Switching Baby Formula Brands: How to Transition Safely, Bottle by Bottle

Your usual can is out of stock, the price has changed, or your pediatrician has suggested something new, and now you need a clear plan for switching baby formula brands without guesswork.

The short answer: for most babies, switching baby formula brands within the same type of formula is fine. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it is OK to switch between different milk-based formulas, including store brands, unless your baby is on a specific, highly hydrolyzed formula. Talk with your pediatrician first, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises, then switch straight away or bottle by bottle, and never put two formulas in one bottle.

If you are choosing a new formula for a young baby, our Stage 1 formula collection lists the ones we carry. This guide covers how to make the change safely: what the new label tells you, which switches need your pediatrician's plan, and what to watch for afterward.

Disclosure: Formuland sells the formulas linked in this guide; this guide does not rank them. Medical guidance comes from AAP's HealthyChildren.org, CDC and the UK's National Health Service (NHS), checked November 8, 2026. It is general information, not a diagnosis.

Is Switching Baby Formula Brands Safe?

Yes, for most babies. In an AAP Ask the Pediatrician answer, Steven Abrams, MD, FAAP, writes that for most babies it is OK to switch between different milk-based formulas, including store brands. The exception is a baby on a specific, highly hydrolyzed formula such as Alimentum or Nutramigen. If you are unsure, he says, talk with your pediatrician.

Other pages agree that a brand change is not risky in itself, and also that it rarely fixes symptoms. The AAP-hosted bottle-feeding (formula) guide says switching from one milk-based formula to another is not helpful for any symptom, and is not harmful either. NHS says there is no evidence that switching to a different formula does any good or harm.

CDC puts it plainly: no brand of infant formula is best. It asks parents to talk with their child's doctor or nurse before switching infant formula brands or types. The AAP-hosted guide adds: do not switch formulas without talking with your child's doctor.

How Do I Transition From One Standard Formula to Another?

Once your pediatrician agrees, you have two options: switch straight away, or switch one bottle at a time at the pace your pediatrician suggests. The rule that does not change is one formula per bottle, prepared exactly as its own label says.

Switching Straight Away

Many babies can move to the new formula straight away, for example when a can runs out or a product is unavailable. The AAP-hosted guide notes that switching between milk-based formulas is not harmful. Start the next bottle with the new formula, using its scoop and its water amounts.

If your usual formula is hard to find, AAP says never to water formula down, and warns against making formula at home. Your pediatrician's office can help you find a suitable formula.

Switching Bottle by Bottle, Never in the Same Bottle

If you and your pediatrician prefer a slower change, switch one feed at a time instead of changing every bottle at once. The schedule below is only an example: no AAP or CDC page sets a pace, so follow your pediatrician's plan. If you are told to stop a formula right away, for example for a suspected allergy, do that instead.

• Days 1 to 2: one bottle a day of the new formula, the rest the old formula.
• Days 3 to 4: about half the bottles new, half old.
• Days 5 to 6: all but one bottle new.
• Day 7 on: new formula only.

Our rule: never combine two formula powders, or two prepared formulas, in one bottle. Each brand has its own scoop and water ratio, and a bottle made with the wrong scoop or water can end up too strong or too weak. Our formula preparation guide covers scoops, safe water and storage for each label.

Switching Back and Forth Between Brands

Some families use one brand at home and another at daycare or when traveling. AAP says switching between milk-based formulas is OK for most babies, and the pages we checked do not single out alternating. Agree it with your pediatrician, and keep each bottle to one formula with its own scoop.

Change one thing at a time when you can. If you switch brand, bottle and feeding schedule in the same week, it is hard to tell what made a difference.

Read the New Label Before the First Bottle

For scoops and water, the new container's directions replace the old ones. Formula labels from other countries often give water in milliliters (ml) rather than ounces, and AAP reminds parents that 30 ml is one ounce. Some formulas use 1 scoop for each 2 ounces (60 ml) of water, while others use 1 scoop for each ounce (30 ml).

Use the scoop that came with the container you are using, AAP says, and follow the instructions exactly unless your pediatrician advises otherwise. Too much or too little water is dangerous for your baby. Some European labels call the bottle's nipple a "teat".

Powdered formula is not sterile. For babies younger than 2 months, born prematurely or with a weakened immune system, CDC says to boil the water and wait about 5 minutes before mixing. The water is then around 158°F (70°C); cool the bottle before feeding. Follow those steps, or your pediatrician's, whatever temperature a new label lists.

Not feeding a prepared bottle right away? Put it in the fridge immediately and use it within 24 hours. Throw away any formula your baby does not finish (CDC).

Label versions: UK and EU labels follow a different rulebook from U.S. requirements, so ask your pediatrician before choosing one, and read the label version on the container you receive.

Same Type of Formula or a Different Type?

The easy switches are between formulas of the same type, such as one standard cow's milk formula for another. A change of type is different: it is usually a medical decision, and your pediatrician should make the plan. The table sums up what AAP, CDC and NHS say about each type.

On goat milk formula, AAP says babies with a cow's milk allergy should not use it, because of high rates of cross-reactivity. Plain goat milk is not formula. Our goat milk formula collection is for families who have already decided on goat formula with their pediatrician.

Comfort, anti-reflux and lactose-free formulas each change the formula type. NHS says to ask a health professional before using comfort formula and lists anti-reflux and lactose-free formulas as suitable only under medical supervision. Our guide on when to switch formula because of gas covers what the comfort labels say.

Extensively hydrolyzed formula has protein broken down into smaller pieces, and AAP says to ask your pediatrician to recommend one if your baby needs it. The AAP-hosted guide says protein hydrolysate formulas are most often advised for a cow's milk allergy, which affects 1 to 2% of infants. Our guide to HA and hydrolyzed formula labels explains those terms.

Switching Within the Same Brand or Between Stages

Switching within the same brand can still be a change of type. Moving from a brand's standard formula to its comfort, anti-reflux or HA version changes the formula, not just the label, so check with your pediatrician first. HA stands for "hydrolysierte Anfangsnahrung" (hydrolyzed infant formula): the cow's milk protein is split into smaller pieces, as HiPP's German glossary explains.

HiPP's German HA 1 label says it must not be used if a cow's milk protein allergy exists or is suspected. So an HA formula is not a stand-in for an allergy formula your pediatrician prescribes.

The same formula in a different country's packaging also means a new label. Read its scoop and water directions before the first bottle.

Moving up a stage is a different question. In an AAP answer on formula labels, Stage 1 formulas are described as intended for the first 6 months, though they generally can be used through the first year. Stage 2 formulas are meant for babies 6 through 12 months.

NHS says follow-on formula should never be fed to babies under 6 months. There is no need to move to it at 6 months; first infant formula can stay the main drink until 1 year old. Never start a Stage 2 before the age on its label, and ask your pediatrician if a Stage 1 label's age range is unclear.

Our post on why European formula comes in stages explains the numbering, and the Stage 2 formula collection lists the follow-on formulas we carry. At 12 months, the next step is usually milk, not another formula; see our guide to transitioning from formula to milk. AAP says not to feed babies younger than 12 months any toddler milk, drink or formula.

Switching Between UK Brands: Cow & Gate, SMA, Aptamil, Kendamil

Many parents ask about moving between UK brands, such as switching from Cow & Gate to Aptamil or from SMA to Aptamil. Moving from one standard first infant formula to another is a same-type switch, and the steps above apply. NHS says first infant formula is the only formula a baby needs in the first year, unless a health professional suggests otherwise.

If you think a particular brand disagrees with your baby, NHS suggests talking with a health professional; in the U.S., that is your pediatrician. Formuland does not sell Cow & Gate or SMA. We carry Aptamil formulas and Kendamil; the Aptamil Stage 1 in our table below is the EU-labeled version, as stated on our listing. Whichever can you move to, use its own scoop and the water amounts printed on its label, and keep each bottle to one formula.

Moving Off a Specialized Formula

From Anti-Reflux Formula Back to a Standard Formula

NHS lists anti-reflux (staydown) formula as suitable from birth but only under medical supervision. Its preparation can differ from standard formula; some makers say to make it up at lower temperatures. NHS adds that powdered formula is not sterile and lower temperatures will not kill harmful bacteria it may contain, so ask your pediatrician for a preparation plan. Moving back to a standard formula is also their call; then prepare the new formula by its own label.

NHS says reflux is very common and usually gets better on its own. A baby who is happy, healthy and gaining weight does not usually need a doctor for it. The AAP-hosted reflux guide says normal spitting up happens in half of young babies and does not cause crying. Our reflux formula guide covers the formula questions in more depth, and our anti-reflux formula collection is for use on your pediatrician's advice.

From a Hydrolyzed or Amino Acid Formula

These formulas are the main exception to easy switching. AAP says babies on a specific, highly hydrolyzed formula such as Alimentum or Nutramigen should not simply switch, and NHS says hypoallergenic formula is prescribed for babies diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy. For babies with a milk allergy who are also sensitive to soy protein, AAP names specialized formulas such as amino acid-based (elemental) formulas.

When and how to try a regular formula again is your pediatrician's or allergist's decision, not a brand switch.

What to Watch for After Switching Formula Brands

Watch the whole baby: feeding, wet and dirty diapers, weight gain and how settled your baby is between feeds. The pages we checked give no fixed timeline for judging a new formula. Agree with your pediatrician how long to try it, and keep short notes for the next visit.

Stool Color Changes

If you notice a new stool color after switching baby formula brands, check it against AAP's color lists. The AAP-hosted stool-color guide (Barton Schmitt, MD, FAAP) says normal stool colors are any shade of brown, tan, yellow or green. Green stools are more common in formula-fed babies, and iron in formula is one cause. Dark green can look black in poor light.

Red, black and white are the colors that AAP says always warrant a talk with your baby's doctor. Any amount of blood in the stool should be checked, and white or pale stools need a doctor as soon as possible. Black can be blood that darkened in the gut, so call about black stools; a newborn's first black, tarry stools are expected. NHS lists blood in a baby's poo as a reason for an urgent appointment.

Signs to Call Your Pediatrician

A brand switch does not change the warning signs. The AAP-hosted symptom guides sort them by how fast to act, whatever formula your baby takes. If you are unsure, call.

For fever, AAP says a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby 3 months or younger means calling your pediatrician immediately, even with no other signs of illness. For a severe allergic reaction, AAP says to give epinephrine right away if it has been prescribed, then call 911.

If gas or fussiness is the reason you are thinking about switching, start with our guide on when to switch formula because of gas. Moving a baby onto formula for the first time is a different step; our guide on moving from breastfeeding to formula covers it.

Stage 1 Formulas at Formuland

If you are switching baby formula brands for a young baby, these standard cow's milk Stage 1 formulas are among those we carry. Prices are one-time prices for one unit, checked November 8, 2026. Label version and age are as stated on our listing; choose any new formula with your pediatrician.

Prices are one-time purchases before any multi-pack discount or Subscribe & Save, which takes 7% off eligible items. Formuland offers free U.S. shipping on orders of $100 or more. Browse every option in our Stage 1 formula collection, or see Stage 2 formulas for babies from 6 months.

Formuland also carries baby diapers and baby bath products; see everything at Formuland.

Disclosure: Formuland sells HiPP, Holle, Aptamil, Kendamil and the other formulas linked in this guide. This guide does not rank them and makes no claim that any formula changes a baby's gas, spit-up or stools. Decisions about your baby's formula belong with your pediatrician.

Frequently Asked Questions About Switching Formula Brands