#431: What to Actually Look for in Infant Formula with Hope Lima, PhD, RD, IBCLC

If you've ever felt confused or guilty when reaching for formula, or you found yourself anxiously googling, "How do I combo feed without ruining my milk supply?" this episode is for you. Dr. Hope Lima, IBCLC, RDN and nutrition researcher, joins Steph to break down what actually matters when it comes to infant feeding. We're covering how to choose an infant formula based on ingredients instead of brand marketing, what combo feeding does (and doesn't) do to milk supply, how to tell normal formula adjustment from a real intolerance, and when it's time to call your provider about feeding concerns. If you've been stuck between "breastfeed only" and "just use formula," this conversation gives you a lot more room to breathe.  Topics Covered In This Episode: Using Internal Family Systems for feeding decisions Medical and anatomical reasons to switch to formula #1 tip for parents who are dual feeding Tummy trouble: normal adjustment vs. a real problem How to know if your milk supply has actually dropped What to look for when choosing a formula  Show Notes: Sign up here for Hope's Mailing list Follow @hopefeedsfamilies or @feedingfamilieseducation on Instagram For continuing education for professionals visit  feeding-families.com/education  Sign up for the IFC course hereClick here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell's Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child's number one health advocate! Click here to explore Steph Greunke, RD's Mindset and Metabolism Substack, nuanced discussions on fat loss and behavior change for women. Watch this episode on our Youtube channel @medschoolformoms Listen to today's episode on our website   Dr. Hope Lima (she/her) is a nutrition and lactation educator and clinician who wants to help raise the bar for how we care for clients in the field of maternal and child health. She is trained as a nutrition researcher, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Hope has advanced training in pediatric food allergies, metabolism, and utilizing an Internal Family Systems-informed counseling approach to support families. Hope has experience in curriculum development, program planning and research methods as a professor in a university-level dietetics department. Hope also has experience in clinical counseling through her private practice, Hope Feeds Families, based in Rock Hill, SC. She uses these experiences to provide meaningful, engaging learning experiences for professionals in the fields of nutrition, dietetics, and lactation.  Hope founded Feeding Families Education and Consulting in 2023 with a vision of changing the way that we train clinicians and raising the bar for continuing education. When she is not working on her professional endeavors, Hope can be found playing with her 3 dogs, hiking in national parks with her husband, or riding roller coasters with her step-kids.  This Episode's Sponsors  Discover for yourself why Needed is trusted by 15,000+ women's health practitioners, including Dr. Elana and Steph. Needed supports optimal health and nourishment throughout the Motherspan--from preconception through perimenopause