Honest question: how much do you actually know about what’s in your baby’s formula?

We had two kids between us. Both formula fed. And we walked away from this conversation with Mallory Whitmore realizing we had been doing it mostly on instinct, word of mouth, and whatever the hospital handed us.

Mallory is the founder of The Formula Mom and the author of Bottle Service, and she has spent years filling the gap that most parents don’t even know exists. Because here’s the thing: 83% of US families use formula in the first year, and almost none of us were ever actually taught how to use it.

In this episode, we get into what formula is actually made of and why the ingredients list looks so alarming when it really doesn’t need to, the truth about corn syrup and why manufacturers use it more than they probably should, how to choose a formula when there are 50 options on the shelf, the bottle prep mistakes most parents make without knowing it, when fussiness and gas actually warrant a formula switch and when they don’t, and what Mallory would say to any parent who feels like switching to formula means they failed.

This one is for the new parents, the expecting parents, and honestly anyone who formula fed and is just now realizing how little they knew at the time. Which is us. Fully us.

Follow Mallory: @theformulamom
Follow WIWIK on Instagram: @whatiwishiknew_
Music by Ben Scott