• Milk Formula
• Soy Formula
• Gentle^® Formula
• Organic Formula
• Sensitivity^™ Formula
• Immune Support Formula
• Added Rice Formula
• Stage 2 Formula

Basic Formula Information
Should I breastfeed or formula feed?
Can I switch between formulas?
Where can I find Parent’s Choice® Infant Formulas?

Differences Between Formulas
What are the differences between milk-based and soy-based infant formulas?

FDA Regulations
Are infant formulas regulated?
Are store brand baby formulas as good as national brand baby formulas?

Ingredients & Nutrition
What nutrients are included in infant formulas and what do they do?
What are prebiotics and how do they support my baby’s immune system?
Who can I talk to about the nutritional value of Parent's Choice baby formulas?
My baby is sensitive to milk-based formulas. Are there any alternatives?
My baby spits-up a lot; I have heard that adding rice cereal to my baby’s bottle of formula will help. Is this true?
What is the whey-to-casein ratio?

Product Characteristics
Do Parent's Choice baby formulas contain cholesterol?
Are Parent's Choice baby formulas kosher?
Do Parent's Choice baby formulas contain any egg products?
Are Parent's Choice baby formulas gluten-free?
Do Parent's Choice baby formulas contain preservatives?

DHA & ARA
What are DHA & ARA?
What is the science and research behind DHA & ARA?
What are the FDA Guidelines for DHA & ARA?

Storage & Preparation
How do I safely prepare and store formula?
Should I sterilize baby bottles and use boiled water when making baby formula?
Should I reheat a bottle after feeding a portion of its formula contents to my baby?
How should I warm baby formula?
Can I heat my baby’s formula in the microwave?
How long can a bottle of baby formula remain unrefrigerated?
Can unused baby formula be refrigerated?
Can powdered baby formula be frozen or stored in the refrigerator?
How long can powdered baby formula be used after it has been opened?
Should I freeze ready-to-feed baby formula?
Should I use a baby formula product beyond its expiration date?
How do I supplement baby formula feeding with breastfeeding?
How long can I keep baby formula in the refrigerator?

About Parent’s Choice
Where can I find Parent’s Choice Infant Formulas?
Who manufactures Parent’s Choice powder baby formulas?
Are private brand baby formulas as good as national brand baby formulas?
Can I Buy Parent’s Choice formulas anywhere else?
Who can I talk to about the nutritional value of Parent's Choice baby formulas?

Basic Formula Information

Breast milk is unquestionably the best source of nutrition for infants. If you choose not to or are unable to breast feed, talk to your physician about choosing an infant formula. Do no use cow’s milk during your baby’s first year.

Talk to your physician or medical professional before switching between types and brands of formula. If you choose to switch to a different formula, it may take between 3 – 5 days for an infant to adapt to their new diet.

Parent’s Choice is only available at Walmart. Parent’s Choice offers a range of scientifically advanced formulas that meet all strict standards, just like the national brands, but at a price that is significantly less! Visit us at ParentsChoiceFormula.com for more information and a complimentary sample.

Differences Between Formulas

The protein in milk-based formulas comes from cow’s milk. Milk–based formulas also contain lactose. Soy-based formulas are milk and lactose free; the protein in these formulas comes from soybeans. Soy-based formula is often used as a substitute for an infant who cannot tolerate cow’s milk-based formula. Parents who seek a vegetarian-based diet for their healthy infant may want to discuss the use of soy-based formula with their pediatrician.

Visit our ‘Formula Finder’ under the Tools section to learn more about formula basics.

FDA Regulations

Yes, infant formulas are strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure product quality and safety. All infant formulas, by law, must meet or exceed high standards set by the FDA. As a result, no brand of formula is better than another. All formulas sold in the US meet the same rigorous standards to provide complete, balanced nutrition.

Absolutely.

Ingredients & Nutrition

All infant formulas provide complete nutrition for babies’ first year of life, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, appropriate vitamins and minerals. Infant formulas are patterned after breast milk and also provide the energy necessary to maintain bodily functions, support activity and growth.

Prebiotics are special carbohydrates found naturally in breast milk. These carbohydrates have the ability to help stimulate the growth of helpful bacteria found along your baby’s digestive tract. Research has shown that helpful bacteria found along the digestive tract perform numerous metabolic, growth promoting and protective roles. Parent’s Choice® Immune Support Infant Formula is a prebiotic formula comparable to leading national brand formulations.

Our infant formula experts are ready to answer questions about the ingredients or nutritional value of Parent's Choice baby formulas. Our toll-free consumer number, 1-800-272-5095, is on every can.

If a baby shows symptoms of intolerance or certain allergic reactions to milk protein or to the digestion of lactose, a medical professional may recommend a formula that is lactose-free or partially hydrolyzed. Parent’s Choice® Sensitivity™ or Parent’s Choice ® Lactose Free are lactose free and may be a suitable alternative. A few formulas, including Parent’s Choice® Gentle® contain proteins that are partially broken down (partially hydrolyzed) and have ¼ of the lactose of standard milk-based formulas, making them easier to digest for some infants.

Generally, it is not recommended to add cereal to infant formula. Parent’s Choice® Added Rice Starch Infant Formula is a nutritionally balanced formula designed for babies who spit up frequently. This formula contains rice starch which thickens in baby’s stomach to reduce spitting up and help baby retain valuable nutrition.

The whey-to-casein ratio for our milk-based baby formula is 60/40. Our soy-based baby formulas do not contain casein or whey and derive their protein from soy sources.

Product Characteristics

Parent's Choice milk-based baby formulas contain less than 1 mg of cholesterol, while Parent's Choice soy-based formulas do not contain any cholesterol.

Yes, Parent's Choice baby formulas are kosher.

Parent's Choice baby formulas do not contain egg products.

Parent's Choice baby formulas are gluten-free.

No, Parent's Choice baby formulas do not contain preservatives.

DHA & ARA

DHA & ARA are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that help support brain and eye development, and are found naturally in breast milk. Most US Infant formulas, including all Parent’s Choice formulas, feature DHA and ARA.

Interest in DHA and ARA has increased following several scientific studies showing that infants fed formula supplemented with DHA and ARA gained intellectual and visual benefits not found in infants who were fed standard formulas without DHA and ARA.

Research includes a longitudinal study of children from birth to 18 years, which examined early diets and subsequent cognitive outcomes, and found that breastfeeding was associated with increased cognitive ability and school performance during childhood and adolescence.¹ In another study, researchers in England found that women who regularly ate oily fish (a source of DHA) throughout pregnancy and during lactation gave birth to children who had better visual development at the age of three compared to those children whose mothers did not breast feed².

The benefits of DHA and ARA have been documented in numerous scientific studies to promote cognitive and visual advantages in infants fed infant formulas enriched with DHA and ARA. Based on their IQ test results later in childhood, infants in one study who were fed formula with DHA and ARA achieved higher problem-solving skills than infants who were fed standard formulas³. Another study revealed that infants fed formula with DHA and ARA earned higher marks on IQ tests at the age of 18 months⁴. These infants also had superior visual acuity at four months and one year similar to the visual acuity of breastfed infants⁵.

FDA does not have set guidelines for DHA & ARA. It is known that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA in particular) are important building blocks in the brain and eye of the fetus, especially during the last trimester of pregnancy. These fatty acids are also found in the fat of human breast milk. Blood levels of DHA and ARA are typically higher in breast-fed infants than in infants fed formulas not containing these fatty acids. For these reasons, DHA and ARA are added directly to infant formula.

Storage & Preparation

Always follow the instructions for preparation, use and storage of formula written on your formula label. Your baby’s health depends upon carefully following these instructions. Wash your hands prior to preparing formula. Prepare, use and store the formula exactly as directed on the label. Do not use a microwave oven to warm formula. Remember, your baby is counting on your safe preparation for their growth and development.

Consumers should read all label instructions before preparing Parent's Choice formula. Sterilization of all equipment and water used in preparing baby formula is commonly recommended until a health professional decides it is unnecessary. Check with your physician. When you are preparing formula, personal cleanliness and the cleanliness of any utensils that you use is important.

The American Dietetic Association does not recommend preparing formula with boiling hot water because of possible problems with the physical stability of the baby formula (i.e. clumping or separation) and nutrient degradation.

No. Once a baby has nursed from a bottle, microorganisms from the baby’s mouth are introduced into the formula. If any unused portion of baby formula is refrigerated and reheated, these microorganisms will have the opportunity to multiply. Refrigeration or reheating will not prevent the growth of these microorganisms. Therefore, you should fill each bottle with only the amount of baby formula needed for one feeding. After feeding, you should discard any baby formula that remains unused in your baby's bottle.

We only recommend that customers warm baby formula using a warm water bath. Bottles should be warmed in a pot of water heated on the stove. Never warm formula in the microwave.

No. Microwaving causes "hot spots" and can therefore lead to serious burns. Because baby formula would be heated unevenly if placed in a microwave, parts of the formula that are heated extensively may have nutrient breakdown. Nutrients are destroyed by high temperatures.

Baby formula that is removed from refrigeration should be used within two hours or discarded. Because of possible bacterial contamination, baby formula remaining in a bottle one hour after the start of feeding should also be discarded.

No, once baby formula is warmed it cannot be put back in the refrigerator.

No. Moisture and bacteria from the refrigerator or freezer will get into the powder. Powdered baby formula will not mix well with water and may even separate, leaving an oily layer on top of the formula.

Powdered baby formula can be used for one month after it has been opened. After this time fats and oils oxidize. Please refer to the label for further clarification.

No, you should not freeze ready-to-feed baby formula because it will change the composition of the product.

No, all baby formula containers have “use by” or “use before” dates to ensure that the consumer receives a wholesome, high-quality product. Baby formula should not be bought or fed beyond the expiration date. After the expiration date, some vitamin levels decrease and changes in physical properties, such as discoloration and separation of fat, may occur. Any baby formula that is out-of-date at the time of purchase should be returned to the store from which it was purchased for exchange or reimbursement.

A health-care professional should be contacted anytime you are switching baby formulas or feeding methods because he or she is the expert who knows the special needs of your baby.

Cans of commercially prepared baby formulas (ready-to-feed or concentrate) may be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after opening. According to the International Formula Council, baby formula that is prepared from powder and placed in bottles for feeding should be refrigerated and used within 24 hours.

About Parent’s Choice

Parent's Choice is only available at Walmart. Parent's Choice offers a range of scientifically advanced formulas that meet all strict standards, just like the national brands, but at a price that is significantly less!

Parent's Choice infant formulas are manufactured by PBM Nutritionals in advanced manufacturing facilities located in Georgia, Vermont and Covington, Ohio. PBM Nutritional’s core manufacturing facility has been manufacturing baby formulas for more than 20 years and has been manufacturing Parent’s Choice since 1998.

Yes. All baby formulas sold in the United States are required to be manufactured in accordance with, and meet the nutritional requirements of, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for Infant Formula under the regulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Infant Formula Act is a law, enforced by the FDA, which sets the nutritional standards and specifies procedures in manufacturing for commercial infant formulas to ensure their safety and high quality.

Parent’s Choice baby formulas are exclusively available in Walmart.

Our infant formula experts are ready to answer questions about the ingredients or nutritional value of Parent's Choice baby formulas. Our toll-free consumer number, 1-800-272-5095, is on every can.

1. Horwood, LJ and Ferguson, DM. Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes, Pediatrics 101(1):1-7, 1998.

2. Williams, C, Birch, EE, Emmett, PM et al. Stereoacuity at Age 3.5 Years in Children Born Full Term is Associated with Prenatal and Postnatal Dietary Factors: A Report From a Population-Based Cohort Study, Am J Clin Nutr 73:316-322, 2001.

3. Willatts, P, Forsyth, JS, DiModugno, MK et al. Effect of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Infant Formula on Problem Solving at 10 Months of Age, Lancet 352:688-691, 1998.

4. Birch, EE, Garfield, S, Hoffman, DR et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Dietary Supply of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Mental Development in Term Infants, Dev Med Child Neurol 42:174-181, 2000.

5. Birch, EE, Hoffman, DR, Uauy, R et al. Visual Acuity and the Essentiality of Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid in the Diet of Term Infants, Pediatr Res 44:201-209, 1998.