Every new mom has high hopes of breastfeeding their infant. We know that breast milk is best for our little ones and as moms we desire to provide what is best. I personally breastfed my boy for three years on a restrictive diet due to all of his food allergies. However, supplementing with this homemade infant formula when he had trouble eating solids was a turning point for our son to gain much needed weight.
Before you try an alterative infant formula, I encourage you to check all breastfeeding resources available to you. It is possible to breastfeed a baby with multiple food allergies when the mom eliminates all allergens from her diet. There are also natural methods you can use to increase milk supply. Two helpful resources are KellyMom.com and Ellen Fisher’s e-book “Breastfeeding”.
Who is this Homemade Infant Formula for?
There are multiple infant formulas on the market, but your baby may not tolerate any of them or you may wish to find a healthier alternative. This homemade infant formula may be just what you’re looking for. It is especially designed for:
- Infants whose moms cannot produce enough breast milk or need to abruptly stop breastfeeding due to a medical procedure.
- Infants with multiple food allergies and mom has a hard time adjusting her diet to continue breastfeeding.
- Infants who struggle to gain weight with breast milk alone.
- Toddlers who, due to health conditions, struggle to eat solid food and depend on formula for nutrition.
I can say with confidence that this formula will be adequate for babies starting at 6 months of age. However, I know of mothers with babies as young as four months old who have exclusively used this formula successfully. Use your own judgment when considering your child’s condition to establish if this formula is a good option for you. My son was two-and-a-half years old when we began supplementing with this formula. He barely ate solid food and this was his main source of nutrition for a year. At one point, he drank 28 oz of this homemade formula a day. Read more about his story here.
The Issues with Store-Bought Formula
Why go through the struggle of making a homemade formula? Why not simplify life and use regular, store-bought formula? After all, it has gone through extensive testing and approval to be certified as baby formula. Let’s take a closer look:
Dairy-based formula
The most commonly prescribed infant formula is dairy-based. There’s a good reason for this. Dairy is high in lactose, a good source of sugar and calories. Dairy also has plenty of fat that babies need to develop. The problem? Many babies, if not most, cannot tolerate dairy. It causes reflux, diarrhea, constipation, eczema, and asthma. Even if an infant may appear to tolerate dairy at first, they may be at a higher risk of developing these symptoms and diseases later.
Standard dairy-based formula is also filled with unhealthy oils such as palm oil, soy oil, and high oleic sunflower oil. Most of these formulas use nonfat milk, which is more processed and requires these refined oils be added. A health-conscious adult would not eat these oils on a regular basis, so why feed them to an infant?
Lastly, dairy formulas lack healthy, living bacteria and nutrients to feed the healthy bacteria. It is well established that a healthy microbiome is vital to health. Good, balanced microbiota live in living plant organisms. Additionally, it is essential to create a gut environment that will grow good bacteria. Some formulas may add probiotics. However, it is important to note that there are many different types of bacteria in our natural environment, but only a few are used in high amount in probiotics. This in itself can cause dysbiosis – an imbalance of the gut microbiota. It is best to trust the microbiome naturally occurring in food and nature.
Soy-based formula
The first alternative formulas prescribed to babies with a dairy allergy or sensitivity are soy-based formulas.
I am a strict vegetarian; I believe in a plant-based diet from infancy. However, I would rather give my child a dairy-based formula than a store-bought, soy formula.
The first ingredient in soy formula is either corn-syrup or brown rice syrup. According to their labels, 54% of the ingredients in soy formula come from these unhealthy sugars.  I don’t think I need to go into detail about why this is horrifying. Again, no health-conscious adult would ever eat a diet based on 54% corn-syrup or brown rice syrup. How are we feeding this to infants?
Yes, breastmilk is around 50% sugar, but we cannot compare natural breastmilk sugars to processed corn-syrup or brown-rice syrup.
The ingredients that follow are refined vegetable oils (26%): palm oil, soy oil, coconut oil, and high oleic sunflower oils. So far, 80% of the ingredients don’t sound healthy or nutritious. Then we have the soy protein isolate and added vitamins and minerals.
And as with dairy-based formulas, soy formulas also do not provide healthy bacteria for a strong gut microbiome.
Elemental formula
When a child is allergic to dairy and soy, an elemental formula is prescribed. It is thought that the protein in foods is what causes an allergic response. For this reason, elemental formulas contain broken-down proteins, amino-acids, to make them easier to digest and not cause an allergic reaction.
EleCare and Neocate are the most commonly used formulas for infants with multiple food allergies. Similar to soy formula, elemental formulas contain as the main ingredients: corn-syrup (55%) and refined vegetable oil (24%: comprising palm oil, coconut oil, high oleic sunflower oil, and canola oil or soy oil).
For older children, Neocate Splash is available. The main ingredient here is actually water (85%), followed by maltodextrin (6%), sugar (5%), and refined vegetable oil (high oleic sunflower oil, palm oil, coconut oil, and canola oil). At first sight this looks like a better option, and I think it is. However, maltodextrin is associated with worsening irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and increasing bad gut bacteria.
Sugars increase bad gut bacteria and these formulas don’t provide any healthy, living bacteria. Most infants and toddlers who have multiple food allergies already have an unhealthy microbiome, autoimmune conditions, and digestive issues. These formulas make the root cause of their disease even worse, making it harder to heal.
My son reacted to all these formulas with vomiting or diarrhea. He did best with Neocate Splash, but at the end it caused him diarrhea as well. Read about how we made the switch to this homemade infant formula here.
Allergy-Friendly Alternative Infant Formula
The homemade infant formula I want to share is plant-based, meaning it has no animal products. It is soy-free, nut-free, corn-free, and gluten-free. Yet, it is very nutritious. (Read the notes at the end for alternative ingredients.)
Fats
Infants and toddlers need more fat than adults to help develop their fast-growing brains. This homemade infant formula provides most of its calories from fats through coconut milk and flax seed oil.
Carbohydrates
Sprouted quinoa and buckwheat are the main source of sugars and carbohydrates in this formula. Coconut also provides a good amount of it.
Protein
For protein, this formula uses one of the most easily digestible legumes – sprouted mung beans.
Importance of Sprouting
Infants have a sensitive digestive track that has not been fully developed yet. Breastmilk provides easy-to-digest nutrition that is hard to find in solid foods. Toddlers with health conditions also have a sensitive digestive system which requires special consideration.
Sprouting the quinoa, buckwheat, and mung beans greatly increases their nutritional content and makes these foods easier to digest. Do not skip this step!
Especially if you are dealing with a baby or a chronically-ill toddler, you want to make sure these foods are sprouted. However, do not use sprouts raw! They can be filled with bad bacteria and hard to digest.
Soak the quinoa, buckwheat, and mung beans overnight and let them sprout in a strainer for two days (wash twice a day). Cook the quinoa and buckwheat in water for about 20 to 30 minutes and cook mung beans for 1 hour.
Important Nutritional Notes
Omega 3 is crucial for the development of healthy babies. For this reason, the formula includes 1 tablespoon of flax seed oil. However, flax seed oil can go rancid very fast and it can not be heated. A better option is ground flax seed. When your child is around seven-month- old, you can start mixing ground flax seed with baby food. Our favorite way is in smoothies or with avocado. Start with ½ teaspoon and increase the amount slowly as they grow. At around two-years-old, use 2 teaspoons.
Vitamin B12 is a bacteria needed for healthy brain development and it is not available in plant-based food. You will need to find a good, healthy supplement. We use Global Healing Center B-12. Just a few drops under the tongue once a week will be enough for infants and toddlers. Another great way to get vitamin B12 and other healthy bacteria is to play in the dirt! Take your children to nature or garden with them. Let them get dirty playing in the soil. This is not a reliable method of getting B12, but it has multiple health benefits.
Vitamin D is a hormone essential for the immune system and our overall health. Although Vitamin D is not found in plant foods, we can get it from the sun! Take your infant or toddler out into the sunshine daily, without sunscreen. Let their skin soak in as much sunrays as possible without getting burnt. In the winter, however, you may want to consider supplementing with vitamin D. We use this vitamin D supplement.
Homemade Infant Formula Recipe
Finally, onto the homemade infant formula recipe. Our son LOVES this formula. It tastes very good—in my opinion, much better tasting than any store-bought formula.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups coconut water (12 oz)
- 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk (8 oz)
- ½ cup mung beans (sprouted and cooked)
- ÂĽ cup quinoa (sprouted and cooked)
- ÂĽ cup buckwheat (sprouted and cooked)
- 1 tbsp flax seed oil (optional if child eats ground flax seeds)
- 2 dates (optional to sweeten)
Instructions:
Put all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth (about 3 minutes). Strain using a fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate in a glass container for up to 3 days. This recipe will make 26 oz.
Notes
- You can substitute the coconut water and milk with 1-2 fresh young coconuts (water and meat depending on size). This will avoid the possible toxins found in the can lining. However, we have always used canned coconut milk.
- Make sure the coconut water and coconut milk you buy don’t have any other added ingredients like sugar or preservatives (Guar Gum is ok). It may be hard to find pure coconut milk, but get the best you can. We buy ours at Trader Joe’s.
- Substitutes in case of allergy:
- if your child reacts to mung beans, try sprouted red lentils or sprouted split peas
- if your child reacts to quinoa, try using a pseudo grain called Kaniwa or double the portion of buckwheat
- if your child reacts to buckwheat, try using Kaniwa or double the portion of quinoa
- The dates are really not needed in the recipe but we did use them when we transitioned from regular formula that is very sweet. While our son adjusted to a sugar-free formula, we used 6 dates. Then, we slowly reduced the amount of dates. Now, we don’t use any dates.
- Pro tip: sprout and cook the quinoa, buckwheat, and mung beans in bulk. Then, freeze them in bags to always have at hand. I made this milk daily for over a year. It can get tiring at times but having the ingredients ready to use in the freezer was of huge help.
20 replies on “Homemade Infant and Toddler Formula”
Bom dia. Amei sua historia e esta receita . Meu filho tem 12 anos e gostaria de retirar muitos alimentos que geram alergias nele, que são os derivados de leite. Como posso usar esse leite nutricional em sua dieta diária?
This milk is very thick and high calorie. Around 30 calories an once. It is designed to help you gain weight and get as much nutrition as possible in one cup. A 12 year old may not need as many calories if his weight is normal and eats well. Children and adults who eat a well balanced plant-based diet do not need any milk for nutrition. However, if you are looking for a substitute, you can easily reduce the calories in this recipe by using less coconut milk. Use 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup water instead of 1 cup coconut milk. You can also try making this milk using only quinoa and mung beans. If you want an even “lighter” milk, you can just blend some water with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. You can also make fresh coconut milk, using a mature coconut and water. It is delicious but this will take more time.
That’s an interesting recipe. Did somebody recommended or did you created it? Thank you for sharing this recipe and your story! I read it all. You’re a strong an blessed mom. May God keep blessing your family 🙏🏻
Mercy from Years Restored, the person who guided us in Lucas’ healing, helped us come up with it. Along the way, we made some changes as we learned.
Hi my baby has severe eczema and a dairy intolerance. I want to put him on this formula. Do you think if I make a big batch I could freeze just like you would breast milk in the little bags? And also any other tips you would give with this formula since you said you mad some adjustments as you went. Thank you in advance.
Hi Alena, I’m sorry your baby is struggling with eczema, it is so hard! Yes, you can freeze this milk. My sister in law does that for her little one. My son drank so much of it that I never had enough to freeze although we did when we traveled. The recipe I share here is the final one we came up with 🙂 some adjustments you may want to consider is using lentils or split peas instead of mung beans. Adding or leaving out the dates and flaxseed oil according to your child’s needs.
Hi, the canned coconut milk I found has polysorbate 60 in it. Is that alright?
Unfortunately, it is better to stay away from polysorbate 60 as it is toxic. I would not give to a baby. They put it in coconut milk for the fat and liquid to combine and not separate. Keep searching for other coconut milk. Some add guar gum, this would be ok.
Hi so interesting article. My daughter has problem with lactose. So, she is on special formula. She is skinny girl and so hard to give her food. She is super pick.
I can try your recipe but I am not sure about coconut milk as I have an intolerance to coconut. Can I substitute the coconut milk to a different milk?
She is on almond milk now.
Hi Patricia, the coconut milk in this recipe is hard to replace. This is the main source of calories and fat in the formula. But if your daughter is ok with almonds, she is most likely ok with coconut. An alternative to try instead of coconut would be to use soaked pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. It depends on whether you want this milk to supply her complete nutrition or just have a healthy milk option.
How long do you think this formula be out in room temp since it doesn’t have dairy?
I have left it out up to an hour. I have also reheated it. This formula won’t be as sensitive as dairy but it can definitely go bad. You will be able to tell by the smell when it is bad. It smells horrible when it has spoiled.
Another source of protein if avoiding legumes?
I would first explore all legume options and experiment with soaking and sprouting. When you sprout legumes you reduce anti-nutrients and they become much easier to digest. Yellow lentils, split peas, and mung beans are the legumes that are easiest to digest and least likely to cause problems. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are other sources of protein but these are actually more likely to cause digestive issues or an allergic response. It’d be also important to know if the infant/toddler is eating any solids and what their diet is to determine how to best supplement their diet with an alternative homemade formula.
Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely be implementing this on my little one who has Ezcema. I watched your testimony yesterday on the Med Missionary site and it was awesome! Praise God for His leading in your life and that powerful testimony. I wanted to ask if you have heard of the Almond Cow. I recently purchased one, and it is a lot less time involved. I just thought that I would share. God bless you and continue to be faithful.
I am happy to hear that our testimony was a blessing to you!
I have heard of Almond cow and it’s definitely less work. However, it will not work as a meal replacement because my understanding is that it takes much of the fiber away. The idea of this formula is for it to be complete nutrition for a baby or toddler struggling to get all the nutrition they need through breastmilk and solids.
Can we try this first only using quinoa to make sure of no reactions? She’s eats it that’s why I want to start there. Would you change any of the other measurements? If my daughter does well I want to add buckwheat in the next Bach. She’s a highly allergic kid so I want to be slow with introductions. Thank you!
Of course! Great plan. I would do 3x the amount of quinoa in the beginning. Then, I would do 2x quinoa and 1/2 cup mung beans. And finally, try the buckwheat to make the full recipe. Make sure to soak and sprout each one as it really improves digestion.
Do I buy dried mung beans? I am having trouble finding them…or do they have to be fresh?
I buy dry Mung Beans and sprout myself 🙂 much cheaper too!