Well, I did try the Weston A. Price formula, and there were some transitional tummy troubles as we slowly replaced the CRAP organic commercial formula with this wholesome, real breast milk substitute (though NOTHING can truly replace it, but if you don't have it...). Now she's been on it fully for over 3 weeks and she is thriving, growing, seems to love it. I love that it is so full of healthy fats. I make it up daily now, I gave the ingredients a shelf in my kitchen (except for the ingreds that are in the fridge), and I can whip it up in 15 minutes flat now, no need to look at the recipe any more because I have it memorized. I take everything out and do my "mise en place" on the counter, and put each item away as I use it.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2010/09/video-homemade-milk-based-baby-formula/
I ended up taking out the nutritional yeast which greatly improved baby's digestion, and substituted 1/4 adult dose of liquid B complex. Also, what prevents constipation is to add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp either organic blackstrap molasses OR grade B maple syrup from a good farm (not generic or store brand) to baby's 4 oz bottles. She hated the molasses and I also read that there is a teeny chance of botulism from it as from raw honey, but the maple syrup is heated enough to prevent botulism, so she gets 1/2 tsp in each bottle and now poops 1-2x daily, and it's wetter than before. Her poops have become more like breast milk poops lately. I guess she finally is getting fully adjusted in her digestive tract. She's 9 weeks old.
Anyway, breast is best, but commercial formula is SUCKY! The organic brand I used, which is identical (the SAME actually) as Costco's organic, Earth's Best, and the Vermont something one, was filled with corn syrup, soy, and msg. They all are. And even if you can afford banked breast milk, it is pasturized (heated) as well as you have NO IDEA what the donor was eating. McDonalds? Wheat? GMO crap?
I wanted to post this so that people know that in desperation there is a Next Best. Since she was already digesting the commercial cow's milk formula pretty well, we decided to go with the raw cow's milk formula. All Sprouts stores carry Organic Pastures raw milk, and is it ever fresh!! I make the whey from it, and it takes forever to sour it on the counter, even on hot days, because it is so fresh! But they have a goat's milk formula too for those who can't take cow's, as well as a fully nondairy one from meat sources. Seems weird but babies thrive on that one too, especially if they can't tolerate any dairy at all.
I consider commercial formula to be "packaged junk food." It was killing this paleo organic family to feed our newborn that stuff. There IS an alternative. (Traveling will be hard, but we won't do that much of it her first year.) Hugs to everyone out there searching for a substitute when you can't breast feed.
