5 best dairy free baby formulas
If you’re in the market for the best dairy-free formula, you’ve come to the right place.
The Tell Me Baby community has rated the best baby formulas they’ve tried and shared their opinions on what has or hasn’t worked for them.
Based on their baby formula reviews, we’ve put together a list of the best dairy-free formulas. (Read our baby formula comparisons to find the top-rated products.)
Before we dive into which formula products parents recommend, it’s a good idea to understand the reasons why some babies can react to cow’s milk.
If you are concerned that your baby or toddler may have a food allergy or intolerance, you should take your baby or toddler to see your GP.
Parents should also avoid switching baby formulas unless advised by their doctor, child health nurse, or dietician.
Lactose intolerance or cow’s milk allergy?
If your baby is reacting to cow’s milk formula, it could be for two reasons: lactose intolerance or a milk allergy.
Lactose intolerance is when your child is unable to digest lactose, which is the sugar in milk.
A milk allergy is when the body reacts to the protein in milk.
Additionally, Pregnancy Birth & Baby says, “An allergy usually involves other parts of the body as well as the stomach, and may cause symptoms such as a skin rash or swelling of the face.”
If you think your child has either one of these intolerances, your GP will be able to run some tests to confirm.
Milk allergy
Milk allergies are very common in young children. If your child has a confirmed allergy to milk, your doctor may recommend removing dairy products completely from your child’s diet – including goat’s milk. Read our best formulas for babies with allergies article.
Pregnancy Birth & Baby says, “If your baby is formula-fed, you can use soy protein formula (unless they are also allergic to soy), extensively hydrolysed formula (EHF) or amino acid-based formula (AAF).
“Do not use formula made from cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep milk, HA, A2 milk or lactose-free.
“If your child is over the age of one, they can be given soy milk, calcium-enriched rice, and oat or nut milks. It is important to make sure they are getting enough calcium.”
Lactose intolerance
Babies with a diagnosed lactose intolerance may need lactose-free baby formula after seeing a doctor.
The Raising Children Network says that some lactose intolerance symptoms “are common in healthy breastfed infants.”
Additionally, the website says “most babies with lactose intolerance can still be breastfed. And if your baby is formula-fed, you can change to a low-lactose or lactose-free infant formula.” Read our article on best lactose-free formulas.
For more information about how to choose the right formula for your baby, read our ultimate guide to newborn formula.
Best Dairy Free Formula
Under the WHO Code, the information presented here is free from advertising and is based on unbiased opinions from parents.
1. Karicare+ Soy Milk Formula
Karicare+ Soy Milk Formula provides an alternative for babies who can’t drink cow’s milk formula. It is based on soy protein and is free from cow’s milk protein, lactose, and sucrose.
While soy is an alternate protein to choose from. However, some babies who are allergic to cow’s milk are also allergic to soy.
Parents in the Tell Me Baby community say this formula is affordable and readily available. Some say the smell is awful, but their baby drinks it without any issues.
Read Karicare+ Soy Milk Formula reviews.
2. Nestlé Alfamino Infant Formula
Nestlé Alfamino® is a PBS listed amino acid based infant formula suitable for infants with a severe cow’s milk protein allergy, eosinophilic oesophagitis or food intolerance.
At the time of publishing this article, there was only one review for this product – but it was glowing.
Read Nestlé Alfamino Infant Formula reviews.
3. Nestlé Alfaré Infant Formula
A PBS listed extensively hydrolysed 100% whey protein infant formula, Nestlé Alfaré Infant Formula is for babies with mild or moderate cow’s milk protein allergy.
Read Nestlé Alfaré Infant Formula reviews.
4. Novalac Allergy
Novalac Allergy is a rice-based, premium infant formula designed for babies with a confirmed cow’s milk protein allergy.
As one happy parent wrote in their review, “Best Dairy-Free Formula! but it’s too hard to find!”
Read Novalac Allergy reviews.
5. Nutricia Neocate Gold
Nutricia Neocate Gold For the dietary management of cow milk allergy, multiple food protein intolerances, and other conditions where an elemental diet is recommended.
At the time of writing this article, Nutricia Neocate Gold had one review from a very happy parent: “My youngest reacted to all other types of formulas and all other amino acid/allergy formulas. She can’t have dairy or soy and reacted to the corn syrup in other allergy formulas. She took to this straight away…”
