Parents are grateful for our Recipes for Homemade Baby Formula when breastfeeding is not an option or must be supplemented. See also our FAQ on Homemade Baby Formula, Diet for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers, and FAQ on Diet for Pregnancy. And, Chapter Leader Sarah Pope has posted videos on making the formula on her blog.
Here is a testimonial: Why Commercial Baby Formula is Dangerous and A Recipe for Homemade Raw Milk Formula
Once Scrawny, Now Ripped
My son was born at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. By the time I got him home and weighed again, he was down to 5 pounds, 12 ounces. Scrawny! The first week of his life I attempted to nurse, but my milk never came in sufficiently enough to satisfy him. He was starving and got lighter before I got smarter. First I tried a store-bought organic powdered baby formula. It was thin and I felt terrible giving it to him. I tried adding oils, but felt terrible not knowing what was the best thing to add to help him grow. I had known about the baby formula recipe, but in rural Alaska could not get all the ingredients. Then I learned I could get them from Radiant Life.
At week three of Brody’s life he got his first shot of real, healthy, food. We noticed an immediate difference. He stopped fussing. He slept better. His color improved. His hair started coming in. He acted happy. He gained weight, not the doughy, rolly, fatty weight but a perfectly proportioned body with extra girth at the joints. When he was 3 1/2 months old we began giving Brody organic, 3-minute egg yolks.
Brody is a healthy, happy, smart, inquisitive little guy. He is cute and funny and has a natural charisma that draws people’s attention to him. Everyone always comments on how tall he is and how handsome. Most people think he is at least 2 years old when he is barely a year. He has defined biceps and triceps. His calf muscles are firm and long. Once when strolling him through the Anchorage airport a young man walked up to me and said to Brody “Hey, little man!” Then he turned to his 20-something buddies and said, “Dudes! Check him out. He’s one ripped up little dude.” They then all fussed over him and told him how buff he was. I can only attribute it to his wonderful nutrition.
Lynn Harris, Fairbanks, Alaska
Healthy After a Rough Start
The Weston A. Price Foundation teachings, my pregnancy and the birth of our son Seth are infinitely tied together. I had first learned about the principles from a chiropractor just weeks before I found out I was pregnant. I had been having abnormal paps that just wouldn’t clear up. I’m sure now the reason was due to the raw vegan-fruitarian diet I was eating at the time. After 4-5 months on a nourishing traditional diet my paps finally tested normal. However, being malnourished and pregnant before that time affected our unborn son; he was born with hypospadias. I later learned that the penis is formed around the 8th week of pregnancy and I was still eating a fruitarian diet at the point.
Seth was born via cesarean section after a failed water-birth at home. My C-section resulted in a punctured bladder and heavy blood loss requiring 6 units of blood and ending up in the ICU. I was in the hospital for almost a week before returning home. Needless to say, nursing didn’t get off to a good start and bottles were given. I continued to try breast feeding Seth, but between the pain from the cesarean, dealing with my bladder and the catheter I was sent home with, etc., I couldn’t handle nursing Seth on demand. He was a big boy, 9 pounds, 10 ounces at birth, and his weight bothered my tummy and aggravated my myofascial pain in my neck and shoulder region from an earlier accident.
In order for my family to help with the feedings we adopted the milk-based formula. Nursing fell off completely after 3 months, as Seth preferred the formula to me and the formula became his main-stay.
Seth is now 2 1/2 years old and has been extremely healthy. He was sick for the very first and only time this past winter with an ear infection. He never had so much as a sniffle when he was on the formula. I didn’t have to worry about him being well enough for his hypospadias surgery at 10 months old, because he was so strong and robust. We couldn’t be happier with the results that good nutrition has had on him, even though we had a rough start of it.
Robin Leuenberger, Michigan
Making Homemade Baby Formula
My adopted son Tate started on the homemade raw milk formula when he was three days old-and has thrived on it. Since I knew I would be making formula for my baby, I was able to prepare ahead of time. I love to cook, but like most people, I took one look at the raw milk formula in Nourishing Traditions and was a little apprehensive with the long list of ingredients. Actually, I added one other ingredient-1-2 tablespoons cow colostrum to each batch.
I knew that sleep deprivation was in my future! Nevertheless, I forged ahead with optimism, and to my great delight, after the first few times of making the formula, it became easy as baby-pie! It only takes 20 minutes to make from start to finish, including clean up!
Here are some of my tricks. First, before Tate arrived, I made ice-cube portions of the whey, cream and colostrum. A typical cube section in a tray equals two tablespoons. This is the perfect amount for the formula; four tablespoons or two cubes for the whey and two tablespoons or one cube for the cream and colostrum.
Here’s my early morning routine. First I rinse off everything with hot water to make sure there is nothing foreign on my utensils. I fill an 8-cup glass measuring bowl with a pour spout with 2 cups of filtered water, then scoop out 2 tablespoons to make 1 7/8 cups. I pour this into a stainless steel pot and add the gelatin. I turn the stove on between low and medium to just warm the ingredients, not boil. Then I add 2 frozen cubes of whey, and 1 each of cream and colostrum. I also add the coconut oil to the pot so that it melts sufficiently. In the same measuring bowl I used for the water, I add the milk and the rest of the oils and dry ingredients (which are available at most health food stores and/or www.radiantlifecatalog.com, (888) 593-8333). By the time I am done with that, the frozen ingredients are melted and I add them together in the big glass measuring bowl. At this point I blend the formula in the blender. I found when left unblended the oils in the formula do not combine well enough. Be sure not to blend for too long, as the cream may curdle.
Then I pour the formula back into the measuring bowl, divide it into glass baby bottles, add the nipples and tops, and that’s it! Even with sleep deprivation, I find this process to be easy and doable. For the actual feedings, I use a bottle warmer that heats with steam instead of going to the stove to boil water each time. When you have a hungry baby, as many of you know, warming a bottle is something you want to happen sooner rather than later.
Once you do it a few times, it’s easy. . . and our baby has thrived on the formula!
Jen Allbritton, CN, Evergreen, Colorado
Brainwashed
“Breast milk is best.” “Cow’s milk is for baby cows.” “Breast milk boosts your baby’s immune system.” “Formula can cause your baby to have allergies to food.”
I was brainwashed (in a good way, mostly) by multiple sources, including my Lamaze teacher/lactation consultant, health articles, etc. I was so adamant that I would not use formula-until little Zachary at two months old was not thriving and almost admitted to the hospital because I did not have enough milk to feed him. When I realized this I went to the store and bought formula to save my baby’s life. At the same time, a friend ordered the ingredients for homemade formula for me from Radiant Life. Zachary took commercial formula while I got educated and brave enough to trust raw milk for my baby. I started slowly, gradually increasing the ratio of the homemade formula and eliminating the commercial one.
It took about two months to have Zachary exclusively on the homemade formula. He loved it then and he loves it now! Just on the formula and an occasional raw egg yolk he reached 23 pounds at one year! I am so grateful to have witnessed this miracle. My baby was starving and now I can know that he not only made it to his year birthday, but he got such a wholesome formula that even when my other children got sick, he did not. If he did it was almost not noticeable.
So maybe breast milk is best, but when it is not possible cow’s milk can be for babies if you apply it to the homemade formula using raw milk. This formula did boost my baby’s immune system and so far he has no allergies to any food we have given Zachary. I recommend this formula to anyone and for any baby. It is amazing!
Bernadette Gewondjan, Livermore, California
Meat-Based Formula
Having been a personal fitness trainer for a number of years I started on a Paleolithic diet in 1999. I couldn’t find any conventional baby formula for my first child (a son) who is now six years old. We had to go with a lacto-free brand and did not get to start him on a totally paleo diet until he turned one year old. With my second son (who will be three in August) I made sure I was prepared. I used the meat-based baby formula in Nourishing Traditions. This was very easy to make and soon my wife and I had a great system worked out to stay stocked up.
My first son Jimmy has a fairly strong immune system, but my second Tyr has an even stronger immune system. Tyr used to love his meat-based formula, finishing a bottle in less than a minute sometimes. Tyr is a very healthy, energetic, and loving little guy.
I just love the fact that there are alternatives to the unhealthy (and unnatural) products out there.
Jim Smith, Yorktown, Virginia
Feels Good To Make My Own Decisions
I needed to supplement my breastfed baby at about four months. My nutritionist showed me the homemade formulas in Nourishing Traditions. There was a concern in making my own baby formula for a variety of reasons including sterile conditions, proper measuring and vast uncertainty. I thought about it for a long time. In the end, I knew this was my decision to make. I realized that I have a hard time letting anyone take care of my child because I don’t think anyone will care for him like I do. It just took me a little bit longer to carry that thinking over to feeding my baby.
My son is now 131/2 months old. At his 12-month check-up, the doctor said he was advanced to that of an 18-month-old. He already has about 15 different words that he says. Strangers tell me he’s a smart baby just by looking at him, as he’s alert and attentive to his surroundings. Everyone tells me what a good boy he is no matter where we go. After all that worry and uncertainty, making my own baby formula seems so natural, so normal. I can’t begin to tell you how good it feels to make my own decisions for my baby.
Allison, Annapolis, Maryland
Spectacular Results
With our first child we had every intention of breast-feeding our daughter but through a series of bad nurses, the difficulty of nursing, fatigue of my wife and the stubbornness of my daughter to not breast feed we had to find an alternative. Lucky for us we had a good source of raw milk and the recipe for an alternative formula.
Rachel will be three in June 2005 and for the first 18 months only had the milk formula. The results were spectacular, bordering on unbelievable. She was never sick, slept through the night starting at about eight weeks, ate well and had a happy disposition. We were warned about typical childhood problems; these problems never materialized. For example, we bought things to help with teething before she had teeth but we never used it because her teeth came in with no pain or disruption to her sleep patterns. We were excited about the results and shared it with the staff at the hospital and the pediatrician: our reward was a stern warning about the dangers of raw milk and we can no longer see either unless we stop feeding Rachel raw milk. What we have observed in the medical system in Canada is that no one wants to see a healthy little girl who drinks raw milk.
Patrick and Michelle, Toronto, Canada
Adopted Child
When my husband and I adopted our daughter Claire as a newborn, we were looking for a healthy alternative to nursing, as I was unable to do so. I felt very discouraged with what I was reading and hearing about in regards to commercial infant formula and was looking for something that would come as close to breast milk as possible. I was already familiar with the Weston A. Price Foundation and regarded it as a trusted resource.
We started Claire on the milk-based formula as soon as we brought her home from the hospital and have never looked back. She is now one year old, and a strong, healthy toddler. We had her on the formula for one full year, and she never had one ear infection, flu, fever, allergic reaction or colic. She had three minor colds the whole year, less than most babies from my observations. She has been in the 95th percentile for length and weight and has rosy cheeks and sparkly eyes. Her pediatrician has commented on how strong and healthy she is. She has a pleasant, calm disposition and is rarely fussy. One of the most amazing things has been that she has slept soundly through the night, consistently, since her third week. We have never experienced sleep deprivation.
We are planning to adopt another baby soon, and will be making the NT formula again, since our experience and Claire’s health outcome has been so positive. We are so grateful this information was made available to us.
The Ellingtons, Wilson, North Carolina
Feeding Twins
Five years after my son was born I gave birth to boy-girl twins, via Cesarean section. Even though my twins were seven weeks premature, they each weighed over five pounds and were sent home from the hospital after one week. The hospital gave them soy formula a few minutes after they were born, which they quite understandably threw up. This caused the staff to believe the twins needed to be immediately attached to feeding tubes.
I was very upset that they had been given soy and arranged to have them given a milk-based hypoallergenic formula instead, which I purchased outside the hospital and delivered to the NICU. This hospital was very unfavorable to breastfeeding. (Perhaps they believed it was impossible with twins.) When the babies came home after one week, it became evident to me that I would not be able to breastfeed them exclusively. However, I took measures to increase my supply and was eventually able to provide about half of their needs with breast milk, and the rest with hypoallergenic formula.
When the babies were six months old, I took them off commercial formula and switched to the raw milk formula provided in Nourishing Traditions. They are now three years, nine months old and still drinking a modified version of the formula, along with plain raw milk and a variety of whole foods. My boy twin self-weaned from the breast at 10 and a half months, but my girl twin still nurses a couple of times a day.
The twins took to the raw milk formula immediately and had no digestive distress. They seem to have no allergies of any kind. My girl twin is the healthiest of the three and very rarely gets a cold. My boy twin is not quite as healthy. In his early months, he breastfed quite a bit less than his sister did, and received more commercial formula. However, he is very strong and well built, with exceptionally beautiful white teeth.
There are severe problems with all other formulas, in my view. Standard dairy-based formulas are too difficult for children to digest and can cause allergies to develop. Soy formula is terrible in every way. Apart from concerns over long-term damage, this formula smells and tastes awful and causes otherwise healthy children to smell terrible as well. It causes intestinal distress and is generally very bad news. I found that the hypoallergenic milk-based formulas were the least harmful of the commercial formulas, but there are serious problems with them as well. They are horrendously expensive and not available in many hospitals and pharmacies. Furthermore, they are also full of MSG-like neurotoxins.
I put off giving my twins home-made formula for six months, because of all the dire warnings I had seen against giving unprocessed cow’s milk to infants. The medical establishment now warns against giving milk before one year, but I can no longer accept that idea. My mother was switched from breast milk to raw cow’s milk at three months and did not suffer any ill effects.
Above all, I believe that fresh raw cow’s milk is the best substitute for mother’s milk, because it is also a living food, full of enzymes and antibodies to disease. It is probably superior even to frozen mother’s milk from a breast milk bank, which these days is delivered after being pasteurized.
I wish I had been confident enough to give my twins the Fallon formula from the first day they were home. I also wish I had been able to breastfeed them exclusively, as I eventually did with my older son, but it simply wasn’t possible for me. However, I feel good knowing I did the best I could. My children are growing very well.
Another good thing about the homemade formula is that it caused me to overcome my fear of raw milk. I started to drink it myself, and it helped me to recover from a difficult pregnancy and delivery. Thank you for providing this wonderful information to mothers and their babies. Name Withheld, Los Angeles, California
No More Infections
My son Joey was born December 15, 2002. I had planned to breastfeed exclusively and felt brokenhearted when I couldn’t produce enough milk to feed him. I didn’t know there were any alternatives so I had to give him commercial formula. He suffered from constipation and when he was three months old he came down with bronchitis and an ear infection. The doctor put him on antibiotics and we had to give him respiratory therapy twice a day for several weeks.
About this time my nutritionist suggested the homemade baby formula. I started making the formula immediately. The difference in Joey’s health has been like night and day! He has never had another ear infection or any more respiratory problems. No digestive problems either. He is happy, smart and physically active. He runs, jumps, climbs and turns a great somersault.
May God bless you for the work that you do!
Barbara Finn Figluilo, Frankfort, Illinois
🖨️ Print post
Question about substitution for formula
I was wondering if there is anything I can substitute for whey? Mine didn’t done as quick as I was hoping. Can I leave it out just for one batch or would the digestion process be a problem?
thanks,
katie
A Positive Start for Our Baby Boy!! (HomeMade Formula Recipe)
My wife and I used traditional formula on our oldest daughter. For the first year she had many stomach issues, a lot of gas, and a whole lot of anger. When she was a little older (10 months) we decided to try evaporated milk with distilled water and supplements added to it. Overnight her rage and gastrointestinal difficulties went away, and she turned out to be a real joy.
With our son as a newborn baby we decided to use one of the homemade baby formula’s off of this site. It is amazing the difference in their growth and demeanor. By the age of six months he honestly looked like a little body builder. He was so healthy and stocky. My wife’s mother said he was the sturdiest strongest little boy she had ever seen. A lot of “conventional” people initially scoffed at the notion of us making our sons baby formula. Buying all the ingredients and making it every night was not always easy. It really is a lot like doing a science experiment measuring all the different ingredients and making the whey, but it was well worth it. Now he is a year and a half old and his cognitive abilities and physical coordination are astounding. I only wish we had used this formula for our daughter. If you cannot breastfeed and are unsure about trying this I hope you will read my post. I promise you within six months you will be very happy that you did it. My family thanks The Weston Price Foundation very much for making this knowledge and information available. It has made such a positive difference in our lives.smilies/kiss.gif
Liver formula- Chicken broth
I want to make the liver based formula for my 4 month old son and have a question about the chicken broth. In my area, I can only find Organic chickens-level 3 at the local whole foods market to make the broth with.. is this ok? Also, how much chicken broth should I make and how often? Can I refrigerate the extra broth and use for a next batch? Please help!
Thank you!
I am reading a lot about giving babies an egg yolk. Is it raw, cooked, slightly cooked? How can I find out more?
In the article on WAPF website that losted the formula recipes, at the bottom it has extra information. I kept scrolling through it before getting to vommenta and it explaims the egg yolk. It is cooked, but to gwt the details see that formula article again.
TIPS & TRICKS
All three of my children have had slow starts with breastfeeding, so I appear to have low milk supply issues. We started supplementing with formula three months ago and my sweet baby girl is healthy, gaining weight, content, and an absolute delight.
I’d like to share a couple tips and tricks that help me avoid making mistakes–especially when I’m sleep deprived.
First, I took a permanent marker and wrote on the lids or packages of each ingredient how much I would need.
Then, on my printed recipe, I made a list of things I would need to get out: blender, small saucepan, spatula, measuring spoons, 1/4 cup,
I also like to add all the dry ingredients first so the measuring spoons stay dry. I add the oils last and don’t worry about washing them between each ingredient.
Finally, I keep all of my refrigerated ingredients together in one compartment of the door and all of my other ingredients together on one shelf in a cabinet. When it’s time to make formula, I get out all the ingredients and put each one away as it’s used to avoid accidental doubling.
Oh, and I mix in the cream after I’ve used the blender because it’s the cream that leaves the frothy bubbles on top that are difficult to mix in.
It takes me about 10 minutes now to mix up a batch. My basic routine looks like this:
Set all tools, ingredients, and recipe on counter.
Measure 2 cups water, remove 2 tbsp.
Put half of water in small saucepan.
Turn dial on stove to 3.5 (low heat).
Add gelatin and lactose and set coconut oil nearby.
Stir with baking spatula.
In blender, add milk and whey (put back in fridge).
Add all dry ingredients (put back in cabinet or fridge).
Then add all oils (except coconut).
Stir water mixture again.
Take off heat, add coconut oil.
Stir slowly until melted.
Add remaining water and pour into blender.
Blend for three seconds.
Add cream and stir.
Since I only use enough for one or two bottles a day, I usually leave out what I’ll need for the next two days and freeze the rest in glass jars, putting what I’ll need for the day in each jar. Her needs have changed so much since we first started, so making one batch at a time suits us well. I feel confident that she is being nourished both by my breastmilk and by the homemade formula she now takes only at night. Thank you SO MUCH for posting the recipe, the testimonials, and the Q&A’s. I’ve read through each page at least twice!
Thank you so much! This was zo convenient!
This worked for me!
I am the proud and delighted mother of a 10 1/2 month old girl. I breastfed my daughter up until she was almost nine months old. I always wondered if I made nutritious enough milk because she was a very slender baby and, much to my chagrin, I got many rather negative comments on it. The doctor told me that even though she was tall for her age, she was in the 10th percentile for weight, that I shouldn’t worry. He said she was active and looked healthy… but there was always doubt in my mind.
Then one day, my milk completely dried up over night. I was appalled and seriously worried about how to feed my baby. My wonderful mother, who has followed Weston A. Price and the foundation for years, gave me the milk based formula. It worked like a charm! My daughter took to it the first time I gave it to her, and she has gained quite a bit of weight. Now people tell me she looks tall AND big for her age! She has thrived on this formula: She’s gained 10lbs in two months!! And, interestingly, with the weight gain it’s solidified her, but hasn’t made her chubby. She appears very toned and robust. She has always had hair, but I’ve noticed that it’s growing much faster and is shinier! Her eyelashes multiplied, I swear! She never has any common baby skin problems, and her nails grow incredibly fast. She is now in the 95th percentile for weight and off the average scale for height. The two most common compliments I get now are, how healthy and beautiful she looks (yay!!) and how incredibly strong she is! I have many friends with babies the same age, and my daughter has significantly more stamina and physical strength and coordination than her peers. (Not trying to brag here.) She has always been strong, but I believe this formula has pushed her potential exponentially!
She is a marathon crawler smilies/smiley.gif and is already standing up and taking a few steps here and there by herself. I couldn’t be happier with the results of this formula and I’m eternally grateful.
How long do you feed babies the formula? I have a 2 year old who I give raw milk, but with all the extra nutritional additives in this formula would it be a better idea to give him this instead of plain milk? I must add, he is not on the Weston Price diet (yet). I just found this site last week smilies/wink.gif I have been giving my 8 week old this formula for 1 week now and his colicky symptoms have disappeared.
Bowel Movements with newborn twins on formula?
I have a 14 month old daughter that has done tremendous since starting this formula at 6 months. My wife and I now have twin girls 19 days old and have been on half this formula and half breast milk pumped. Very hard time breastfeeding, and wanted to know if anyone has a comment on newborn poop with being on this formula this early in life. They are doing well, no great amount of gas, no colic issues, but they are only pooping every 2 days approximately and although still soft it is more firm than what we were used too with our first daughter. We are not overly concerned since they seem healthy, but there is no reference that we have for this type of formula. Everything online and in doctors office is from babies that have either pure breastfeeding or commercial formula, which we all know is not nutritionally comparable. I appreciate any information that someone can share.
We just started feeding our baby girl the homemade formula two weeks ago. She has been doing fine on it except that she has developed a rash on her arms, chest, behind the knees, and a bit on her back. I am not sure if this is related to the formula or not. Maybe she is allergic to one of the ingredients. We are taking her to the doctor tomorrow but in the meantime has anyone had any experiences like this? Any thoughts on what she might be reacting to? Thanks much.
Patrick
yes. what ended up being the culprit? was it an ingredient in the formula?
My milk supply stopped when I was two months pregnant with our second. Although I consider myself “conscious” when it comes to food and health (no vaccines, fresh foods, I even had a home birth) I didn’t know that I needed to find another substitute for milk to feed our first child, who was only 8months old at the time. I knew about this website and looked at the homemade baby milk formula but was intimidated by the list of long recipes that I ignored it (huge mistake!). I was basically feeding him organic baby jar food and other table foods and I even began to give him watered down herbal tea (although with his first food I followed the egg yolk recommendation on this site). Finally two months later, I realized he still needed his milk so late one night while everyone was sleep, I jumped on this website and began reading everything about the homemade baby formula and watched the video. I didn’t need any convincing, I immediately ordered all the ingredients from radiant life. I can’t say how huge of a difference its been! My son immediately took on to it and loved it from the very first taste! He sleeps better, is less cranky, rarely gets sick and is extremely robust and physically strong. People always comment on how tall and big he looks for his age smilies/smiley.gif The only thing that I’m still trying to figure out is he almost always puts his hand on this throat when he drinks his milk and he’s got a few rashes behind his neck that just recently appeared. Has anyone else experienced this? I stopped using the acerola powder by a biological dentists’ recommendation but the symptoms persist… I think the next thing I’ll exclude is the whey and see how his body reacts. I hope I can figure it out soon because he absolutely loves his milk! Although I plan to breast feed him again once I give birth in about a month I may still need to use this formula… Thanks!
Did you cut out they whey? My son has a dairy allergy and I don’t have any info on whether this can be cut.
What do find these ingredients in Toronto
I have no idea where to begin? My local Whole Foods doesn’t carry Lactose or the Yeast Flakes.
I’m guessing it will have go be done online?
Any Canadian input would be great!
Dg
No raw milk
I live in Germany, and I can’t find raw milk. The closest place they sell it is several hours away. Can I use organic pasteurized milk? No goat milk either. Anyone please email me. Thanks
Order it from Austria. But when i was in Germany, mil ws smpk to ind and reasonably priced. Google “milch hopf”.
Question about homemade baby formula
My 9 month old baby boy has somewhat weakened kidneys due to being born with postierer urethra valve syndrome. As a result he is having a problem with acid build up in his body and I am looking to feed him more alkeline foods rather than acidic to make it easier on his kidneys. Do you know if the homemade dairy based baby formula in “Nurishing Traditions” would be a good option?
Reply to Maria from Sally
I would suggest taking out the nutritional yeast and cod liver oil to start with. That should work, the formula is plenty sweet. Then you can give the cod liver oil separately with a syringe. Perhaps you will be able to add the nutritional yeast later.
I’m desperate
Hello
I have a 5 month old baby and after many problems I managed to get all the ingredients (except the probiotic) and startes giving this wonderful formula to my baby. She had commercial formula before, the last ond being too sweet… And the problem is that she refuses this formula because of its taste… Would someone please PLEASE PLEASE give me a help here on how I can fix this problem? I don’t sant to give her more commercial crap…. PLEASE answer me ASAP!
Can we take the whey out of the recipe? It always makes the formula curdle.
Constipation
We just started using this formula and we have noticed that after changing to this our daughter seems to be constipated all the time. We really want to keep using this formula but cannot if she cannot have a bowel movement. What can we do? Also, we found Baby’s Only formula and are considering using that as a back up for traveling only when we cannot bring the homemade with us. Any comments about this good or bad? Do we need to do anything to Baby’s Only formula to fortify it?
question about this formula for adopted infant who is lactose intolerant
Our recently adopted 5 month old was put on lactose-free formula by the orphanage because he was diagnosed as failure to thrive. We have had him for one month and he is gaining weight and spitting up less than he was on the traditional formula. Would it be OK to add lact-aid enzyme to this homemade formula for our baby? I’d like to try it and I don’t want him on soy. The hypoallergenic formula is so expensive. Thanks for any thoughts.
Great for weight gain
My son was on Similac Sensitive from 4.5 months until 10 months. I learned about making homemade formula at that time and started feeding that to him exclusively. His whole life up until 10 months he was in the 5th percentile for weight, but at his 12 month check up he jumped to the 48th percentile after beig on Raw milk formula for just 2 months. Now he drinks raw milk straight and is still doing great, has yet to get sick.
Totally grateful!
Not only am I so grateful for this website but the raw milk formula recipe is an absolute blessing! I ordered everything from Radiant Life and purchased the raw milk locally as I live in rural PA. My little girl is almost 8 months old and it was around this same time that my milk supply started to dwindle with my first child. I swore I would never again do commercial formula, which I did use as a supplement with my first born. What an awful experience…he ended up having a severe milk allergy (not lactose intolerant) but is slowly outgrowing it. He will be 4 in May. I also am doing the egg yolk with my daughter and she loves it. Tried the raw milk formula for the first time yesterday and she gulped it down! Thank you, thank you! Making the formula took me about 20 minutes but now that I’ve done it once I feel confident that I can cut that time in half. Anyone else freezing it with success? Just curious…
My twins were born 8 1/2 weeks early and in the NICU for 6 weeks. Because they had to feed from the bottle first they had nipple confusion and never took to the breast. I pumped for three and 1/2 months but lost the battle. They were getting half and half anyway and the hospital had them on Enfacare. They weren’t going to the bathroom so I researched and found your formula. They have been on it for a month, but I have some questions for you.
I don’t have access to raw cow’s milk but I do have access to raw goat’s milk or low- temp pastuerized cow’s milk Which is better? Is there anything I need to be doing extra to the milk?
Is there a good enough amount of folic acid in this formula? Where does it come from?
My doctor wants me to give vitamins in addition to formula which also has iron in it. Do I need vitamins if they are getting all of this good stuff in the formula? My twins will be four months in 6 days and I am excited to see how much weight they have gained!
Question about transition from commercial formula
My daughter is 4 1/2 months old and I just bought the ingredients to make the home made formula. She has been taking exclusive commercial formula since about 5 weeks old and I had to suppliment with it since she was born. We had to switch formulas several times as her body didnt like any of them. Each time we just switched formulas with no problems. Is it possiblet to do this with the home made formula or should it be gradual? If so how do you suggest doing so. Thanks!
Thank you for putting this recipe up for the people who want an alternative to commercial milk powder. My Daughter is 11 months old and has been on your formula since she was 2 months. She really is a healthy girl with no problems what so ever. We are farmers and have always milked cows but at first I was still very worried about making a recipe off the internet. As fait would have it Sally did a talk at a Holistic Management Conference and I am a huge believer in Allan Savory’s work so that is what convinced me to start making the formula so thank you.
Could you please tell mw how long is best to be on the formula. Do you recommend 2 years of age or do I switch to raw milk earlier and maybe still add Acerola, probiotic and cod liver oil etc. I don’t mind making the formula but not sure if she needs some of the ingredient’s after a year old. Your reply would be very helpful.
Thanks Anna
I have a question. The first time I made the formula it turned out great! Now I have made it 3 times and each time it gels up and is very thick. It holds the shape of the container and comes out in one solid blob. I thought I messed up the recipe, but I kept trying to make it. Am I doing something wrong?
Sherry. That’s normal after putting the homemade formula in the fridge to chill. It’s the bovine gelatin that sets on refrigeration. Shake it up and warm and your ready to feed 🙂
I was just wondering if anybody experienced weird poop colors with this formula ? My baby thrives on it, as she was not getting enough of my breast milk and was dropping weight. I started her on this formula and her poop is white..it turns green somtimes ( assuming this is from the chlorphyll in the grass fed cows) but its always been green or white..i love the formula. She sleeps so much better and no gas or constipation. But the poop color is scaring me. My niece had white poop one time and it was kidney related. So im Just wondering if anybody else had this experience as well.
Did you determine what was causing the green poop color.
Does anyone have trouble with constipation on the raw cows milk formula?? Don’t know if i should switch over to something different. Thank you!
My son initially was somewhat constipated until he got used to the formula, coming off of breast milk. I did discover that eliminating any part of it, primarily lactose I believe, seemed to make him more constipated. Each component is important, and so please make sure that you leave nothing out, and the constipation may resolve then on its own.
I know this may sound weird but can a young child who has trouble gaining weight or an adult with health issues use the meat based formula? Is there an alternative? I’m new to the whole Weston Price thing and just searching for help for loved ones.
Dorothea, it is certainly worth a try and will do no harm! It can only help your own health issues. Likely your child has gut issues, whether you realize it or not, which the formula can help tremendously to heal!
how long should a child be on the homemade infant formula? I saw several posters ask but it has not been answered yet
Lin, thank you for pointing out this unanswered question! Every baby is different, but generally children thrive on this formula up to 1 1/2 years, at which point it is given more supplementally than as a primary source of nutrients. Most babies should be transitioning to solid foods as their baby teeth erupt but will continue with the formula as their primary food source up to about 1 year. Again, every child is different and the best way to know is to watch closely your own baby’s development.
This is my first baby, didn’t have enough breastmilk so friends of ours turned us to this homemade baby formula. Can’t wait to try it.
1. My question is should I slowly introduce it or just full on remove the old and start with the new? Right now I am using Gerber Good Start Soothe. Didn’t know if that would upset a baby’s stomach.
2. What about when traveling…do you continue to make the formula or go back and use the store bought?
3. Is glass container and bottle a must or can I use the plastic bottles like Dr. Browns
Hi Romelli,
I didn’t see an answer here so thought I would jump in. Our son was breastfed until about 7-8 months when my wife’s supply started to give way. We used the homemade formula for a few batches and baby took to it just fine. One night he did throw up violently and while that could have been due to a number of different things, we eliminated using the homemade formula and oped to use the Holle brand goat milk formula. If you are looking for formula suggestions I would recommend Hipp or Holle as European standards for their infant formula are much higher than the US; and through my research I found Hipp and Holle to be the best options out there. He has had no issues at all with it and has continued to thrive in his development, along with eating all of the wholesome foods Sally Fallon recommends such as pastured egg yolks, liver, vegetables cooked in pastured butter, avocados, etc. After 1 year we will likely switch to raw goat milk. I have independently studied nutrition and wellness for several years and also completed a holistic wellness course at Hawthorn University… but Sally’s Nourishing Traditions book has been an excellent and invaluable resource!
Best of luck!
Tom
The Goat milk formula has worked WONDERS for my son!
My now 7m old son and I had a very rough start with breastfeeding. An undiagnosed tongue tie resulted in me exclusively pumping for 3 months….worst. experience. ever. I was tired, always attached to my pump and unable to hold my son. So, we (unfortunately) went thru the wringer trying to find a formula that would work for my son. Between eczema, awful pediatricians, and uncontrollable spit up, I turned to WAPF. As my son does best on goats milk, we went straight for the goats milk recipe….and WOW. My son is gaining even MORE than before (luckily, he’s been a robust kid throughout this whole mess) as well as keeping down all formula, and his eczema is non existent. I am THRILLED to make this for my son every night, because it has truly changed his life. I don’t plan on formula feeding again (by first choice), but I KNOW that I will never feed commercial formula again. THANK YOU WAPF
so, my son has severe eczema and is 8.5 months old. We currently feed him the WAPF goat milk formula, although we use low vat past. goat milk as NO ONE near me has a raw goat milk share available. We are following a GAPS nourishing traditions protocol when adding solids, which he LOVES, he eats ANYTHING i put in front of him. His eczema won’t let up, nothing makes it go away completely. Any new foods, even things like cooked berries on his goat yogurt flared his rashes severely. Is the meat based formula a good place to go from here? I just want my son healthy again! I know that the GAPS protocol doesn’t suggest any dairy for a while, so my inclination to heal him would be to turn to the meat based formula, until he is healed up enough to try him on some raw goat milk. I guess I’m just weary of the high levels of vit. A in the meat formula. HELP!
-Amanda
Did you ever get this resolved?
My newborn son was born six weeks ago. He is our tenth child and I had planned to exclusively breastfeed for 1 1/2-2 years like I had done with all the others. But our little one was born with Down Syndrome. I was thankful he could latch on and suckle, a big hurdle for some Down’s babies, but his little muscles would wear out before he was full enough and he would very often be too sleepy to nurse adequately. He was losing weight and not receiving enough nourishment, and since Down Syndrome babies are slow gainers, I knew I could not rely on breastfeeding alone.
So I began making the homemade formula and only breastfeeding a couple times a day. He immediately slept better, his skin tone is beautiful and his eyes are bright and alert. He takes the formula well with no spitting up, gas, or constipation. My husband was a little nervous about giving raw milk to one so young but since the rest of the family drinks raw milk I knew the health benefits. I am so thankful that I learned about this recipe before he was born, and didn’t give him commercial formula that could compromise his already-delicate immune system.
If using low pasturized milk, can i mix in coconut water cultured with kefir? If so, how much would i add to each batch?
I just finished the recent podcast on the NT baby formula and was reminded just how infinitely grateful we were (and are) for this formula.
It takes me back to those early days when our son, born with a tongue tie, undiagnosed by our midwife, struggled for food and the panic we went through.
His mother painstakingly pumped for that hungry boy but his appetite was (and is) voracious.
The tie was diagnosed at 6 weeks and cut but he had little interest going back to the source having gotten used to the ease of the bottle.
At 8 weeks we are desperate and panicked. Our boy was not getting enough food and was gaining weight. His mother, exhausted, mentioned a formula in NT.
I grew up on a small farm that had all the animals, and I, fortunately, grew up on whole raw Jersey milk. The recipe did not seem foreign to me however I did worry that something could or would go wrong.
Our family is forever indebted to Dr Mary Enig and Sallon Fallon for developing this recipe and making it available. I dont know how to stress that enough. This formula was *the* difference.
I became very good at whipping up a days worth to supplement the breast milk his mother labored to produce. The boy thrived on the two together. He grew quickly and strong. It was the difference.
There was an issue with the yeast. He couldn’t hold that down so we switched to a liquid B12 and never had another problem. Pumping stopped at 1 year but he received the formula through year 2.
He is now a 7.5 year old weighing in at over 80 pounds. He is remarkably strong, smart, kind, and independent.
When Sally speaks about the time involved raising a sick child compared to the time it takes to keep them healthy, those are wise words. Our boy has never had an ear infection. He muscles through each illness like a ship cutting waves. He is happy, social and joyful.
This period of growth is so important for life trajectory.
I am posting here because it is important that people know that this recipe not only works, it works great. If you can not provide enough or any breast milk, this is your answer. This saved us.
Thank you Mary Enig. I only wish I could have told you in person. The value of this recipe can not be overstated and your legacy, Dr Enig, is thousands and thousands of healthy babies.
You are a saint in our household.
We are so glad for your son’s success with this formula and echo your sentiments of gratitude to the late Dr. Enig!
My baby is 10 month old. She’s been exclusively breastfed (with WAPF solid foods since 5 months), but my supply has really decreased & she’s SO hungry. Can i just give her plain raw milk instead of the formula?
My breastmilk supply is dwindling, 10 month old has been exclusively breastfed till now (in addition to WAPF solids since 5 months). She is showing signs of a milk allergy, should I give her the meat based formula or just continue to nurse her with my dwindling breastmilk supply and feed her more bone broth and liver every day till she’s 12 months?
My daughter is 7 months old and has had stomach issues since birth. Chronic congestion, seems to have sensitivity to dairy so has been on HiPP hypoallergenic formula since 2 months old. She still has greenish stools and has recently developed eczema. Would this formula be a good option to help heal her ? If so, do I slowly transition from her current formula? Thank you.
Reply from Sally: Yes, you can slowly transition.
Whats is the name/link for the Facebook group for the homemade formula