New babies are incredibly vulnerable to their environments.
Most moms, especially new ones, are bombarded with advice about how to care for their babies: how to dress them, how to bathe them, the best diapers, bottles, toys.
What a lot of people don’t consider is their internal systems. They are very susceptible to tummy upsets, viruses, and the development of allergies.
One way to give your baby a leg up is to consider giving them probiotics. The best infant probiotic can help your baby tolerate food better, prevent him from developing allergies, build a strong immune system, and more.
The bad news
Probiotics aren’t for every baby, and we strongly urge you to discuss any supplements with your baby’s doctor first. They can, in some cases, cause constipation, diarrhea and excess gas, and some babies flat-out won’t take them due to flavor, texture, or just general fussiness.
These side-effects are generally rare, and are the exact opposite of what you’re looking for when you buy baby probiotics.
What to buy
When you go to buy a probiotic for your infant, do your research. Figure out what your baby needs.
Is he or she having digestive issues or are you looking for something preventative?
In most cases, when starting probiotics for infants, a gradual increase to full dosage is a good idea. If you're looking to treat a problem happening right now, then you might want to just go for the full dose to see how your baby tolerates it and if it helps.
If, however, it’s something you just want to add, then your next question needs to be about what you want.
Do you want the convenience of drops? The fine, flavorless powder that mixes well in formula or breast milk? Something that has to be refrigerated, or something you can toss in your purse or diaper bag?
You can find something that fits your baby’s needs, and your own, on this list of top-rated probiotics.
Before we take a closer look, here's a peek at your best options.
Quick comparison: Best infant probiotics
Probiotics | Features we love | Rating | Buy it now |
|---|---|---|---|
Probonix Daily 
| - Helps with gas, acid reflux | ||
Infant Probiotic 
| - No flavor, safe and natural | ||
Mommy's Bliss 
| - Recommended by pediatricians | ||
ProBiota Infant Powder 
| - No milk, corn, soy, wheat, gluten | ||
ProVita Labs 7 
| - Flavorless and easy to mix | ||
Udo's Choice 
| - Blends 7 active enzymes |
For the full scoop on the top options on the market, keep reading!
Probonix Daily Liquid Probiotic Drops
This product by Probonix offers a simple, flavorful way to give your baby probiotics.
One to two drops in your baby’s formula or breast milk twice a day helps him become more regular. A more regular baby is a happy mommy.
It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, so it can be carried in your purse or a diaper bag for on-the-go use.
As it comes in a tasty grape flavor, it’s generally easy to convince your baby to take it, even without adding it to anything.
Pros
- Softens stools
- Aids in regulating digestion
- No refrigeration necessary
- Convenient to use
- Flavored for use with ou without a liquid
- Relieves gas
Cons
- Flavor not liked by all babies
- Can cause excess gas
- Flavor separates and settles at bottom of bottle
Why is this product great for your baby?
This products is perfect for the mommy or daddy that prefers the convenience of adding 1-2 drops to a bottle instead measuring and mixing additional powder. You can carry it with you quite easily, which makes dosing of probiotics incredibly simple. This is great for baby because she can get her dose anytime, anywhere.
Infant Probiotic, by Mother's Select, for Colic and Gas
This powder probiotic is flavorless, so it’s easy to add to your baby’s food or beverages. It’s a vegetarian product too, so if your baby doesn’t like or eat meat for whatever reason, this probiotic has you covered.
It's perfect for infants aged 6 months and up, and you can give it to your child until he's 3.
It promotes immune function and digestive health, and gives babies relief from colic and gas, as it contains 4 billion live cultures per serving.
Pros
- Flavorless
- Reduces gas
- Easy to add to beverages or food
- Eases constipation
- Eases colic
- Vegetarian formula
- Eases diaper rash
Cons
- Clumps in humidity
- Very fine powder, easy to spill
- Scoop gets lost in powder
Why is this product great for your baby?
For a fussy baby that does't like something flavored being added to her milk or food, this is a perfect option. It’s almost completely hidden when mixed well. Infants, though small, can have big opinions, but you shouldn't have any problems with this powder.
Mommy's Bliss Baby Probiotic Drops
Here's another great option if you like the idea of drops, but aren’t sure about the flavoring. This probiotic, from Mommy's Bliss, is completely flavorless, and you can start using them from day one.
We love the "NO" qualities of this product: no paragons, chemicals, additives, dairy, gluten, soy, colors or artificial flavors. For a vegetarian/vegan option this in one of the best infant probiotics.
This product is recommended by pediatricians, and is the probiotic strain with the most clinical studies—more than 800!
Pros
- Helps keep thrush away
- Helps with acid reflux
- Helps stool consistency
- Reduces gas
Cons
- Can cause gas
- Strong flavor some babies don’t like
- Powder separates from oil
Why is this product great for your baby?
If you like the idea of the easy dosing, this is a great choice. Peace of mind, and a happy comfortable baby.
ProBiota Infant Powder
With a limited ingredient formula, ProBiota’s powder is a good solution for babies with certain food intolerances. This probiotic contains no milk, corn, soy, wheat, gluten, shellfish, eggs or fish.
For moms that have had to test elimination diets for fussy babies, news like that can be a life-saver!
This powder can be mixed in with formula, water, juice, or puree. Some moms just dip their pinky finger in the powder and give it to their baby to suck on.
Pros
- No dairy, soy or corn
- Relieves gas
- Regulates stool size and consistency
- Powder form easily mixes in with formula or breastmilk
Cons
- Can cause diarrhea
- Can cause a rash
- Can cause excess gas
Why is this product great for your baby?
For a mom that mixes formula in advance, this is a simple way to give your baby probiotics. One quarter of a teaspoon is all your baby needs. When a fussy baby has tummy or gas issues, the fact that they’ll eat it right off your finger makes it a convenient solution.
ProVita Labs 7 Probiotics in 1
For on-the-go moms, this might be the best infant probiotic for you!
It’s a powder formula, but unlike most, there’s no measuring involved, since these come in pre-dosed capsules. Open one up, pour the powder into formula, breastmilk, apple sauce, yogurt, etc., and serve!. Another flavorless option, it can be mixed with just about anything.
With 11.5 billion organisms per serving, and 7 probiotic strains in 1, this is an outstanding option, not to mention a popular one with parents.
Pros
- Capsules make measuring doses easy
- 2-year shelf life
- Flavorless
- Can be added to food or beverages
Cons
- Can cause constipation
Why is this product great for your baby?
In a word—convenience. The fact that these come in pre-dosed capsules eliminates some of the work involved. No need for a scoop. Just open, pour and serve.
Udo's Choice Infant's Blend Probiotic
This is an excellent probiotic which has to be refrigerated, and it's notorious among parents for helping keep their babies regular and solving their tummy troubles. The powder can be mixed with everything from juice and yogurt to formula.
One jar lasts a long time, so you get excellent bang for your buck.
The unique blend of 7 active enzymes will aids in the digestion of fats, carbs and proteins, and during production, Udo's Choice contains at least 3 billion viable cells per gram.
Pros
- Flavorless
- Helps with allergies
- Helps with constipation
- Helps with immune system health
Cons
- Needs refrigeration
- Does not dissolve easily
- Contains dairy and soy
Why is this product great for your baby?
Parents have found this probiotic to be very successful at keeping their babies regular, and they noticed a difference quite quickly. In short, it's a quality product. In fact, one previous user claims "This stuff is magic."
One thing to remember: always check with your baby’s doctor before giving him any new kind of supplement.
There are many short- and long-term benefits of probiotics. Helping your baby develop a healthy digestive system now can prevent problems later in life.
Probiotics are an investment in your child’s future. They can help with colic, constipation, and gassiness now, but they also reduce the chances of developing allergies later in life, and they support the immune system, preparing your baby for exposure to viruses when he eventually goes to daycare and/or school.
Read the information, talk to your doctor. And most of all, listen to your mother’s intuition. You know when your baby isn’t feeling her best.
Sometimes a small change in your baby’s gut can make all the difference. Sometimes a probiotic can be that change.
