For mothers who choose not to breastfeed, or who are unable to do so, baby formula is the next best option. While studies show that breastfeeding is best, baby formula is an acceptable substitute for babies up until the age of one. Once he turns one you can start giving your baby whole milk.

But when new parents walk down the aisle of their local supermarket they're often shocked at all the different brands and varieties to choose from. How do you know which one is best for your baby?

Brands. The big three baby milk formula brands are Similac, Enfamil, and Nestle Good Start. Depending on where you shop, you'll also find various store brands, many of which are cheaper.

Some people, of course, feel that store brands don't stack up to the major brands. When it comes to baby milk formula, store brand formula contains all the necessary nutrients as the major brands. That's because in 1980 Congress passed the Infant Formula Act which required that all manufacturers of baby formula milk ensure their formulas contained all essential nutrients for a baby's first year.

What are some of these brands? Many stores you might shop at sell America’s Store Brand Infant Formulas manufactured by PBM Nutritionals and distributed by PBM Products. The label may look different, but inside they're basically the same, and comparable to the name brands. The brands include:

--Baby Basics sold at Acme, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons and Sav-on

--Comforts Infant Formulas sold at City Market, Kroger, King Soopers and Dillons

--Eckard Infant Formulas sold at Eckard

--Good Sense Infant Formula sold at Good Sense

--Hill Country Fare Infant Formulas sold at H-E-B

--Home Best Infant Formulas sold at bigg's, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Shop 'N Save, SFW Shoppers

--Kozy Kids Infant Formulas sold at Quixtar

--Meijer Infant Formulas sold at Meijer

--Parent's Choice Infant Formulas sold at Wal-Mart

--Perfect Choice Infant Formula sold at Baker's, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, QFC, Ralph's and Smith's

--Target Infant Formulas sold at Target

--Top Care Infant Formulas sold at Piggly Wiggly, Giant Eagle, Topco, HyVee, Furr's and Food City

--Walgreens Infant Formulas sold at Walgreens

--Wegmans Infant Formulas sold at Wegmans

--Western Family Infant Formulas sold at Western Family



Now, within many brands you'll see all sorts of variations like 'Soy-Based', 'Lactose Free', and 'Low-Iron' (may not be available in store brands). Some have even stranger names like 'Nutramigen' and 'Isomil DF'. Standard infant formula is perfect for most babies, but some require a special type.

You should always ask your pediatrician which type baby formula milk to use. For example, your baby needs lots of iron, so giving her 'Low-Iron' formula could hurt her development. And Isomil DF is designed for babies with diarrhea and should not be given to babies with constipation.

You'll also have to choose which form of baby formula to use. There are three options (all may not be available in store brands):

Ready to Feed Liquid (RTF) This is the simplest and most convenient type of infant formula. Just open the bottle or can and pour it into a baby bottle. They're good to keep for road trips, and they come in handy when you leave the little one with a babysitter because there is no preparation involved. They're good to go right from the can.

Concentrated Liquid These usually come in big cans and you have to add water to the concentrate before feeding it to your baby. Follow the directions on the can to make sure you mix the correct amounts.

Powdered Formula With powdered formula you use a scoop to measure the right amount of formula and then add water. It takes a bit longer to prepare, but experienced parents can still make a bottle in seconds.

If you choose to use concentrated liquid or powdered baby milk formula, be sure to follow the directions on the can carefully. Too little formula will not give your baby enough nutrients to grow, and too much can give him digestive problems.

Synonyms:  Aby, abby, bbaby, bby, bbay, baaby, bay, bayb, babby, bab, and babyy are typos and mispellings for the word, "baby."  Ormula, ofrmula, fformula, frmula, fromula, foormula, fomula, fomrula, forrmula, forula, forumla, formmula, formla, formlua, formuula, formua, formual, formulla, formul, and formulaa are typos and mispells for "formula."  Nfamil, nEfamil, EEnfamil, Efamil, Efnamil, Ennfamil, Enamil, Enafmil, Enffamil, Enfmil, Enfmail, Enfaamil, Enfail, Enfaiml, Enfammil, Enfaml, Enfamli, Enfamiil, Enfami, and Enfamill are typos for "Enfamil."