Don’t be fooled by the label. Infant formula offers no nutritional advantage for your little one.

Just when you finally feel confident about feeding your baby, your pediatrician adds a new transition to the mix during the 12-month checkup: it’s time to introduce whole milk. There are several options on supermarket shelves that can make this transition even more confusing.

Infant formula is a growing product category that is essentially marketed as the next stage after infant formula feeding and has caught the attention of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). On Friday, the organization released a new report reinforcing its stance against the use of infant formula: parents should not use it. [1]

Instead, the AAP recommends transitioning children to whole milk when they turn 12 months old. Pediatricians are also calling out baby formula manufacturers for their misleading claims and urging them to make a “clear and unequivocal distinction from standard infant formula.” The AAP wants these products to be kept on different shelves from infant formulas to avoid confusion and insists that these products should never be labeled as “formula” in any way.

If you have questions about infant formulas, here’s what pediatricians want you to know.

What is Infant Formula?

Infant formula goes by many names, including transition formula, follow-up formula, weaning formula, and baby milk. Sometimes, it is marketed as a “stage” after baby formula, like Stage 2 formula. In addition to having many different names, it can vary in content.

“Since there are no standard criteria for formulas for children older than 12 months, there is significant variability in the composition of these products,” says Katie Lockwood, MD, M.Ed., pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

It is also a rapidly growing product category. Recent research shows that baby formula now accounts for 48% of all sales worldwide of breast milk substitutes. [2] Many parents also (wrongly) believe that baby formula is superior to whole milk or confuse baby formula with infant formula.

These misconceptions concern experts. The World Health Organization has spoken out about the misleading marketing practices used for baby formulas, [3] and another AAP initiative described it as “unnecessary and potentially harmful for young children.” [4]

What’s the Difference Between Baby Formula and Infant Formula?

There are a few key differences between baby formulas and infant formulas. “Infant formulas are designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of babies under 12 months,” says Dr. Lockwood. Although infant formulas are tightly regulated in this country, “the U.S. currently has no regulatory oversight of formulas for older children,” she adds.

Later, the composition of baby formulas may vary from brand to brand, according to Danelle Fisher, MD, pediatrician and chief of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. It may also contain added sugars and high levels of sodium, which pediatricians do not recommend for children.

Why Is Whole Milk Better Than Baby Formula?

“Whole milk is better because it has the protein and calcium that children need,” says Dr. Fisher. “Milk doesn’t have additives and extras like baby formulas, which take up space that should be filled with food.”

Most doctors recommend serving whole milk until the child’s second birthday unless the doctor has suggested transitioning to low-fat milk or non-dairy alternatives. If your child is allergic or sensitive to cow’s milk, ask your pediatrician about acceptable alternatives, such as fortified whole soy milk.

Even if you have a picky eater, baby formula will not fill any nutritional gaps. Baby formulas “are not nutritionally complete,” states the AAP report.

Is Baby Formula Harmful to Toddlers?

Overall, doctors say it’s best to skip buying baby formula. But if you have used it in the past, it won’t harm your child. Talk to your pediatrician about your child’s nutritional needs, advises Dr. Lockwood. This can help you determine what supplements — if any — your child may need.

“Baby formula is significantly more expensive than whole milk, and since it doesn’t offer any nutritional benefits, this additional cost is an unnecessary burden for families,” says Dr. Lockwood.

Help your child transition to whole milk by mixing the formula you have with whole milk, gradually increasing the amount of milk, suggests Dr. Fisher. Prioritize solid foods in your child’s diet as well. “It’s good to move away from liquid intake of all those calories and shift them to solid foods,” she explains.