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Why would you choose a homemade formula?

As mentioned in this post, after trying to breastfeed for 14 weeks without success, the healthiest formula I discovered was the Homemade Goat Milk Formula by Mt. Capra, which is from a pesticide-free, antibiotic-free, non-GMO, and grass fed goat farm in Washington. I value how much information and support is provided by this company about the formula, including a nutrient database, blog, FAQ page, the story behind the development of this recipe, and the way their milk and lactose are gently converted to powdered form.

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to commercial formula - without scouring health food stores for ingredients like acerola powder, cod liver oil, yeast flakes and raw, unpasteurized milk - this goat milk formula may be right for you and your baby. It is not in a processed, ready-to-mix powder form, but it also does not call for raw milk or an overly involved mixing process like traditional homemade formula.

The recipe uses 6 ingredients + 4 once-a-day ingredients (like vitamin packets), which are added to your baby’s bottle. For our first time, we ordered the starter kit so I could feel confident about doing it correctly. This is what I would recommend if you want to try the goat milk formula for your baby. It comes with 100% goat milk powder, 100% goat milk lactose, 100% goat milk ghee, high oleic sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and unsulphured blackstrap molasses. You can see the nutrient profile of each ingredient here and what makes each a healthy choice!

The great news is that if it turns out not to be a good option - for example, your baby has allergies to lactose (about 1-2% of infants) or goat milk protein (which is much less common than with cow milk protein) - then you can still use every ingredient for other family foods. Ghee is a healthy alternative to butter; sunflower and grapeseed oils can be used for cooking or baking; molasses can substitute sugar or be used as a natural laxative; and the goat milk powder can be used in shakes and smoothies.

At first, we were only supplementing with this goat milk formula. I exclusively pumped breast milk for about 5 months hoping we would be able to breastfeed eventually. As my milk supply waned (it was already so low to begin with) and my son became more mobile, I stopped pumping and began feeding him the goat milk formula only. To save time and money, I ordered in bulk (10-pound bags of milk and lactose powders vs. 1-pound containers), which last about 3 months.

The cost was about $0.13 per ounce, which is terrific compared to commercial formulas (cost comparison for formulas here)! Additionally, this company is committed to quality whole foods. The customer service team is quick to respond to questions and consistently educated about the information they are feeding you.

I wish we could sit down over coffee so you could know what a cynic I am! It’s important to say because I have been so impressed with this company and how amazing this formula was for my son. I was skeptical when a friend said the words “homemade formula” to me, but now I’m grateful that she led me to this option. As a mom who wanted to breastfeed but couldn’t, I wanted the next best option for my baby.

Preparation

For preparation, I would recommend:

• A large mixing bowl (preferably glass) with a spout

• A set of metal measuring spoons

• Glass measuring cup

• Metal or coated whisk

• The recipe card from Mt. Capra

If you don’t already pre-make your formula in batches, I hope this comes as good news to you. Because this goat milk formula uses whole food ingredients, it can be fully prepared and last longer than commercial formula! In the FAQs on Mt. Capra’s website, they recommend an ideal refrigeration life of 2 days, 3 days maximum. To be safe, I always made enough goat milk formula for 2 days and never, ever had an issue with spoilage. So, I was only preparing formula every 48 hours! Once I started making formula ahead of time rather than mixing for each bottle, it saved a lot of time and mess.

The recipe card comes in the Homemade Goat Milk Formula Starter Kit and is divided into categories based on how much you want to make - 8oz, 1 pint, 1 quart, and 1 gallon. From the time my son was 5 months old, I made 2 quarts (64oz) at a time to last the next 2 days. Once the water was ready, the whole process took less than 10 minutes!

step 1: water

Pour the amount of water you will need into a saucepan. Heat the water to boiling, and let it boil for 2-3 minutes. (Note: You do not have to boil the water unless baby has health issues, but it is a safe practice - and we may as well since the water needs to be hot for mixing!) The absolute healthiest water option is reverse osmosis or a similar filtered water since boiling does not kill some types of germs. Let the water cool enough for mixing, generally about the temperature of hot tea with a little steam coming off.

Step 2: mixing

1. Pour HALF the amount of water you will need for the entire recipe into your mixing bowl. For example, if you are making 32oz, then pour 16oz of hot water to start.

2. Following the recipe card/chart, add ghee to the 16 oz. of water. So, add 2 tsp of ghee for 32oz.

3. After the ghee has melted, add goat milk powder. For 32oz, add 4 scoops of goat milk powder.

4. Add lactose powder. For 32oz, add 4 TBSP of lactose powder.

5. Add high oleic sunflower oil. 1 tsp for 32oz.

6. Add grapeseed oil. 1/2 tsp for 32oz.

7. Lastly, add unsulphured blackstrap molasses. 1/2 tsp for 32 oz.

8. Mix all ingredients together with whisk until they are thoroughly mixed and there are no milk powder clumps.

9. Once everything is mixed well, add more hot water to the desired level.

   *This part is easier than it sounds. Remember how we still have that other 16oz of hot water sitting off to the side? You won’t add that full 16oz to your mixed formula - that would be too much water. Instead you will add water until you reach the desired level. The ingredients take up some of the space! In other words, if you are making 32oz, you will now add water to your mixed formula until you get to 32oz. Typically, when you finish mixing 16oz of hot water + all your ingredients, you get 20oz total. Now, you’re just going to add 12oz more water until you reach 32oz. (The amount of water to add at the end will depend on how many total ounces you are making.)

Step 3: storage

You can store the formula in baby bottles that you will be using, that way you can just pop them out of the fridge into the warmer. Or you can store in large glass jugs, glass Mason jars, or glass water bottles. One day, my husband brought home a 64oz jug of fancy organic cow milk for himself (he has a cereal craze). The jug was made of glass, so as soon he cleaned it out, I used it for storing formula. If you store in jars, just shake before pouring into a bottle to make sure the ghee is mixed in well and not settled on the top. If you use plastic bottles, check the recommendations for temperature maximums.

step 4: Once-a-day Ingredients

The final and quickest step before giving baby their bottle? Add your once-a-day ingredients! Since there are 4 ingredients - vitamins, probiotics, colostrum, and DHA drops - I added 2 ingredients each to the first 2 bottles of the day.

Traveling

If you’re going on a trip and trying to plan how to make the formula, here are some helpful tips:

• Make sure wherever you are going will have a bowl for mixing, measuring spoons, and a measuring cup. If not, take these along with you.

• For packing, measure each ingredient based on what you will need and store in separate containers.

• Bring a cooler of ice or cold storage backpack if you will be in the car for a while or on a long flight. Prepared formula needs to be kept at normal refrigeration temp, which is typically around 35-38 degrees F, if out longer than an hour.

• Another option (for example, when flying) is to bring a thermos of hot water and add ingredients right before giving to baby. Measure the amounts you will need. Store your dry ingredients (milk and lactose powders) in the baby bottle you will be using. Bring the ghee, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and blackstrap molasses in a sealed container. Add the hot water to the dry ingredients in the bottle, then add the liquid ingredients from the container. Shake really well and double-check temp before serving.

final thoughts

• You can make substitutions for some ingredients, but do your research and check with your pediatrician. I didn’t substitute since this comes as a complete recipe and has worked for many families (read testimonials here), but some moms really prefer raw milk to powder, coconut oil to ghee, etc.

• From my research and comparisons, I can tell that Mt. Capra has chosen quality, premium ingredients for the formula. However, you can purchase some ingredients elsewhere to save money. Sometimes I purchased high oleic sunflower oil from the grocery store rather than reordering through Mt. Capra. The Rainbow Light vitamins are food-based vitamins, which is surprisingly not the case for many vitamin brands! But since these come as individual packets, they tend to be less affordable than other options. If you want to use different vitamins, choose some that are comparable. You can find infant vitamin and mineral requirements here.

• Doing the recipe imperfectly one night when you are a walking zombie will not ruin your baby. Even breast milk changes composition from day to day. But it is crucial to do this recipe correctly. If there is an issue of confidence or self-trust, switch to a ready-to-mix formula. There is no reason to cause anxiety for yourself! Healthy mama, healthy baby.

If you have any questions, please email Jennifer at momswithoutmilk@gmail.com anytime!

Disclaimer: I am not a spokesperson or associate of Mt. Capra. However, I do earn a small commission on any purchase via my referral. The funds help me keep this website up and running and fund weekly ice cream dates with my buddy. Nonetheless, I would share this formula with you anyway - and leave it totally up to you to decide whether or not it is right for your baby!