Full Review: Good Start Gentle Pro Infant Formula - Dr. Brown’s

This gentle formula impressed us with easy mixing, good taste, partially hydrolyzed whey protein, and noticeably softer stools!

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: August 22, 2026

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We put Good Start Dr. Brown's Gentle Pro Infant Formula to the test, evaluating its ingredients, nutrition, protein composition, mixing, taste, packaging, tolerability, sourcing, consumer feedback, and overall value.

We tested it with three babies ranging from 2 to 7 months old, including one who regularly struggles with gas and constipation.

Let's see how it performed!

Full disclosure: As always, parents should consult their pediatrician before switching formulas, particularly when allergies, reflux, poor growth, or other medical concerns are involved.

Good Start Gentle Pro is designed for babies from birth through 12 months who may benefit from a gentler alternative to traditional intact cow's milk protein formulas.

With its 100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein, 2'-FL HMO, B. lactis, DHA, ARA, and lactose as the primary carbohydrate, Gentle Pro is a compelling mainstream option for babies who may have a sensitive tummy.

Note that Gentle Pro is not hypoallergenic and still contains cow's milk protein and soy ingredients.

Our Good Start Gentle Pro Formula Review

Nobody wants to read through an entire article to get to conclusions; you've got more important things to do! So here are our findings, right up front.

Here is a summary of what we loved, and a few things that could be improved.

✔️  Complete nutrition 0-12 mo.
✔️  Contains iron.
✔️  100% whey protein.
✔️  No casein protein.
✔️  Partially hydrolyzed whey.
✔️  2-step protein hydrolysis.
✔️  Lactose primary carb.
✔️  2'-FL HMO prebiotic.
✔️  Probiotic B. lactis.
✔️  Includes DHA + ARA.
✔️  Non-GMO ingredients.
✔️  No artificial growth hormones.
✔️  Evidence for softer stools.
✔️  Easy to prepare and mix.
✔️  Minimal clumping.
✔️  Pleasant taste.
✔️  2/3 test babies accepted it.
✔️  We noticed softer stools.
❌  Contains palm olein oil.
❌  Contains soy ingredients.
❌  Contains corn maltodextrin.

Overall, Good Start Gentle Pro made a strong impression.

We particularly like the use of partially hydrolyzed 100% whey protein, lactose as the primary carbohydrate, and the combination of 2'-FL HMO with probiotic B. lactis.

Our most interesting real-world finding was also consistent across both babies who accepted the formula: their stools became slightly softer.

We didn't see obvious improvements in gastrointestinal issues during our relatively short testing period, but we also didn't see those problems worsen.

For babies who are otherwise doing well but tend toward firmer stools or have difficulty tolerating intact milk proteins, we think Gentle Pro is particularly compelling.

Maybe even worthy of a spot on our list of the best gentle baby formulas!

Unboxing & Packaging

Good Start Gentle Pro is currently available in several package sizes, including 12.3-, 20-, 32-, and 38-ounce options.

The packaging is straightforward and familiar for a mainstream U.S. powdered formula, with preparation instructions, nutrition facts, ingredients, and feeding guidance clearly printed on the container.

The enclosed scoop holds approximately 8.7 grams, with one unpacked level scoop used for every 2 fluid ounces of water.

That makes bottle preparation intuitive, particularly for parents accustomed to mainstream American formulas.

When we first opened the container, the scoop was nowhere to be found - it was hidden down at the bottom of the container, and we had to dig it out with a clean fork. That was a pain, and we wish Good Start would attach the scoop to the lid to avoid this issue.

The powder itself is light in color and has a relatively mild aroma considering that it uses hydrolyzed protein.

That's worth mentioning because some hydrolyzed formulas have a noticeably strong or unpleasant smell.

Ingredients

The ingredient list is where Good Start Gentle Pro becomes especially interesting.

The first ingredient is enzymatically hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate from milk.

Unlike most conventional milk-based formulas, Gentle Pro uses 100% whey protein with no casein protein.

That whey is then partially hydrolyzed, breaking the large intact proteins into substantially smaller peptides that may be easier for some babies to digest.

Full ingredients list:

Whey protein concentrate (from milk, enzymatically hydrolyzed, reduced in minerals), vegetable oils (palm olein, soy, coconut, high oleic safflower or high oleic sunflower), lactose, corn maltodextrin, and less than 2% of: potassium hydroxide, calcium chloride, potassium phosphate, calcium phosphate, choline bitartrate, 2'-O-fucosyllactose, citric acid, M. alpina oil, Schizochytrium oil, sodium ascorbate, magnesium chloride, sodium citrate, soy lecithin, taurine, nucleotides (cytidine 5'-monophosphate, disodium uridine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, disodium guanosine 5'-monophosphate), inositol, ferrous sulfate, alpha-tocopheryl acetate, mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl palmitate, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, B. lactis cultures, L-carnitine, copper sulfate, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide, folic acid, phylloquinone, biotin, sodium selenate, vitamin D3, vitamin B12.

Contains milk and soy.

Some noteworthy formulation highlights include:

• 100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein, with no casein protein.
• Lactose as the primary carbohydrate, which is better than eliminating lactose unnecessarily.
• 2'-FL HMO, a prebiotic structurally similar to one of the prominent oligosaccharides found in breast milk.
• B. lactis probiotic cultures to help support the developing intestinal microbiome.
• DHA and ARA to support brain and eye development.
• Nucleotides, choline, taurine, inositol, and L-carnitine.

Historical technical information for this same GentlePro formulation describes the carbohydrate profile as approximately 70% lactose and 30% maltodextrin.

We like that balance better than gentle formulas that remove lactose almost entirely and rely heavily on corn syrup solids or other alternative carbohydrates.

Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in breast milk, and most healthy infants are capable of digesting it.

One ingredient some parents may not love is palm olein oil.

There has been research interest in whether palm olein can affect fat and calcium absorption and stool characteristics, and some parents specifically seek palm-oil-free formulas.

Interestingly, however, Gentle Pro has good clinical evidence for producing softer stools despite its use of palm olein, so we don't consider its presence a major concern.

Gentle Pro also contains corn maltodextrin and soy-derived ingredients, which may be drawbacks for parents specifically trying to avoid those ingredients.

Nutrition Facts

When prepared according to the label, approximately 5 fluid ounces of Good Start Gentle Pro provides 100 calories, or the standard 20 calories per fluid ounce.

Here are the major nutrients per 100 calories:

Beyond the standard vitamins and minerals, there are three nutritional additions we especially like: DHA + ARA, 2'-FL HMO, and B. lactis.

The formula's DHA content is approximately 0.32% of total fatty acids, which is a respectable level for a U.S. infant formula.

The 2'-FL HMO is not derived from human milk, but it is structurally similar to an important oligosaccharide naturally present in breast milk.

The probiotic B. lactis adds another layer to the digestive-health formulation and differentiates Gentle Pro from many ordinary infant formulas.

FDA Nutrition Comparison

One of the things we like to do when reviewing infant formula is compare the label values with standard U.S. infant formula nutrition requirements.

Gentle Pro provides complete infant nutrition and its nutrient profile sits comfortably within the standard ranges used for U.S. infant formulas.

There were no obvious nutritional shortcomings in our review of the label.

The 2.2 grams of protein per 100 calories is particularly interesting because the quantity is completely conventional; what makes this formula different is the form of that protein.

Preparation & Mixing

The preparation instructions are straightforward and will be familiar to anyone who has prepared a standard powdered infant formula.

Good Start instructs parents to wash their hands and clean feeding equipment, measure water into the bottle first, then add the appropriate number of unpacked level scoops.

Mixing chart:

If formula will not be fed immediately, the manufacturer says prepared bottles can be refrigerated at 35-40°F and used within 24 hours.

Once feeding begins, remaining formula should be discarded after 1 hour.

The powder should be used within one month of opening.

There is one preparation detail that is especially important with Gentle Pro: because it contains live probiotic cultures, Good Start says not to heat prepared formula above 100°F (38°C), which could damage the probiotics.

As with other powdered infant formulas, the product is not sterile, so parents of premature or immunocompromised infants should discuss appropriate preparation procedures with their pediatrician.

In our own testing, preparation was very easy.

The powder mixed quickly (be sure to shake for about a minute to reduce the likelihood of clumping) and evenly into the water without requiring excessive shaking.

Foaming was minimal, as you can see here:

We experienced no meaningful clumping problems and thought the overall mixing behavior was excellent.

We also sampled the prepared formula ourselves.

Hydrolyzed proteins can sometimes give infant formula a distinctly bitter or unpleasant flavor, particularly as the degree of hydrolysis increases.

We were pleasantly surprised by Gentle Pro.

The flavor was mild and quite good, without the strong bitterness we have encountered with some hydrolyzed formulas.

That became especially relevant when we moved on to testing it with babies.

Here's a close-up of the bottom of the bottle - if there were clumps, they would sink to the bottom after the bottle sits on the counter for a few minutes.

Notice how there are only a few tiny congealed pieces of formula, on the right side, which is normal.

Our Hands-On Testing

For our real-world testing, we tried Good Start Gentle Pro with three babies: 2 months, 4 months, and 7 months old.

This gave us a nice range of ages and feeding experiences.

Two of the three babies accepted Gentle Pro readily.

The 7-month-old did not like or accept the formula, despite several attempts.

That's an important reminder that formula acceptance can be surprisingly individual, even when adults find the flavor relatively mild.

The 2-month-old and 4-month-old both accepted it without difficulty.

Of those two babies, neither experienced a noticeable change in gas, reflux, fussiness, or constipation frequency.

That's somewhat important because "gentle" formulas are sometimes marketed in a way that can give parents the impression that they will automatically solve common digestive complaints.

Our experience was more nuanced.

Neither baby suddenly became less gassy or less fussy, but neither developed any new digestive problems either.

What we did notice in both babies was slightly softer stool consistency.

That was subtle but consistent, and it was particularly interesting because softer stools are one of Gentle Pro's primary advertised benefits.

The result was especially encouraging in our 4-month-old test baby, who normally drinks Kendamil and tends to have some problems with both gas and constipation.

His mother was happy to see that his stools became somewhat softer while using Gentle Pro and is now considering switching from Kendamil.

We didn't see a dramatic elimination of his gas or constipation, so we wouldn't overstate the result.

But softer, easier stools were a welcome improvement.

Interestingly, that observation is consistent with published research on partially hydrolyzed 100% whey formulas.

A pooled analysis of seven clinical studies involving more than 500 healthy full-term infants found that babies receiving partially hydrolyzed whey formula had substantially more soft stools and fewer hard stools than babies receiving intact cow's milk protein formula.

That's stronger supporting evidence than we usually see behind a relatively specific infant formula claim.

Of course, our own sample of three babies is tiny and every infant can respond differently, but seeing the softer-stool effect in both babies who actually drank the formula was encouraging.

Claims & What Makes It Gentle

Good Start markets Gentle Pro specifically for sensitive tummies, easier digestion, and softer poops.

There are several meaningful formulation choices behind those claims.

1. 100% Whey Protein

Most conventional cow's milk formulas contain both whey and casein.

Gentle Pro uses 100% whey protein, eliminating casein protein from the formula.

Good Start emphasizes that whey remains more soluble in the stomach and avoids the firmer curd formation associated with casein.

2. Partially Hydrolyzed Protein

This is probably the most important difference.

The whey protein undergoes a two-step enzymatic hydrolysis process that breaks intact proteins into much smaller peptide fragments.

According to Good Start, the resulting proteins are about 10 times smaller than intact cow's milk proteins.

That means some of the digestive work has already been performed before the formula reaches the baby's stomach and intestine.

This does not make Gentle Pro hypoallergenic.

The proteins are only partially hydrolyzed, whereas formulas intended for cow's milk protein allergy typically use extensively hydrolyzed proteins or individual amino acids.

3. B. lactis Probiotic

Gentle Pro contains the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis.

Bifidobacteria commonly colonize the infant intestinal tract and are especially prominent in many breastfed infants.

The inclusion of B. lactis is intended to support the intestinal microbiome and digestion.

4. 2'-FL HMO Prebiotic

The formula also contains 2'-fucosyllactose, or 2'-FL.

2'-FL is one of the human milk oligosaccharides naturally found at significant levels in breast milk.

The 2'-FL used in formula is not obtained from human milk, but it is structurally similar and functions as a prebiotic.

5. Mostly Lactose-Based Carbohydrates

We also appreciate that Good Start did not make Gentle Pro "gentle" simply by removing most of the lactose.

The formulation uses lactose as its main carbohydrate, historically specified at approximately 70% of the carbohydrate blend, with the remaining 30% coming from maltodextrin.

That's a sensible compromise for most babies because true primary lactose intolerance is uncommon during infancy.

Taken together, we think these features give the Gentle Pro name legitimate substance - it's not just a marketing label.

Consumer Sentiment

In addition to our own hands-on testing, we also looked through a large number of parent reviews and discussions to see how Gentle Pro performs outside controlled testing.

Overall sentiment is quite positive, with several recurring themes.

• Softer stools are one of the most frequently reported benefits.
• Many parents report less gas or digestive discomfort after switching from standard formula.
• Some parents report improvements in spit-up or reflux, although Gentle Pro is not specifically an anti-reflux formula.
• Parents frequently describe it as easy to mix, with relatively little clumping or excessive foam.
• Baby acceptance appears generally good for a partially hydrolyzed formula.
• Several parents report successful transitions from breast milk or other mainstream formulas.

The negative reviews are also worth paying attention to.

Some parents report continued or increased gas, constipation, fussiness, reflux, or formula refusal.

That variability closely matches what we saw ourselves: two babies readily accepted the formula while our 7-month-old simply didn't want it.

There is no infant formula that universally agrees with every baby.

We would therefore view the consumer feedback as encouraging, particularly for stool softness and general tolerability, but not as evidence that Gentle Pro will reliably eliminate gas, reflux, or fussiness.

Transparency & Ingredient Sourcing

Good Start has gone through some major ownership and branding changes in recent years.

The formula was previously sold as Gerber Good Start GentlePro.

Perrigo acquired the Good Start infant formula business and later partnered with Dr. Brown's to market the current product as Good Start Dr. Brown's Gentle Pro.

Importantly, Perrigo says the actual Gentle Pro formulation did not change with the rebranding.

The transaction also included the former Nestlé infant formula manufacturing facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, giving Perrigo ownership of both the Good Start formulations and their U.S. manufacturing capability.

Perrigo states that its infant formula dairy ingredients are sourced from major dairy markets that include the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, while other raw materials are sourced globally.

We therefore would not characterize Gentle Pro as using exclusively American ingredients, even though it is manufactured in the United States.

Good Start also makes several notable product claims:

• Not made with genetically engineered ingredients
• No artificial growth hormones
• 100% whey protein
• Partially hydrolyzed protein
• 2'-FL HMO
• B. lactis probiotic
• DHA + ARA

The current formulas are not certified organic, Kosher, or Halal.

One historical safety point deserves some context.

In 2023, Perrigo voluntarily recalled certain lots of Gerber Good Start SoothePro because of potential Cronobacter contamination concerns.

That recall involved SoothePro, not GentlePro.

We did not identify a current recall involving Gentle Pro during our research.

Value & Comparisons

Gentle Pro sits in an interesting position between conventional intact-protein formulas and true hypoallergenic formulas.

Gentle Pro sits in a useful middle ground between standard and hypoallergenic formulas.

Its 100% partially hydrolyzed whey may be easier to digest than intact-protein formulas, while lactose remains the primary carbohydrate.

It is not hypoallergenic and is not appropriate for babies with cow's milk protein allergy.

We also like that it relies less on corn syrup solids than many competing gentle formulas.

Downsides include palm olein, soy ingredients, corn maltodextrin, and the fact that it is not organic.

In our testing, our 4-month-old Kendamil drinker did not have less gas, but his stools became softer, and his mother is considering making the switch.

Our Conclusions

Who This Formula Is Best For

• Babies who may have difficulty tolerating intact cow's milk proteins
• Babies who tend toward firmer stools
• Parents looking for a partially hydrolyzed formula without eliminating most lactose
• Families who want a formula containing 2'-FL HMO + B. lactis probiotic
• Parents who want DHA and ARA in a gentle formula
• Babies who do not require an extensively hydrolyzed or amino acid-based hypoallergenic formula

Good Start Gentle Pro is one of the better mainstream gentle formulas we've tested.

Its 100% partially hydrolyzed whey protein, no casein, 2'-FL HMO, B. lactis probiotic, and mostly lactose-based carbohydrates give it a genuinely tummy-friendly formulation.

It was also very easy to mix, and we thought the taste was surprisingly good for a hydrolyzed formula.

Two of our three test babies accepted it readily. Neither showed major changes in gas, reflux, fussiness, or constipation, but both developed slightly softer stools, including our 4-month-old Kendamil drinker who tends to struggle with gas and constipation.

That softer-stool effect is also supported by clinical research on partially hydrolyzed whey formulas.

The main downsides are palm olein, corn maltodextrin, soy ingredients, and the fact that it is not organic or hypoallergenic.

Overall, Gentle Pro offers a strong balance of easy-to-digest protein, useful prebiotic and probiotic ingredients, good taste, easy preparation, and encouraging stool tolerance.

We give Good Start Gentle Pro Infant Formula a 4.6 out of 5.0!