Breast milk is expressly designed to be suitable for a baby’s sensitive and still-developing digestive system.  Its protein and fat are more easily digested than are the protein and fat in standard milk-based formulas. 

One of the reasons that human milk is so easily digested is that it is rich in a type of protein called alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-protein).  Recent research indicates that an alpha-protein–enriched formula is easy to digest and better tolerated than standard formulas.

t’s also important to consider the burden that some formulas can put on young babies’ immature kidneys.  Wyeth’s Infant Formula with Alpha-Protein is easier on baby’s kidneys because it has a lower total protein level than standard formula.  It also has appropriate levels of electrolytes—the biofactors that help regulate the body’s balance of fluids.  This helps reduce the risk of dehydration—loss of significant amounts of body water—during fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and hot weather.

Although many standard formulas are whey-dominant like human milk, they have high levels of beta-lactoglobulin, a protein not normally found in human milk.  Wyeth's infant formula, with increased levels of alpha-protein and reduced levels of beta-lactoglobulin, has a composition closer to that of human breast milk.