Ever consider making your own baby formula? Here’s the dish on what others have to say.
Homemade baby formula is a topic that often sees a divide in opinions. Some believe that store bought formula is unsafe because of various issues, like chemicals in packaging or high milk processing temperatures. Others believe that homemade formula is the wrong way to go, since the correct blend of ingredients and nutrients is difficult to create at home. Here’s what you need to know about homemade baby formula.
Supporters of making baby formula at home have a couple of reasons for doing so. As mentioned in this article by The Healthy Home Economist, formula cans may contain BPA, a hormone disruptor (which we wrote about in another blog post). Furthermore, “all commercial milk formulas are processed at extremely high temperatures which violently denature the fragile milk proteins, render them allergenic, and add carcinogens to the final product.” If you’re curious, The Healthy Home Economist offers a recipe for homemade baby formula, including a video on the process.
Advocates for sticking to commercial milk formula also bring up good reasons for doing so. It’s difficult to get the perfect mix of vitamins and minerals correct, and it’s vital that babies get the proper amount. According to the International Food Information Council, “Consumption of homemade formulas can lead to potentially serious health consequences for babies. There is no nutritional analysis for these home recipes, and consuming improper quantities of nutrients can cause poor growth and development. Some recipes call for the use of unpasteurized or raw milk, raising the risk of the presence of E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter spp, or Salmonella—pathogens that can cause serious health risks..”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces limits on key ingredients in baby formula, and all commercial baby formulas must meet the requirements of the Infant Formula Act.
No matter what you choose to do, always consult your pediatrician before making the decision to go homemade.
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