Top 10 Best Organic Milk Baby Formulas in 2021 (Pediatrician-Reviewed)

Dr. Regina Hardin is a pediatrician and the founder of MyKidzMD Pediatrics. She enjoys spending her day caring for newborns and helping parents handle their most common pediatric concerns. You can learn more about Dr. Hardin's work on her Instagram page @mykidz_pediatrics or at her website listed above!

When it comes to her career, Dr. Hardin says, "Parents are often afraid of routine newborn care for fear of hurting the baby or possibly doing something wrong. My mission is to empower parents with education and by giving them the tools to keep children healthy, happy, and thriving."

Here's a list of the top 10 best organic milk baby formulas that are recommended on Amazon and Walmart. Hopefully, you'll find the right product for your baby here!

*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Dr. Regina Hardin.

When choosing an organic baby milk formula, you should pay attention to factors such as the formula type and organic certification. Check to see if the product is free of harmful and unnecessary ingredients as well since you probably just want your baby to get the most nutritious, healthy stuff! 

There are various types of milk-based formulas such as lactose-free, lactose-reduced, or hydrolyzed. Based on your baby's needs, you should choose a suitable type accordingly! 

Dairy-based formula (or milk-based formula) is currently the most prevalent type on the market. It is made from cow's milk that has been treated to resemble human breastmilk. The reason why cow's milk has to be altered is simple: it contains a high concentration of protein and minerals that can stress a newborn's immature organs. 

Therefore, a dairy-based formula contains a balanced amount of nutrients for your baby and is easy to digest. However, some babies are allergic to the proteins in cow's milk and might need other kinds of formula. 

Lactose is a type of sugar that exists naturally in dairy products. Unfortunately, some babies are lactose-intolerant and suffer from symptoms such as diarrhea or gassiness.

Therefore, they might need lactose-free formulas that contain vegetable sugar (like corn starch syrup) instead of lactose. Keep in mind that lactose-free and lactose-reduced formulas are still made from cow's milk. 

For babies with gassiness, colic, or any other digestive discomfort issues, you might need partially hydrolyzed formulas that contain milk proteins that have been broken into smaller parts to help babies digest better. However, this type of formula is not suitable for those with an allergy to cow's milk.

Baby formulas often come in three forms: powder, concentrated liquid, and ready-to-feed. Powdered formula is the most inexpensive type and just needs to be mixed with water. It also has the longest shelf-life. However, you need to be careful and make sure that all the powder is dissolved. 

A concentrated liquid formula also needs to be mixed with water. Although it's more expensive than the powdered type, concentrated liquid formulas can dilute faster than powdered formula. 

There is also the ready-to-feed formula. It's already mixed in and does not require any dilution, making ready-to-feed formula a convenient option especially for travel. However, it might be a bit expensive.

No matter what kind of formula you use, make sure to follow the instructions in terms of storage or the time of usage in order to ensure the quality of the formula. Some require you to store them in the fridge after opening, and some products should only be consumed within one hour.

By choosing organic formulas, you already exclude ingredients that might be contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones, or other harmful chemicals. However, organic alone doesn't necessarily mean the formula is completely safe. There might be some controversial ingredients snuck into your organic formula, so be aware! 

Some organic formulas contain palm oil and palm olein which are used to help the formula achieve the same palmitic acid level as breastmilk. However, studies have indicated that palm oil and palm olein can hinder the absorption of calcium and fat. 

Carrageenan is another common additive in infant formulas. It comes from seaweed and helps thicken and preserve liquid formula. However, various animal studies have shown that carrageenan may trigger intestinal inflammation and colon tumors. 

Organic formulas might also contain synthetic preservatives such as beta carotene and ascorbic palmitate which help prevent ingredients like DHA or ARA oils from oxidation. However, keep in mind that those synthetic ingredients are not legally approved, and do not contribute any nutritional value to the development of the baby.

Formulas tend to be enriched with various nutrients such as DHA or probiotics to ensure the well-being of your baby. However, take caution when choosing an enhanced formula product, since not all of the nutrients actually support the health of your baby. 

Many organic formulas are enhanced with DHA and ARA to help with your baby's brain and eyesight development.

Nonetheless, it's still not clear whether or not the addition of DHA and ARA in formulas is actually beneficial to babies. Some studies state that DHA and ARA supplemented formulas reduce the risk of respiratory or skin issues in babies, but some find no real benefits.

The way DHA and ARA are manufactured has also raised many questions. They are extracted with hexane, a petroleum-refining byproduct that can be toxic. Although formula manufacturers claim that hexane evaporates during the production process and poses no issue, it might cause some health problems such as gastrointestinal upset. 

For babies who only rely on formula-feeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests an iron-fortified formula as a means to help them obtain all the essential nutrients. 

If your baby is already using an iron-fortified formula, you don't have to use any other supplements. Still, it's best to consult with a doctor to make sure that your baby needs an iron-fortified formula. 

Some formulas are enriched with prebiotics or probiotics, the healthy bacteria that reside in the intestines. For babies who suffer from diarrhea or other digestive issues, probiotic and prebiotic infant formulas might provide them with some relief. 

But keep in mind that to actually generate any benefit, each serving must include more than 100 million live cultures.

Additionally, it's not necessary to complement breastfeeding with a probiotic formula, since breastmilk is already a rich source of probiotics. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that products are only certified organic if they're grown on soil with no harmful substances such as fertilizers or pesticides. The products should also contain no artificial flavors, colors, growth hormones, or additives. 

Additionally, every single phase of the production process, including processing, handling, and storage, has to comply with the guidelines established by a certification body like the USDA.

So when you're choosing an organic product, look for one that bears a registered organic trademark like "USDA Certified Organic". Don't just choose a product that's labeled "organic" by the manufacturer, since it might not contain 100% organic ingredients or be manufactured in strictly supervised conditions. 

Baby formula is easy to use, but you should still be careful when preparing and storing the formula in order to ensure the quality of the formula, as well as the well-being of your baby. 

Before doing anything, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and ensure that all of the utensils that you need to prepare the formula, including bottles, nipples, or spoons, are clean.

If your water is chlorinated, you can wash the utensils with hot water and detergent. For non-chlorinated water, the APA suggests putting the utensils in boiling water for five to 10 minutes. 

Another must is to follow the manufacturer's instruction when preparing the formula. In particular, you should use the exact amount of water as suggested in the instructions.

Don't try to estimate or eyeball the amounts, since diluted formula might cause water intoxication or malnutrition. Meanwhile, too little water might stress the baby's digestive system, causing dehydration.

Heating the formula in a microwave might form hot spots, so it's better to warm the bottle in a container filled with warm instead.

Before serving, test to see if the formula is just lukewarm (the perfect temperature for your baby). Keep in mind that room temperature or cold formulas are fine as well. 

It's important to check the instructions for storage as well. For powdered formula, many brands recommend using refrigerated bottles within 24 hours of preparation. Meanwhile, for liquid concentrated or ready-to-feed products, the time can go up to 48 hours.

Make sure not to leave formula out for over two hours. You shouldn't use leftover formula for later use since your baby's saliva might cause bacteria to grow. So toss it out, then clean and sanitize the bottle for later use. 

It's not advised to store formula in the freezer. Formula already prepared in a bottle can be put in the refrigerator for about two days. You should also pay attention to the expiration dates to ensure that the formula is still safe to use. 

If you're wondering how to prepare your baby's formula, Dr. Hardin has some input. Check out a commonly-asked question about baby formula below. 

Dr. Hardin says, "The best way to warm baby formula is to use a bottle warmer or let it sit in a bowl of warm water. You can also run warm water over the bottle. 

Please test the temperature on the back of your hand to make sure it's not too hot. Microwaving is not advised as it heats unevenly which may result in hot spots."

If you need some options to help you take better care of your baby, check out our suggestions! 

Since the foods that a baby consumes directly influences their health, many parents want to make sure that the baby formula they choose contains no chemicals or any other unnecessary ingredients like corn syrup or maltodextrin. 

Keep in mind that there are various types of milk formula such as whole milk, lactose-free, or hydrolyzed, so choose one that is safe and easy for your baby to consume. 

Author: Thuy Nguyen

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