Nannycare goat milk infant formulas are very popular in New Zealand, the U.K., and several European countries, providing excellent ingredients, wholesome nutrition, and easily digested A2 goat milk proteins that are great for babies and toddlers with cow milk sensitivity!
Nannycare infant formula is the most popular goat milk formula in the UK, providing excellent ingredients, wholesome nutrition, and easily digested A2 (beta casein) goat milk proteins that are great for babies and toddlers with cow milk sensitivity!
Located in New Zealand and family-run for nearly 30 years, Nannycare was the first company to push goat milk formula into the mainstream, helping establish new legislation in the EU and UK, and becoming widely available throughout Europe for the past 8 years.
Nannycare prides themselves on being the first major goat milk baby formula widely available in New Zealand and Europe, using only high quality and locally-sourced ingredients, stringent ingredient sourcing, and providing science-backed nutrition for newborns and beyond. But how does it perform!?
In our hands-on review of the Nannycare formulas, just like we did in our Jovie Goat formula review and Kendamil Goat formula review, we tested all three stages of Nannycare formulas with two infants and a toddler, tasted them ourselves (we always do!), and consulted with a developmental nutritionist to assess ingredients and nutritional contents relative to FDA and USDA guidelines. Nannycare offers three goat milk formulas, all of which use whole goat milk and lactose: Stage 1 (birth onward), Stage 2 (6-12 months), and Stage 3 (1-3 years).
Overall, we give all three Nannycare formulas (Stages 1-3) a 4.6 out of 5, which is an extremely high rating for our site! While it's not organic and therefore can't appear on our list of the best organic baby formulas, keep reading to see why we think Nannycare is a great goat milk formula option!
- Table of Contents [show/hide]
- Nannycare Comparison Table
- Take-Home Message
- Some Translations to Know
- Nannycare Farming Practices
- Nannycare Goat Ingredients
- Nannycare Goat Stage 1 Ingredients
- Nannycare Goat Stage 2 Ingredients
- Nannycare Goat Stage 3 Ingredients
- Nannycare Stages: Ingredient Differences
- Nannycare Nutritional Analysis
- FDA & USDA Formula Recommendations
- Nannycare Stage 1 Nutrition
- Nannycare Stage 2 Nutrition
- Nannycare Stage 3 Nutrition
- Nannycare Formula Testing in Infants
- Conclusions
- Where to Buy Nannycare
- References Cited
Nannycare Goat Stage 1 (0-6 mo)
Nannycare Goat Stage 2 (6+ mo)
Nannycare Goat Stage 3 (12+ mo)
Nannycare Goat Formulas: Take-home Message
Most people don't want to read this entire article to see what we found. So here is the summary of what we loved, and what we didn't.
✔️ High quality ingredients.
✔️ Full cream whole goat milk.
✔️ Only A2 Beta Caseins.
✔️ Nutrition at FDA standards.
✔️ First ingredient is whole goat milk.
✔️ Nothing artificial.
✔️ No maltodextrin or starch.
✔️ No sucrose or corn syrups.
✔️ Gluten & soy free.
✔️ No palm or C. Cohnii oils.
✔️ Omega-3 via DHA & ALA.
✔️ Omega-6 via AA & LA.
✔️ Inositol & Choline.
✔️ Amino Acids.
✔️ High infant acceptance, good taste.
✔️ No gas, indigestion, or constipation.
❌ No added prebiotics.
❌ No added probiotics.
❌ 20:80 Whey to Casein ratio.
❌ Not organic or non-GMO.
Nannycare Formulas: Some Translations
Because Nannycare formulas are made in New Zealand and labeled for sale in the UK and EU, the labels are completely in English!
No translation required for English-speaking parents, which makes things super clear and convenient!
One of the biggest challenges with choosing a European baby formulas is difficulty reading the labels (such as with HiPP and Holle), but that problem is conveniently solved with Nannycare formulas.
Nannycare Formulas: Best Practices?
Nannycare formulas are made in New Zealand by a company called Dairy Goat Co-operative Ltd, which is located in Hamilton, New Zealand.
We did some research into Dairy Goat Co-Operative, and learned that they lead the world for producing infant feeding (and other nutritional products) based on goat milk.
They were also the first company to develop and commercialize an infant formula based on goat milk.,
The only formal certification we could find for Dairy Goat Co-Operative is the Fernmark, which is a New Zealand commercial registration that shows the country of origin. From what we could find, receiving Fernmark certification only indicates that you are indeed a registered New Zealand company, but does not provide any certification of ingredients, ingredient sourcing or transportation, manufacturing standards, or packaging.
On the Nannycare website, they do make a few claims on the FAQ page:
- Only non-GMO ingredients (though we didn't find any non-GMO certification).
- Certified Halal manufacturing (but not Kosher).
- Not vegetarian due to rennet in lactose, and fish oil.
Also, we learned that Nannycare sources its milk exclusively from British farms, its whey from Somerset, England, its vitamins and minerals from Kent, England, and its oils from Yorkshire. Notice a pattern? They are very strict about ingredient sourcing to ensure quality and traceability. We love that!
Nannycare Goat Formula Ingredients
Nannycare really surprised us with the sheer simplicity of their ingredients.
They use full cream A2 whole goat milk as the first ingredient, then lactose. No whey or whey powder is added, only goat milk powder.
Because they do not add whey, they do not achieve the preferred 60:40 whey to casein ratio that is found in breast milk. Instead, they have a 20:80 ratio, with far more casein than whey.
One of the amazing aspects of Nannycare formulas is they managed to keep out all the nasty stuff out: no starches or maltodextrin, no palm or soybean oils, and no added sugars or corn syrup solids.
Seeing that makes us really happy, and we think your little one will be quite happy with those omissions too!
{loadmoduleid 191}Here are the ingredients in each of the Nannycare baby formulas (as of 2022):
Nannycare Stage 1 Ingredients: Pasteurised whole goat milk, lactose (from milk), vegetable oil blend (high oleic sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, antioxidants (sunflower lecithin, tocopherol-rich extract, pasteurised goat milk powders, marine fish oil powder (source of docosahexaenoic acid), Mortierella alpina oil powder (source of arachidonic acid), minerals, choline chloride, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, L-cystine, vitamins, L-isoleucine, taurine, L-carnitine.
VITAMINS: dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, L-ascorbic acid, nicotinamide, cholecalciferol, retinyl acetate, calcium D-pantothenate, cyanocobalamin, phytonadione, thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, D-biotin.
MINERALS: Sodium citrate, calcium citrate, calcium hydroxide, potassium chloride, ferrous sulphate, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite.
This product contains 38% goat milk on a dry matter basis.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.
Nannycare Stage 2 Ingredients: Pasteurised whole goat milk, lactose (from milk), vegetable oil blend (high oleic sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, antioxidants (sunflower lecithin, tocopherol-rich extract), pasteurised goat milk powders, marine fish oil powder (source of docosahexaenoic acid), Mortierella alpina oil powder (source of arachidonic acid), minerals, choline chloride, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, L-cystine, vitamins, L-isoleucine, taurine, L-carnitine.
VITAMINS: dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, L-ascorbic acid, nicotinamide, cholecalciferol, retinyl acetate, calcium D-pantothenate, cyanocobalamin, phytonadione, thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, D-biotin.
MINERALS: Sodium citrate, dicalcium phosphate, calcium citrate, calcium hydroxide, potassium chloride, ferrous sulphate, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite.
This product contains 38% goat milk on a dry matter basis.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.
Nannycare Stage 3 Ingredients: Pasteurised whole goat milk, lactose (from milk), vegetable oil blend (high oleic sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, antioxidants (sunflower lecithin, tocopherol-rich extract), pasteurised goat milk powders, marine fish oil powder (source of docosahexaenoic acid), minerals, choline chloride, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, L-cystine, vitamins, L-isoleucine, taurine, L-carnitine.
VITAMINS: dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, L-ascorbic acid, nicotinamide, cholecalciferol, retinyl acetate, calcium D-pantothenate, cyanocobalamin, phytonadione, thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, D-biotin.
MINERALS: dicalcium phosphate, sodium citrate, calcium citrate, calcium hydroxide, potassium chloride, ferrous sulphate, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite.
This product contains 38% goat milk on a dry matter basis.
Note: For allergens, see ingredients in Bold.
Here are some ingredients that we did not find in any stages of Nannycare: corn syrup or corn syrup solids, artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, sucrose, soy, gluten, palm oil, starch, maltodextrin, carrageenan, or high fructose corn syrup.
Some ingredients we didn't appreciate:
Some parents get concerned about the use of Mortierella Alpina oil, which is a plant-based (fungal) source of the Omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA).
This is primarily because some formulas (such as Kabrita) openly acknowledge that processing these types of non-fish-oil sources of omegas sometimes includes the toxic chemical hexane, which is used to extract the omegas from the plants.
We couldn't find any evidence whether or not Nannycare uses M. Alpina oil extracted with hexane, so we cannot make any definitive conclusions about it.
Several baby formulas have ingredients that we don't appreciate such as palm oil, maltodextrin, starch, C. Cohnii oil, and more.
Some parents may appreciate that Nannycare uses fish oil as a DHA source, rather than DHA extracted from algae (sometimes using harsh chemicals like hexane). While we generally prefer fish oil to those alternatives, we also realize that some formulas smell or taste fishy because of its use. We promise you that Nannycare does not taste or smell fishy whatsoever.
Some other ingredients worth mentioning:
Prebiotics via GOS: We prefer baby formulas that include prebiotics to aid in digestion, such as by including galactooligosaccharides, which are dietary prebiotics that help promote a healthy gut microbiome through benefits to intestinal microbiota and gut barrier function. Note that Nannycare does not include GOS prebiotics. However, whole cream A2 goat milk also naturally contains an abundance of prebiotics, which likely helps with digestibility of this formula.
Fluoride: Nannycare doesn't add fluoride to their goat formulas, though it is naturally present in very small amounts (less than 0.05 mg per 100g of formula). More on that later.
Nannycare Stages: Ingredient Differences
1. Nannycare Stage 1 versus Stage 2: The first two Nannycare stages are basically identical for primary ingredients. The only minor differences we could find were some increases in iron, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous in Stage 2 versus Stage 1. Other than that, they appear to be largely the same formulas.
2. Nannycare Goat Stage 2 versus Stage 3: The second two Nannycare stages are also very similar to one another, with a few minor changes. First, Stage 3 omits Mortierella Alpina oil, which also means it drops to what appears to be a negligible level of the Omega-6 AA (at least according to the nutrition label). Second, there seems to be some increased iron, calcium, and phosphorous content. Other than that, they appear to be very similar formulas.
Nannycare Formula Nutritional Analysis
To examine whether Nannycare baby formulas come close to the stringent US nutritional recommendations put forth by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA, see references), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we consulted with a dietician nutritionist with expertise in infant feeding (Mr. John Anderson).
Note that the FDA publishes guidance in 21 U.S. Code 350a regarding nutrient requirements in infant formula. This regulation includes minimum protein, fat (and fatty acid linoleate) content. It also includes ranges for 15 vitamins and 11 minerals.
Here are the FDA requirements per 100 kilocalories of formula (see references).
FDA Nutritional Requirements:
Protein 0-6mo: 1.8g to 4.5g
Fat 0-6mo: 3.3g to 6.0g (≥ 30% of calories)
Essential Fatty Acid (LA Omega-6) 0-6mo: ≥300mg (≥2.7% of calories)
Vitamin A 0-6mo: 250IU to 750IU (75-225μg if retinol)
Vitamin D 0-6mo: 40IU to 100IU
Vitamin K 0-6mo: ≥4μg
Vitamin E 0-6mo: 0.7IU
Vitamin C 0-6mo: ≥8mg
Vitamin B1 0-6mo: ≥40μg
Vitamin B2 0-6mo: ≥60μg
Vitamin B6 0-6mo: ≥35μg
Vitamin B12 0-6mo: ≥0.15μg
Niacin 0-6mo: ≥250μg
Folic Acid 0-6mo: ≥4μg
Pantothenic Acid 0-6mo: ≥300μg
Biotin 0-6mo: ≥1.5μg (for non-milk-based formulas)
Choline 0-6mo: ≥7mg (for non-milk-based formulas)
Inositol 0-6mo: ≥4mg (for non-milk-based formulas)
Calcium 0-6mo: ≥50mg
Phosphorus 0-6mo: ≥25mg
Magnesium 0-6mo: ≥6mg
Iron 0-6mo: ≥0.15mg
Iodine 0-6mo: ≥5μg
Zinc 0-6mo: ≥0.5mg
Copper 0-6mo: ≥60μg
Manganese 0-6mo: ≥5μg
Sodium 0-6mo: 20mg to 60mg
Potassium 0-6mo: 80mg to 200mg
Chloride 0-6mo: 55mg to 150mg
In our review of the Nannycare Stage 1 formula, using a 1.515 multiplier relative to their nutrition facts label (to equal 100kcal of formula), we found that the Nannycare Stage 1 infant formula met all of the minimum FDA nutritional requirements (and did not exceed any of their maximums).
Note that the FDA calls for Folic Acid of at least 4 micrograms per 100kcal of formula; Nannycare Goat contains folic acid on the ingredients list, and their nutritional label uses the same term. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate.
The USDA does not publish recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for infants between 0-6 months. Instead, they publish information about Adequate Intake (AI), which is used when there is not enough evidence to make a formal RDA. The AI is set at a level assumed to provide nutritional adequacy.
Here are the USDA's AIs (per day) for infants aged 0-6 months, and 6-12 months. Units are grams (g), milligrams (mg), micrograms (μg).
USDA Nutritional Recommendations:
Carbohydrates 0-6mo: 60g 6-12mo: 95g
Proteins 0-6mo: 9.1g 6-12mo: 11g
Fats 0-6mo: 31g 6-12mo: 30g
Omega-3 0-6mo: 0.5g 6-12mo: 0.5g
Omega-6 0-6mo: 4.4g 6-12mo: 4.6g
Vitamin A 0-6mo: 400μg 6-12mo: 500μg
Vitamin B1 0-6mo: 0.2mg 6-12mo: 0.3mg
Vitamin B2 0-6mo: 0.3mg 6-12mo: 0.4mg
Vitamin B6 0-6mo: 0.1mg 6-12mo: 0.3mg
Vitamin B12 0-6mo: 0.4μg 6-12mo: 0.5μg
Vitamin C 0-6mo: 40mg 6-12mo: 50mg
Vitamin D 0-6mo: 5μg 6-12mo: 5μg
Vitamin E 0-6mo: 4mg 6-12mo: 5mg
Vitamin K 0-6mo: 2μg 6-12mo: 2.5μg
Folate 0-6mo: 65μg 6-12mo: 80μg
Niacin 0-6mo: 2mg 6-12mo: 4mg
Calcium 0-6mo: 210mg 6-12mo: 270mg
Iron 0-6mo: 0.27mg 6-12mo: 11mg
Given that the Stage 1 Nannycare formula is intended for use from birth, we evaluated its nutritional content against the USDA 0-6 month recommendations. For the Stage 2 and 3 versions, we evaluated against the USDA 6-12 month recommendations.
Because the USDA recommendations are for daily intake, we considered the daily intake recommended by Nannycare in their "Feeding Guide". Stage 1 suggests an average of about 110 grams of formula per day for the first 6 months; of course, this is lower (about 80 grams) for the first month, then increases with age to over 150g/day.
To derive an estimate of how much nutritional content a baby would receive each day when using Nannycare Stage 1, we used the average recommended serving for the first 6 months (about 120 grams of formula per day). This will overestimate nutrients for early months, and underestimate for later months.
Note that Nannycare's feeding guide recommends slightly more feedings in terms of quantity and frequency per day, relative to some other formulas.
Does Nannycare Stage 1 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?
In general, yes, though it's a bit more protein- and carbohydrate-oriented than fat-oriented. Here is a table comparing the USDA recommendation for 0-6 months to what the Nannycare Goat Stage 1 provides (in about 120g of powdered formula):
Carbohydrates USDA: 60g Stage 1: 61.9g
Proteins USDA: 9.1g Stage 1: 10.9g
Fats USDA: 31g Stage 1: 24.5g
Omega-3 USDA: 0.5g Stage 1: 0.57g
Omega-6 USDA: 4.4g Stage 1: 3.5g
Vitamin A USDA: 400μg Stage 1: 469μg
Vitamin B1 USDA: 0.2mg Stage 1: 0.52mg
Vitamin B2 USDA: 0.3mg Stage 1: 1.0mg
Vitamin B6 USDA: 0.1mg Stage 1: 0.30mg
Vitamin B12 USDA: 0.4μg Stage 1: 1.51μg
Vitamin C USDA: 40mg Stage 1: 109mg
Vitamin D USDA: 5μg Stage 1: 11.7μg
Vitamin E USDA: 4mg Stage 1: 12.6mg
Vitamin K USDA: 2μg Stage 1: 56.1μg
Folate USDA: 65μg Stage 1: 184.1μg
Niacin USDA: 2mg Stage 1: 5.5mg
Calcium USDA: 210mg Stage 1: 444mg
Iron USDA: 0.27mg Stage 1: 5.4mg
Notice how close all of those numbers are to each other, with Nannycare having a nutritional profile that is very similar to most other European baby formulas, prioritizing protein over fats.
Specifically, European formulas tend to have slightly higher protein and slightly lower fat than American baby formulas, and that's exactly what Nannycare looks like.
USDA guidance for fat is 31g per day, which precisely matches how much fat is in breastmilk (about 4.2g per 100mL, or 30.8g per 100g). Nannycare Goat provides about 25g/day, quite a bit lower than most other formulas. Of course, it still exceeds FDA minimums, but USDA recommends higher fat content.
The only potentially concerning point is that the Nannycare Omega-6 content is a bit lower than USDA recommendations. It does slightly exceed FDA minimums for Omega-6, but the USDA sets a higher criterion.
We also compared the Nannycare Stage 1 nutritional profile with the most popular Similac and Enfamil (American) formulas. Those brands are also slightly low relative to those USDA recommendations (Similac and Enfamil are usually around 27g of fat per 100g of formula).
Does Nannycare Stage 2 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?
In looking at the USDA recommendations for infants 6-12 months of age, you realize that they recommend about 140-150g/day of formula. That equates to about 34 scoops (4.3g/scoop) per day, which is about 1115mL per day of prepared Stage 2 formula.
Clearly that's a ton of formula and unlikely to be the case with your 6-12 month old baby, since you'll likely be supplementing formula with at least some oatmeal and/or rice cereal.
Here is a table comparing the USDA recommendation for 6-12 months to what the Nannycare Stage 2 provides (in 150g of powdered formula):
Carbohydrates USDA: 60g Stage 1: 77.4g
Proteins USDA: 9.1g Stage 1: 13.6g
Fats USDA: 31g Stage 1: 35.6g
Omega-3 USDA: 0.5g Stage 1: 0.71g
Omega-6 USDA: 4.4g Stage 1: 4.4g
Vitamin A USDA: 400μg Stage 1: 586μg
Vitamin B1 USDA: 0.2mg Stage 1: 0.65mg
Vitamin B2 USDA: 0.3mg Stage 1: 1.3mg
Vitamin B6 USDA: 0.1mg Stage 1: 0.38mg
Vitamin B12 USDA: 0.4μg Stage 1: 1.88μg
Vitamin C USDA: 40mg Stage 1: 136mg
Vitamin D USDA: 5μg Stage 1: 15.7μg
Vitamin E USDA: 4mg Stage 1: 15.7mg
Vitamin K USDA: 2μg Stage 1: 70.1μg
Folate USDA: 65μg Stage 1: 230.1μg
Niacin USDA: 2mg Stage 1: 6.9mg
Calcium USDA: 210mg Stage 1: 617mg
Iron USDA: 0.27mg Stage 1: 9.3mg
For Stage 2, Nannycare contains higher protein, carbohydrates, and fat than the minimum recommendations of USDA.
From 0-6 months to 6-12 months, the USDA shifts the relative proportion of carbohydrates up, and proteins and fats down. This is a difference in European versus American feeding recommendations, with proportions shifting in opposite directions as babies move from Stage 1 to Stage 2.
Which is the right guideline to follow? Our opinion is that the EU standards are more in line with current research, whereas the USDA guidelines are relatively dated. But that's just an opinion, and research is constantly changing!
Does Nannycare Stage 3 Meet USDA Nutritional Recommendations?
As with Stage 2, we use the USDA 6-12 month recommendations. Stage 3 is always a difficult comparison to make, because your child will also be eating many first foods (oatmeal and rice cereals, purees) by the time they are 12+ months. Those solid foods will complement any feeding done with a Stage 3 formula, making any estimates of formula quantity to fulfill caloric needs of a 12+ month old baby a bit unreasonable.
For example, to get 145g/day of Stage 3 formula, that would take about 32 scoops of the product, and over 1070mL of prepared formula per day (about 5 servings). That's pretty excessive! More reasonably, your child will be consuming about 2-3 servings of Stage 3, along with a couple servings of cereals, purees, and other solid foods.
In any event, here is what Nannycare Stage 3 provides, at a 150g/day serving:
Carbohydrates USDA: 60g Stage 1: 77.4g
Proteins USDA: 9.1g Stage 1: 13.6g
Fats USDA: 31g Stage 1: 35.6g
Omega-3 USDA: 0.5g Stage 1: 0.71g
Omega-6 USDA: 4.4g Stage 1: 4.2g
Vitamin A USDA: 400μg Stage 1: 586μg
Vitamin B1 USDA: 0.2mg Stage 1: 0.65mg
Vitamin B2 USDA: 0.3mg Stage 1: 1.3mg
Vitamin B6 USDA: 0.1mg Stage 1: 0.0mg
Vitamin B12 USDA: 0.4μg Stage 1: 1.88μg
Vitamin C USDA: 40mg Stage 1: 97.3mg
Vitamin D USDA: 5μg Stage 1: 16.7μg
Vitamin E USDA: 4mg Stage 1: 15.7mg
Vitamin K USDA: 2μg Stage 1: 70.1μg
Folate USDA: 65μg Stage 1: 230.1μg
Niacin USDA: 2mg Stage 1: 6.9mg
Calcium USDA: 210mg Stage 1: 649mg
Iron USDA: 0.27mg Stage 1: 10.4mg
In terms of macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), you'll notice that Stage 3 Nannycare is very similar to Stage 2 in its nutritional composition and proportions. In general, it meets USDA recommendations, with generally high proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
The only two other differences between Stages 2 and 3, are: first, Stage 3 seems to have slightly low Omega-6 content again, likely due to the omission of Mortierella Alpina altogether. Second, Stage 3 still contains pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) as an ingredient, but it mysteriously disappears from the nutritional label!
We're not entirely worried about the Omega-6 issue because it's only off by about 5%, and the formula still contains vitamin B6, even if it's no longer written in the nutrition information.
In 2020, the EU passed (well, it was passed in 2016, but enforcement started February 2020) a requirement that baby formulas include Omega-3, and this is a new addition to most European formulas. This is why you see DHA and ALA appearing in new European formulas:
Most parents begin to introduce solid foods in addition to formula or breastfeeding. These usually first include rice and/or oatmeal cereals, and then progress to fruit and vegetable purees. These will complement the nutrition found solely in the formula, including additional iron and carbohydrates.
Some parents might be interested to learn that many European baby formulas contain trace levels of fluoride. This is not usually added by the manufacturer, but appears in trace amounts (e.g., <0.015mg per 100mL prepared formula) due to the water used during manufacturing. For Nannycare, fluoride is present in all three stages.
The level of fluoride in Nannycare is equivalent to about 0.07 mg of fluoride in a liter of prepared formula, which is considerably less than the fluoride levels found in bottled water (about 0.4mg per liter), and way less than found in typical (fluoridated) tap water (about 5mg per liter). Basically, Nannycare contains only trace amounts of fluoride, much less than what is probably in the water you're using to prepare the formula!
Nannycare Testing in Infants
Nannycare and Formuland were generous enought to donate Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 varieties for testing!
We tested the Stage 1 in a newborn (8 weeks) breastfed baby and a 6 month old formula-fed baby (he typically feeds with Bobbie and is pictured below).
We tested the Stage 2 in a 9 month old formula-fed baby (Holle). Finally, we tested the Stage 3 in a 15-month old toddler who was no longer breastfeeding.
When we opened the tins to start our testing, there was one minor annoyance that's worth mentioning: the scoops had buried themselves deep into the formula powder! Not a huge deal, but it was a little annoying to fish them out using a (sterilized) fork. Here is a photo of that little situation:
Mixing and Taste-Testing
Nannycare goat milk formulas mix very readily and easily with hot water. When preparing Nannycare Goat, they suggest using very hot water. Even though they don't explicitly note the temperature, if you're boiling water and then letting it sit for 15-20 minutes, it's likely about 70 degrees C, or about 158 degrees F.
Here are the preparation instructions for Nannycare Stage 1:
Before feeding, be prepared to run the bottle under cold tap water (or place it in a bowl of cold tap water) to get it to about 99 degrees F (or 37 degrees C) before feeding.
Safety first: Formula should always be close to body temperature (about 37 degrees C, or 98.6 degrees F) when feeding, to reduce the risk of burns.
We love the tins that the formula arrives in, mostly because we get a little frustrated with boxes and bags of formula. There are many advantages of these tins, including they're reclosable, include a scoop leveling ledge, have a nice wide opening, stack easily for storage, and can be reused or recycled along with cans and bottles.
To prepare the formula, we followed the instructions: fill the bottle with the correct amount of water (e.g., 180ml), then add the number of level scoops to the water (e.g., 6 scoops). There is a convenient feeding guide on the side of the tin to help you out.
Here is the feeding guide for Nannycare Stage 1:
You can use the clever edge on the inside of the tin to level the scoop.
Next, close the bottle and shake carefully until the powder is fully mixed and dissolved into the water.
Once the formula was shaken (we consistently shook each bottle about 50 times to ensure sufficient and uniform mixing), we didn't find any film, residue, or clumps inside of the bottles (with all 3 stages).
That's unfortunately very rare, and we love to see a formula powder mix so nicely with hot water!
Once mixed, verify it is cooled to about 99 degrees F (37 deg C), and feed! After some vigorous shaking, there were no clumps on the bottom or anywhere to be seen, which was great.
If you've seen our Burt's Bees formula review, you know why we're mentioning this! Here is a picture of the bottom, to show how nicely things were mixed:
In our own tasting, we thought the Nannycare formulas were delicious!
There wasn't a discernable grainy texture and thought the formula was smooth, rich, and sweet (just like breast milk!). The Nannycare formulas were a bit sweeter than other goat milk formulas, such as Kendamil or Jovie, but nothing too intense.
The prepared formula had very good flow through slow-flow or medium-flow nipples, with no clogging issues.
In the above photos, notice how the bubbles and foam settled very nicely after mixing and sitting for a few minutes to cool to around 99deg F? Want to learn more about that Chicco bottle? Check out our list of the Best Baby Bottles of the year!
Here is a close-up video of each prepared bottle:
Safety First: Never prepare powdered formula with anything but water. If you're interested in fortifying your breast milk with formula you must ask your doctor for guidance first, as this can be very dangerous for your baby.
Feeding with Nannycare
Feeding with Nannycare was a lot of fun!
Both of the infants who tried Stage 1 seemed to take to it immediately without any acceptance issues.
Here is one of them (the older one who usually feeds with Bobbie formula):
Importantly, neither of the infants developed any gas or spit-up (or other signs of distress). Both parents suggested that their little ones seemed pretty happy after feeding with Nannycare, and one of them said it seemed to soothe the tummy more than Bobbie.
The older baby tested the Stage 2 (6+ months) version, but didn't seem to like it as much as their usual formula (Holle cow). After a few minutes, and repeated attempts, he accepted the Nannycare and drank a couple ounces. No issues, though he didn't want it a second time.
Finally, the toddler who tried the Nannycare Stage 3 absolutely loved it and wanted to go back for more, pointing at it and grunting like a maniac! That was nice to see, and we weren't entirely surprised given how sweet and delicious Stage 3 tastes!
Overall, excellent acceptance and tolerance, which is to be expected of such a gentle and delicious goat milk formula.
Did you know that in comparison to cow's milk, goat milk contains proteins (such as A2 beta casein) that are much easier to digest (and less allergenic)? This makes goat milk formula a very popular option for little ones who show some sensitivity to traditional formulas (such as gas, constipation, colic, spit-up).
Conclusions
We were excited to get our hands on Nannycare, and we were pleasantly surprised by its ingredients, nutrition, sensitivity, and acceptance and tolerance by the little ones.
Nannycare formulas combine the relatively easy to digest goat milk protein (A2 beta casein) with the full fat goodness of whole goat milk. Note that Nannycare goat milk formulas still contain lactose, which is the most prevalent carbohydrate in breastmilk, so it is not suitable for babies with lactose intolerance (or with a real cow milk allergy).
Always talk to your child's doctor before switching to goat milk or selecting a formula for your little one.
Importantly, our research provided good evidence that the Nannycare formulas exceed the FDA recommendations for nutritional content in infant formulas. However, they fell short of a few USDA recommendations, which was surprising. While the margin wasn't very large, and we think the FDA recommendations are more important to conform to overall, it's worth pointing out.
We were not super excited about the inclusion of M. Alpina as a source of omega-6 fatty acids, the exclusion of organic or non-GMO ingredients, or the exclusion of prebiotics or probiotics. While Nannycare takes great pride in having a very simple ingredients list, sometimes that isn't exactly ideal. For example, by excluding whey powder as an ingredient, they also made a formula with a 20:80 whey to casein ratio, which is very different from what parents usually look for in a formula (60:40, which matches breast milk).
Those concerns aside, Nannycare goat milk formulas were very easy to prepare and feed, tasted great (to us and to our test infants and toddler), and they were accepted and extremely well tolerated by most of the little ones.
Expensive? Yes. All baby formula is expensive, and Nannycare and other European formula brands are among the most expensive on the market.
Where to Buy Nannycare Formula?
Over the past 10+ years of operating Mommyhood101, we have worked with several companies that import and resell European baby formulas in the United States.
Most of the companies have come and gone, some were pushed out by new FDA labeling requirements for European formulas, and some couldn't maintain their supply chain logistics and tended to ship expired or poorly handled formula.
One great place to purchase Nannycare online in the USA is at the popular Formuland website, which sells a huge variety of EU formulas to US customers (with super fast shipping) and has some of the best prices on European baby formula.
References Cited
Intestinal Effects of Prebiotic GOS in Infant Formula
MFGM Benefits for Infant Development
Consulting Dietician Nutritionist (Mr. John Anderson)
EU Legislation Requirements for Infant Formula Composition
Consulting Food Sustainability Expert (Dr. Alexi Ernstoff)
United States FDA Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements (full list is here)
United States USDA Infant Nutritional Needs & Recommendations
Published Analysis of Nutritional Contents of European Baby Formulas
Information about Iron Bioavailability and Anemia Risk in Children
Disclaimer: To our knowledge, all ingredient and nutritional information contained in this article was accurate at the time of publication. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or timeliness of the information. Always read the packaging and instructions, and consult with your child's pediatrician before making nutritional and feeding decisions. Baby formulas manufactured and labeled for sale in Europe may or may not be approved for sale in the USA by the FDA or other regulatory bodies, so consumer discretion is advised.
Full disclosure: Formuland, a popular retailer for European baby formulas, offered us free Nannycare samples for testing. The samples are pictured above, provided in infant (0+ months) and two follow-on varieties (6-12 months and 12-36 months).
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