There are only two ways to feed a young baby: breastfeeding or using formula. Breast milk contains digestive enzymes, white blood cells and other immune-boosting ingredients that formula lacks, according to Dr. Bill Sears, pediatrician and professor at the University of California, Irvine. Not every woman wants to or can breastfeed, however. Mothers who choose to use formula must then decide whether they want to give cow's-milk-based formula, soy formula or lactose-free formula.
Formula Definition
Formula is a manufactured alternative to breast milk. It usually has a cow's-milk base, though it can also be soy based. No other bases are used for formula, though there is lactose-free formula, in which the lactose portion of cow's milk has been removed. All formula is then fortified with vitamins and minerals that babies need to grow and be healthy.
Milk Allergy
Although many babies tolerate cow's-milk formulas just fine, Dr. Steven Dowshen of the KidsHealth website says that some babies have cow's milk allergies. About 2 to 3 percent of all babies have cow's-milk allergies, which means they cannot tolerate protein in cow's milk. Giving a cow's-milk formula to a baby with such an allergy can cause diarrhea, vomiting, rashes and colic. Therefore, formula-fed babies with milk allergies need to be on a soy formula. Some babies with cow's milk allergies, however, are also allergic to soy. Those babies must be given a special hydrolyzed formula, according to KidsHealth.
Soy Formula
Soy formulas have no cow's-milk protein or lactose, because they are made with plant-based ingredients. About 25 percent of America's formula-fed babies need a soy formula, according to Dr. Sears. Soy formula relieves the medical problems for some babies with milk allergies.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is not the same thing as a cow's-milk allergy. While babies with cow's-milk allergies cannot tolerate the protein in cow's milk, babies (and adults) with lactose intolerance cannot break down the carbohydrate protein in cow's milk, which is called lactose. Lactose intolerance causes gastrointestinal upset such as diarrhea and constipation, but no additional symptoms such as rashes or vomiting.
Lactose-Free Formula
Lactose-free formula is cow's-milk formula in which the lactose portion has been removed. It is easier for babies to digest. Dr. Sears says that lactose-free formulas use corn syrup or table sugar to replace the lactose, yet all of the additional ingredients are the same as cow's-milk formulas.
