5 Teething Symptoms In Babies And How To Treat Them

Babies are born with all 20 primary teeth underneath the gumline. They normally begin to come through between 6 and 12 months, but teething symptoms typically start between four and seven months. The full set of baby teeth is usually in place by age 3. However, the timeline of your baby’s teething is no indication of his or her health.

As exciting as it is when your baby’s teeth come in, it can also mean a particularly fussy infant and long, sleepless nights for you. Today we will discuss everything you need to know about teething, teething symptoms, how to comfort your baby and more.

What Is Teething?

Teething is the exciting process of an infant’s first teeth emerging, typically in pairs, through the gums. The mandibular central incisors are the first primary teeth to emerge, usually between the age of 6 and 10 months. The tooth eruption process can take several years to complete. When teeth emerge hormones are released into the body which causes some cells in the gums to die and separate, leaving room for the teeth to emerge. This is process is commonly referred to as “cutting teeth,” although the gums are not actually cut during this process.

Expect the following to occur during teething:

  • Two lower central incisors will appear at approximately 6 months
  • Two upper central incisors will appear at approximately 8 months
  • Two upper lateral incisors at approximately 10 months
  • Two lower lateral incisors at approximately 10 months
  • Four first molars at approximately 14 months
  • Four canines at approximately 18 months
  • Four-second molars at approximately 2-3 years

How To Care For New Teeth

Hopefully, you have been running a soft infant toothbrush or a clean, damp washcloth over your baby’s gums every day. This cleansing keeps bacteria from building up in your baby’s mouth. When your baby’s teeth first appear, use a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a bit of fluoride toothpaste at most the size of a grain of rice. At about two or three years old, when your child learns how to spit, use a dollop the size of a pea.

When your baby starts teething, at about six months old, it is time to think about regular dental checkups. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association recommend scheduling a child’s first dental appointment between the time the first tooth appears and his or her first birthday. Regular childhood dental wellness checkups help set the stage for a lifetime of healthy gums and teeth.

What Are The Five Main Teething Symptoms To Look for?

Mother and a baby

The five main teething symptoms to look for are:

  • Drooling
  • Chewing on objects
  • Irritability or crankiness
  • Sore or tender gums
  • Low-grade rectal fever of 99F or 37.2C

Normal teething symptoms are fussiness, trouble sleeping, irritability, loss of appetite and drooling more than usual. Abnormal symptoms which may warrant a call to the pediatrician are fever, diarrhea, and rash.

If your baby is pulling his or her ears and rubbing the chin and cheeks, the teething process is around the corner. By pulling and rubbing, babies massage their jaw, countering the pressure of the teeth trying to erupt and easing some of the throbbing pain. If she is between 3 months and 3 years old and her sleeping patterns change, it may be due to teething discomfort. This causes babies to nap less and wake up earlier in the morning.

How Do You Treat Teething Symptoms?

While it is miserable to watch your baby suffer, you can ease their pain. If your teething baby is communicating discomfort, there are a few things you can do to comfort your baby. Usually, teething can be handled at home. You only need to contact the pediatrician if your baby develops a fever, seems unusually uncomfortable or has other signs and symptoms of an illness unrelated to the teething.

Mother and a baby

Use a moistened gauze pad, cool spoon or a clean finger to rub your baby’s gums. The pressure can ease the pain and discomfort. Cold washcloths and chilled teething rings can also soothe your baby’s gums, but do not freeze the teething ring. Teething rings, fingers and other objects in the mouth will produce saliva. Keep a clean cloth nearby to dry your baby’s chin to prevent skin irritation as excessive drooling is all part of the process. You may also apply a moisturizer such as a water-based lotion or cream.

Look for solid rubber teethers for your child to chew on as liquid-filled or plastic teething rings could break and pose a choking risk. Avoid metal bracelets as these can lead to lead poisoning and possibly death. Seek medical care immediately if your child experiences any of the following serious symptoms:

  • Skin flushing
  • Lethargy
  • Seizures
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Muscle weakness
  • Constipation
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Agitation
  • Excessive sleepiness

If your baby is eating solid foods, offer something edible up to gnaw on such as a baby carrot or peeled cucumber. Keep a close watch out for choking, though, as any piece that breaks off poses a choking hazard. If your baby is not eating solid foods, try applesauce, pureed fruits or yogurt.

Medications

If your baby is especially fussy, try an over-the-counter remedy that is safe for babies. Try a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen, sometimes sold as Advil, Children’s Motrin and others. Otherwise, try acetaminophen, often sold under the brand name Tylenol. The Food and Drug Administration recommends against parents and caregivers offering babies benzocaine products for children under two years of age. They provide little to no benefits for treating oral pain including sore gums in infants caused by teething.

Teething Products

The FDA also urges parents to not use homeopathic teething tablets. Lab testing discovered inconsistent levels of a toxic substance known as belladonna in some homeopathic teething tablets. In some cases, these far exceeded the amount claimed on the label. There is no current proof of health benefits from these risky, unsafe products. On the other hand, they are known to cause methemoglobinemia which greatly reduces the amount of oxygen carried through the bloodstream.

Amber teething necklaces use the baby’s body heat to trigger a natural anti-inflammatory, succinic acid. Remove the necklace any time you turn your back from your baby, especially before bed, to prevent choking. Wrap it around the wrist or ankle if you want her to wear it as she sleeps. You can also get a silicone teething necklace for yourself, so your baby can fiddle with in while sitting on your lap or in a baby carrier.

Herbal Remedies

Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to ease teething pain. Make herbs into a tea and use it to dampen a washcloth before freezing. Give the tea to your baby as a beverage or rub it directly on the gums. The tea can be made by steeping one teaspoon of herbs in 10 ounces of boiled water for 6-7 minutes.

Herbal infusions can be made by placing your herbs in a small saucepan and covering with olive oil. Simmer on low for four to six hours, strain and store in the refrigerator. Dab the oil onto your baby’s gums as needed to relieve symptoms.

Some herbs that have proven useful:

  • Rosehip – Rosehip tea is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants which are great for boosting the immune system. This reduces the risk of gum infections and anti-inflammatory properties reduce pain.
  • Chamomile – Chamomile is used to relax your baby and soothe irritability. It makes a wonderful tea and is a popular remedy for teething pain.
  • Catnip – Catnip is proven to calm your irritable baby and help her rest.
  • Clove – Clove has natural anesthetic properties and works as well as benzocaine, a synthetic numbing agent, without the associated potentially lethal risk.

Conclusion

Teething is an exciting time. Your baby’s teeth begin to erupt from the gums. Think about scheduling a dental appointment after your baby’s teeth start coming in. With a little knowledge, you can relieve any teething symptoms your baby is having and can sleep peacefully through the night. Change in appetite and sleeping habits, fussiness, excessive drool, chewing on objects and sore or tender gums are common. Keep an eye out for a rash, diarrhea or fever of 100.4 degrees or more. This can be a sign of an infection and you should call your pediatrician.

A change in eating habits can indicate gum pain, so massage the gums with gentle pressure and a clean finger or moist gauze pad. If this is ineffective, you can try child-safe over-the-counter medications. Keep the gums cool and dry any drool to prevent skin irritation, but do not expose your baby’s gums to the cold for too long.

Avoid numbing gels such as benzocaine for children under 2 years old, homeopathic teething tablets and some necklaces which can pose a choking hazard. Try feeding your baby cold foods such as peeled cucumbers or carrots if they are eating solid food. If not, pureed fruits, yogurt, and applesauce are good options.

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10 Best Prenatal Vitamins: Pros & Cons Of The Supplement

Using the best prenatal vitamins you can find is an important consideration for mothers to be. It is a commonly known fact that a woman’s nutritional needs differ once they become pregnant. Eating a healthy diet rich in nutrients will always be your best bet for ensuring the health of your body and your baby, but it's challenging to meet all of your daily nutrition requirements with food along. This is why many doctors highly recommend taking a prenatal vitamin each day for expecting mothers throughout their pregnancy, and even while breastfeeding.

In this article we’ll be covering the benefits you can get by using one of the best prenatal vitamins, covering a few of the user reviews to let you know what people who use the top prenatal supplements think, and comparing these products to find the best prenatal vitamins for your needs, preferences, and budget.

Product FAQs

1

What Is A Prenatal Vitamin?

A prenatal vitamin is a supplement that gets taken each day by women who are pregnant, those trying to become pregnant, and breastfeeding mothers. The supplement usually comes in the form of a tablet that can get taken with food each morning and leaves no taste behind. They are simple to take and a great insurance policy for preventing nutritional deficiencies.

2

What Does A Prenatal Vitamin Do?

The purpose of using the best prenatal vitamins you can find is to avoid a deficiency of vitamins, minerals, and other essential micronutrients. Many women are shocked to find their nutritional needs have changed after becoming pregnant and have a hard time using food to fill the gaps. Sometimes, women can have a lot of trouble keeping certain foods down, while others have intense cravings that make it hard for them to eat the most nutritious food intuitively.

3

How Do Prenatal Vitamins Work?

The best prenatal vitamins will provide your body with the essential vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients which are hard to get out of your diet. These deficiencies have to become severe to inhibit the development of the baby, but the mother's health and wellness can quickly get impacted with nutritional deficiencies.

4

Where Can You Buy Prenatal Vitamins?

One convenient thing about using prenatal vitamins is that you can purchase these supplements at a wide variety of locations. Some people will buy their prenatal vitamins at supplement stores such as GNC, but the costs in money and time when going to these stores can be higher than online retailers such as Amazon. 

How We Reviewed

We reviewed the best prenatal vitamins in this article with the following criteria in mind; Pros & Cons of the supplement, the ingredient included in the supplement, the availability of the supplement and the cost associated with the supplement. We’ve done our best to balance these factors and recommend only the top ten best prenatal vitamins available to consumers.

What We Reviewed

  • Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vegetarian Multivitamin
  • Zahler Prenatal DHA
  • New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins
  • Rainbow Light - Prenatal Petite Mini-Tab Multivitamin
  • MegaFood - Baby & Me
  • Nature Made Prenatal + DHA 200 mg Multivitamin Softgels
  • The Honest Company Whole-Food Based Prenatal
  • SmartyPants Prenatal Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins
  • Nordic Naturals - Prenatal DHA
  • Twinlab Pre-Natal Care Multi-Vitamin Capsules

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Product Overview


Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vegetarian Multivitamin has some thoughtful additions such as a probiotic that aids digestion, ginger, vitamin D, and zinc. The supplement has all the folate a pregnant or nursing woman could need, and a wide selection of vitamins including a B vitamin complex, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Pros

  • Made from raw whole foods
  • Works well for both pregnancy and breastfeedinNo binders or fillers

Cons

  • Can upset your stomach if taken on an empty stomach
  • High iron content can cause constipation

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Product Overview


Zahler Prenatal DHA is a complete solution for those looking to cover all their bases when pregnant or breastfeeding. This supplement features over 25 various vitamins and nutrients and 300 mg of DHA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Zahler manufactures this product in the United States and comes from a trusted brand in the supplement industry.


Pros

  • A generous dose of folate and vitamin D
  • Gentle on your stomach
  • No artificial dyes or additives

Cons

  • Black spots can occur on the vitamins, they are not harmful but don’t look pleasing
  • Lacking a proper dose of manganese

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Product Overview


New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins is formulated with no added sugars and has plenty of folates to help your baby develop properly. The ingredients of this vitamin are from whole food fermented sources that feature a high ability to get digested, so they are gentle on your stomach. This is the first product to get manufactured with certified all organic ingredients like kale, broccoli, cauliflower and much more.

Pros

  • Fermented ingredient make digestion of supplement easy
  • Certified organic whole food ingredients
  • A generous dose of vitamin D and vitamin A

Cons

  • Doesn’t include DHA in the formula
  • Higher initial cost than many competitors
  • Uses synthetic B12

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Product Overview


Rainbow Light - Prenatal Petite Mini-Tab Multivitamin is a conveniently sized tablet that's easy to swallow and features an effective blend of nutrients to support your growing baby. At 800 mg of folate, and a special digestive support blend this is a good choice for those with stomach issues when taking multivitamins.

Pros

  • Battery powered
  • Features digestive support blend uses ginger to soothe your stomach
  • Sustainable packaging uses 100% recycled materials
  • Small size makes them easy to swallow

Cons

  • A low dose of vitamin D
  • Has an unpleasant aftertaste
  • Tablets have a rough exterior and can stick to your tongue

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Product Overview


MegaFood - Baby & Me features all natural ingredients that help support strength, balance your mood and prevent nausea during your pregnancy. You can take the formula on an empty stomach due to its gentle ingredients and high digestibility. It takes 4 tablets to get the advertised dosages, but the tablets are relatively small and easy to swallow.

Pros

  • Made with whole food ingredients
  • Digest easily even on an empty stomach

Cons

  • Takes 4 capsules to get the effective advertised dosages
  • Has an unpleasant taste
  • Doesn’t include DHA


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Product Overview


Nature Made Prenatal + DHA 200 mg Multivitamin Softgels comes from a trusted brand in the supplement industry, and this formula is a complete solution for those wanting to maintain their health during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The addition of DHA prevents you from having to buy another supplement to get all the ingredients you need. With 800 mg of folic acid, many thoughtful additions, this is a solid choice for one of the best prenatal vitamins.

Pros

  • High dose of folic acid
  • Includes DHA Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Very affordable option

Cons

  • Can taste fishy to some people
  • A larger pill can be hard to swallow


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Product Overview


The Honest Company Whole-Food Based Prenatal is a great option who are looking for a whole food based prenatal vitamin from a brand that offers a high amount of transparency and has a mission to change the world one product at a time. This prenatal vitamin features all the usual ingredients like folic acid and vitamin D but also includes digestive enzymes to help support a healthy digestive system.

Pros

  • Gentle on the stomach
  • Made from whole food ingredients
  • Trusted brand in the supplement industry

Cons

  • Doesn’t include DHA
  • More expensive than other options on this list
  • A high amount of iron can cause constipation


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Product Overview


SmartyPants Prenatal Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins are great for those who have trouble swallowing tablets, or just never remember to take their vitamins consistently. The best supplement is the one you will take each day, so it may be a good option to reward yourself with a tasty treat every time you need to take your vitamins.

Pros

  • Works great for those who have trouble swallowing pills
  • Great tasting gummies make taking vitamins easy
  • Generous doses of folate and vitamin D

Cons

  • 7 grams of sugar per serving is high
  • Take 6 gummies to get advertised dosages
  • More expensive than other options

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Product Overview


Nordic Naturals - Prenatal DHA would be a great addition to some other formulas on this list that lack the addition of DHA. These omegas-3 fatty acids are vital to proper development, so it's important to take a supplement like this if your existing product doesn’t include them.

Pros

  • A generous dose of DHA at 480 mg
  • Also includes 205 mg of EPA Omega-3 fatty acids

Cons

  • Lacks the variety of other ingredients needed for a complete prenatal supplement
  • Expensive when compared to other DHA supplements

 Twinlab Pre-Natal Care Multi-Vitamin Capsules


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Product Overview


Twinlab Pre-Natal Care Multi-Vitamin Capsules comes from a trusted name in the supplement industry. This prenatal vitamin is an affordable solution for those looking for a good value for each serving. The formula lacks DHA and has a low dose of vitamin D, but, you could afford to take other supplements to fill in the gaps.

Pros

  • Helps with healthy hair and nail growth
  • Easy on the stomach

Cons

  • A low dose of vitamin D
  • Doesn’t include DHA omega-3 fatty acids

Comparison Table

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The Verdict

If you're looking for a supplement that's easy to take with an enjoyable texture and taste, a gummy vitamin is a great option for you. The SmartyPants Prenatal Complete Daily Gummy Vitamins could be a good fit if you don’t mind eating 6 gummies each day and getting 7 grams of sugar with each serving.


If you’re looking for an affordable option that has the highest amount of servings in a bottle, Nature Made Prenatal + DHA 200 mg Multivitamin Softgels would be a good fit. 


In conclusion, you can easily incorporate any of the best prenatal vitamins on this list into your healthy lifestyle. These supplements will help you maintain your nutritional fortitude needed to keep your body healthy throughout your pregnancy. Finding the best prenatal vitamins for your body will not only prevent you from experiencing nutritional deficiencies but also help keep you as healthy as possible as you experience this new and exciting adventure of motherhood.

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10 Best Formulas for Newborns in 2018

When you have a new baby at home, finding the best formula for newborns quickly becomes a priority. While many moms receive a lot of free formula samples to welcome their newborn home, these are not always the best option for both mama and baby.

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10 Best Baby Formula Brands: Best Nutrition For Your Little One

The nutrition of your baby is one of the most important factors in allowing them to develop properly and give them the best possible start to life. While many doctors suggest breastfeeding your baby, there are many situations where mothers and babies experience difficulties regarding milk production or the latching process, and selecting the best baby formula is an absolute necessity.


Thankfully there are some great formula options for nourishing your infant, but choosing the best baby formula for your infant can be a difficult choice with the overwhelming number of options on the market today. Doing a small amount of research on the topic can help you make an informed decision regarding which product is the best baby formula for your situation.


In this article, we’ll be exploring the top 10 best baby formula options to help you find a formula that will fit your needs and your budget while offering the best nutrition for your little one.

Product FAQs

1

What Is Baby Formula?

Baby formula is a food product that is specifically designed to help nourish infants. Scientists have taken special care to create formulas that address the unique nutritional needs of infants to ensure the formula offers the most bioavailable nutrients and addresses any vitamin or mineral deficiencies before they occur. Baby formula technology has come a long way over the years, and current formulas offer more variety and choice than ever before for infants with sensitivities to certain ingredients.

2

How Do I Select The Best Baby Formula?

The vast majority of baby formula products are designed to offer the right balance of macronutrients and micronutrients for your growing infant, but the ingredients that each formula uses could be different from each other. This means that paying special attention to food sensitivities like lactose intolerance or other negative effects from certain formulas is especially important. Some babies can use a wide variety of formulas and thrive on all of them, while other infants with multiple food sensitivities or digestive issues require thoughtful selection to ensure that the formula doesn’t bloat the baby or create allergic reactions.

3

How Can I Tell Which Ingredients My Infant Is Sensitive / Allergic To?

Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to know what ingredient the infant will be sensitive to before giving them a particular formula. This is where a watchful eye and an attentive approach will help you greatly in determining the best baby formula for your child. You might choose to use one formula for a few days while observing their reaction to the formula. If you notice any change in your infant's digestive process, consider switching formulas.


It could be advised to only use one formula at a time to make sure if there are any adverse reactions, you can know immediately which product is the cause of the reaction. Many formulas are designed to be hypoallergenic so risk of serious issues is low, but it’s not uncommon for the baby to experience gas or bloating when the ingredients in their formula are not digesting well.

4

Where Can You Buy The Best Baby Formula?

A great advantage of using baby formula is that you can purchase many brands at your local grocery market across the country. The high availability of these products means a meal is never too far away for your baby. If you can plan ahead, though, buying your baby formula at an online retailer such as Amazon can be a great way to access brands not stocked by your local stores. You may also save a considerable amount of money on some products.

How We Reviewed

We reviewed the baby formulas in this article with the following criteria in mind; Pros & Cons of the formula, the palatability of the drink, the availability of the product in stores and online, and the health benefits associated with the product’s ingredients. We’ve done our best to balance these factors and recommend only the top ten best baby formula options available to parents.

What We Reviewed

  • Enfamil Infant Formula
  • Gerber Good Start Gentle Powder Infant Formula
  • DSS Similac Expert Care NeoSure Ready to Feed
  • Similac Pro-Sensitive
  • Earth’s Best Organic
  • Kirkland Signature
  • Gerber Good Start Soy
  • Baby’s Only Organic Dairy with DHA & ARA Formula
  • Enfamil Reguline Milk-Based Powder
  • Vermont Organics TM Milk Based Organic Formula

Enfamil Infant Formula

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Pros

  • One of the top brands on the market
  • Includes DHA and choline
  • Non-GMO ingredient list
  • Good value when looking at ounce to dollar ratio

Cons

  • Can foam and hold on to air bubbles if shaken vigorously
  • Large amount in package makes trying the product more expensive

Gerber Good Start Gentle Powder Infant Formula

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Pros

  • Gentle on sensitive stomachs
  • Includes DHA plus prebiotic and probiotic ingredients
  • Non-GMO ingredients

Cons

  • Clumps easily and can be harder to mix
  • Expensive when compared to other options

DSS Similac Expert Care NeoSure Ready to Feed

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Pros

  • Convenient ready to free bottle
  • Includes vitamin E, lutein, and DHA
  • Can get stored at room temperature until opened

Cons

  • More expensive than powdered options
  • Nipples get sold separately and needed for each bottle
  • Needs to get refrigerated once opened

Similac Pro-Sensitive

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Pros

  • Gentle for babies with digestive issues
  • Safe for lactose-sensitive babies
  • Helps eliminate gas and bloating

Cons

  • Can get foamy if shaken
  • Contains corn syrup as the first ingredient

Earth’s Best Organic

No products found.

Pros

  • High-quality ingredients
  • Uses organic glucose rather than sucrose like many other products
  • All organic ingredient list

Cons

  • Not a good choice for lactose-sensitive babies
  • Can get foamy which leads to more spit ups

Kirkland Signature

No products found.

Pros

  • No corn syrup in the formula
  • Non-GMO with prebiotic included

Cons

  • Not as widely available in all chain stores
  • Not a good option for lactose-sensitive babies

Gerber Good Start Soy

No products found.

Pros

  • Good alternative for milk-sensitive babies
  • Fortified with DHA essential fatty acids
  • Non-GMO ingredients

Cons

  • Can be hard to dissolve well
  • Some babies are sensitive to soy products

Baby’s Only Organic Dairy with DHA & ARA Formula

No products found.

Pros

  • No corn in the ingredient list
  • Organic ingredients
  • Good for babies over 1 year old

Cons

  • May not be a good option for babies sensitive to egg yolks
  • Not the best option for under 12 months

Enfamil Reguline Milk-Based Powder

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Pros

  • Easy to digest proteins for sensitive stomachs
  • Helps relieve painful to pass hard stools
  • A generous dose of DHA for brain development

Cons

  • Contains corn syrup
  • Some babies didn’t enjoy the taste of the formula

Vermont Organics TM Milk Based Organic Formula

No products found.

Pros

  • All organic ingredient list
  • Free of antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides

Cons

  • Not a good option for lactose sensitive babies
  • Container can easily come open allowing product to spill

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The Verdict

Happy mother and baby

Using one of the best baby formula options we have reviewed in this list can be a great way for parents to ensure they are properly nourishing their little one. The risk of nutritional deficiencies need not concern you once you have chosen a great formula for your child. Many of the best baby formulas work well for most babies, but depending on your budget and the unique needs of your child, we could see you choosing a few options over other products in this list.


If you’re not burdened by a limited budget and you want a formula that uses all organic ingredients, the Vermont Organics Milk Based Organic Formula would be a great option. It may not work for those babies with lactose sensitivities, but if that’s not your child, consider this product. The ingredient list is high-quality and free of harmful pesticides.


If you’re looking for an option that would work well for lactose-sensitive babies, Gerber Good Start Soy would a worth trying out. Many babies experience gas or bloating with milk sugars or even milk proteins, so switching to soy could help their digestion profoundly.


We hope the research compiled in this list can help you determine which option is the best baby formula for your child’s needs.

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10 Best Baby Thermometers in 2018

Having a sick child is never fun for any parent, but your anxiety can seriously spike if your little one starts running a fever. Having the best baby thermometer can help you decide between a dose of cold medicine and a trip to the ER. To help give you peace of mind while your child is under the weather, here’s a list of the 10 best baby thermometers.

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