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My Experience Using Homemade Baby Formula: It Is Possible!



I wanted to exclusively breastfeed my twins, I really did.





And I thought I could.  While I was pregnant, I read books and articles all emphasizing the fact that the more milk you express, the more milk you will make, so there is no reason a mom shouldn't be able to feed twins or even triplets exclusively on breast milk.  For whatever reason, however, my boobies didn't quite understand this theory.  My babies were feeding constantly, but never seemed to get full.  And worse, they were barely gaining any weight.  I was starting to get very worried about my Baby Girl and Little Man.




My pediatrician at the time was absolutely no help.  I was told that I needed to offer them the breast more frequently, though I'm not sure how that was possible since I was already constantly feeding them--seriously, I couldn't even go to the bathroom without them screaming because my boob wasn't in their mouth.  I was also told that they weren't latching on correctly.

The nurse at my appointments, who is a lactation consultant, rattled off a bunch of stuff about Little Man's lip not being out enough, a crease that wasn't supposed to be there in the corner of his mouth, his cheeks not being puffed out, his jaw not moving correctly, etc, etc, etc.  I was doing a whole lot wrong according to this nurse, yet she never told me what to do to make it right!

And the kicker came when my doctor sent me home with a bunch of cans of Enfamil and told me I was to feed them two ounces of formula after every feeding.

I was so bummed out.

 

Why don't I want to feed my babies commercial baby formula?


The first ingredient in most any commercial baby formula is nonfat powdered milk.  Powdered milk is manufactured by spraying it through tiny holes at high temperatures.  This process causes the cholesterol (an essential nutrient for all humans, but babies in particular) in the milk to become oxidized.

Why is oxidized cholesterol bad?  Oxidized fats of any kind are particularly damaging to the human body.  Putting this rancid form of cholesterol into your baby's body raises the risk of inflammatory conditions, such as heart disease.  Perhaps more importantly though, since cholesterol is necessary for brain development, oxidized cholesterol can result in impaired brain function.

In addition to the oxidized cholesterol, commercial formulas contain soybean oil.  Not only is over 90 percent of soy genetically modified, but soy in general (unless properly fermented) is unfit for human consumption--I don't care how good for you they say tofu is, it's just not.  There are a whole host of health issues that arise from eating soy.  In fact, going through all the health problems related to soy is a whole blog post in itself!  Soy is linked to many cancers, fertility issues, blocked nutrient absorption, and food allergies.

And finally, a major concern I have with commercial formulas are the vitamins and minerals added.  For the most part, they are all synthetic versions of the vitamins and minerals that your baby needs for proper growth.  Synthetic versions of these nutrients are not absorbed well by the human body, so your baby will likely not be getting the nutrition needed during the crucial first year of development.

With this in mind, I knew I had to do something different.  I had to find another option, because I just couldn't bring myself to feed this to my children.  That's when I decided on homemade formula.

 

Homemade formula?  Really?


Yes.  Really.

I have been a long-time reader and fan of Nourishing Traditions, an excellent book on nutrition that goes against today's "politically correct" nutrition advice.  I remembered that I had read a recipe for homemade formula in this book back when I first got it.  I also knew that the same author of that book was planning on releasing a new book, The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care, so I went straight to Amazon and pre-ordered a copy, and this book is where the recipe I use comes from.

There are three different recipes for homemade baby formula in this book.  One is based on raw cow's milk, one is based on raw goat's milk, and the third is a meat-based formula that uses chicken or beef stock and finely ground liver.  Since I cannot legally purchase raw milk in the state of Wisconsin, I was left with the meat-based formula.

I won't go into the how-to on this formula since there are others who have already covered this wonderfully.  But I will briefly just say that if you compare ingredients on a can of commercial formula to the ingredients in this homemade recipe, you will find that they are very similar, minus the processed ingredients, synthetic vitamins, and soy.  In the case of the meat-based formula, rather than a milk-base, it relies on meat stock.  You must make the meat stock yourself (no store-bought!) using bones from pastured animals, such as cows or chickens.  This formula is a time commitment!  Which leads me to the next section of this post:

 

What are some obstacles to making your own formula?


Time!  It is admittedly much faster to open a can of powder, scoop it into a bottle of water, and shake.  When putting together this particular homemade formula, you start by making the meat stock.  This is an all-day process.  Bones are simmered for an extended period to pull as many nutrients out of them as possible.  The result of this all day simmering is a nutrient rich stock with a high gelatin content (which is good for baby's digestive system).

Once your stock is made, the rest doesn't take very long to put together--maybe a half hour.  Then you can pour it into containers and refrigerate.  I use mason jars to hold my formula, and generally avoid using plastic if at all possible.  When it's time to give Little Man and Baby Girl a bite to eat, I just pour a couple ounces into each bottle, and then set the bottles in a dish of hot water to warm the formula up.

In addition to time, I would say the other major obstacle I have faced is...other people.

The idea of someone making their own infant formula is strange to many people.  In fact, some may get downright angry with you and accuse you of harming your child.  Fortunately, this has not been the case for me, but believe me, I have had some eye brows raised and hurtful comments made.

For example, just the other day, I dropped all my children off over at my mother's house for a couple hours.  Baby Girl was quite fussy that day for some reason, and my mom had some trouble getting her to settle down and eat.  My son told me today that grandma said it was probably because of "that meat crap" that I'm feeding her.

Yeah, hearing stuff like that hurts a little, but I will not let other people push me into doing something that I feel is wrong.  It is emotionally hard though, thus an obstacle that you will likely face if you are making homemade formula.  Some people will disagree with your decision to make your own formula, and those people could very well be someone close to you.  You can calmly explain where you're coming from and why you've made the decision to make your own formula, but chances are, you will not change their minds.  My advice would be to just let it go.  These are your children, so do what you know is best for them, and when confronted by others, firmly (but friendly) stand your ground.

I have to say though, other than these issues, making my own formula has gotten to be just another part of my life, and one that I am happy to do.  As I have gone along, I've figured out what works best for me to make the process go a little faster.


My tips for making homemade meat-based formula:


  • I like to make a week's worth of formula at a time.  You can't really do this if you're using the milk-based formulas, but it works with the meat-based because it stays fresh longer.  I make a big pot of stock, and usually end up with around 6 or 7 quarts of formula--enough to last me a week (I feed the twins around 10-12 ounces a day of formula each.  The rest is breast milk.)  Just make sure you've got room in the refrigerator if you make a big batch because 7 quart jars can take up a lot of space.
  • Keep extra ingredients on hand at all times!  You don't want to run out of liver or something just when you need to make a batch.  Keep a backup of each ingredient on hand so that you never run out.
  • The formula can congeal upon refrigeration.  This is normal, and actually a good thing.  If you are using good quality bones and simmering all day, the amount of gelatin in your stock will be astronomical compared to any store-bought can of broth you have ever purchased.  Gelatin is very beneficial for your baby's digestive system, and there is even a study that found babies fed milk with added gelatin were less likely to develop allergies.
  • A fat layer may form on the top after being chilled.  To avoid this, I chill my broth well before making the formula, and remove the hard layer of fat that forms on top (save the fat for your own cooking).  If you are still getting a layer of fat on top, break it up and mix it back into the formula.  It will liquefy once you warm the bottle.
  • Strain the formula through cheese cloth before you jar it up.  This will remove any large pieces of liver that were not liquefied enough and keeps the nipple from getting clogged.


Overall, I have found that making this formula has fit into our lives with no major issues.  What matters to me most is that my children are healthy and growing.  And growing they are!  While their weight gain was once stagnant, it has now taken off.  At one of their last weigh-ins, they had each put on almost a pound in one week!  But, they had a lot of catching up to do, so we were glad to see this.  Little Man and Baby Girl are flourishing on their diet of breast milk and formula, not only in size, but in mental development as well.  They are bright-eyed and curious babies, full of smiles.










I would recommend this homemade formula to anyone over a commercial brand, and hope that more parents give this consideration when breast-feeding is not possible.

If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them!  Please let me know in the comments section below.


---

GROWTH PROGRESS/UPDATES:


January 9, 2013 - Little Man and Baby Girl are born.


Little Man:  5 lb. 11 oz.

Baby Girl:  6 lb. 2 oz.




March 7, 2013 - 2 month Well Baby Check


Little Man:  7 lb.

Baby Girl:  7 lb.


This is around the point we started to supplement.  They're still pretty scrawny:



Once I began to supplement with the meat based formula, they really started to put some weight on.
 


May 2, 2013 - 4 month Well Baby Check

Little Man:  10 lb. 10 oz.

Baby Girl:  10 lb. 6 oz.


They are both meeting all developmental milestones, and are cute, happy babies.



July 24, 2013 - 6 Month Well Baby Check

 

Little Man:  14 lb.7 oz.

Baby Girl:  14 lb. 13 oz.


The babies are growing so fast!  And still meeting all developmental milestones.


I am still breastfeeding while supplementing with homemade formula, but they have also started on solids now.  So far, they've tried egg yolk, bananas, avocados, carrots, beef, and squash.  I make our own baby food too.  I just puree the food, freeze it in ice cube trays for nice portions, and then reheat to serve.

"Where's dinner Mom?" asks Baby Girl.

The twins are growing so quickly!  Their personalities are really starting to come out now as they get older...

Mom, I'm going to mash some 'taters!


Little Man wants to make some soup for his ladle.
Hey there....

Phtttttttt!
It's way too hot out for clothes!

I am enjoying watching them grow and learn new skills, yet nervous at the same time.  You see, the newest development is learning to crawl!  Once they start getting around more, we're really going to have our hands full!


Go Little Man!



*** I apologize for the Similac and other formula ads in my sidebar and below my posts.  I am working on getting them off! ***

Comments

  1. I wish I had this knowledge when my twins were born! I cried when I was told that I would have to supplement with formula. My babies had lost too much weight and they wouldn’t let us leave the hospital until their weight steadied out. I am glad I have the knowledge for next time. Some people just don’t understand the natural lifestyle and can be so judgemental!

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    1. Yes, people can be very judgmental. There was mention of hospitalizing my twins as well, but thankfully it never got to that point (I still don't understand how hospitals can have so much authority over people). It is very crushing to a mom's spirit when she can't breastfeed, but I feel somewhat better about it knowing that I am at least avoiding the processed ingredients in commercial formula.

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  2. Thanks for this post! I have the ingredients on hand to make the NT homemade formula, though thankfully I have not yet had to supplement with it (my little one is almost 10 months)... but the day is coming. My question to you is - did you have any trouble getting them to take to the taste of the meat-based formula? While I drink raw milk (illegally, of course), I'm hesitant to give it to my little one just because my family constantly screams in my ear about how "dangerous" it is and it's gotten under my skin. I'd like to give my little guy the meat-based formula when the time comes, but wonder if he will like it?

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    1. Luckily, we have not had any issues as far as them not liking the taste of the formula. The only problem we had was them getting used to drinking out of a bottle, and finding a nipple that they liked with a good flow. I tasted some of it myself just to see how it was, and it's actually not bad. It tastes mostly like meat broth, and there is a hint of coconut flavor from the coconut oil.

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  3. Thank you so much for this eye opening post. I now feel less guilty about feeling sad for babies who are fed formula by the mothers choice especially when there are other options! What age can you start these formulas? Can we recommended this for newborns if some mothers had a delayed onset of milk say due to a c section?

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    1. As far as I know, it is fine to start newborns on homemade formula. The Weston A. Price Foundation's website has tons of great information on these formulas if you are interested in learning more: http://www.westonaprice.org/faq/faq-homemade-baby-formula?qh=YTo0OntpOjA7czo3OiJmb3JtdWxhIjtpOjE7czo4OiJmb3JtdWxhcyI7aToyO3M6OToiZm9ybXVsYSdzIjtpOjM7czo4OiJmb3JtdWxhZSI7fQ%3D%3D

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    2. I am a proud mother of twins and due to not having enough breast milk I have to supplement. after about 7 weeks I was done with breast milk. I started giving my girls homemade formula when they were 6 days old. they did wonderful. they have grown so fast and are healthy. I would highly recommend this as an alternative to commercial formula.

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  4. I think this is a great option for moms who really can't breastfeed -- and 1000x better than commercial formula for moms who don't feel like breastfeeding. I looked at a package of commercial formula and the first ingredient was HFCS, the second was sugar! GROSS. Not real food and no wonder why our kids become obese. And this was the "sensitive" kind meant to help babies with digestion issues.

    I don't like the recent comments from Weston A Price foundation that it is better to feed commercial formula to a baby than breas tmilk from a healthy vegan mom! I also 100% disagree with their statement that it is better to make their homemade formula than breastfeed if you don't eat 100% healthy 100% of the time.

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    1. Corn syrup in formula, my word! That is awful! You would think they could come up with something better than that.

      There is quite a controversy going on with the Weston A Price foundation; I've seen many arguments online! I think the important thing is for mothers who breastfeed to do their best when making nutritional choices. Personally, I know that my diet is far from perfect, but I try to make the best choices I can. I think formula should be a last resort in any case. I know if I had it my way, I would not be supplementing at all. It's so much easier breastfeeding, and cheaper too!

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  5. I'm all for making anything yourself! i was wondering if there is a non-dairy/non-meat alt you could use, maybe a veggie stock?!!? any thoughts on that?! <3

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    1. I can't say that I've ever seen a version using veggie stock. I know that protein is very important for a growing baby, and I'm not sure that a veggie stock would give them enough of it.

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    2. They need the saturated fat for their brain and cell development. Also, keep in mind that the fat content in breast milk is astronomical.

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  6. I think this is phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing and for your honesty!

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    1. Thank you! I was a little nervous about posting this, but I think it's important information for parents.

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  7. Interesting. I will admit I'm a bit skeptical considering how incredibly difficult it is for even commercial formula companies to mimic breastmilk correctly, but, before powdered formula was available, humans have been finding ways to raise babies without breastmilk for centuries so who knows? This might actually be a really great alternative! Thanks for sharing!

    A few side note comments: Not all lactation consultants are (a) certified, or (b) good at their job. If your lactation consultant doesn't *show* you how to correct your latch, get another one. If that consultant's advice doesn't work, I would even try a third person and make sure they're fully certified and up to date.

    Also, the comment about not being released from the hospital because the baby lost too much weight grates on me like nails on a chalkboard. A breastfeeding baby's weight gain should not even be measured until a week after the child has been born with regular feedings. If this was the case, then disregard my comments on this matter, but if it was the standard weight loss that most babies experience that first day in the hospital, then this is what I'm responding to. The sad truth of the matter is that, because breastfeeding fell out of vogue for so long, hospitals haven't caught up to the fact that a breastfed baby gains weight differently than a formula fed one. A breastfed baby is only consuming colostrum for the first day or two...not going to gain any weight from that. Also, if you had an epidural, the medication in the epidural can cause bloating in your baby as well, inflating their initial weight past what it actually is, which can appear to be a dramatic but incorrect weight loss. Just wanted to put this out there.

    Good luck raising twins! You sound like an amazing and dedicated Mama!

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    1. I will admit, I was nervous about making the homemade formula at first myself. Seeing my babies flourish on it has eased my uncertainties 100% though. I am very careful to follow the recipe exactly--the proportions should not be altered and no ingredients left out.

      You are right about the weight issues and breastfed babies--many doctors still need to catch up!

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  8. I'm so glad you shared this! I have been reading and wondering and reading... and, your testament of a homemade formula's benefits definitely helps to push me in the direction I've been wanting to go anyway. :) Texas is a state that does allow the sale/purchase of raw milk, but the nearest farm is a few hours away. I am grateful that your post is about the meat-based alternative, but I still question whether or not an organic vitamin D milk would be acceptable in place of the raw milk ... Does anyone have any thoughts/experience/knowledge on this?

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    1. I'm glad my post helped you decide. :)

      Regarding the pasteurized milk, you should use raw if at all possible, but according to 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."

      Hope that helps!

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    2. the protein molecules in cow milk are huge....of course...mama cows are feeding THEIR babies....try goat milk.....closer in composition to mama's milk...and....please mom's do eat as well as you can, but the most important factor is drinking enuf liquids....drink everytime you nurse ur baby....take baby to bed with you...night nursing is very important...(there has never been a recorded incident of a mom rolling on her baby unless she was high or drunk)....AND...enjoy these times...they go so quickly.....peace

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    3. I have co-slept with all 4 of my children and never had a problem. I only wish there was some way to feed both of the twins while laying down! I'd get so much more rest that way :)

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    4. "Raw" milk contains the necessary enzymes to break down the larger proteins. Those enzymes are destroyed during the pasteurization process, thus is more difficult to digest. Goat milk does have smaller proteins, but lacks certain vitamins that you baby needs. There is more info on the WAPF website.

      Also, I have seen a story where an obese woman did roll over on her 1 week old baby when co-sleeping, which suffocated and killed the baby. While I nurse and co- sleep, it is not for everyone.

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  9. My son had breast feeding just for 1 week unfortunately..after that he got Nutrilon commercial formula ( i'm from Holland). Wel there is nothing wrong with him..he is growing fast, has no obese, never sick, and has even higher IQ..he is 5 years old..so i think there is nothing wrong with it..I know a lot of breast fed kids with allergies, being sick all winter long..

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    1. I completely agree! to be honest i think it is more dangerous making it yourself and i breastfed for only a few weeks then was on sma gold formula. my girls who are almost two can already read numbers 1-10, can read 15 letters from the alphabet and knows all off their animals and colours plus much much more. all this lower IQ rubbish is just a way of justifying what you are doing. My little girls are exceptionally bright and even their nursery and people who meet them agree. oh and they can talk full sentences! what a load of godswallop this article is!!

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    2. Funny......she wasn't judging you choice but you judge hers? What happened to supporting other parents on what they feel is best for their own children. This mom is simply stating what worked for her and her family. Why should anyone have to "justify" to you what their choices are? And is godswallop even a word?

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    3. If my post seemed to judge parents who use commercial formulas, please know that it wasn't my intention. I know children who have been fed commercial formulas and are fine, intelligent people. I simply wanted to share my experience, including the reasons I chose to go the route I did. I firmly believe that parents should be able to choose what it best for their own children without outside interference.

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  10. I just wanted to say that how you are feeding your tiny babes is great! I too was faced with breastfeeding problems with my daughter and struggled to breastfeed her for 6 months while supplementing her. I switched at 6 months to the milk based formula in Nourishing Traditions, but making kefir from local non-homoginized milk (raw where I am is illegal too). My daughter is now almost 3 years old and has been very healthy and is incredibly smart! I think it was the best decision I ever made when it came to her nutrition. I commend you for sharing your story and thanks!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words. It is so great to hear others having success with the homemade formulas!

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  11. Good article....... i wish people would not be so judgmental about breast feeding, sometimes for medical reasons it becomes impossible or difficult to breastfeed and not the mothers choice.

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    1. I agree. If it were up to me, I would not be supplementing at all, but some things are beyond our control. The important thing is that our babies are healthy, and that's all that matters to me.

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    2. I Agree! I really think it's a personal choice and others should not pass judgement. For whatever reason......

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  12. I, too, think this is wonderful. But does your pediatrician know? I can only imagine what mine would say! I'm sure I would lie to him and tell him I was feeding my baby commercial formula.

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    1. We have actually switched pediatricians, so we haven't been in to see the new one yet, but I do intend on letting her know.

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  13. I would get the AAP's recommendation on this. You have only one year to do things right for your child. Never again will their brain grow at this rate. Never again will the growing brain require needed nutrients and fat as the first 18 months. Even though some folks don't agree with some things in formula, the mom is actually passing these things to her baby from eating them while she breastfeeds.
    There has been tons of research that goes into these products and what your child needs. Until you have a degree in nutrition, or premie nutrition, as your twins look small (requiring 33% more nutrients) you should stick with what the research has shown to work.
    There are formula's that are organic. You can stay away from the soy. There are also milk banks. You want to feed the closest thing to breast milk as you can. I don't think animal stock is it.
    I hope their brains have developed and they have received the much needed minerals/vitamins/nutrients they have to for neuron growth. Livers will filter out the bad things you are so worried about in commercial formulas. Like I said, you only have one year to do it right. That is a small window of opportunity. Hopefully folks that do this can rest at night and not wonder if they gave and did everything they could have for development.

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    1. I can understand your concern--agreeably meat stock and breast milk are two different things. However, it should be noted that commercial formula companies used to make a meat-based formula for babies who could not tolerate the dehydrated cow's milk, but stopped making it when soy came on the market--it was much cheaper to make formula with soy than meat. So, in fact, there has been research put into meat-based formulas (it is not a new idea).

      On the AAP, I disagree with many of their recommendations. I feel that many times politics trumps the health of our children.

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    2. I love this article I actually didnt expect to find anything whem I googled home bases formula. I agree with what your are doing and wish I had onky known for my boys. I was curious though, if you vaccinate? Would love to know your opinion. I know this is a touchy subject. IF you want to reply email me thomaslinda1816@mail.com

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  14. Wonderful ! Mama knows best.

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  15. I had my child almost 18 years ago she was a preemie and my milk never came in. I would have loved to have breast feed. I had pumped for weeks to no avail. The hospital only gave me one choice formula. I would have tried to make my own if I had known. She was born at 2 pounds 9 ounces and came home at 3 pounds 12 ounces.

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  16. Good for you, and your little ones! I had 5 children. The first 2 were born while I was young, and I had no problems nursing them. But 6 yrs later I had baby 3, a 9 lb. 4 oz boy who was always hungry. He had trouble latching on, but I also recieved no help so he went on formula and had so many ear infections it was awful. So I did not want that to happen to my next one, so a friend had goats and she milked for me. I drank it too, so I could produce more milk. But he also had trouble latching on, and since no one was there to help me, he weined early, at 4 months, but kept on the goats milk, raw. So when, at 40 years old I gave birth to our 5th child, I knew there would be problems, but I was prepared for it. The lactation consultant where we were living then was fantastic, and she showed me how to suppliment with goats milk with a special feeder that I used WHILE I was nursing. And I pumped, learned how to help her latch on correctly, so I was able to stop pumping and supplementing by 3 months, and she ended up nursing a full year, which was longer than any of the previous children.
    If you were my daughter, I would be very proud of what you are doing. You are doing a great job, and it will be so great for them in the future, as you will not have ear infection problems like those on a dairy based formula. You are a good mom! In fact, a great mom. Keep it up! you know whats best for them. Not the medical community, or anyone else. I wish you well.

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  17. Thank you so much for your post.
    I'm always looking for ways to safely extend "shelf-life" and/or make living healthy and honest as convenient as possible. So I often ask myself, "Can I dehydrate this, or can I freeze that, etc?"
    Would it be possible to freeze the formula (either meat broth formula or milk based formula)? And/Or at least the meat broth, pre-mixing in the additional ingredients? Then allow it to thaw in the fridge as needed, and heat as suggested?

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    1. Yes, you can freeze the meat-based formula, but I do not know for sure about the raw milk formula. I would tend to lean toward yes, it can be frozen, however, because it just makes sense that if breast milk can be frozen, so could the raw milk formula. I'll bet that the WAPF website has more info on it: http://www.westonaprice.org/

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  18. I appreciate the valuable details you provide in your material very awesome.
    http://www.tubal-reversal-surgery.net/tubal-ligation-reversal-financing-and-insurance-coverage.html

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  19. Such Commercial chicken based formula formula is available In India. I have ordered it and found very good results on my son..the name of 1) Neogain & 2) Vengain...pure chicken based formula

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  20. Hi, im currently feeding my 11month old son homemade goat formula. I use dry goats milk fortified with vitamin D, blue agave, black molases , olive and sunflower and cocunut. Is there something dufferent i can do?

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  21. Hi, I am attempting to make baby formula with bone broth. what kinds of bones do you use? Do they have to be organic? is the broth just consists of filtered water and bones? what is the bone to water ratio?

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  22. Very interesting! I'm with anonymous above... did you use vegetables like the Nourishing Traditions recipe calls for, or strictly bones/vinegar/water for the broth?

    Thanks for the article!!

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  23. I am a proud mother of twin girls. I started the homemade raw milk formula when they were only 5 days old. unfortunately I didn't have enough breast milk for them and was dealing with other issues. so we feed them both formula and breast milk and eventually just formula as I ran out of milk. at 5 months the girls are healthy as can be. 16lbs 6oz and 15lbs 9oz.

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  24. Hello! Tgank you so much for this post!I am just reading your post, I wish I had seen this sooner! I would live to try making my own, there is nothing like knowing what you are putting into your own body and your families.
    How did telling your pediatrician go? Are there certain Drs that would know more about this and encouraging in supplementing with homemade formula? (My sons pediatrician seems pretty clueless about anything)

    I am currently supplementing with store bought and thinking to switch if possibe

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  25. Thank you for sharing valuable information. Nice post. I enjoyed reading this post. The whole blog is very nice found some good stuff and good information here Thanks..Also visit my page baby shop

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  26. Your post is comforting. Our 5 Month old breast feed baby has severe allergies and cannot tolerate commercial processed anything! I have to know the ingredience of the ingredience contained in whatever I consume or touches his skin. Anything derived from a grain or even rubbed shoulders with grain or dairy is a huge problem. We have to also consider cross contamination in facilities where food is manufactured and packaged. It is hard to keep my milk production up due to eliminating so much that he cannot tolerate. I have been researching the homemade meat based formula to suppliment and happy to know that it has worked well for your children! Thank you so much for sharing!

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    1. I don't know what to say.....I read your post and really feel for your family. I wish I had advice as my son has allergies that cause severe head to toe eczema but doesn't seem to even compare to how careful you must have to watch, prepare, and plan. I hope your child grows out of his allergies.

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  27. I appreciate you sharing your personal experience. It's hard to express choices that aren't always in the norm because people judge. Personally, since everyone is different these options should be talked about. Parents should know their are other options and should seek what works best for their family.

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  28. How did you make the whey? I thought it has to be made from raw milk? Or did my baby brain read it wrong. I'm wondering because we were not able to breastfeed due to lip tie and other issues and I'm searching for homemade formulas right now.

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    1. You can make whey using homemade yogurt. Pour the yogurt into a strainer lined with cheese cloth, and place over a large glass measuring cup or bowl. The liquid that drains off is the whey.

      Delete
  29. been supplement ing my baby boy with the goat milk formula recipe for over 3 months now and he is absolutely thriving on it I lost my milk supply do to pregnancy and this is definitely the best option well above commercial formula.

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  30. Preparing a healthy diet for your child is important a mother should the key ingredients

    Paediatrician in pune

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  31. Can you tell me your brothe recipe? I am trying to make the formula using chicken broth and beef liver, but I am concerned about inconsistency in the broth (and them getting enough calories and nutrients from it). I make some today with a whole chicken and 3 TBsp. of ACV. I added 5 quarts of water. I let it sit, cold, for an hour, and then simmered it, covered for 12 hours. I have approximately 4.5 quarts of broth that I am refrigerating in order to remove the fat layer. Am I doing this right?!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Brooke,

      When I make broth for my formula, I use about 3 pounds of bony chicken parts (feet and other organs are a nice addition if you can get them) and 2 Tablespoons of vinegar. I put the bones with vinegar in a large stock pot, cover with water, and simmer for around 12 hours. Basically, it sounds like you are doing the same thing. I would imagine that the nutrient content is going to vary slightly from batch to batch, but I don't think it would vary enough to be significant.

      I totally understand your concern though, we all want to do the very best for our children! My twins are 16 months old now, and have done wonderfully. I am so glad we decided to go ahead with the homemade formula!

      Delete
  32. They really look cute!!

    It is really inspiring to see a mother working so hard give the right nourishment to her children. Keep it up with your nutrition milk!

    Regards,
    BabyXXL
    http://www.babyxxl.com/

    ReplyDelete
  33. Why is there whey (from CM yogurt) in the meat based formula? I thought this alternative was for infants with CM allergies. My grandson is very allergic so I'm concerned about him ingesting whey.

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  34. Is this recipe good for infants who have candida? I can't seem to find anything to feed my infant that isn't giving her a terrible candida rash. It has been terribly frustrating. I have asked my own nutritionist and he is amazing, but he doesn't have a lot of information about what to do for infants. Please help! Thank you so much.

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  35. Hi, Kristie: A great blog! Were you inspired by or maybe you're part of the Westin Price Foundation? They're also big advocates of liver formula. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Black Stool?

    Is this normal? My little guy is going on day 3 of the liver based formula.

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  37. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  38. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  39. While seeing your post and the video I feel that you have more experience on this. Sure I’ll suggest my friend to do like this.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Formula has its advantages. Homemade baby formula is best because you can control what you put in it.
    http://nongmobabyformula.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anyway, I will be using Buy Buy Baby, and probably Babies R Us as well, but looks like I might not need to keep the Target registry at all.

    ReplyDelete

  42. Hello...
    It’s Amazing
    I like this post
    Herbal breast treatment is this best herbal solution for developing breast enlargement without surgery and no Side effect.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hi We are as a family already using bone broths in our diet as a soup for every meal so the idea turning this into a formula to our 5 months old baby is logical to us but you not saying whats the other ingredients in besides the broth and liver? Can you elaborate please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used the recipe found in the Nourishing Traditions book. It is also on The Healthy Home Economist's (Sara Pope) website. If you search for Nourishing Traditions Hypoallergenic Formula, you'll find it.

      Delete
  44. Thank you for the article. It was truly inspiring to see how the homemade formula as mentioned in the book Nourishing Traditions has blessed a family. Your babies look so healthy and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I am so grateful to have found that book!

      Delete
  45. My 6 month old was on the home made cow's milk based formula for 3 months. She thrived at first. No more tummy aches and she was finally able to stomach more than 2 oz of formula at a time (she could only eat 2-2.5 oz of gerber good start and would have trouble spitting up from time to time). Then all of the sudden she became really constipated every two days from the home made cow's milk formula. We tried prune juice, pear juice, prune puree, pear puree, plain water, added double probiotics to the batch and then we tried molasses and that did the trick...until it didn't anymore. So now we are going to try the liver based home made formula and I hope that it works. This poor kid has been switched like 5 times and I just want to find a formula that works for her. I breast fed for a month because me and 5 different lactation consultants couldn't get my daughter to keep my nipple in her soft palate-the result: bleeding, sore nipples that lost all color and were in pain a month after I stopped breastfeeding. I even tried just pumping on a hospital grade pump but ended up using the wrong flange size and further ended up damaging my nipples. So I'm going to transition her to the liver formula over this next week and hope it goes as well for me as it has for your twins. Great post! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  46. My 6 month old was on the home made cow's milk based formula for 3 months. She thrived at first. No more tummy aches and she was finally able to stomach more than 2 oz of formula at a time (she could only eat 2-2.5 oz of gerber good start and would have trouble spitting up from time to time). Then all of the sudden she became really constipated every two days from the home made cow's milk formula. We tried prune juice, pear juice, prune puree, pear puree, plain water, added double probiotics to the batch and then we tried molasses and that did the trick...until it didn't anymore. So now we are going to try the liver based home made formula and I hope that it works. This poor kid has been switched like 5 times and I just want to find a formula that works for her. I breast fed for a month because me and 5 different lactation consultants couldn't get my daughter to keep my nipple in her soft palate-the result: bleeding, sore nipples that lost all color and were in pain a month after I stopped breastfeeding. I even tried just pumping on a hospital grade pump but ended up using the wrong flange size and further ended up damaging my nipples. So I'm going to transition her to the liver formula over this next week and hope it goes as well for me as it has for your twins. Great post! Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. I hope the liver based formula helps! I can say personally, we never had any issues with constipation. Their stools were always on the looser side.

      Delete
  47. Thanks for the information and links you shared this is so should be a useful and quite informative!
    free restaurant point sale

    ReplyDelete
  48. I think new mom will say thank so much to you.
    thanks for share.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Awesome Blog!!! Thank you for sharing valuable information Kristie. In this blog you share all the important things about homemade baby formula.Have A Nice Day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. I want to know about hipp hypoallergenic formula that's why i visit your blog. Really your blog is fantastic blog. I got lot of information from your blog. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  51. a meat formula. that's interesting! i like to look into homemade formulas. but time is always a concern. and it takes more effort. since our son had bad reactions to cow milk, we decided to go with Holle's organic goat milk formula (which we buy on myorganicformula.com). i don't like commercial formulas either. on the other hand, is there really anything perfect out there? i think it's a good compromise. Europe has stricter regulations and it's organic.

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  52. Infant Formula is really important for me, my baby has tongue tie and breastfeeding is so difficult for her.

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  53. Did their pediatrician know that you were giving them homemade formula? If so did they threaten you with child services or anything, or were they supportive of it? That would be my fear. I hate how much influence doctors, hospitals, and the government have over our children.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can understand your fears completely! I have had my share of battles with healthcare institutions. But, as long as your baby is growing well and is healthy, then I don't know that it would even come up during a visit, and certainly wouldn't warrant a call to CPS.

      Delete
  54. Wow, you are amazing! Your twins are beautiful and look like they're doing well on your homemade formula!

    I was introduced to the raw formula recipe not long after the book was published. My mother used it for my younger brothers and sisters. She was in college at the time and had to do a research paper on commercial formulas. Once she was finished, she said she felt sick to her stomach knowing what was going into the formulas and couldn't stand the thought of feeding it to another one of her babies.

    Knowing she had made her own formula, I did my own research when I started having my kids, and I haven't found anything I feel more comfortable putting my babies on. I have four boys and with three of them, I could not make enough milk to keep them full. My supply ran out when my first was 3 weeks and when the others were 2-3 months.

    I've always used the raw milk recipe in the book you posted and all four of my kids have done great on it! It's not as convenient as store bought formula but it actually costs less and I can sleep well knowing my sons aren't eating all of the questionable things that go into commercial formulas.

    ReplyDelete

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