The last few days have been hectic at your workplace. Working several hours of overtime has left you feeling tired. You are so tired that you have limited time to breastfeed your youngest baby. Consequently, this has taken a toll on the little one. You have thought about taking some time off work, but that would make matters worse as you badly need the extra cash.
With a body at the work place and a mind that’s at home with the baby, your work output has deteriorated. And your boss has noticed that. He calls you to his office where you explain the dilemma you are in. Out of humanity, he allows you to take a short paid leave to sort yourself out. You are exhilarated; you quickly thank him and dash out of the office.
Once you get home, as usual, you turn on your
LED TV to catch a repeat of your favorite program while you nurse the baby. As customary with television stations, a series of adverts often come before the main program. Usually, no one pays attention to these. Then something comes on that catches your eye: a baby formula advert. It promises to provide an alternative to mothers whose circumstances have limited the time they get for breastfeeding. This discovery enthralls you too much that you forget to watch your intended program. You instinctively reach for your
smartphone and start talking to your best friend about this new advert.
After a few days of usage, the results of the baby formula are promising. While nothing beats breast milk in terms of nourishment, baby formulas and
baby food certainly come close. They are fortified with a variety of nutrients and minerals that keep your munchkin healthy when you cannot be with them throughout the day. The results are even better if you fuse the two, as they complement each other perfectly. Furthermore, they have been approved by the relevant baby health authorities.
Baby formulas come in different forms. For novices, it may be a challenge identifying the best option for their babies. Well, you need not worry as we have scoured the variants available and put together a list of the best of the best. Read on to find out what the baby formula industry has to offer.
Price
When it comes to baby products, most parents are often willing to reach deeper into their pockets to get the best available option. Baby formula prices are mainly affected by the quantity packaged. The bigger the size, the more expensive a product is. Also, liquid formulas tend to cost more than solid ones since they do not require mixing before use.
The price ranges from around $10 all the way up to about $120. Buying cheap baby formula is actually more expensive as they are usually less in quantity and have a higher ounce per dollar ratio than their costly competitors. Furthermore, your baby is your most treasured little being, so why would you want to feed him with the cheapest formula on the market? And, just so you know, buying the bigger formulas at higher prices is actually more economical.
Features
Any manufactured substance often has features that distinguish it from its competitors. However, there are some specs that are found in all baby formulas, with only minor tweaks in different brands.
These are the features you should evaluate when buying baby formula:
- Amount–This is the quantity of formula in the bottle.
- Organic–The baby formula may be either organic or inorganic.
- Age Range–This specifies the age range of the targeted users.
- Style–This is the form in which the formula is packaged. A majority are in powder form.
- Extras–These are the additional features the formula possesses.
Construction and Design
Baby formulas are meant to supplement nutrients. For this reason, you should look out for the included nutrients before purchasing one. First, you should opt for dairy-based formulas, because they are similar to human milk. Soy-based formulas are only recommended where the child displays lactose intolerance. Second, you should examine what synthetic nutrients have been added and whether essential fatty acids are included. The Food and Drug Administration does ensure all the nutrients are integrated before approving of a formula.
Modern baby formulas are made to optimize nutrient absorption. In this regard, they have probiotics and prebiotics incorporated in them. Probiotics are friendly to useful bacteria residing within the digestive tract. They also fend off pathogenic bacteria in the process. Food formula with probiotics has been proven useful in alleviating diarrhea symptoms in babies. On the other hand, prebiotics stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut. These two occur naturally in breast milk and fruits and vegetables respectively.
Performance and Ease of Use
Nowadays, formulas are available in liquid form which is ready to use. This is very convenient, particularly for moms who need to save every little bit of time. Others come in powder form, which is equally easy to mix. Care should, however, be taken when mixing, as using contaminated water will expose your baby to infections. Therefore, mixing water should preferably be boiled instead of sourcing directly from the tap.
Your baby’s well-being is your primary concern. If a baby formula shows adverse effects, you can always switch to another brand. The market has you covered, as it has both organic and inorganic variants.
Now we’ve taken a look at what there is to consider when buying baby formula it’s time to check out our five picks. Of course, baby formula is a very personal choice which is why we encourage you to take a look at what else these brands have to offer before making your decision.
Hopefully by now you should have a better understanding about what baby formulas are available to you and your little monkey and which one is best suited to both your needs! If you aren’t a fan of the particular product we have chosen, then don’t panic! All of the brands we have selected have a wide variety of products to choose from, so simply browse through to find the ideal formula for you! We hope you get what you and your little one are looking for by reading our reviews.
