Heather and I are still going strong with breastfeeding (a year in!), but finding time to pump so I have a freezer supply for when I’m not with her…that’s not happening. I lovingly make a batch of this about 2x each week for her. It’s not what I ever expected to be doing, but it’s what works for life right now and it brings me such ease to have a nutritious bottle when needed. She enjoys it straight from the fridge cold, so she’s loving it too!
Please note: No formula can match the benefits of breast milk. My goal is to come as close as nutritionally possible with this recipe. As with anything new, please introduce this slowly to your baby. You may have to tweak as necessary to their liking/needs. Heather was 8 months old when I introduced this to her, so she was ready for digesting food. I give her 1, sometimes 2 bottles of this per day. I am particular with brands below because quality is crucial. ** Please speak with your pediatrician if you have any doubts/concerns about your baby’s nutrition. ** This recipe is suggested to help you out supplementally for your child, not to completely nourish your child via homemade formula.**
Homemade (Goat’s Kefir) Infant Formula 
1 cup goat’s milk kefir (for protein, calcium, probiotics)
1 cup coconut water (Harmless Harvest, Harvest Bay or Taste Nirvana are best since they’re organic and raw)
1 cup filtered water or *nettles tea (highly recommended, see notes below)
1/2 tsp brewers yeast or nutritional yeast (for B12 and folic acid)
1/2 tsp Great Lakes collagen hydrolysate powder (aids digestion while helping to build/seal gut)
1/2 tsp (or more) organic blackstrap molasses (for sweetness, iron, calcium, B vitamins and bowels)
1/8 tsp organic MCT oil (for an easily absorbed healthy fat)
Optional add ins to make it more nutrient dense: Vitamin D drops, fermented cod liver oil, cod liver oil (for vitamins A & D and balanced omegas) or flax seed oil (if you add cod liver oil, you don’t need to add vitamin D drops since it’s a great source of vitamin D).
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a large, 3-cup mason jar and shake WELL. The molasses needs some time to dissolve so keep shaking or use a spoon to really stir it up. Pour into bottles so that they’re ready to go when needed. Ingredients will settle when stored in fridge so gently shake before serving. No need to warm up, but baby may not enjoy it cold right from the fridge (although Heather doesn’t mind!). In that case, let it sit out for 10-15 minutes or so on the counter before giving to baby. Or, you can gently warm bottle in hot water for a few minutes before serving. Every baby has different preferences. NEVER warm bottles in microwave.
*What are nettles? I like this article best to explain what stinging nettles are and why they are SO beneficial. I started drinking nettles tea years ago for bone health and am so glad I did, because they’re great for bones and SO much more!
To make nettles tea: Boil water and let it cool off for about 20 minutes. Pour the now hot/warm water into a 3-cup mason jar, with 1/4 cup stinging nettle leaves. Cover and let sit for 6-8 hours (I usually do this at night so it’s ready by morning). Strain and pour into glass jar, store in fridge. Do yourself a favor and drink the rest yourself or add to smoothies.
* This recipe has been adapted from the Weston A. Price Foundation’s homemade baby formula recipe.