Best gentle baby formulas 2024

There is no true definition of what a gentle formula is. It is just a powerful marketing term that has developed in the formula industry over time. The general consensus is that these are formulas that are meant to be easier for your baby to digest than a standard (sometimes called ‘routine’) cow’s milk formula. . 

Many people tend to lump a bunch of formula types into the gentle category. This includes cows milk formula with partially hydrolyzed (broken down) proteins, goat milk formula, A2 milk formulas, and sensitive formulas. 

After speaking with hundreds of new parents and going through this decision making process ourselves, having all of these different formula types labelled as ‘gentle’ just added to the confusion. 

That’s why we decided to only compare formulas that have partially hydrolyzed (broken down) cows milk proteins. This is the truest definition of a gentle formula in our opinion because the protein size typically has the biggest impact on a baby’s tolerance for formula. And this way you’re getting an apples to apples comparison you can actually make sense of. 

Check out our Formula Fundamentals course if you’d like to go deeper into the different types and styles of baby formula and how to choose the best one for your baby. 

When should you consider a gentle formula

Whether your baby is exclusively formula feeding from day 1 or you’re introducing it later on, you should always start with a cow’s milk (routine or A2) or goat’s milk formula unless your pediatrician has clearly told you not to do so. 

• Most babies tolerate standard cow or goat milk formulas very well and these can be significantly cheaper, more easily accessible and provide additional healthy stuff for your baby. 
• If your baby is quite young and they are not tolerating those formulas well, then it’s time to start thinking about a partially hydrolyzed gentle formula. 
• Gentle formulas are not recommended for babies with a cow’s milk protein allergy. If you suspect an allergy, talk to your pediatrician about a hypoallergenic formula. 
• They are also not recommended for babies that are suspected of being lactose intolerant (which is incredibly rare in newborns btw)

And it’s important to remember– even if your baby needs a gentle formula early on, you should consider retrying a standard cow or goat milk formula typically around 6 months when their digestive system has matured and you’ll be introducing solids. 

Now that you have a clearer understanding of what a gentle formula is and when to consider one, let’s give you what you came here for, our top-rated partially hydrolyzed gentle formulas.

Formula	Manufactured	Where to buy
1. Bobbie Organic Gentle	USA	Bobbie | Target
2. HiPP AR (Anti-Reflux)	EU	TheMilkyBox | OrganicsBest
3. Earth’s Best Organic Gentle	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target
4. Gerber Good Start GentlePro	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target
5. Gerber Good Start SoothePro	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target
6. Store Brand Gentle Premium	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target
7. Enfamil Gentlease / Reguline	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target
8. Similac Pro Total Comfort	USA	Amazon | Walmart | Target

1. Bobbie Organic Gentle

Bobbie is made with high-quality, GMO-free, organic ingredients free from corn syrup, maltodextrin, sucrose, brown rice syrup, soy allergens, palm oil, or fillers. They meet Kosher, Halal, USDA Organic and EU Organic guidelines and have been awarded the Clean Label Project’s Purity Award and Pesticide Free certifications. That’s about as clean as you can get in the US.

As a brand, they have committed to invest over $100m in research to advance the industry by 2030. They’ve hired an all star team of health practitioners and researchers to lead the way. In addition to all of that, Bobbie has a subscription service that delivers their formula straight to your doorstep which you can change, cancel or pause with ease through their customer service channels. 

It’s not the cheapest formula, but we think the ingredients, their mission as a company and the customer experience they provide make it an easy choice for our #1 spot.

• 100% partially hydrolyzed whey
• 100% lactose as the carb source
• Organic
• No palm oil
• No prebiotic, but you can add this separately 

BUY DIRECT FROM BOBBIE FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE, ALSO AVAILABLE AT TARGET

2. HiPP AR (Anti-Reflux)

HiPP has been one of the most trusted European formula brands for over a century.

Their infant formulas are of extraordinary quality and produced without genetically modified raw materials according to the European Union’s regulation for organic production. 

Although the vast majority of HiPP formula ingredients are certified organic, HiPP AR cannot be officially certified as organic in Europe because the hydrolyzed milk protein is not available in an organic form. But everything else is organic. 

• HiPP AR contains both prebiotics and probiotics to help your infant develop a healthy gut microbiome
• This formula uses absolutely no GMO’s, no sugar, no corn syrup, no gluten, no soy, and no peanut ingredients. HiPP AR is also free of any unnatural synthetic preservatives or man made flavorings which can create discomfort for your baby
• Locust bean gum is a natural thickening agent derived from carob fruit that makes HiPP AR a bit more dense than other formula. In a study exploring the effect of locust bean gum thickened formula, researchers found that this ingredient contributed to softer, more frequent poops in babies and helped reduce reflux.. 
• Since HiPP AR has a slightly thicker consistency than other formulas, and it may be helpful to fit your bottle with a slightly larger nipple size. 

BUY FROM THEMILKYBOX OR ORGANICSBEST

3. Earth’s Best Gentle

Earth’s Best has been producing high-quality, organic baby food products in Vermont since 1985. Their formulas are generally pretty easy to find at most big retailers and they give parents a slightly cheaper organic option to consider. 

One of the reasons their formula is slightly cheaper is that they do not partially hydrolyze 100% of the proteins. There are still some fully intact proteins sourced from skim milk. This is important to note when considering this formula if you’re considering a gentle formula for the first time or you’re switching from another brand. 

• Organic skim milk which means the proteins and carbs (lactose) are organic
• Primarily lactose as the carbohydrate source, maltodextrin as other other
• Includes lutein which is found in breastmilk and great for eye and brain development)
• Added prebiotic
• The whey to casein ratio is unknown
• Includes palm oil (but it’s organic)

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET

4. Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro (branding changing to Good Start | Dr. Brown’s)

Note: Gerber has recently sold off its formula division to Perrigo, one of the larger formula manufacturers in the US. They are currently undergoing a bit of a branding change. 

Good Start has been a well known baby brand for a very long time. Their Gentle Pro formula is a great option to consider as it is 100% partially hydrolyzed whey and lactose is the primary carb source. Those are the two biggest factors when looking at ingredients as we compare all of these different formulas. 

It is also significantly cheaper than its big brand name competitors (Enfamil and Similac) that you’ll find lower down on this list. 

• 100% partially hydrolyzed whey
• Lactose as the primary carb source
• Includes 2′-FL HMO (Human Milk Oligosaccharide) a common prebiotic we like to see in baby formulas
• Includes B. lactis, a tummy-friendly probiotic like the ones found in breast milk
• Includes palm oil

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET

5. Gerber Good Start Soothe Pro (branding changing to Good Start | Dr. Brown’s)

Note: Gerber has recently sold off it’s formula division to Perrigo, one of the larger formula manufacturers in the US. They are currently undergoing a bit of a branding change. 

Just like their Gentle Pro formula above, the Soothe Pro formula has 100% partially hydrolyzed whey proteins. The big difference with this formula is with the carb source. It is a blend of lactose (30%) and corn maltodextrin (70%). Maltodextrein is a common carb source in baby formulas that is used because it can be cheaper and some research suggests that lowering the lactose content can help fussy babies. 

So if you’re a fan of the Good Start formulas, we would certainly suggest starting with Gentle Pro and then moving to Soothe Pro if your baby is not tolerating it well. 

• 100% partially hydrolyzed whey
• Carbohydrate blend with 30% lactose and 70% come from corn maltodextrin 
• Includes 2′-FL HMO (Human Milk Oligosaccharide) a common prebiotic we like to see in baby formulas
• They claim the added probiotic L. reuteri helps reduce fussiness (but this is one of the many baby formula studies that we don’t typically 100% trust)

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET

6. Store Brand Gentle Premium

Store-Brand formulas have been around for nearly 40 years. They are a lower cost alternative option than everything else on this list. But that doesn’t mean they are skimping on quality either. They have recently added MFGM and HMOs to their Gentle Premium range which we love to see. 

You can find this formula at every major retailer around the country, including most local grocery/pharmacy chains. They are all the same formula, just branded to match the retailer. For example, Mama Bear Gentle Premium (Amazon brand) is exactly the same and Parent’s Choice Gentle Premium (Walmart brand) or up & up Gentle Premium (Target brand).

• Nonfat milk is listed before the partially hydrolyzed whey on the ingredients list which means this formula is not 100% partially hydrolyzed
• This formula is also lactose reduced (20% of the store brand routine infant formula)
• Naturally occurring MGFM
• 2′-FL HMO which is a prebiotic that acts as food for beneficial gut bacteria

Note: there is also a Store Brand Gentle formula. This formula seems to be much harder to find in 2024 so we have excluded it from our rankings. It’s very similar to Gentle Premium, just missing the added MFGM and HMO. 

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET, & OTHER RETAILERS

7. Enfamil Gentlease / Gentlease Neuropro / Enspire Gentlease / Reguline

Enfamil, one of the two major formula brands that dominate the US market, produces 4 different gentle formulas. The differences are fairly subtle if you don’t know what you’re looking for but the price tag is very noticeable as you move up the ladder. 

We like that all of them are 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins but would prefer if they offered one that was 100% lactose based as well. As with Similac, you’re going to pay extra for the brand name which is one of the reasons they are ranked so low on our list. 

We believe big corporate brands like Enfamil should not have as much control and influence over the industry as they do. There is absolutely nothing wrong with their formulas, but they have a tainted history of deceitful marketing practices that parents should not have to deal with so we tend to support smaller brands that aren’t solely focused on profit.

Gentlease ($)

• 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins
• Is lactose reduced (20% of the lactose of regular milk)
• Is not considered ‘non-GMO’ which is unfortunate as this ‘non-GMO’ has pretty much become the standard across the formula industry
• Part of the protein composition is sourced from soy which is not ideal

Gentlease Neuropro ($$)

• 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins
• Is lactose reduced (20% of the lactose of regular milk)
• Includes MFGM
• They have recently added their “patented prebiotic fiber blend’ which is a combination of PDX and GOS prebiotics which aims “to help ease stooling discomfort and promotes soft, frequent stooling”
• Part of the protein composition is sourced from soy which is not ideal

Enspire Gentlease ($$$)

• 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins
• Is lactose reduced (20% of the lactose of regular milk)
• Includes MFGM and lactoferrin which is a protein also found in colostrum and breast milk that supports the immune system and gut health. The lactoferrin is the reason you’re paying quite a bit more for this formula. 
• Part of the protein composition is sourced from soy which is not ideal
• This formula is out of stock so we don’t typically recommend it. 

Enfamil Reguline ($$)

• Enfamil markets this product for babies that are constipated
• 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins
• 60:40 whey to casein ratio
• Contains 50% corn syrup solids and 50% lactose
• Includes prebiotics and probiotics to support digestive health and soft stools but doesn’t say what they are??
• Part of the protein composition is sourced from soy which is not ideal

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET, & OTHER RETAILERS

8. Similac Pro Total Comfort

Similac is a solid formula, but you’re paying for the brand name more than anything else. We love that it’s 100% partially hydrolyzed and that you can find this formula at pretty much any retailer. 

But we’re not huge fans of the reduced amount of lactose as the carb source. It is extremely rare that babies are lactose intolerant so we typically recommend starting on a partially hydrolyzed formula with lactose as the first step. 

Another reason they are so low down on our rankings is because we believe big corporate brands like Similac should not have so much control and influence over this industry. They have a tainted history of deceitful marketing practices that parents should not have to deal with. 

• 100% partially hydrolyzed proteins
• Carbs are from corn maltodextrin rather than lactose – this can be beneficial for babies that also struggle with lactose, but that is quite rare
• 2′-FL HMO, a prebiotic that helps strengthen your baby’s immune system

BUY FROM AMAZON, WALMART, TARGET, & OTHER RETAILERS

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Our criteria for our best baby formulas of 2024 

When coming up with our top-rated baby formulas, we always share the criteria we used to make these decisions. Below are the key criteria we used to rank the best gentle baby formulas:

• Has to include partially hydrolyzed cow’s milk proteins 
• Prioritizes lactose as the primary carbohydrate source
• Has added whey protein
• Provide a global view of the formula industry since there are many European and Australian brands now available in the US
• Analyze every formula based on the cost per ounce to make it easy to compare
• Consider each formula brand’s reputation, history and customer experience

As you can see, only the first bullet point above is looking at the actual formula recipe. That’s because choosing a baby formula is not just about the ingredients, it’s about what suits your budget, lifestyle and preferences as a parent as well.

What’s the difference between a routine, gentle and sensitive formulas?

Although everything that goes into a baby formula is highly regulated, the language formula brands can use on the packaging is not. We cover this extensively in Formula 101 if you’re interested in learning more. Before you dive into the best of list, we want you to understand two of the most commonly used and commonly confused terms… routine, gentle and sensitive.

• Routine is simply used to describe a fairly standard cow’s milk formula that has fully intact proteins.
• The word gentle is commonly used to describe formulas that include partially hydrolyzed proteins. This means the proteins are broken down so they are more easily digestible. Some people also like to bucket goat, A2 and plant-based proteins in this category since they are viewed as being more easily digestible.
• The word sensitive is typically used to describe formulas that reduce the lactose and replace it with another source of carbohydrates. Some ‘gentle’ formulas also reduce the lactose but this is typically not necessary so we don’t recommend it as a start place. 

It’s important to know the difference between these two types of formulas because they serve different purposes. 

Why are goat milk and A2 milk formulas typically considered gentle formulas as well?

Goat milk and A2 milk formulas are sometimes lumped into the ‘gentle’ category as well. And there is some merit to that, as research has shown these formulas can be easier for babies to digest for a few reasons. 

Goat milk:

• The protein structure of goat milk contains mostly A2 beta-casein protein, which is similar to the protein found in human breast milk. This protein structure may be easier for some babies to digest compared to the A1 protein found in most cow’s milk.
• Goat milk has a higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids, which are more quickly absorbed by the body. This can lead to faster digestion and potentially less discomfort for some infants.
• The fat globules in goat milk are naturally smaller than those in cow’s milk, which may contribute to easier digestion.
• It also typically contains slightly less lactose than cow’s milk, which could be beneficial for babies with mild lactose sensitivities.

A2 milk (cow):

• A2 milk contains only the A2 beta-casein protein, which is believed to be more similar to human breast milk and potentially easier to digest.
• Some studies suggest that A2 milk may reduce inflammation in the digestive system compared to milk containing A1 proteins.

Both goat milk and A2 milk formulas are often marketed as gentler options for babies with sensitive digestive systems. Some parents report improvements in symptoms like reflux, colic, and general digestive discomfort when switching to these formulas.

It’s important to note that while some babies may benefit from goat milk or A2 milk formulas, they are also not suitable for infants with severe milk allergies. Additionally, individual responses can vary, and what works for one baby may not work for another. Always consult with a pediatrician before making any changes to your baby’s diet or formula.

Learn more about the different types of formulas designed to help babies with digestive issues in our Formula Fundamentals course. 

Final thoughts on gentle formulas

Finding a formula that your baby tolerates well is always the number one thing to focus on. And that starts with the protein, carb and fat blend. Find the right formula blend first and then you can search to see if there are other options that may suit your budget and/or preferences better. 

We also like to remind parents that as your baby grows, their digestive system matures as well. This means if they were struggling in the early days, weeks or months and you switched them to a more gentle formula, it might be worth trying a routine formula again at some point once they are over 6 months old now that they’re digestive system is likely a bit resilient. 

Lastly, it is important to remember that not all infants may benefit from the different types of gentle formulas we mentioned above. The best formula for each baby will be different depending on their individual needs. 

If you have any questions, comments or feedback at all, please leave a comment below and we’ll be happy to help 🙂

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