Published: May 19, 2022 | Updated: May 19, 2025
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
“We recommend that babies are either formula fed or breastfed until age 6 months. Shortly before 6 months, babies who are meeting developmental milestones can have their formula supplemented with purees, cereal and other solid foods to help the formula last,” said Heather M. Felton, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Germantown.
Most cow’s milk-based formulas are interchangeable, according to Dr. Felton.
Be wary of recipes for making your own formula. Baby formula is made with specific nutrients and vitamins with the calories babies need. That’s one reason why you shouldn’t feed your baby regular milk or dilute the baby formula.
Donor breast milk may be an option; moms who’ve recently stopped breastfeeding may be able to resume lactating. After four months or so of bottle feeding, a mother may not be able to lactate.
Help is available for new mothers who want to breastfeed.
Resources include:
The following alternatives to Similac baby formulas were provided by the state of Connecticut and reviewed by Dr. Felton.
| Always My Baby Advantage HMO | Good Start Gentle | Parent’s Choice Infant Non-GMO | Tippy Toes Infant |
| CVS Health Advantage HMO | Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro Infant | Similac 360 Total Care | Up & Up Advantage Infant |
| Enfamil NeuroPro Infant | Good Start Gentle Supreme A2 | Similac Pro-Advance | Up & Up Infant |
| Enfamil Infant | Parent’s Choice Advantage HMO and Non-GMO | Tippy Toes Advantage Premium | Well Beginnings Advantage HMO |
| Always My Baby Gentle | Enfamil Gentlease | Parent’s Choice Gentle | Tippy Toes Gentle |
| CVS Health Complete Comfort | Enfamil NeuroPro Gentlease | Similac Pro-Total Comfort | Up & Up Gentle Non-GMO |
| Enfamil Reguline | Gerber Good Start Soothepro | Parent’s Choice Complete Comfort | Up & Up Complete Comfort |
| Always My Baby Sensitivity Premium | Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive | Parent’s Choice Sensitivity Non-GMO | Up & Up Sensitivity |
| CVS Health Sensitivity | Similac Pro-Sensitive | Tippy Toes Sensitivity Premium | Well Beginnings Sensitivity Non-GMO |
| Enfamil NeuroPro Sensitive Powder | Parent’s Choice Sensitivity HMO | Up & Up Sensitivity Non-GMO |
| Parent’s Choice AR Powder | Up & Up Added Rice Starch | Enfamil AR |
| Enfamil Prosobee | Parent’s Choice Soy Baby Formula | Well Beginnings Soy | Gerber Good Start Soy | Up & Up Infant Formula Soy |