These fatty acids help in the development of the brain and nervous system as well as in meeting your baby's general energy needs. The butterfat naturally found in cow's milk is replaced with certain vegetable oils to provide essential fats. Standard cow's milk formulas contain many vitamins, but most are relatively low in iron. Iron deficiency is generally not a risk in the first few months, but it can occur later in the first year. Others prefer to begin iron supplementation after a few months.
Infant formulas are available with and without supplementary iron.
Check with your baby's health care provider in deciding on which is best for your baby. For healthy full-term infants, formula based on cow's milk is generally regarded as the first choice. About 90 percent of infants in the United States who are fed formula will do best on this type of formula. Soy-based formula is an alternative for babies with lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar naturally present in milk.