Deciding which formula to give your baby or which brand to switch to is never easy. Does it have the best ingredients to help your little one grow and develop? Is it easy on the tummy? Is it readily available? Enter ByHeartOpens a new window, a new formula brand that’s committed to improving baby’s nutrition with high-quality, clean ingredients. We spoke to Mia Funt, co-founder of ByHeart, to find out more about their new brand and why it should be top of mind for parents.
BabyCenter: Why do you feel parents needed a new choice for a formula brand to feed their babies?
Mia Funt: I am a parent, and so is my co-founder and brother Ron, so we know that families and their babies deserved better. Before we started ByHeart, only three companies owned approximately 90 percent of the infant formula available to purchase, and there hadn’t been a new manufacturer in the U.S. in 15 years. It was clear to us that breast milk research was moving much faster than actual product innovation. It took us five hard years to get our formula ready because we crafted it completely from scratch.
We recruited world-class doctors, breast milk scientists, pediatric researchers, seasoned formula experts, dedicated blend masters, regulatory veterans, and passionate parents to create ByHeart’s formula. Using the latest in breast milk science and ingredient research, we created a patented protein blend that gets closest to breast milk and are now just one of five U.S. infant formula manufacturers. We took the road less traveled because we knew this was the true way to innovate and do the best we possibly could on behalf of babies and parents.
ByHeart
BC: What makes ByHeart different from other formulas?
MF: Just about everything! Our clinical research, team, ingredients, facilities, small-batch process, and our dedication to obsessively (and continuously) innovate and improve on behalf of babies and their parents. We ran the largest clinical trial by a new infant formula brand in 25 years, which included 311 babies over six months old, and even compared our formula to breast milk. Our revolutionary recipe is the only U.S.-made infant formula to include organic, grass-fed whole milk, and the first U.S.-made infant formula to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award.Opens a new window In addition, we’re the first and only U.S.-made infant formula to receive the First 1,000 Day Promise CertificationOpens a new window from the Clean Label Project. We also have full oversight of the end-to-end manufacturing process with ownership of three production sites. We’re proud to say this is only a handful of the reasons we’re different from other formulas.
BC: What are the top three benefits that make ByHeart a great choice for parents and their babies?
MF: First, our formula has clinically proven* benefits for babies, including easier digestion, less spit-up, softer poops, more efficient weight gain, enhanced nutrient absorption, and longer stretches between nighttime feeds.** Secondly, ByHeart is the first U.S.-made, clinically proven, easy-to-digest formula with no corn syrup, maltodextrin, soy, or palm oil. Third, we have a patented protein blend that gets closest to breast milk by including the two most abundant proteins found in breast milk (alpha-lac and lactoferrin) — plus, broken down proteins. We believe these benefits can help empower parents to feel confident about their feeding decisions.
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BC: What do you say to parents who are not currently using formula or using a different formula?
MF: As a brand, we want to build a future where all parents can feel amazing about feeding. And when we say feeding, we mean breastfeeding, formula-feeding, or combination feeding — whatever is best for parents and their babies. We are genuinely obsessed with doing better for parents and babies and are here for families if and when they need us.
BC: Can a parent switch to ByHeart cold turkey? Is there anything they should know about switching?
MF: In general, we recommend a gradual transition, but if you want to speed it up, parents should definitely chat with their pediatrician and get a recommendation on the best way to switch formulas. An important thing to remember is that it may take time — it can take up to 30 days for a baby to fully adjust to a formula.
BC: Where can parents purchase ByHeart formula or learn more about it?
MF: We’re currently available at ByHeart.comOpens a new window, Target.com, and Target stores nationwide!
*versus a leading infant formula
**at 4 months
Mia Funt
Mia Funt is Co-Founder and President of ByHeart, an infant nutrition company on a mission to make the best formula in the world. She is also an active board member of TechnoServe, an organization that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Prior to founding ByHeart, Mia was Director of Global Business Development at Huffington Post, AOL, and Verizon and consulted for The Gates Foundation East Africa Coffee Initiative. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Mia lives in New York City with her husband Sam and her three children, Neve, Rafael, and Simone.
This post is sponsored by ByHeartOpens a new window.