that he spits up 2 to 3 tablespoons about 2 to 4 times after most bottles, that counts the clear that comes twenty or thirty minutes later. Not all bottles, occasionally he just has a couple of pretty wet burps. He cries and acts agitated around the spit-upping.Sometimes his stools are very mushy, sometimes more formed but still soft. He does have “pimples” or small bumps that come and go around his neck, back of his head and sometimes around the bottom of his cheeks/chin area. I’m wondering if that is a detergent allergy. It seems to be in the area where his head lays in our arms. It started over Thanksgiving when we had a lot of family here passing him around. He has had little bumps on his face when he was 2 and 3 weeks old, the new bumps look like those did, just more of them and in the other areas.
Thank you for taking time to answer me. It’s hard to talk to the pediatricians about formula issues when you are using something they don’t understand.
I’m not a doctor but it all seems pretty normal to me. At 6 weeks, they still spit up a lot. As my friend Liz said of her twin boys right after they were born, “They spit like camels.” I’d wait and see. Sounds pretty normal.
Hello,
Do you know which ingredient(s) create the foam on top of the formula? Can they be left out? My daughter has a sensory integrative disorder and cannot tolerate certain textures. Our feeding specialist has suggested that this could be part of why she is rejecting this homemade formula. That foamy stuff is quite different from the breastmilk she is used to. Thank you!
Hannah’s Mom
I’d like to clarify my last post. The “foamy” stuff on top of the formula is thick and lumpy, not just foamy. Could it be particles of oil (coconut?) that have solidified? What to do about this? Thanks for your help!
Hannah’s Mom
Hello!
I was wondering if I could use organic unpasturized goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk. I’ve read soo much that goat’s milk is more nutritional than cow’s milk. Thanks
I will like to comment on the baby homemade formula. I noticed that you use Acerola powder. This powder unfortunately contains maltodextrin which is MSG (monosodium glutamate). MSG is neurotoxic. I use Amla C which doesn’t have toxic ingredients.
I had to supplement with formula too. And my boy seemed to be allergic to commercial formula. Moreover, no matter how much of it he ate, he was always hungry, and he didn’t put on weight. I wound up making my own formula from a much more simplistic recipe. From that experience, and from experimentation, I found that goat’s milk worked much better with him than raw cow’s milk. The latter gave him really bad gas. And the goat’s milk is closer in nutritional content than cow’s milk to human milk.
Thanks for the posting – I’m in the midst of putting together the ingredients, and I have a few concerns.
My wife is extremely leery of feeding our son raw milk. I know all the arguments for it, but she has a tendency to dig in her heels and not listen when she has made up her mind about something. I was wondering: has anyone tried just using high quality pasturized milk, or will that completely mess up the nutritional values?
Jim – Here’s something that is often missed during raw vs. pasteurized debate…
There are hundreds (if not thousands) of differences between store bought milk and raw milk. Pasteurization is just one difference. Years ago, there was a large study that examined asthma and allergies, and how they relate to milk consumption. The results concluded that asthma and allergies were dramatically higher among store bought milk drinkers. Children who consumed “raw milk” had very low instances of asthma and allergies. Here’s the kicker….
Half of the “raw milk” drinks lived in countries where they boiled their milk prior to consumption. Basically, they pasteurized their milk in their own kitchens.
If my wife was scared of raw milk, I would simply boil the raw milk. Sure, raw milk “purists” will tell you that you’re going to inactivate enzymes, etc, which is true… but it will be 100x better than ANY store bought milk. (especially if you have a personal relationship with your farmer and their cows)
.-= Dan @ Corganic´s last blog ..Corganic is Tweeting =-.
Hello! I am deeply contemplating making this baby formula but am curious about the ingredient list. It seems very costly so I’m wondering how long it all lasts and if you have ever figured out how much it costs per month or per week in total. We are already raw milk drinkers so I know of the benefit. Thanks!
Sarah
Sarah -
I have never done the math but I am so convinced of the value of this formula that I figure it’s worth making at any price. What price can you put on your baby’s health?
As far as how long it lasts — I would make a batch and it would last for 2-3 days in the fridge.
I’m working on nourishing myself so that when I have my next baby, I can hopefully breastfeed the whole time. But if for some reason I can’t, I will use this homemade baby formula.
Let me know if you have other questions about the ingredients.
Jim –
I completely understand being leery of feeding your baby raw milk.
You may want to read “The Untold Story of Milk” — and have your wife read it. That is what convinced me 100% (more like 1000%) to feed my baby raw milk formula at 5 mos old.
Also read http://www.realmilk.com — there are lots of articles on there that will help you make your decision.
Dan – Thank you so much for responding. I have been crazy busy! I really appreciate you doing that.
Hi! I have just started making my formula using the WAP recipe and I saw a previous poster asked about the cost and how long the ingredients last. I too had wondered the same thing so my husband and I spent a great deal of time one night crunching numbers and seeing for ourselves. The cost will vary depending on the price of your raw milk, cream and yogurt (for the whey) but it is cheaper than Similac Organic! I have since found better sources for some of the ingredients at better prices but based on what I found that day, for the WAP formula, it cost $3.10 for 36 ounces. The cost of Similac Organic was $5.04 for 36 ounces. The milk I get is $6 a gallon, the cream, $10 a quart and yogurt is $3.50. Also, each of the ingredients will last for various amounts of time, for example, we figured out that a bag of lactose will last for 9 1/2 batches but a container of the probiotic will last for 140 batches, a jar of cod liver oil, 118 batches and so on. Anyhow, it IS cheaper for a much better, healthier product!! I hope this helps!
LOL….I need more sleep!!! The previous poster that asked about the cost was ME! Sorry about that. Maybe someone else will be wondering as well!
After only reading a few comments on this page I felt I wanted to make a comment. I am a food scientist and have a lot of experience formulating “certified organic” food products. I worked in the organic area for many years and an very pro organic and pro feeding your baby toxin/chemical free products from the time they come into this world so my intention is not to trash this recipe, but ensure people are informed when making it.
I wanted to correct a comment made by a previous person. Maltodextrin is NOT MSG. Maltodextrin is a starch and actually can be found in lots of organic foods. It is used as a flow agent, anticaking agent and for other purposes.
I also wanted to comment on feeding your child raw milk. This is a huge safety risk. Pasteruization is done under specific conditions (specific heat and held for a specific amount of time). Without this treatment there are very dangerous bacteria, such as salmonella, e. coli, etc. that can harm an infant. An infant’s immune system is not developed enough to fight off these bacteria. Even in perfectly healthy adults raw milk can pose such a health risk that it is illegal in most developed countries for farmers to sell raw milk to anyone besides an actual milk processor, who can process and test the milk to be sure it is safe for human consumption. When dealing with raw milk we are dealing with bacteria and viruses, not toxins. If you want to be sure not to give your baby toxins then that is what organic milk (not raw organic milk) is for. This milk has been pasteruized properly when purchased from a reputable supplier and not harmful to your child.
Hi! I have been making this formula for about a month now. The first couple of times, I did it in the blender and removed the frothy part on top. Then, my mom told me that was the cream (whipped from the blender). Now, I blend everything and then add the cream and stir. It does not develop a frothy layer on top if you keep the cream out
I figure my baby needs all the fat she can get!!
Hi! I have a question about the recipe. I originally printed it from the Weston Price Foundation…I am noticing now that there are a few ingredients where the quantities differ from the recipe in the Nourishing Traditions book.
The website says 1 tsp each of bifidobacterium infantis, cod liver oil, and acerola powder. The book says 1/4 tsp of bifidobacterium infantis, 1/2 tsp cod liver oil, and 1/4 tsp acerola powder…
Which is right?
This is a recipe that my grandmother used for my mom, uncle, and aunt. What’s your take on it? Good, bad, in-between?
2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
32 ounces water
2 tablespoons Karo syrup
3ml Poly Vi Sol Vitamins
Mix thoroughly.
Just curious because this contains fewer ingredients than yours. Thanks bunches
-Ashley
Hi, Ashley,
No, I would not recommend using that recipe.
Remember we are trying to replicate breast milk here… which is impossible to do but if we are going to try, we must do the best we can.
Evaporated milk is pasteurized, homogenized, and sterilized. Breast milk is not pasteurized or homogenized, nor is it sterile. Babies need the good bacteria and enyzmes from a living food like raw milk.
Karo syrup (corn syrup) is just sugar and it’s not recommended for babies. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can be dangerous for infants (as honey is):
“Karo syrup may be a potential cause of a rare but serious form of food poisoning known as infant botulism.”
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/karo-syrup-for-constipation/AN01826
I’m not sure about those vitamins but they sound like they are synthetic. Synthetic vitamins are not recommended because the body doesn’t assimilate them like it does real food.
So, no, sorry, I wouldn’t recommend that formula.
Thanks for answering my question. I do have one other question. Is this formula recipe safe for preemies? I’m asking because my best friend had her twins 2 months early and for the 1st month she was able to pump but because they weren’t around enough to stimulate her milk production she dried up and they were put on Alimentum. The stuff stinks to begin with but when they would spit up, it smelled worse. They also had a huge problem with constipation and were told to put a little bit of veggie oil in the bottles but sometimes that didn’t even work. The twins are a year old and are doing great, but I would just like to know in case this happens to her again or if, God forbid, it happens to me.
Thank you SO much for posting this, Cheeseslave. I have just shared this link with my FB peeps and hopefully, many babies will be spared the trauma of beetles and maggots in their formula (@ Abbott Labs recall). My NT book is loaned out, and I was desperate to post this formula, and there it was on your site. Thanks again!
Where is the added iron in this recipe?
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