How to Transition to Sprout Organic Formula
Like all parents, we know that the health and wellness of our little ones always come first. Having a baby on the way is one of the most exciting and unnerving of times; it’s a duality that is felt by all parents-to-be as we prepare for the most joyful, loving and life-changing experiences that we get to experience! One decision that all parents face is how to feed their children in order to give them the best nutrition possible to fuel their development and grow up happy and healthy. But no matter how thorough our preparation for our bubs’ feeding journey may be, sometimes things don’t work out so smoothly. The unexpected CAN happen and we may have to adapt. Whether you’re weaning off breastmilk or making the switch between formulas, read below our best practice for making the transition to our plant-based formula so that you can feel confident in making adjustments - planned or otherwise - to your feeding journey! Transitioning to Sprout Formula As you may be aware, our formulas aren’t traditional. We use purely plant-based ingredients, so - as can be expected - they’re completely different in colour, texture, taste and preparation. For this reason, we do not recommend an immediate switch from another formula or breastmilk. The transition needs to be a gradual one so that your bub can get used to the difference in taste and texture, and so that their tummies can adjust to the change as well! Transitioning can be tricky, however, the best way to transition to the new formula is to mix a small amount of the new formula with your existing formula or breastmilk to help your baby get used to the new taste. To begin, make up the formula with the minimum amount in a separate bottle with warm boiled water as per instructions on the tin (60ml to 1 scoop of formula). The next step is dependent on how much your baby drinks in one feed. Of your entire feeding amount, start with around ¼ of their normal amount made up with Sprout Formula, and the rest of the mix made up of their previous formula or breast milk. For example, if your baby’s usual feed is about 180ml of formula or breastmilk, the starting mix ratio would consist of 45ml of Sprout formula, and the remaining 135ml of your previous formula or breast milk. In the case that your baby causes a fuss (we get it, it happens), then adjust your ration to include a little bit less Sprout formula and a little more of their previous formula or breastmilk. E.g. 35ml of Sprout, 145ml of old formula or milk. Once you find a ratio that your baby likes, maintain that recipe for the next few days, and after that, slowly increase the ratio to include more of the Sprout formula until they are completely accustomed to it. If your child is fussy or sensitive to new flavours, we recommend stretching the process out over a couple of weeks. This is also beneficial for their digestion as their tummy has more time to gradually adjust to the new formula!