Homemade Baby Formula recipes

 Dr. Mary Enig developed an alternative to commercial baby food formula. It is preferable to commercial formulas (with their rancid oils and denatured ingredients) and is full of highly nutritious ingredients.

Formula ingredients for homemade raw milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow’s milk, but leaner in casein (milk protein). The addition of gelatin to the formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

 For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com. If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with kefir to restore enzymes.

Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folate and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folate is essential. To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat’s milk, add 2 teaspoons organic raw chicken liver, frozen for 14 days, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.

A step-by-step recipe on page 602 of “Nourishing Traditions”. You can purchase most of these items at Radiant Life.

*Makes 36 ounces

2 cups of whole fat raw milk, from Pasture-fed cows or goats
¼ cup of home made liquid whey
4 tablespoons of Lactose
¼ teaspoon Bifidobacterium infantis
2 tablespoons of good quality cream (can be pasteurized but NOT ultra pasteurized, or UHT)
½ teaspoon of high vitamin cod liver oil 
½ teaspoon of high vitamin butter oil
1 teaspoon of unrefined sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of coconut oil
2 teaspoons of Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons of gelatin
1 7/8 cups of filtered water
¼ teaspoon of acerola powder

Put 2 cups filtered water into a pyrex measuring pitcher and remove 2 tablespoons (that will give you 1-7/8 cups water).
Pour about half of the water into a pan and place on a medium flame.
Add the gelatin and lactose to the pan and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.
When the gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove from heat and add the remaining water to cool the mixture.
Stir in the coconut oil and optional high-vitamin butter oil and stir until melted.
Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients into a blender.
Add the water mixture and blend about three seconds.
Place in glass bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate.
Before giving to baby, warm bottles by placing in hot water or a bottle warmer. NEVER warm bottles in a microwave oven.

This video is one in a series of instructional videos from Weston A. Price Foundation on Vimeo.

Meyenberg powdered goat milk has a longer shelf-life due to being powdered, but Meyenberg fortifies their milk with folic acid and Vitamin D, specifically because it's often used for toddlers. This recipe is for making individual bottles right before a feeding.

8 oz. water at body-temperature
2 scoops (28 g)  powdered goat milk
1/2 tsp nutritional yeast (for the B vitamins and folic acid)
1 tsp brown rice syrup (for the carbohydrates)
2 tsp blackstrap molassas (for the iron)
1/2 tsp cod liver oil (once a day)
Vitamin D drops – amount according to brand (once a day)

Place all ingredients in a bottle and shake vigorously to combine. You can also use a small mason jar or pre-mix enough for 2-3 bottles in a blender.

For the first few days of using the formula, use half the recommended amount of powdered milk and slowly work up to the full amount, especially if your baby hasn't started eating solid food.

For babies with a milk allergy: Our liver-based formula also mimics the nutrient profile of mother’s milk. It is extremely important to include coconut oil in this formula as it is the only ingredient that provides the special medium-chain saturated fats found in mother’s milk. As with the milk-based formula, all oils should be truly expeller-expressed.

3-3/4 cups homemade beef or chicken broth
2 ounces organic liver, cut into small pieces
5 tablespoons lactose
1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis
1/4 cup homemade liquid whey 
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin fermented cod liver
1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon acerola powder

Simmer liver gently in broth until the meat is cooked through.
Liquefy using a handheld blender or in a food processor.
When the liver broth has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients.
Store in a very clean glass or stainless steel container.
To serve, stir formula well and pour 6 to 8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle.
Attach a clean nipple and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)