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Tool · four questions, one formula; the rules are below

HiPP stage finder

Written by Kseniia P. and Tatum G.

Written with AI assistance. Published · Updated

Medically reviewed

Dr. Jill PalkoMD, FACOGRegistration NPI 1093033011

Next review due

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The answer

The HiPP stage finder narrows the range to the formula that fits a baby's age, where you will buy it, cow's or goat's milk, and any need a pediatrician has named. For a healthy baby under a year it points to a formula labelled from birth, and from six months it also lists the Stage 2 milks, since moving on is optional. From twelve months it says most toddlers need no formula. For reflux, a diagnosed allergy or a baby born early, it stops and sends you to your pediatrician.

Which HiPP formula fits your baby?

Stage finder

Four questions, one formula; it stops at a diagnosis
How old is the baby?
Where will you buy?
Cow's milk or goat's milk?
Has a pediatrician named a need?
ResultHiPP Dutch Stage 1Any formula listed as equally suitable can be a baby’s only food, and the finder ranks them on pack and price rather than on age. That is why the same one comes back whatever age you give it under a year, and why the answer changes when prices do.The finder never chooses a formula for a medical need; where the answer is a diagnosis, it stops.
Go to HiPP Dutch Stage 1

Each answer the finder gives comes from HiPP's own age labels, the market facts on this site and the guidance cited below.1234

How does the finder choose?

Age picks the stage. A formula labelled from birth, PRE or Stage 1, can be a baby's only milk through the first year: HiPP says moving on to Stage 2 is possible but not required, and the NHS sees no benefit in switching to follow-on formula at six months. From six months the finder lists the Stage 2 milks beside its answer, for parents who would rather move on.15

From twelve months the finder recommends no formula. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls toddler formulas unnecessary and advises whole cow's milk; the European Food Safety Authority reached the same view on young-child formula in 2013. The toddler milks it lists under that answer are for parents who choose one anyway.67

The market keeps only formulas a seller we track sells there, in stock. Among those it prefers lactose as the only carbohydrate, then one you can order here from our partner retailer, then the lowest price per 100 g.4

That last step settles a tie rather than finding a difference, which is why the finder can look stuck on one answer. Several HiPP milks are labelled from birth with lactose as their only carbohydrate, any of them may be a baby's only food, and nothing about the age you enter separates them. So the finder lists the rest beside its answer as equally suitable, and the one it puts at the top will change when prices change.5

The milk question swaps the range, not the rules. Choose goat's milk and the finder picks from HiPP's goat formulas by the same steps; it never offers goat's milk as an answer to allergy, because the goat packs say their proteins are similar to cow's milk.1113

The last question is a gate. Allergies in the family send you to the pediatrician, with the HA formulas sold where you buy listed as the ones to ask about, because a Cochrane review of 16 studies found no evidence for feeding a hydrolysed formula rather than an ordinary one and ESPGHAN asks for efficacy to be shown formula by formula; reflux, a diagnosed allergy and a baby born early each stop the finder, reflux at the page holding HiPP's Comfort and Anti-Reflux tins, which HiPP says to use under medical supervision.812910

Questions parents ask

Which HiPP formula is best for a newborn?

Any HiPP formula labelled from birth can be a newborn's only food. Among those, we lean to the ones with lactose as their only carbohydrate, the Dutch Stage 1 or the German PRE, which match per 100 ml on every value this site records.

Should I switch to HiPP Stage 2 at six months?

You do not have to. HiPP says moving on from PRE or Stage 1 is possible but not required, and the NHS says first infant formula is the only formula a baby needs in the first year. From six months the finder lists the Stage 2 milks for parents who would rather move on.

Should I use HiPP HA if allergies run in the family?

Talk to your pediatrician first. HiPP's HA formulas use broken-down (hydrolysed) milk protein, and a 2018 Cochrane review of 16 studies found no evidence for feeding one rather than an ordinary cow's milk formula, grading the evidence very low throughout. ESPGHAN's 2024 position paper asks for efficacy to be established separately for each hydrolysed formula. The finder therefore lists the HA formulas sold where you buy as ones to ask your pediatrician about, and picks none.

Does the finder recommend toddler milk?

No. From twelve months it says most toddlers do not need formula: the American Academy of Pediatrics calls toddler formulas unnecessary and advises whole cow's milk, and the European Food Safety Authority found young-child formula no more necessary than a normal diet. It lists the toddler milks only for parents who choose one anyway.

Why does the finder stop for a diagnosed allergy?

Because a formula for a diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy is chosen with the pediatrician, and none of the formulas in this finder is for one: HiPP's goat's milk packs rule it out as well.

What about HiPP Comfort or Anti-Reflux?

Tell the finder about reflux and it stops, the way it stops for a diagnosed allergy, and sends you to the page that holds both tins. HiPP describes them as foods for special medical purposes, to be used only under medical supervision, so which one suits a baby is the pediatrician's decision and not a tool's.

What about goat's milk formula?

Choose goat's milk and the finder picks from HiPP's goat formulas by the same rules. It treats goat's milk as a preference, not a treatment: the goat packs say their proteins are similar to cow's milk and rule them out for a cow's milk protein allergy.

Can I use the finder for twins or a premature baby?

Twins, yes, once for each. A baby born early is fed to a plan set by the neonatal team and the pediatrician, and the finder says so when you tell it the baby was born early.

Is my answer stored?

No. The four answers stay in your browser: the finder holds every result in the page already, picks one, and sends nothing anywhere at any point.

Sources

  1. HiPP Germany, Was muss ich beim Umstellen von Milchnahrungen beachten? moving on from PRE to 1, 2 or 3 is possible but not required; PRE can be fed for the whole bottle-feeding period; updated 29 October 2025 fetched 18 September 2026
  2. HiPP Germany, product page for PRE Bio Combiotik from birth fetched 18 September 2026
  3. HiPP Germany, product page for 2 Bio Combiotik after the sixth month fetched 18 September 2026
  4. HiPP Netherlands, HiPP 1 Combiotik (NL2472-03) Stage 1 from birth, Stage 2 from six months, Stage 3 from ten months fetched 18 September 2026
  5. NHS, Types of formula first infant formula is the only formula a baby needs in the first year; no benefit in switching to follow-on formula at six months fetched 18 September 2026
  6. American Academy of Pediatrics, Most toddlers don't need toddler formula toddler formulas are unnecessary; whole cow's milk from 12 months for a child who is not breastfed; 20 October 2023 fetched 18 September 2026
  7. European Food Safety Authority, press release on the nutrient requirements of infants and young children young-child formula has no unique role and cannot be considered necessary; 25 October 2013 fetched 18 September 2026
  8. Vandenplas Y. et al., 2024, ESPGHAN position paper on cow's milk allergy efficacy to be established for each hydrolysed formula separately, rather than assumed for the class fetched 23 September 2026
  9. HiPP UK, Comfort Milk foods for special medical purposes, to be used only under medical supervision fetched 18 September 2026
  10. American Academy of Pediatrics, Your premature baby's nutrition needs the neonatal team and the pediatrician set a premature baby's feeding plan; updated 13 April 2026 fetched 18 September 2026
  11. HiPP Netherlands, HiPP goat's milk formulas Stage 1 from birth and Stage 2 from six months, a list the page renders with script fetched 21 September 2026
  12. Osborn D.A., Sinn J.K. and Jones L.J., 2018, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 10:CD003664 16 studies; no evidence to support prolonged feeding with a hydrolysed formula rather than a cow's milk formula, the evidence graded very low for every outcome fetched 23 September 2026
  13. HiPP Netherlands, label of HiPP 1 Biologische Zuigelingenmelk op basis van Geitenmelk (NL20003) the goat Stage 1 tin: the warning that its proteins are similar to cow's milk proteins, so it is not for a baby with a cow's milk protein allergy fetched 24 September 2026
Corrections (2)
  • HiPP's HA formulas are now described as using broken-down (hydrolysed) protein, as the German packs say. They had been described as using partly broken-down protein, which the packs do not say.
  • The finder had given the same formula labelled from birth for any baby under a year, and named no formula from twelve months. It now also asks whether you want cow's or goat's milk, and treats goat's milk as a preference, never an answer to allergy. From six months it lists the Stage 2 milks beside the answer, since moving on is optional. With allergies in the family it lists the HA formulas sold where you buy as the ones to ask your pediatrician about, and picks none of them. From twelve months it still recommends no formula, and now lists the toddler milks for a parent who chooses one anyway. The rules behind each answer, with their sources, are on the page.