First infant formula: what the NHS says
The NHS says first infant formula is the only formula a baby needs in their first year, unless a midwife, health visitor or GP suggests otherwise.
By Pavel Ryzhikh, 3 November 2026.
This is general information from public sources, not medical advice. For anything about your child's health or development, speak to your doctor or health visitor.
The NHS says first infant formula is suitable from birth. It should be the first formula a baby has, and unless a midwife, health visitor or GP suggests otherwise, it's the only formula your baby needs. Babies can stay on it after solids start at around 6 months, and throughout their first year.
Please speak to a midwife, health visitor or doctor about how you feed your baby. They know your baby. We don't, and this page is general information from the NHS, written by an editor who is not a doctor.
One caution on dates. We read these NHS pages on 3 November 2026. The pages on formula types, making up feeds and common questions were last reviewed in 2023, and their next-review dates (April, August and September 2026) have now passed. Check them for changes before relying on this summary.
Why this page names no products
You won't find a brand, a price, a rating or a shop link here. That's deliberate.
Retained Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 sets the rules for infant formula in England, Wales and Scotland. Article 10 limits advertising and bans point-of-sale promotion, samples, discount coupons and special sales. Article 6 says labelling and advertising must not discourage breastfeeding, and must avoid confusion between infant and follow-on formula. We go further than those rules and don't recommend any product at all.
Bottles and teats get no recommendations either. They appear only as one line in our cost calculator, taken from the Minimum Income Standard list.
What the NHS says about milk
The NHS says breast milk is the best food a baby can have in the first 6 months. It adds that first infant formula is the only suitable alternative if you don't breastfeed, or if you want to give some formula alongside breast milk. Formula gives babies the nutrients they need to grow, says the NHS, though it doesn't have the same health benefits as breastfeeding.
Some families combine the two. The NHS has a page on that, and a midwife or health visitor can talk it through.
The types on the shelf
These are the NHS descriptions. Labels can look alike, so the NHS suggests checking them carefully.
Type | Suitable from | What the NHS adds |
|---|---|---|
First infant formula | Birth | The first formula to give. Whey-based |
Goats' milk formula | Birth | Same nutritional standards as cows' milk formula. Not for cows' milk allergy |
Hungrier baby formula | Birth, ask first | No evidence babies settle better or sleep longer on it |
Anti-reflux formula | Birth, medical supervision | May be made up differently, so follow advice |
Comfort formula | Birth, ask first | No evidence it prevents colic or constipation |
Lactose-free formula | Birth, medical supervision | Lactose intolerance is rare in babies |
Hypoallergenic formula | Birth, medical supervision | Prescribed by a GP for cows' milk allergy |
Follow-on formula | 6 months, ask first | Never for babies under 6 months |
Soya formula | 6 months, medical supervision | Only if a health visitor or GP recommends it |
"Ask first" means ask a midwife or health visitor. If you think a formula disagrees with your baby, that's who the NHS suggests talking to as well. It also says there's no evidence that switching formula does any good or harm.
What you can skip
Follow-on formula, for one. The NHS says research shows that switching at 6 months has no benefits, and a baby can have first infant formula as their main drink until they're 1.
Growing-up and toddler milks are the second. The NHS says children aged 1 to 5 don't need any formula milks. From age 1, pasteurised whole or semi-skimmed cows' milk can be a main drink.
Hungrier formula is a third. The NHS finds no evidence that babies settle better or sleep longer on it. Sleep advice stays the same however a baby is fed: on their back, on a firm, flat mattress, in a clear cot, in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months, according to the NHS.
Making up a feed
The NHS has a 13-step guide, and it's worth reading in full. Some of its main points:
- Boil fresh tap water, then let it cool for no more than 30 minutes, so it stays at 70C or more
- Water at that temperature kills harmful bacteria, which sealed powder can sometimes contain
- Follow the maker's instructions on water and powder, and use the scoop in the pack
- Don't add extra powder or extra water, sugar or cereal
- Cool the bottle under cold running water and test it on the inside of your wrist
- Never warm a feed in a microwave
- Throw away what's left after a feed
Make one feed at a time, as your baby needs it. Bottled water isn't usually recommended, says the NHS, except in rare cases such as when the tap supply is unavailable or contaminated. If you use a preparation machine, the NHS says to check the water reaches at least 70C.
How much, and how to tell
Amounts vary from baby to baby. The NHS advice is to feed when your baby shows signs of wanting it, such as restlessness, rooting or sucking a fist. Crying is a late sign.
Weight gain and nappies tell you whether a baby is getting enough, according to the NHS, which expects around 6 wet nappies a day from a few days after the birth. Any worry about weight or feeding is one for your midwife or health visitor.
Help with the cost
Healthy Start is an NHS scheme for people on certain benefits. Its card can be spent on infant formula, milk, fruit and vegetables, and its website lists who qualifies. We don't price formula anywhere on Cradle Fox, including in our first-year cost guide.
When solids come along, milk stays the main drink. Our plain guide to starting solids covers that, and the 0 to 3 months page shows what else matters right now.