Here is some info that might help you. I found this by doing a search and there are some links at the bottom that may help including one for a Consumer Reports article on baby formula. I think it is important to get one that has Omega 3 fatty acid in it however I have always given my kids some in addition once they are regularly eating solids. So here is what I found:

Every can of baby formula must meet FDA regulations.

It’s called the Infant Formula Act . It basically means that the “safety and nutritional quality of infant formulas are ensured by requiring that manufacturers follow specific procedures in manufacturing infant formulas.” In short, whether you buy Enfamil or Target brand, your baby is getting a product certified by the FDA as good and healthy for your baby. And as long as you buy a formula with iron, you’re fine. All you’re really paying for is a fancy label…and at an extra $13 a can, that’s one pricey label.

So what are the major differences?

There aren’t any. The differences are very minor, and it all comes down to taste and texture. For instance, Enfamil Lipil provides a whey-to-casein ratio of 60:40, which is supposed to mimic breastmilk exactly. Similac Advance contains no palm olein oil, which supposedly “promotes increased calcium absorption and greater bone mineralization.” And the one my family used (until today) was Nestle Good Start Supreme. It contains 100% whey and partially hydrolyzed 'comfort proteins'; these little proteins make the milk easier to digest and help with reflux, something from which both our girls suffered.

As for store brands, well, their formulas are almost identical. It’s hard to know for sure what they leave out or put in, you need to do a side-by-side comparison on the labels to see which name brand formula they are mimicking. And almost all of them are made by one company – Wyeth. You can check them out here. I also saw another company crop up quite a lot in my research. They’re called PBM products. Both companies supply infant formula to all the major supermarket chains, and they make a quality product.

But my pediatrician offers the name brand formula. Why?

Money. Pediatricians are hit by a barrage of marketing campaigns, samples and kick-backs in order to ‘give away’ samples of name brand formulas. When we left the hospital the nurse offered us one of two bags filled with formula samples, gifts and coupons. One was by Enfamil, the other Similac. No surprise there, they’re the two leaders of the formula world and can afford to dazzle you with free gifts and coupons in the first few months of your baby’s life. These coupons soon dry up though, and you’re faced with paying over $26 for a can of formula that is being sold next to store brand formula that costs half that price.

One thing I have learned is consistency. Whatever you choose, when you find one that works you should stick with it. It’s better on you baby’s digestion. But if you happen to stick with Target or Safeway formula, do it with your head held high and feel the power of being an informed consumer. You’re doing good by your baby and saving money for the future. Now, does that sound like something anyone needs to feel guilty about?

Further reading

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/bab...

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/infant/baby_formula...