Bobbie Formula Reviews— 6 Real Moms Tell Us Why They Love Bobbie For Their Babies

I exclusively formula fed my baby. I tried really, really hard to breastfeed. After all, I was from the school of ‘breast is best’. But when it came time for me to actually do the breastfeeding, I realized how incredibly hard it can be for new moms. I went through all of the planning— I got the expensive pump, I hired a lactation consultant, I got the best hands-free pumping bra. And while I did manage to pump, I never had the output required to be a full-time breast-feeding mom. So what did I do? I asked moms about switching to baby formula!

I wanted info from the experts— new moms who have done the research, used the product and come out on the other side. Formula reviews by real moms can help us all make informed decisions on a product as essential as baby formula. We’ve gathered 6 Bobbie moms to give their honest Bobbie baby formula reviews. They’re sharing the truth about all the things like— Is it easy to switch formulas? Is Bobbie formula safe? Does Bobbie make your baby gassy? Is it easy on digestion? What about poops? There’s nothing like a mom to share the scoop on poop.

6 Reasons why parents love Bobbie organic baby formula

1. Bobbie is a safe option

Bobbie is an infant formula made in the US that meets all FDA requirements and is inspired by ingredient sourcing practices and nutritional requirements for EU infant formulas.

Mom Erica wanted an EU style formula when she transitioned baby Elle from breast milk to Bobbie baby formula at 8 weeks.

I’d be up pumping in the middle of the night researching formula— it’s a huge decision what to feed my daughter. And I’m a first time mom! I was originally going to go with European formula. I was nervous with the formula recalls and shipping issues that we might run out or not be able to get it. That’s when a friend told me about Bobbie.

Organic was really important to me. I like to know the source of where our food comes from. It’s an important thing, not just for babies, but for adults, too. I like knowing where our food is manufactured, what the ingredients are, etc. I wanted to make sure there was no corn syrup, no added sugars. It was really important to me that everything with the ingredients was as natural and unprocessed as it could be and that we used formula closest to breast milk as possible. 

2. The DHA content

DHA is not a required nutrient in the US for infant formula, but this important omega-3 fatty acid is very critical for our babies’ rapid brain development. At 20mg per 100kcal, Bobbie meets the EU requirement for DHA in infant formula.

Elieke is a nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, ingredient obsessed mom. Elieke breastfed for four months with son Leif before adding in Bobbie as a formula supplement when mastitis set in.

It was at our 4 month baby well-visit when our pediatrician asked, “how is breastfeeding going?”. The reality was that it was not going well and she could tell by looking at Leif’s growth curve. She said that we needed to start supplementing because our little guy was dropping in weight. As a nutrition professional, I knew that infant formula could be a great option to support babies growth and development, however, having the doctor tell me that I would not be able to meet my goal of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months hit me like a ton of bricks. I chose Bobbie for its ingredients which included DHA, not often found in US baby formula.

3. The first ingredient is lactose

This sugar is the most common form of sugar found in breast milk and is a source of energy to fuel growth. 

Jeannette and Michael are parents to Baby Ava. As a breast cancer survivor, Jeannette knew she would use formula exclusively, but wanted to use formula that was modeled after breast milk like Bobbie.

As a breast cancer survivor, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed. We knew from the start that we were going to use formula exclusively, that just made the most sense. As we started to get closer to Ava being here, we considered donor milk, but we knew that formula would be our go-to. Formula was more reliable, easier to handle and we could take it on the go with us— it’s just less temperamental. 

I understand the nutrients that babies get from breast milk, it’s totally understandable. I just wish that there wasn’t such a stigma and such a big push for “breast is best” because it really alienates a lot of people who can’t actually breastfeed— which is just another added stress when you already have a newborn. 

4. Bobbie supports easy digestion

Bobbie uses cow’s milk with added whey protein to ensure that the types and amounts of protein are similar to that of mature breast milk (60% whey and 40% casein). This supports easy digestion.

Safiya and Bakari are parents to twins Zuri and Zaila. Breastfeeding twins was hard and after trying the big name formula brands they turned to Bobbie for easier digestion.

In the hospital they taught us tandem breastfeeding. I felt so excited and pumped because I was able to tandem breastfeed super quickly from what the lactation consultants told me! But when I got back home and was trying to get my milk supply up I needed to reevaluate how we’re gonna feed them. We Googled ‘what are the top formula brands’. And the first one— we knew there was something wrong. It wasn’t right. The girls were getting gassy, they weren’t sleeping. After a while, we knew there was something wrong. So then we switched and then we thought that it was a lactate issue. Then we switched to soy and then we went to another big name brand. And then we went to another formula that got recalled recently. Finally we switched to Bobbie and after three or four days we knew Bobbie was the right one. 

Right away we noticed that the girls are getting their digestive process and system good. I thought whatever is in this formula, it must be right for us, because we are feeling it with the girls. 

5. Bobbie uses high-quality ingredients

Bobbie uses quality ingredients and rigorously tests for over 400 industrial and environmental contaminants and toxins including heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plastics. It’s the first infant formula to have received both the Clean Label Project Purity Award and Pesticide Free certification. 

Natalie and Lesley are mom to baby Mica. Natalie’s previous breast reduction pointed them towards exclusively using Bobbie baby formula from the start.

Both Natalie and I express our environmentalism through food choices. We’re vegetarian and we eat organic. We spend money on quality that is better for our family and for the environment. I know that Bobbie is Clean Label Certified. It’s also organic and has European values in terms of impact on the planet and being a non-GMO baby formula. That’s a great way to start with Mica. We’d love for him to be vegetarian, although we won’t push it. If he wants to eat a chicken wing, we can discuss. But it seems like we can’t go wrong if we’re living our own politics and lifestyle through the food we choose.

Part of our choosing Bobbie over other formula brands is that a lot of the mainstream brands have corn syrup in them— which Bobbie does not. That was really important in terms of thinking about sugar source and how we all eat too much sugar. We wanted to choose something we felt good about for him. Like Bobbie. 

Plus— The poops are great. We’re so grateful. Yesterday we had two—  two, right after each other! 

6. Bobbie uses a subscription model

How much your baby eats changes throughout the journey. You may go from supplementing with one bottle a day to eventually exclusive formula (with complementary foods). With a baby formula subscription, it’s so easy to increase, decrease, or skip an order and the convenience of it showing up on your doorstep cannot be beaten. 

Melissa and Isaac are parents to JJ and baby Zachary. They transitioned from breastfeeding to bottle when Melissa returned to work. By 6 months Zack was a full Bobbie baby.

I would recommend Bobbie to any mom who sees this. It has been so easy with the subscription, especially as a busy mom of two and a working mom! It just shows up and you don’t have to worry about anything. And Zachary loves it so much. It’s modeled after European standards and it’s all organic. And as far as we can tell— it’s amazing and delicious.

He is growing so, so much. Even his nanny will say he is so strong. He is so energetic and he’s just the happiest, happiest, baby.

Most asked questions about Bobbie baby formula

by Elieke Kearns, PhD, RD. Elieke is a nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, mom and Bobbie Medical Lead.

Is Bobbie baby formula FDA approved?

This is a bit nuanced, but a very, very important topic. Infant formula is a food that is not “approved” by the FDA. In order to legally sell infant formula in the US, the FDA does an extensive review of the product and how it’s made before giving the manufacturing facility the green light. All infant formulas legally sold in the US meet the FDA requirements for quality and nutrition.

Was Bobbie formula recalled?

In 2019, the FDA issued a recall of Bobbie product due to a labeling issue. It had nothing to do with the product or the ingredients. Bobbie’s leadership team worked diligently with the FDA and their manufacturing partner, Perrigo. One year later Bobbie received the green light to launch as an FDA regulated infant formula. 

What’s unique about Bobbie’s ingredients?

Proteins in Bobbie: 

When looking at formula ingredients, it’s important to look at the amount of protein types. There are 2 types of protein in all mammalian milk (cow, goat, & human) – they are called whey and casein. The amount of each of these 2 proteins is important. Mature human breast milk consists of 60% whey and 40% casein. Bobbie has this 60:40 ratio as well, which helps support gentle digestion.

Sugar in Bobbie:

Babies need sugar, but the type of sugar used can vary from formula to formula. Certain formulas use only lactose, the sugar naturally found in milk. The only sugar in Bobbie is lactose, this means there is no sucrose, maltose, corn syrup, glucose syrup, brown rice syrup, or maltodextrin. 

Pro-tip: Did you know that human milk has more lactose than most other kinds of milks, including cow or goat milk?! This is true even if mom does not eat dairy.

Fats in Bobbie:

Roughly 50% of the calories in breast milk come from fat. Infants are naturally able to digest many different types of fats, in part because the type of fat found in breast milk depends heavily on what fats mom ate – this is not true for protein and carbohydrates. Common fat types used in infant formula include: palm, soy, coconut, canola, sunflower, and safflower. We recommend infant formula that provides omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA.

Does Bobbie have palm oil?

Bobbie does not contain Palm oil. The reason why many infant formulas use palm oil is because it provides a high amount of “palmitic acid” which is also found in large amounts in breastmilk. What’s interesting though is that how your body uses and absorbs palmitic acid from breast milk vs. pam oil is different.  

Is Bobbie similar to European formula?

Some parents may choose to use imported European infant formula because of the belief that these formulas are of higher quality. However, did you know that there is no scientific evidence or research showing that imported European formula is better for your baby? In fact, some imported European infant formulas are illegally sold in the US and there can be significant unknowns associated with feeding these formulas to your baby such as shipping and storage concerns, instructions in foreign languages, and recall notice delays. 

Like many EU infant formulas, the Bobbie recipe is simple and focused on quality nutrition. In fact, Bobbie meets most of the EU infant formula requirements in addition to all US infant formula requirements.

Where is Bobbie formula made?

Bobbie is a US infant formula that meets all FDA requirements. Bobbie is made in the US using high quality organic ingredients. 

Why is Bobbie easy on digestion?

Bobbie’s whey to casein ratio is 60:40. This protein ratio is similar to the protein ratio of breast milk and is designed to support gentle digestion, supporting those growing little tummies while being easy on the gut.

Is Bobbie formula expensive?

Bobbie is slightly higher priced than other formulas sold in the US. They believe that ‘Every Ingredient Counts’ and that they should choose ingredients that have everything you want as a parent; organic, non-GMO, and high quality. 

Is Bobbie easy to prepare?

Yes. The formula instructions for preparing Bobbie are on the can. You should always follow the instructions. A baby bottle is very easy to make, as long as you follow the brand’s specific instructions. 

What age is Bobbie formula for?

Bobbie provides complete nutrition for healthy infants 0-12 months

Q&A with Elieke Kearns

Why did you choose Bobbie infant formula for your baby?

I chose Bobbie for my little one because it is a safe infant formula that offers all of the critical nutrients in the right amounts from ingredients I feel confident in. It’s a formula that helped my little one grow and develop optimally while giving me the peace of mind as we transitioned into supplementing and eventually weaned to exclusive formula (and solids) around 7.5 months.

As mom to a newborn, what was your personal feeding journey like?

As a new mom, my feeding plan was to breastfeed exclusively, my goal was to meet the AAP minimum recommendation of 6 months which I’d spent years recommending as a nutrition expert. I was able to exclusively breastfeed my son Leif for the first 4 ½ months of his life. I struggled with many, many clogged milk ducts in the first few weeks, had a terrible bout of mastitis and eventually accepted that exclusive pumping was the right method for our journey. It was hard, but it was what worked for us for these first months until I needed to supplement with formula, that’s when I turned to Bobbie infant formula.

When did you start to combo feed?

It was at our 4 month baby well-visit when our pediatrician asked, “how is breastfeeding going?”. The reality was that it was not going well and she could tell by looking at Leif’s growth curve. She said that we needed to start supplementing because our little guy was dropping in weight. As a nutrition professional, I knew that infant formula could be a great option to support babies growth and development, however, having the doctor tell me that I would not be able to meet my goal of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months hit me like a ton of bricks. 

How does your education relate to baby formula?

As a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Scientist, I’ve been on a mission to make food less confusing through my nutrition research expertise, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) background, and deep appreciation for the complexities of food. I received my doctoral degree from the University of California, Davis where I completed my Ph.D. in Nutritional Biology with an emphasis in both Immunology and Biotechnology. I absolutely love geeking out about nutrition – both professionally and personally, which is why I was so excited about Bobbie.