Best Formula for Gassy Babies

Organic's Best Top Picks: Best Baby Formula for Gas

Choosing a formula with gentle ingredients that your baby can easily tolerate is a must-have for helping to minimize infant gas. Since every baby has different feeding needs, we offer a variety of options to help with gas relief, including goat, comfort, and hypoallergenic formulas from leading European brands. 

Below, you'll discover how each product can help alleviate your little one's tummy trouble, starting with our favorite goat milk formulas. Please keep in mind that while goat milk can be great for sensitive tummies, it is not suitable for babies with cow's milk protein allergies (CMPA) or lactose intolerance.

Holle Goat

Holle Goat Milk Formula is based on naturally mild, organic goats' milk from Demeter-certified farms located in the Black Forest and Sauerland regions of Germany. It's crafted from whole milk rather than skim milk, which provides a creamy consistency, reduces the amount of vegetable oils added, and eliminates the need for palm oil. The brand also opts for algae oil over fish oil to provide babies with a more sustainable and mildly flavored source of DHA.

There are many Holle Goat formula varieties to choose from, including their German, Dutch, and Global recipes, each offered in multiple stages. Notably, the Global formulas are 100% lactose-based and include ARA in all stages, unlike the German and Dutch recipes, which add a small amount of starch and maltodextrin from Stage 2 and up and drop ARA as an ingredient after Stage 1.

Formulas with complementary carbohydrates can keep little ones feeling satiated for longer. However, babies with sensitive tummies are most likely better suited to Holle's lactose-only formulations, which include the complete Holle Global range and all Stage PRE and 1 formulas.

Jovie Goat

Jovie is thoughtfully designed by goat milk experts to harness the nutritional benefits of full-fat goat's milk, ensuring high-quality and gentle nourishment for babies. Since fat provides babies with roughly half of their total energy needs, choosing a formula with a high-quality source of fat is essential. This formula is made from full-cream goat milk, sourced from organic farms where the goats are fed an organic diet and allowed to graze freely in open pastures, without the use of pesticides or hormones.

Jovie Goat Milk Formula is 100% lactose-based, palm oil-free, and enriched with prebiotics (GOS), which encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Jovie is available in 3 stages to comfort your little one's tummy from birth to toddlerhood.

Nannycare Goat

Nannycare Goat Milk Formula offers a gentle, minimally processed recipe that features whole milk as a natural source of fat, palm-free vegetable oils, prebiotics to support tummies, and carbohydrates exclusively from lactose. Although this brand is not organic, it is non-GMO and made with quality, clean ingredients that nurture babies. These creamy formulas are available in three stages to evolve with your little one.

Pure Goat

Pure Goat formula is made with whole goat milk sourced from small-scale farms across Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, upholding their commitment to high ingredient quality and traceability. Their formulas deliver gentle lactose-only carbohydrates, GOS prebiotics, and plant-based DHA to support healthy brain and eye development. Palm and fish oil are never used! This goat milk formula comes in 3 stages to support your little one throughout their feeding journey.

HiPP HA

HiPP HA is a hypoallergenic cow's milk formula designed specially for babies with a family history of allergies and/or sensitivities to cow's milk proteins. While this formula works well for some babies with CMPA, it's not suitable for all cases, so be sure to consult your pediatrician before introducing this milk to your baby. Additionally, it's not appropriate for those with lactose intolerance.

This unique recipe combines extensively hydrolyzed whey proteins, prebiotics, and probiotics, which in unison reduce the risk of allergic reaction, support immunity, and promote a healthy balance of gastrointestinal bacteria.

There are Dutch and German versions of this milk, with the latter also offered in convenient ready-to-feed bottles. All versions of the formula are nearly identical, but the Dutch formula comes in a larger, more durable 800g metal can, and the ready-to-feed version does not contain probiotics since they cannot survive the heat treatment necessary to create liquid formula. HiPP HA is not organic, but it is made with non-GMO ingredients.

HiPP Comfort

Another option for sensitive tummies is comfort formulas, which are designed to provide relief from a variety of gastrointestinal issues during infancy. HiPP Comfort is specifically intended to help manage excessive gas, colic, and constipation.

This soothing cow's milk formula is based on extensively hydrolyzed whey proteins for increased tolerability, reduced lactose levels that minimize the symptoms of lactose-related 3-month colic, prebiotics that improve gut health, and beta-palmitate fats that resemble the fatty acid spectrum of human milk to promote healthier stools. HiPP Comfort is not organic, but it is non-GMO.

HiPP Comfort is available in German and UK versions, both of which offer a single stage suitable from 0-12 months. While the German version contains added probiotics, the UK version does not. Neither formula is suitable for lactose intolerance.

Kendamil Comfort

Kendamil also has their own Comfort milk, which can help relieve colic and constipation. A calming combination of soluble dextrin, partially hydrolyzed whey protein, reduced lactose levels, prebiotics, and alpha-lactalbumin helps settle troubled tummies. The star ingredient, soluble dextrin, replaces some of the lactose content. It is a hydrolyzed form of starch (not maltodextrin) that can support digestion, reduce the risk of certain gastrointestinal disorders, and enhance nutrient absorption.

Unlike the other formulas we have discussed, Kendamil Comfort is the only certified vegetarian product thanks to its use of algae-based rather than fish oil and their avoidance of animal rennet processing methods. However, it is not organic, offering non-GMO ingredients instead. This soothing formula has only one stage that supports your baby's development from 0-12 months. If your baby has lactose intolerance, this formula is not recommended.

Understanding Baby Gas and Digestive Discomfort

Gas in babies can happen for a whole host of reasons. Here are just a few possible culprits:

• Swallowed Air - Air swallowed from drinking milk or crying can cause gas bubbles to form.

• Developing Digestive System - Newborns have delicate digestive systems that are still maturing; until then, gas can build up from undigested milk.

• Sensitivities - Some babies have sensitive tummies that can react poorly to certain ingredients.

• Intolerance - Some babies struggle to tolerate milk proteins, which may require alternative feeding options.

Signs Your Baby Needs a Gassy Baby Formula

If your pediatrician has determined that your little one's tummy troubles are the result of their formula, a gassy baby formula may be the right fit. Here's how manufacturers select ingredients for their formula that help with gas.

How Hydrolyzed & Goat Milk Formulas Can Help with Gas

Goat milk formulas are often the preferred choice for parents with a gas-prone, fussy baby. The naturally gentle composition of goat milk makes it more easily digested than traditional cow's milk formula for many reasons.

• Goat milk fat is structurally similar to human milk fat - It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that are easily absorbed.

• Goat milk contains A2 proteins - A2 proteins are the predominant protein found in breast milk. Unlike the A1 proteins found in most cow milk, A2 proteins are not linked to gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and stool changes.

• Goat milk has naturally occurring prebiotics - Goat milk is naturally abundant in prebiotic oligosaccharides, which are similar to the prebiotics in breast milk and are known to have anti-inflammatory effects in the gut. Some formulas may also add prebiotics, but that is not always the case.

Hydrolyzed formulas like HiPP HA, HiPP Comfort, and Kendamil Comfort offer proteins that are broken down from their intact form into smaller, more digestible pieces; a process known as hydrolysis. Smaller proteins may have an anti-gas effect due to their ability to pass through the digestive system more easily and completely. While both formulas from HiPP offer a base of extensively hydrolyzed whey proteins, Kendamil differs in that it features a combination of soluble dextrin and partially hydrolyzed starch.

FAQs on Infant Formula Gassy Baby

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers about baby gas and formula.

Should I Switch Formula if Baby is Gassy?

You may need to switch your baby's current formula if it is producing excessive gas, but it is always recommended that you consult with your pediatrician first to determine the cause. They can make suitable recommendations and offer personalized advice on the best baby formula for gassy baby.

How Do I Know if My Gassy Baby Needs a Goat, Comfort, or Hypoallergenic Formula?

Goat formulas work well for mild digestive issues and gas, comfort formulas are for colic, constipation, and excessive gas, while hypoallergenic formulas are great for cow's milk sensitivities. Before choosing or switching formulas, consult your baby's doctor for guidance on the best formula for gas.

Can I Switch Back to Regular Formula Once Gas Improves?

Switching back and forth between formulas can be hard on your baby's digestive system. Your doctor will likely advise you to stick with whichever formula is working well and calming gas. When it comes to making changes to your little one's diet, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional first.