First-Time Mom

Disclaimer: The information or products provided on this website is for general purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Never rely on the information on this website in place of seeking professional advice. You are encouraged to consult with your pediatrician with regard to the needs of your baby.

Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby. In fact, according to Unicef, at 6 months of age, breastmilk continues to be a vital source of your baby's nutrition and by this time solid foods should be gradually introduced to keep up with her growing needs.

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While not all mothers can continue breastfeeding due to health issues or personal preferences, they look for the best formula milk having the nutrients close to mother's milk to ensure their baby's healthy development.

But with the variety of options today, it's hard to choose which formula fits your growing baby.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

what’s best for your baby’s needs
what will your baby accept
what fits into your budget

Things to Know Before Choosing a Formula

Types of Baby Formula

The first thing parents need to consider before buying a formula is what the base ingredient can be. Here are some of the common ingredients used as a base for baby formula.

Cow’s Milk: Most babies' formula is made with cow's milk. It is the most common and the least expensive one. Most babies do well with cow's milk but some babies are allergic to it which needs some types of milk below.

Soy Milk: If you want to exclude animal proteins from your child's diet, this type of formula might be also an option for your baby. Consult first a pediatrician, before choosing or switching to this type of formula.

Lactose-Free: It is used for babies that are lactose intolerant or have allergy issues.

Hydrolyzed baby formula. Also called protein hydrolysate–based formula or predigested formula, these formulas contain broken-down (or “predigested”) amino acids, making them easier for the baby to digest.

Read: Best Vitamins for Babies Up to 12 Months Old

Read: List of Best Formula Milk for 1-3 Years Old Baby

List of Best Formula Milk for 6-12 Months

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.

1. NAN® OptiPro® Two Infant Formula For 6-12 Months

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔Follow-on formula. The age-optimized protein source (whey dominant) is from cow's milk.

✔It contains DHA (omega 3) and AA (omega 6) for proper brain development

✔Specilly designed your baby receives balance and high-quality nutrition from 6 months of age.

✔It contains probiotics to aid in digestion

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with milk, fish, and soy allergies

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2. HIPP Organic Milk for 6 -12 Months

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔Organic

✔Free from chemical synthetic pesticides or insecticides

✔Growth-Hormones Free

✔Free from antibiotics

✔Gluten-free

✔Non-GMO

✔No artificial colors and flavors

✔Soy-Free

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with cow's milk allergies

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3. Enfamil A+ Two NuraPro for 6-12 Months

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔It has DHA and ARA for healthy brain development.

✔It contains 2’-FL (HMO) to support a baby’s immune system.

✔Inspired by breastmilk

✔It contains essential Vitamins (13) and Minerals (18) to provide complete nutrition for your baby

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with cow's milk allergies

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4. Similac TummiCare HW One for 0-12 Months

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔A unique vegetable fat blend with no palm oil, and is GMO-free.

✔100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein broken down into smaller pieces for easy digestion

✔DHA & AA that are the building blocks of the brain and eye development

✔Hypoallergenic

✔Lactose-Free

✔Gentle on baby's tummy

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with cow's milk allergies

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5. S-26 Two For 6-12 Months

Available at Shopee and Lazada

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔It contains oligofructose (dietary fiber) that promotes gut health and supports the digestive function of a baby

✔It contains DHA (omega 3) and AA (omega 6) for proper brain development

✔ It contains 40% whey and 60% casein which is closer to mother's milk

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with milk allergies

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6. Similac Gain Two for 6-12 Months

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

✔Advance follow-up milk formula with DHA, AA, phospholipids, GOS, lutein, taurine, and choline.

✔It has dietary fiber for healthy digestion

✔ It contains Nucleotides that are essential to normal cell function and replication

✔Similac® now comes with HMO, an important immune-nourishing ingredient that is essential in protecting a child’s gut and beyond

✔10 Key Brain Nutrients with Eye-Q Plus like DHA, AA, Omega 6, Taurine, Choline, Iron, Zinc, Vitamins B1 B2, and B3 help support a child’s overall cognitive development

❌Cons

✔Not for babies with milk allergies.

Congratulations, your child has already survived his first year of life and you are probably thinking to wean your child from formula or from the breast because he is already taking solid foods. However, not all toddlers are the same. Some parents are blessed to have toddlers with good eating habits while a struggle for parents whose toddlers are picky eaters.

According to studies, the toddler years are the most exciting and critical time in your child's development. During this time, toddlers begin to explore their environment, learn through active play, and interact with others. So it is essential to provide the nutrients that they need to further develop their skills involving cognitive, physical, and psychosocial.

Therefore, giving solid foods alone is not enough as most toddlers during this stage are picky eaters. So it is still important to continue breastfeeding or supplement them with the right toddler formula if moms cannot breastfeed due to some issues, to provide their children adequate nutrition that they need to ensure healthy growth and development.

So choosing the right growing-up milk for your toddler is very crucial. Some parents assume that when milk is expensive, it is the best formula for their child. It is wise to not only know the price but carefully check the nutrition facts especially if there are high sugar content, allergen ingredients, and some synthetic chemicals that may harm your child's health.

Below, I listed down the best formula milk to help you choose the suitable milk for your toddlers. Take note that the products listed are for informational purposes only. I suggest that you consult a pediatrician before trying any formula.

List of Best Formula Milk for 1-3 Years Old

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.

1. Nan Optipro Three for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk
Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros
·       It contains 2'-FL (2'-Fucosyllactose), complemented with iron and zinc that help support the natural defenses

·       It has OPTIPRO H.A. - a unique blend of whey proteins that are partially hydrolyzed to make it easy to digest and gentle to the baby’s tummy

·       DHA & ARA for brain and eyes development

·       No added sucrose (sugar)

·       It is a scientifically formulated hypoallergenic (H.A.) growing up milk

·       It contains BIFIDUS BL Probiotics to help maintain a healthy digestive system
❌Cons
·       If your child has already a declared allergy to cow's milk protein, do not use NAN OPTIPRO H.A. 3 without consulting the doctor.

·       More expensive than the other brands.

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2. Enfagrow A+ Three Nura Pro for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

· It contains Beta-Glucan—for stronger immunity.

· It has galactooligosaccharides (GOS)—the prebiotics found in Enfagrow — are dietary fibers that become food for the good bacteria in your child's tummy ensuring the balance of the digestive system

· It contains the highest levels of DHA for brain and eyes development

· With 2-FL, that helps to protect against infection.

❌Cons

· Not suitable for children with allergies in cow’s milk and soy

· Pricey

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3. Similac TummiCare HW Two for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

Pre-digested proteins which are broken down to ease digestion
Hypoallergenic and Lactose-free
No Palm Oil which means an excellent calcium absorption for strong bones
With Eye-Q Nutrition system, a unique combination of DHA, Lutein, and Vit E for overall mental and vision development
Gentle on children’s tummy
Free of chemicals and GMO’s

❌Cons

Not suitable for children with allergies in cow's milk.
Pricey

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4. Hipp Organic Stage 3 for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

Organic
Free from chemical synthetic pesticides or insecticides
Growth-Hormones Free
Free from artificial sugars
Free from antibiotics
Gluten-free
Non-GMO
No artificial colors and flavors
Soy Free

❌Cons

Not suitable for children with allergies to cow's milk.
Pricey

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5. S-26 Promil Gold 3 for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the Price and Customer Reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

Contains oligofructose – a soluble dietary fiber that stimulates an increase of the beneficial bifidobacteria for a healthy digestive health
Contains ARA and DHA for brain and eyes development
Has specialized ingredients such as DHA, Lutein, Choline, Sphingomyelin to nurture your child’s ingenious mind
It has Alpha-lactalbumin – a high quality protein that helps in tissue building ang growth
It contains complete essential nutrients to support your children's overall development.

❌Cons

Not suitable for children with allergies to cow's milk.
Pricey

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6. Bonakid Stage 3 for 1-3 Years Old

Check at Shopee or Lazada for the price and customer reviews

👉Quick Facts:

Type: Cow's Milk

Style: Powder Concentrate

👉Pros

It contains essential nutrients for your growing-up babies such as nucleotides, biotin, lutein, calcium, vitamin C, zinc, folic acid, iron, and other essential nutrients.
A source of zinc and selenium to support normal immune functions.
Reasonably priced

❌Cons