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How To Find the Safest Organic Infant Formula

I am honored to share this guest post by Charlotte Vallaeys, former of Director of Farm and Food Policy at the Cornucopia Institute and now a Senior Analyst within the Consumer Safety and Sustainability Program at Consumers Union. This is the truth about organic infant formulas that currently exist on the market today and something that needs to be read by every mother-to-be, mothers and fathers everywhere. Unfortunately, choosing an infant formula that is organic is not enough – you must look deeper and understand the ingredients manufacturers are using in their products. Charlotte shares the exact ingredients you need to look out for and how to find the safest organic infant formula available. She holds Masters degrees from Harvard University and Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition. 


Some of my favorite memories of my sons as babies (which was not that long ago—they are 2 and 4 years old) involve breastfeeding.  It is a truly magical and priceless bonding experience.  And for someone who loves good, “real” food as much as I do, there could be nothing more satisfying and empowering than that tingling feeling that accompanies the milk ducts springing into action to produce fresh milk, full of just the right mix of enzymes, nutrients, antibodies, hormones, and other beneficial components that have yet to be discovered—the product of millions of years of evolution, specially made for my baby to ensure he’ll grow and thrive.

But we also faced many obstacles along the way.  The challenges started in the hospital with my firstborn and continued up to the moment my lastborn sipped his last drop of human milk.

My oldest, Liam, would not latch on at first.  I had expected breastfeeding to be easy—it was, after all, so “natural”—but there I was, a brand new mom with an hours-old baby, struggling to get my newborn to latch on.  Those first hours of motherhood ushered in the realization that, in parenthood, not everything will go as planned.

After involving many contraptions, including a hospital-grade breast pump, specialized bottles, and a silicone “nipple shield,” and many different nurses’ and lactation consultants’ advice (not to mention a lot of maternal determination), we finally—after a couple of days—made it work.

When Liam was 9 weeks old, I discovered blood in his diaper and disregarded our pediatrician’s advice to switch from breastfeeding to hypoallergenic formula (she claimed he was allergic to milk, including his mother’s milk).  Instead, I continued breastfeeding but cut all dairy and soy out of my diet until Liam’s first birthday.

Among other challenges, we weathered two bouts of painful mastitis and many days of separation for work-related trips that required a freezer full of pumped milk.

The challenges continued until the very end, and unfortunately, my final memories of breastfeeding are also the most painful.  When he was 9 months, my second son, Kai, decided to wean on his own.  I had heard about “self-weaning,” and until I was faced with an uninterested and stubborn infant, I thought it was just a clever excuse for mothers to switch to more convenient formula feeding.  Again, it was a stark reminder that many things about parenthood are easier said than done, and so much of what happens on this journey is entirely out of our control.

I suppose I was more stubborn than Kai, and he eventually became hungry and thirsty enough that he would feed.  But he responded by reluctantly drinking and then ending the session with a bite.  After a couple of weeks of very tense—and often painful—feeding sessions, I switched to pumping and giving my milk to Kai from a bottle.  I grimaced every time I saw him bite down on that rubber nipple.  Eventually, after a couple more weeks, I produced no more milk, and that bottle needed something in it for the remaining weeks until we could switch to organic whole milk.

All this baby-feeding drama happened while I worked as a researcher and policy analyst with The Cornucopia Institute.  Cornucopia acts as a watchdog for the organic community.  As I carefully read labels in the baby food aisle of my local food store, I couldn’t help but notice numerous violations of the organic standards.  I avoided these baby foods with multiple unapproved synthetic ingredients.  Meanwhile, Cornucopia took a leading role in advocating for the removal of unnecessary or potentially harmful synthetics from organic formula and baby food.

This blog post is for parents, grandparents and others who want more information on organic infant formula.  I’d like to share what I learned both as Policy Director at Cornucopia and as a mom looking for the best food for my own babies.

Without a doubt, human milk and factory-produced infant formula don’t compare, as human milk is far superior in so many respects, including in ways we will probably never fully comprehend.  We can all agree on that.  But in parenthood, many things don’t go as planned, and for many committed, food-conscious, organic-buying parents, that includes breastfeeding.

I will only cover organic formula, and I hope that readers will understand that while there are many problems in this segment of the organic industry, organic formula is still a far better choice than conventional formula, with its genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs), milk from cows that were likely treated with antibiotics or artificial growth hormones, and oils that were processed with the use of neurotoxic solvents like hexane.  Major ingredients in conventional formula are derived from crops that were sprayed with harmful pesticides and herbicides in the field and likely fumigated in storage.

Organic formula offers an alternative, but it is far from perfect.  I hope that parents will find the information here useful if faced with the tough decision to turn to formula.

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The Organic Formula Industry

If you need formula and can’t make your own, you likely want to know how to purchase the best one.

While there are seven brands of organic infant formula currently available on market shelves, there are only three companies that make organic infant formula in the United States.

One manufacturer is PBM Nutritionals, owned by Perrigo.  At $3 billion in annual sales, Perrigo is the world’s largest manufacturer of private label (store-brand) over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.  PBM primarily produces conventional formula, but makes organic formula for its own Vermont Organics and Bright Beginnings brands.  It also manufacturers organic formula for Hain Celestial’s Earth’s Best brand, Whole Foods Market’s 365 Organic brand, and Walmart’s Parent’s Choice brand.

Similac Organic is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.  Abbott, a major manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the U.S., introduced Similac Organic in 2006.  By 2007, its first full year on sale, Similac Organic captured 36% of the organic formula market.  Abbott’s Similac is a market leader in conventional formula.

Finally, Baby’s Only Organic is developed and marketed by Nature’s One.  Nature’s One markets Baby’s Only Organic formula as a “toddler formula” rather than an infant formula (according to the company, this is done to encourage breastfeeding until age 1).  Its products meet the same nutritional standards that the FDA sets forth for infant formula.  Nature’s One is the only company marketing organic formula that is not a publicly traded corporation; the business is family-owned and operated.

Top five ingredients to take a close look at  – how do organic brands compare?

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1. Sweeteners: corn syrup, sugar, or brown rice syrup

Formula manufacturers strive to formulate a product that mirrors the nutritional profile of human milk.  Human milk contains higher levels of lactose, a carbohydrate, than cow milk, which means that formula manufacturers must make up the difference by adding a sweetener to cow milk-based formula.

But in their choice of sweetener, it appears that concerns over the availability and price of the various sources have taken precedence.  The sweetener that most closely mimics human milk would be lactose (the naturally occurring carbohydrate in any mammal’s milk).  But lactose is also the most expensive, and manufacturers have, over the years, switched from this milk-based sweetener to plant-based sweeteners.

Corn syrup

When PBM Nutritionals first rolled out its organic infant formula under the Bright Beginnings brand name, it contained only organic lactose, with no corn-based sweeteners.  PBM soon produced the same product for Walmart, under the Parent’s Choice brand name, which also contained only organic lactose.

But PBM Nutritionals switched from organic lactose as the sole sweetener for Bright Beginnings, and so did Walmart’s organic formula, in 2010.  Their formulations changed to include both ‘organic corn syrup solids’ and lactose.

By 2011, organic lactose in Bright Beginnings and Parent’s Choice had disappeared altogether, replaced by organic maltodextrin, another plant-based sweetener. Maltodextrins are partially hydrolyzed starch molecules, which can be derived from corn, rice or potatoes.  Maltodextrin is less sweet than corn syrup.

Today, Bright Beginnings, Parent’s Choice and Whole Foods’ 365 Organic contain no organic lactose at all—only plant-based (mostly corn-based) carbohydrates.

A similar move away from organic lactose happened with Earth’s Best and Vermont Organics (again, both manufactured by PBM).  In 2007, Earth’s Best infant formula contained only organic lactose as the added carbohydrate.  When Vermont Organics entered the market in 2008, it mirrored Earth’s Best and also contained only organic lactose.  By 2011, both Earth’s Best and Vermont Organics contained reduced amounts of organic lactose, which were replaced with ‘organic glucose syrup solids.’

‘Organic glucose syrup solids’ is another name for ‘organic corn syrup solids,’ which are partially hydrolyzed corn starch molecules that are dried to a low moisture powder (hence the name ‘solids’).  Corn syrup solids are moderately sweet (sweeter than maltodextrin).

Brand Company Manufacturer Carbohydrate in 2013
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Markets, Inc. PBM Nutritionals Organic Glucose Syrup Solids, Organic Maltodextrin
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One Organic Brown Rice Syrup
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Organic Glucose Syrup Solids, Organic Maltodextrin
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals Organic Lactose, Organic Glucose Syrup Solids
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals Organic Glucose Syrup Solids, Organic Maltodextrin
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Sugar
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Organic Lactose, Organic Glucose Syrup Solids

Sugar

In terms of the added sweetener, Abbott Laboratories took a different route for its Similac Organic product: sugar.

Abbott’s decision came under fire in 2008, when The New York Times reported on the various concerns regarding the use of sugar in infant formula.  The Times even commissioned its own professional taste test.  Similac Organic was the sweetest, “with the sweetness of grape juice or Country Time lemonade,” according to Gail Civille, the director of Sensory Spectrum, which performed the tests.

The European Union banned sugar-sweetened infant formula in 2009, due to concerns with rising rates of childhood obesity and the possibility that overly sweet formula might lead to overfeeding.  Sucrose (sugar) is allowed only in special formula for babies with allergies, and even then, it may not exceed 20% of the total carbohydrate content.

The New York Times quoted Dr. Benjamin Caballero, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an expert in risk factors for childhood obesity: “I would be very concerned about this as a pediatrician.  The issue is that sweet tastes tend to encourage consumption of excessive amounts.”  Evidence shows that babies and children will always show a preference for the sweetest food available, he said, and they will eat more of it than they would of less-sweet food.  “This is how breakfast cereal manufacturers compete,” he added.

Despite the concerns raised in The New York Times, Abbott Laboratories continues to use sugar as the added carbohydrate.

Brown Rice Syrup

Nature’s One chose organic brown rice syrup as the added carbohydrate for its toddler formula.  In 2012, researchers at Dartmouth University tested various foods for levels of arsenic, and found organic toddler formula made with organic brown rice syrup contained up to six times the U.S. EPA safe drinking water limit for inorganic arsenic (there are no established safety standards for arsenic in food, including infant formula).

In response, Nature’s One developed an organic-compliant technology to filter and remove inorganic arsenic from its organic brown rice syrup to undetectable levels.

Consumers Union tested Baby’s Only Organic products to determine if the company had indeed removed arsenic from its products, and confirmed Nature’s One’s claims that its formula now contains undetectable arsenic levels

2.  Palm Oil: Forms “Soaps” In The Baby’s Gut

Not all oil is created equal—it’s a basic fact of nutrition science, and one that is especially important for infants.  Human milk is naturally high in certain types of fatty acids, which formula manufacturers try to mimic by adding certain types of oil.  And to mirror the levels of palmitic acid, a fatty acid found in human milk, some manufacturers add palm oil.

However, palmitic acid from palm oil is structurally different from palmitic acid in human milk, and research has shown that human infants do not properly absorb it.

The unabsorbed palmitic acid remaining in the infant’s gut reacts with calcium, and causes the formation of “soaps” in the baby’s intestines.  This important finding has been reported on more than one occasion in the journal Pediatrics, of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Research suggests that the formation of “soaps” in the baby’s intestinal tract negatively affects a baby’s development and health.  Since palmitic acid from palm oil is not absorbed properly, it means overall fat absorption is lower in babies given formula with palm oil.  Bone mass is significantly lower in babies given formula containing palm oil, perhaps because the calcium in the baby’s intestines turns into “soap” rather than reaching the baby’s growing bones.  And the “soapiness” in the intestines also leads to hard stools.

According to researchers at Wayne State University, who performed a comprehensive review of published studies on the effects of palm oil in infant formula:

The use of palm oil in infant formulas to match the human milk content of palmitic acid has unintended physiological consequences.  The avoidance of palm oil … in infant formulas can prevent this detrimental effect.

Despite these concerns, all organic formula products coming out of the PBM Nutritionals factory continue to contain palm oil.  Earth’s Best did not contain palm oil when it first came on the market, but switched to palm oil in 2007.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains Palm Oil?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Markets, Inc. PBM Nutritionals Yes
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One No
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals Yes
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals Yes
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories No
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes

(As if parents needed another reason to avoid Enfamil, which offers no organic option, the first oil listed in Enfamil is palm oil).   

3.  Ingredients extracted with neurotoxic solvents from algae and soil fungus—not exactly the way mom makes it – C. Cohnii oil (DHA) and M. Alpina oil (ARA):

Six years ago, Cornucopia’s codirectors asked me to look into two ingredients, C. Cohnii oil and M. Alpina oil.   They are marketed as “DHA and ARA,” and were starting to appear in organic infant formula without having gone through the proper approval process required by federal organic law.

The oils were manufactured by a biotechnology corporation in Maryland (the company has since been bought by the Dutch multinational corporation Royal DSM), using processing aids and synthetic ingredients that are not approved for use in organics.

Fresh out of a graduate program in nutrition, I could not help but dig deeper.  I have to admit: I didn’t want to be involved in filing a legal complaint against ingredients that might be beneficial to infant development.  I was concerned we might be depriving infants if we actually succeeded in having the USDA pull these ingredients out of organic infant formula (I clearly underestimated the power of the infant formula lobby that we’d be up against).

I soon discovered from the scientific literature that we wouldn’t be harming babies at all if they didn’t have these additives in their formula.  If fact, we’d be protecting them from potential harm.  Studies repeatedly failed to show benefits from adding these additives to formula, and the FDA had been receiving dozens of reports from parents and pediatricians who noticed some babies do not tolerate these ingredients.  In 2008, we filed a legal complaint.

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid, and ARA is an omega-6 fatty acid.  Both are naturally found in human milk, and DHA is a component of brain and eye tissue.  But the DHA and ARA added to most brands of infant formula are extracted from factory-produced C. Cohnii and M. Alpina—specific strains of algae and fungus that have never been part of the human diet, let alone the diet of infants.

Since we released our report and filed the legal complaint, it has become even clearer that these additives are not necessary and are primarily added as marketing tools.  Three of the most prominent and respected independent scientists in the field of infant formula science stated in 2010 that the scientific evidence base for DHA and ARA’s addition to infant formula is “recognized by most investigators and Key Opinion Leaders in the field to be weak,” and that “this field of research has been driven to an extent by enthusiasm and vested interest.

Several comprehensive reviews of all published research have been conducted since we released our report, and all conclude that DHA and ARA “had no proven benefit regarding vision, cognition, or physical growth.”  The World Health Organization’s Director of Nutrition for Health and Development even wrote a letter in 2011 to members of the European parliament, letting them know that “as to date no solid evidence exists to be able to say that adding DHA to infant formula will have important clinical benefits.”

When an Associated Press reporter asked the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on nutrition, Dr. Frank Greer, to comment on DHA and ARA in infant formula, he said: “The truth of the matter is, they’re not essential. Humans can synthesize these. Fatty acids are naturally present in the diet. And the whole issue becomes, do you make really make people smarter if you put DHA and ARA in everything? Or is this just all marketing hype? Personally, I lean toward the latter.”

When the C. Cohnii and M. Alpina oils first appeared in infant formula, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received dozens of reports from physicians and parents who noticed diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal distress in infants given formula with these oils—symptoms that disappeared when the infant was switched to the exact same formula without these novel additives.

The FDA reports that no post-market surveillance has taken place to assure the safety and tolerance of these additives—despite the FDA’s clear request to the formula manufacturers to conduct rigorous post-market monitoring to ensure their safety.

Another concern with these additives is how they are produced: the oil is extracted from the algae and fungus with the use of hexane, a neurotoxic petroleum-based solvent.

When the USDA received legal complaints against the unapproved use of C. Cohnii and M. Alpina oils, a Washington lobbyist with the powerful law firm of Covington and Burling convinced USDA officials to open a loophole in the organic standards, which would allow the formula manufacturers to add the unapproved ingredients without facing enforcement action.

While the USDA has since admitted that this was inappropriate, the agency has failed to take enforcement action and continues to bow to pressure from the infant formula industry.  The National Organic Standards Board even explicitly stated that hexane-extracted algal oil and fungal oil should not be allowed in organic foods— but the USDA has failed to act on this very clear and legally binding vote, and hexane-extracted DHA and ARA remains in organic infant formula.

The only company that adheres to the legal requirement that DHA and ARA oil must not be extracted with the use of the neurotoxic solvent hexane is Nature’s One, which has chosen a water-extracted source of DHA and ARA (derived from egg yolks) for its Baby’s Only Organic formula.

4. Carrageenan: Dangerous Inflammation In Your Baby’s Gut

If you search for “carrageenan” in a medical database, thousands of search results will appear.  Why so many?  Because carrageenan is used in animal experiments to predictably cause inflammation, which allows pharmaceutical scientists to test the effectiveness of new anti-inflammatory drugs.

In a report Cornucopia released earlier this year, we carefully analyzed the scientific literature on food-grade carrageenan, and found that scientists have raised concern about carrageenan’s safety for decades.  These concerns are based on their research linking the common food additive to gastrointestinal disease in laboratory animals, including colon tumors.

But the food industry, including the infant formula industry, has responded for decades by claiming that carrageenan is safe—based largely on industry-funded studies, with flawed methodologies.  When a Chicago Tribune reporter asked both the FDA and the carrageenan industry lobby group earlier this year to share studies that were not funded by the industry and that could indicate carrageenan is safe, they could not come up with a single one.

Carrageenan appears in some organic infant formula, even though the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted to prohibit it.  The Secretary of Agriculture’s decision to disregard the NOSB’s decision shows the lobbying power and influence of the infant formula industry.

Carrageenan is prohibited in infant formula—conventional and organic—in the European Union.  The science linking carrageenan to intestinal inflammation is disturbing enough, but what adds insult to injury is that it is entirely unnecessary.  Carrageenan contributes no nutritional value or flavor to formula, or other food, but is added to stabilize ready-to-feed formula.  Adding carrageenan means parents or caregivers do not have to shake the product before feeding it to the baby.  The alternative is to put a “shake well” label on the bottle.

Earth’s Best and Similac Organic ready-to-feed formula, the only liquid organic formula on the market, both contain carrageenan.

5. Synthetic Preservatives and Nutrients In Organics: A Mirror-Image Of The Synthetics In Conventional Formula

Federal law requires that a synthetic ingredient cannot be added to organic products unless it has been reviewed and approved by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).  Two synthetic preservatives and numerous synthetic nutrients have recently been rejected by the NOSB.  Final rulemaking is pending.  For now, they remain in some organic infant formula products.

Some brands contain more of these unapproved synthetics than others.

Synthetic Preservatives

The NOSB rejected two synthetic preservatives: ascorbyl palmitate and beta-carotene. One of the primary reasons why formula manufacturers add these synthetic preservatives is to prevent the algal DHA and fungal ARA oils from going rancid. Since Baby’s Only Organic is the only formula that does not contain algal DHA oil and fungal ARA oil, it also is the only formula that does not contain these two synthetic preservatives.

Synthetic Nutrients

The National Organic Standards Board rejected the use of the following synthetic nutrients in dairy-based formula: lutein, lycopene, nucleotides, taurine, l-carnitine and l-methionine.

None of these nutrients are required in infant formula by the Food and Drug Administration, and all are prohibited in organic formula in the European Union.  Some, like lutein and lycopene, are even prohibited in conventional infant formula in the European Union.

Lutein is produced from conventionally grown marigolds—likely treated with insecticides—and processed with the neurotoxic solvent hexane.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains Lutein?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals No
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One No
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals No
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals No
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No

Lycopene is most commonly found in tomatoes, but the version in organic infant formula is produced synthetically by the chemical manufacturer BASF.  A three-stage process is used to produce synthetic lycopene, and involves the solvent dichloromethane and the solvent toluene.  Toluene is a neurological toxin derived from benzene.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains Lycopene?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals No
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One No
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals No
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals No
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No

Nucleotides are produced from hydrolyzed yeast.  The yeast undergoes multiple chemical changes in order to extract nucleotides, including heating to denature proteins, cell wall proteolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, and dehydration.  The infant formula industry shared the identity of two suppliers of nucleotides for use in infant formula: one is a Chinese biotech company (Dalian Zhen-Ao Bio-Tech) and the other supplier is Japanese.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains Nucleotides?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals Yes
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One Yes
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals Yes
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals Yes
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes

Taurine used in infant formula is produced synthetically; one processing method includes the use of sulfuric acid, a toxic and carcinogenic material, and another technique involves aziridine, listed as a hazardous air pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains Taurine?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals Yes
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One Yes
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals Yes
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals Yes
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals Yes

The production of synthetic l-Carnitine involves epichlorhydrin, a list 2B material (possible human carcinogen) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.  For this reason, it was rejected for use in organic foods by the National Organic Standards Board.

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains L-carnitine?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals No
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One No
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals No
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals No
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No

L-Methionine is required in soy-based infant formula to meet basic amino acid requirements.  Given its incompatibility with organic principles, synthetic l-methionine is prohibited in European organic foods.  For that reason, organic soy-based infant formula does not exist in Europe—another reason to avoid soy-based formula.

Soy-based formula is so nutritionally dissimilar from human milk that in some countries, like New Zealand, it is only available by prescription.  Even the American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that soy-based formula provides an alternative to dairy-based formula only in very rare cases.

The synthetic version of l-methionine used in infant formula is produced with materials including acrolein, an EPA Hazardous Air Pollutant, and hydrogen cyanide, described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “systemic chemical asphyxiant” and “chemical warfare agent,” “used commercially for fumigation, electroplating, mining, chemical synthesis, and the production of synthetic fibers, plastics, dyes, and pesticides.”

Brand Company Manufacturer Contains L-methionine?
365 (Whole Foods) Organic Whole Foods Market PBM Nutritionals No
Baby’s Only Organic® Nature’s One Nature’s One No
Bright Beginnings® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No
Earth’s Best® The Hain Celestial Group PBM Nutritionals No
Parent’s Choice® Organic Wal-Mart PBM Nutritionals No
Similac® Organic Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Yes
Vermont Organics® PBM Nutritionals PBM Nutritionals No

What’s A Parent To Do?

Parents naturally assume that the organic label means all ingredients were carefully reviewed, deemed safe and compatible with organic principles (these are requirements in the organic law).  It is utterly disturbing that the infant formula and baby food aisle would contain some of the most egregious violations of the organic standards.

Even after the National Organic Standards Board voted to prohibit hexane-extracted DHA and ARA, carrageenan, two synthetic preservatives and six synthetic nutrients in organic infant formula, these unapproved ingredients remain in organic products on store shelves (lobbying efforts by the formula industry are apparently paying off).

Some parents make their own infant formula (Weston A. Price foundation has a recipe).  Human milk sharing is becoming more popular as well, with social media making it increasingly easy to connect donors and recipients (check out “Human Milk 4 Human Babies” and “Eats on Feets”).

Other parents import organic formula from Europe, such as the Holle brand from Germany, since it does not contain any of the unapproved synthetic preservatives and nutrients (Holle still does contain palm oil and maltodextrin).  In Europe, as in the U.S., these ingredients are prohibited, and manufacturers there follow the law.

Don’t babies in the U.S. deserve the same?  When will the USDA’s officials in charge of overseeing the organic label stop bowing to the lobbying pressure of the infant formula lobbyists, and enforce the organic law?

Please Take Action and Share This Post

Let the USDA know how you feel about their decision to continue allowing carrageenan in organic infant formula.  You have until June 3rd to submit a comment through the government’s portal (for the required field “organization,” enter “citizen”). While you’re sharing your thoughts on carrageenan, you can also urge the USDA to remove the other unapproved synthetic ingredients from organic infant formula.

Writing this post was not easy.  As a parent, I wish I could tell other parents who are in a bind and who need formula that the organic label signifies a safe option without any of the harmful ingredients found in conventional formula.  As this post has shown, that’s not always the case.

That being said, let me stress again that organic infant formula remains a safer and a far superior alternative to conventional formula.  Organic formula’s milk does not come from cows that were fed GMO feed, given antibiotics or injected with synthetic growth hormones.  Organic formula’s sweeteners and oils cannot be GMO, treated with pesticides or extracted with neurotoxic solvents.  So the choice between organic or conventional formula is a no-brainer.

Until we get unapproved ingredients out of organic infant formula, I hope this information will help parents make informed decisions when purchasing formula for their babies.


More about Charlotte Vallaeys:

Charlotte Vallaeys headshotFormer of Director of Farm and Food Policy at the Cornucopia Institute (when this post was written) and now a Senior Analyst within the Consumer Safety and Sustainability Program at Consumers Union.

With a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard University and a Master of Science degree from Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Charlotte’s research explores the ethics of our food system. At The Cornucopia Institute, Charlotte has authored several reports on influential topics including questionable additives in infant formula, exposing improprieties in the organic egg industry and soy industry, and the meaning of different eco-labels. She is a nationally respected expert on the legal and regulatory oversight of the organic food industry.

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609 responses to “How To Find the Safest Organic Infant Formula

  1. Hi Vani!
    Thanks a lot! The info was very useful…..same way is there any good organic protein powder/colostrum powder in the market for 6 yr old kid?pls suggest

  2. Where can you buy Holle organic infant formula in the states? Is there an online retailer in the US?

  3. I love you Food Babe! Thanks for always fighting for our health! One thing though, women’s bodies were build by God to breast feed our babies. It didn’t happen though evolution. Evolution is just a theory. 🙂

    1. @Hannah,

      Totally agree! Our bodies were perfectly designed by God our Creator whether we choose to believe that or not, the truth will always remain the same! 🙂

      @Vani
      Can you possibly do a post on PRENATAL PILLS??

      Thanks! 🙂

      1. Just wanted to second the request for a similar breakdown of ‘organic’ prenatal vitamins! 🙂

    2. A) Not everyone can breastfeed. B) I am Todd, and I am God. I created evolution, and I created you. Don’t piss me off.

  4. Please people do not get all high and mighty about breastfeeding. There are many reasons that some women (who may even very much want to) CANNOT nurse and/or that babies are unable to do so successfully. Furthermore, babies who are adopted obviously cannot nurse. Thank goodness for science and the fact that we CAN feed babies in other ways other than with breastmilk. I am very concerned, though, that the only store bought options we have in the US all have some undesirable ingredients in them.

    1. I’m not sure you read the whole article. She stated several times that there are many reasons mothers are not able to nurse and not once put anyone down for their decision. I didn’t read a “high and mighty” tone at all. This article was written very tastefully and gave so much information that is important for all parents (past, present & future) to read. It is a scientific fact that breastfeeding is a superior method of infant feeding that using formula but that does not mean that those who cannot are bad parents and she did not imply so.

      1. My comment was not directed at Vani. I did read the article, thank you though. The commenter above me, Hannah, seemed to miss the point. Sorry I wasn’t clear about that.

    2. Adopted babies actually can nurse, if the adoptive mother elects to and is successful with inducing lactation. Besides, if that didn’t happen, adoptive babies could still be fed with donor milk or homemade formula, as the author points out as options when nursing can’t or doesn’t happen.

      1. I actually find it distasteful that people treat problems with breastfeeding differently than any other conditions. With any other normal body function you can talk about the risks of poor function without worrying about “making someone feel guilty”. No one feels guilty if they have some other body organ that doesn’t function well – they seek interventions to try to improve function to the extent that it is possible and then try to normalize their lives around what is possible. End of story. No guilt and no rejection of evidence-based information either.

        A more appropriate long term solution would be to increase the availability of human milk. The amount of “processing” would be minimal and would alleviate the still remaining huge problem that powdered formulas of any form introduce bacteria to newborns long before their digestive tracts are ready for it. And none of the preparation guidelines really fully deal with this fundamental problem.

  5. Amazing information! I hate that I have to feed my twins formula! I too, was at the hospital bedside when I realized I was going to have to supplement with formula and you bet there weren’t organic formulas from which to choose from at the hospital!
    Thanks for your research & dedication! I just sent my letter!

  6. This is a great resource!! I am lucky that I have been able to breastfeed my second child. She is only 7 months old and I plan on using Baby’s Only formula if I need it before she turns 1. It is really despicable that companies can use these ingredients in infant formula (and these are even the best ones available!). I hate that I gave my first child nasty formula for most of her first year of life because I just didn’t know any better. She had a milk allergy that she has now outgrown, but was on Enfamil hypoallergenic formula full of GMOs and corn syrups solids.

  7. This makes me so sad! Both of my girls had major digestion issues in which I not only had to stop nursing but put them on a prescribed formula in which I know they ingrediants had to be horrible. They are healthy now and eat healthy but I I wonder if this has been detrimental to their health in the long run. What do we do as parents when it is too late?

    1. Halley:
      It sounds like you are doing what you do need to do now which is put them on as healthy a diet as possible. No mother can ever give her children a perfect environment. You can feel angry that you didn’t have the information you now have and you can educate other mothers so they have more information. I think mourning the loss of breastfeeding is appropriate so you can heal and embrace the fact that it was not under your control. There is no area which is more confused than the evidence on allergies. It is murky and the reality is that I don’t think anyone has a definitive answer yet.

  8. I was using Nature’s One Baby’s Only Organic formula. I switched my little one to Meyenberg Goat Milk when he was 3 months old. He has never had any issue with any belly aches or any other stomach issues and has never been sick and he is now 11 months old. My grandmother got me thinking when she said her mother and her grandmother all drank goats milk as babies and they never had any issues with their stomach as an infant.

  9. I have four sons and each one has ended up on formula. My youngest, who is 7 months, has been on it from the start. I only learned about real food a year ago, at the end of my first trimester, and I researched formulas endlessly before my son was born. I was completely disgusted with what I learned! I chose to go with Baby’s Only and I’m glad that I did, but I keep thinking about my other three and can’t help but wonder if this is why my oldest two sons have issues (one is autistic and the other has sensory issues). The other thing that gets me is that when I told the pediatrician of my choice of formula, he looked at the label and said, “This is a toddler formula, not meant for a newborn and what’s this GMO thing?” Seriously? I had to educate my pediatrician, a father of two, about feeding a baby? Once I showed him the comparisons, he said it was fine (and has since done some research on his own and I see him changing his opinion on several things). I now do a combination of Baby’s Only and raw goat milk. I’m not positive, but I believe goat milk was what they gave babies in need before the advent of formula?

    1. No, actually goat’s milk is far more deficient in folic acid than cow’s milk. The composition is no closer to human milk than formula. It was merely a marketing battle between dairy farmers and goat herders. What happened before the dairy farmers industrialized their products was wetnursing. Historically the death rates for babies who did not have a wet nurse were far greater than the death rates in any developing country. In fact, there was a nice article a few years ago about how French upper class women rebelled in the 1700s when a male doctor insisted they breastfeed their babies (they were already under pressure as trophy wives). The death rates were horrendous among the infants who did not have the good fortune to have a wet nurse.

      1. Thanks, Susan. I had no idea about the folic acid. I’m glad that I haven’t phased out the formula. At this point I’m just hoping that the rest of his diet is making up for any deficiencies (I make all of his food and I only use fresh, organic produce and pastured meats).

  10. Thanks for sharing the post! I just submitted a comment to the USDA via Charlotte’s link. As a soon-to-be mother, I appreciate these kinds of posts!

  11. Very informational and so very scary. I just hope that i can make a difference by switching my 6 month old now. Unreal how baby formula can be so harmful.

  12. So, when/if a child self-weans… I am still not sure I know what the “best choice” for an infant formula is. I have breastfed for the first six months with both of my children and then my supply dries up or they self wean. I am pregnant with my third now, and my goal is always to breast feed 100% for the first 12 months, but what formula is the best choice should it be needed?

    1. Yes – I have the same question – what is the final takeaway from this article? My pediatrician was concerned when I told him I may go with Baby’s Only b/c the DHA and ARA are water-extracted from organic egg yolks and infants shouldn’t be exposed to eggs before the age of 1 because of the increased risk in developing an egg allergy…

      http://momsshouldknow.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-search-for-non-gmo-infant-formula.html

      I’d love someone to give me an idea of what would be best.

      1. Jessica,
        My baby is 9 months still is breastfed but also is on solids, and I have given her eggs w/no problem I actually read that researchers are starting to change there outlook on food that were considered allergy food and choosing to give it to them early on…..maybe trying to research it yourself. But If I were using formula I would def. go with the DHA formula extracted from egg yolk, its the most natural….Just my opinion

        HTP

      2. Hi Brooke:
        There is no reason why your milk supply should dry up at six months. I often find that there are feeding patterns that will suppress the milk supply in certain women. I highly recommend that you seek the services of a lactation consultant to see if you can avoid the same problem you had with your first two. Also, the book Breastfeeding Made Simple has the clearest explanation for how to maintain an adequate supply of any of the current books. You might give that a read. In your case, I would definitely a) offer both breasts — which stimulates the supply and b) not try to space your babies feeds farther apart because this suppresses supply.

      3. From what I have read yolks are fine, egg whites are the most allergenic. The other option would be to get Baby’s Only original without the egg lecithin.

  13. Great post!!! I am glad I read it as I am due any day now.
    I pray to be able to breastfeed my baby and not be using any formula at all.
    Human milk sharing is actually a great alternative.
    That’s how my mom fed me and my brother back in the days in Russia when there was no formula.

  14. My little guy loves Nature’s One formula. We switched him to that from similac organic and he prefers the taste of Nature’s One! We were using similac go and grow as a back up when we run out of Nature’s One but I think now we will double our order from vitacost so we don’t have to! Thankful for the article!

    1. Is there a reason you went from similac organic to natures one? I just switch my son from regular formula to similac organic. My son gets gassy so I was thinking of trying a different brand.

      1. Sabrina, I switched because he turned a year old and wanted to continue on organic formula. After reading the article, I feel even better about the decision. The ingredient list is much smaller than similac organic and cheaper! Check out vitacost.com for ordering. I am an ohioan and am even more happy to support a local company.

  15. Thank you, thank you, thank you! As a natural childbirth educator and breastfeeding advocate, I am so happy to have this information. I will pass it on to all my students. While I hope that every one of my students has a long and successful breastfeeding career, I know that some will problems. This information is desperately needed.

  16. Wow if only i knew! I formula fed both of my kids. And i really had no idea. I wish I would have known this years ago!

  17. Hi Vani, I’ve been trying to open the link for: Weston A. Price foundation has a recipe, but it isn’t working. Help, please? 🙂

  18. Thanks for posting this Vani! More mothers need to know the dangers lurking in our infant formula. I did my own research (http://momshouldknow.wordpress.com) a while ago after reading your posts about GMOs. I tried to find an infant formula that was truly organic and with help from the awesome report by the Cornucopia Institute and my own detective work, I couldn’t find a truly organic option out there. All I could find was a formula out of Germany and I don’t think you can buy that off of Amazon anymore and of course the Nature’s One Toddler formula. But at the time, there was worry about the arsenic in the brown rice.

    It’s a sad state when us mothers who have to turn to formula are afraid of what we’re giving our babies. So sad. You can read about my investigation at http://momshouldknow.wordpress.com. Thanks for finally bringing this very important subject to your followers, it’s so important to get the word out to all mothers thinking of using formula! thank you Vani!

  19. I just want to give you a big THANK YOU for all the time you have put into researching this for all us parents. Thanks again for the knowledge for the future and for our childrens health.

  20. This is truly terrifying… I’m going to use donor milk or homemade formula should I need to do anything besides nurse with baby #2 (due Friday). With my first son, I nursed till he was well into toddlerhood and through numerous issues. My advice for mothers who would like to nurse is to locate quality support and to read, read, read. I utilized two local support groups, several friends, a few great books, and a few wonderful websites.

  21. Thanks, Vani. This is a really helpful resource for families.

    My milk supply has gone down recently and I have had to start supplementing with formula. I have been so troubled because my baby HATES the Earth’s Best brand. I have tried several behavioral interventions/techniques (I am a child Psychologist, y’all, so not just messin’ around) and nothing has worked. She will gulp down Similac Organic and thus I am kind of stuck with mixing it with my breastmilk. It kills me, but she has to eat! She has been losing weight due to not enough milk and refusing to eat the Earth’s Best….these are just such sensitive and hard issues but all this information is very helpful and appreciated. It makes me SO ANGRY that we do not have better options for our precious babies!

  22. When my son was 5 months old and my supply dimished (due to pumping at work), we made our own formula using the Weston A. Price raw milk recipe. It was fantastic and my son thrived! It’s so worth the extra time and effort, and costs the same or less than buying organic formula.

      1. Great to know Megan – thanks for sharing that.

  23. I have a 23 yr old daughter with a feeding tube due to a poor coordinating swallow, with aspiration issues. Anyway she uses Vivonex RTI (ready to feed) formula in cartons from Nestle. After reading this enlightening information, I checked and sure enough there are many horrible ingredients. Have you looked at alternatives for adult formulas? Vivonex is a 100% free amino acids, it is lactose free and gluten free. It contains L-carnitine and taurine. My daughter has many physical challenges due to a brain malformation (Cerebral Palsy), she is non verbal and cannot tell me how she feels specifically. I want to do all I can to help her to be her best. Can anyone help? As an infant she didn’t tolerate milk or soy and seems to tolerate this predigested formula, I’d love to know if there is a better alternative. Thanks

  24. Vani, thank you for the post. I have a very important piece of information about Baby’s Only LactoRelief formula by Nature’s One. The formula that is sold through most of the resellers such as LuckyVitamin and even Wholefoods has February, 2014 as its expiration day. Only formula that has Feb, 2015 as its expiration day is a filtered formula!!! It also has a Pure10 Pledge label on its cans. It can be bought directly from the company’s website. I wrote them an email to make sure that the formula I was giving my baby was filtered and I found out that it wasn’t, so I had to return my purchase of 12 cans to LuckyVitamin and buy directly from Nature’s One.

    As for dairy formula I used to buy Holle Organic (European formula) which is produced according to the Demeter standard which is even stricter than organic (99% of organic ingredients). I bought it from Ebay and it was delivered from Europe.

    For lactose-free formula I went with Lacto-Relief by Nature’s One.

  25. For those wondering about the Nature’s one and DHA, when I used to purchase it 2 1/2 yrs ago, the DHA was not in it. You can make your own choice whether to add and could purchase that from them separately in packets which you would then add to the formula if you so desired. (hexane free) As of that time as well Australia didn’t even offer a DHA formula. Like the article was saying, there is no evidence that it is necessary to have the DHA in formula.

  26. my children are now 10 and 7 and I had to quit breastfeeding both after just a few short months (both due to different reasons) and had to switch to formula
    if I had known what I know now about ‘real’ food – I would have eaten better myself and hopefully been able to feed them better/longer than did and then would have chosen better alternative when I no longer could naturally
    I just started learning about ‘clean eating’ only a few yrs ago and it has changed this whole families eating habits (for the better!!) 😉
    thank you Food Babe for all the great information you provide for everyone who chooses to use it 😉

  27. I don’t know if I missed it in the article ( I tend to read fast and skip some things) but what about a baby that is lactose intolerant? My daughters 5 month old can’t even handle the reduced lactose formulas, is there a good organic choice that is lactose free?

  28. Reading this article was the equivalent of getting stabbed in the heart! When you have such a profound love for your child and you didn’t have the good fortune to breast feed (exclusively or at all for many reasons) it’s information like this that kills your soul. I feel it’s a struggle sometimes to be alive in life when we are bombarded with information about how repulsive our Government is when it comes to “many” things, but of course our food supply. Knowledge is power, but it’s also poison when you’ve already done things you cannot change. The past is done and there is no rewinding the clock. We have to choose to have faith in God, that our child (or children) we be just fine. I choose to improve our health by means of a proper diet of wholesome real food, but changing what is done is not possible. It’s unfortunate I didn’t know then what I know now, but I’m glad I am learning even if it hurts along the way. Last 2-3 years have been such an eye opener.

    P.S. – I didn’t even go the organic route, but I choose God in all this and his grace on my (our) child.

  29. Reading the posts from moms makes me realize that in spite of everything there is still so much to be grateful for.

  30. This article was very informative for me! HOWEVER….it does not give any resources for getting truly organic and safe formula from the EU. Does anyone know where this could be purchased? It seems the best way to go is to make formula homemade or continue to breastfeed. I would like to see more put in about how we can get a hold of the european formulas!

    1. I just posted a comment below but I am willing to help out. My husband and I are stationed in germany and have access to all the german formula. Shipping cost would be the same as statesite since we use the american postal system.

  31. Okay…I have researched the EU baby formula brands. I found HiPP brand and Aptamil to be the most well-liked in the EU. They are lactose based and truly organic. I went with the HiPP brand because it was slightly cheaper and since my son is 6 months old I ordered the “follow on” kind. I ordered right from Amazon (US). Shipping was 40 dollars and it may take a couple weeks to get here, but it is going to be sooooo worth it!!

  32. So, it’s not really clear what brand you are recommending. Can you be more clear? I’m due in a few months and hope to breastfeed but in case I can’t I want to be able to go straight to the store and know what brand to get instead of wasting time feeding my baby the wrong brand while trying to read up on all of this. Just please make a clear suggestion to us.

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Rachel – there is not a clear recommendation – that is the problem. We encourage you to read all of the information and make an informed decision that you feel is best for your family. Good luck!

  33. I’d love to get your thoughts on another European formula, Babynat.

    P.S. I LOVE your website.

  34. Loved the article. I am still breast freeding but I am looking into formulas as I was planning on stopping at 6 months. My husband and I are stationed in germany and have access to all sorts of german formula including Hipp, Aptamil, Milupa, Holle… If anybody wants to purchase I can help you guys out at a better rate than 40 Dollars per shipping. We also have access to the american postal system so shipping would be the same as in the states.

    1. Jenny,
      I would be interested in finding out how much it would cost to purchase Holle 2 from you. If you have time, could you email me at [email protected] and let me know how much it would cost to purchase and ship like 3 boxes?

      Thanks so much for your generous offer!
      Leah

    2. I have really been struggling to find the right supplier for either hipp, holle, or even babynat. The local U.S. supplier that sells Holle has a HUGE markup, which will make it too hard on our budget, its so expensive to feed our kiddos clean food. If your offer is still good please email me at [email protected]

    3. Somehow, I erased my previous comment. Please email me if your offer is still good. There is a U.S. supplier of Holle but they offer it at a HUGE markup. It is extremely hard on our budget as we also have a toddler that we are committed to feeding clean food to as well, it gets really expensive! Finding a reasonable supplier for Hipp, Holle, or even Baby nat has been very difficult. Thanks for your time! [email protected]

    4. Hi Jenny,

      Not sure if your offer is still good, but if so, I’d be interested in purchasing Holle formula from you! My email address is: [email protected]

      Thank you so much!

    5. Hi Jenny,

      I am also interested in purchasing Holle 1. Would it be possible to know if you are still able to ship them out?

      Please let me know.

      thanks!
      ilise

      1. Hey! Yes, I can definately help you out. If you give me your e-mail adress we can set something up. 🙂

        Jenny

      2. Hi Jenny,

        I’m interested in the Holle formula too! I’ve been buying Earth’s Best and I’m NOT happy with them now!

        Thanks!
        Melanie

      3. Hello Jenny, I am stationed at Hawaii and its impossible for me to buy FOrmula, can you please e-mail me if the offer is still available? I am highly interested in buying the formula. lmk [email protected]

    6. You are incredible Jenny. I am not sure if your offer is still open. I have a 3 month old and I just discovered that I have been feeding her crap 🙁 If your offer is open, then email me at [email protected]

    7. Hi I was just wondering, since you are shipping from Germany directly to each person, how do we know if the formula was irradiated or not? Thanks so much!

    8. Hi Jenny Carpio. Are you still in Germany and able to purchase European formulas for us living in the US?

  35. Was the baby ever checked for tongue tie? It sounds like this could have been part of the problem.

    http://www.cwgenna.com/qhcontent.html

    http://www.kiddsteeth.com/dental_topics.html

    I have experienced tongue and lip ties with all of my children, and the symptoms sounded the same.
    Always worth seeing a good IBCLC who knows about ties – this group is a handy resource for those who are worried about ties – https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonguetiebabies/

    Reflux, colic, etc can all be linked to ties.

  36. I was totally blown away by this article. While I was reading it, I felt that (in some parts) I could have written it! My son’s issue with nursing was not the latch part…he was actually really good at latching. The lactation consultant came to the conclusion (along with the head nurse of the NICU at Winthrop who was the woman in charge of the breastfeeding support group) that my son’s mouth was just too small and did not have the power to suck the milk. It was such a long three months for me…wanting to do this so badly that it was ALL I thought about. Pumping around the clock (while he slept!!!) and in the end, after two bad bouts of mastitis (just like in the article), I decided, along with the lactation consultant and my OB, and the pediatrician, that I could no longer do it…for my sanity and the fact that I couldn’t even hold my baby! I was sore all of the time. It’s like the woman said in the article: “But in parenthood, many things don’t go as planned, and for many committed, food-conscious, organic-buying parents, that includes breastfeeding.” I am hoping (fingers crossed!) that this time around will be completely different. (I am due with my second this October) You never know. My question is, which organic formula did you use? Thank you!

    1. Good luck – hope you are able to breast feed this time. Sorry, we are not recommending a certain brand…

  37. Thank you so much for posting this! I have been searching and searching for a comparison of formula options. I used Nature’s One with our first, but became so concerned with the recent arsenic scare that I started to look into other options (Vermont Organics, Bright Beginnings, Whole Foods 365). I even started my own comparison chart, but without a science background was having difficulty truly comparing the ingredients. I will be going back to Nature’s One (although I wish it used lactose as a carbohydrate and not rice, guess I can’t have it all).
    One final thought, there are many things that bother me about the available options, but what really gets me is that Whole Foods has pulled Nature’s One from its stock shelves and is only carrying their own brand, Earth’s Best and Similac Organic. I find this so hypocritical (not to mention annoying because now I need to special order direct from Nature’s One).

  38. HI, we are hoping to adopt a newborn in the near future. I nursed our first (biological) child with no problems. Has anyone had experience or success with induced lactation in an adoption scenario? I want to give our next child the same great start our son had. I’d love to hear similar stories or suggested resources…thanks!

    I had a wonderful, stress-free experience nursing our son until he was nearly 12 months old. Shortly before his first birthday he self-weened and we switched him to Baby’s Only for a couple of months. I did a lot of research before the switch and found Baby’s Only to be the best available at the time (and apparently still…) after that time he drank certified organic, raw milk (from Jersey cows) from my in-law’s farm. He is a thriving child!

    1. I have a special needs son whom we adopted at age 11 weeks. He had many issues with every formula on the market except BABY’S ONLY Organic soy “toddler formula”.

      The ONLY REASON they label this for “toddlers” is because they want to encourage breastfeeding. Our baby has been on it since he was 5 months old.. Doctor approved and APRIA, a medical supplier delivers this formula to my home for our now toddler son.

      I just want to let those who are interested in this formula to know that is is fed to newborns all the time. Please, don’t take my word for it…call NaturesOneDirect Toll Free (US Only): (888) 227-7122. It was like a miracle when my son started on this formula nearly two years ago! And I’m still using it!

  39. I was checking at the non-cow’s milk and ice-cream and all of it has this carragenaan. That’s so absurd how the FDA allows that, a substance that can cause colon tumor. So disappointed. I’m stopping use all of these.

  40. I have a special needs son whom we adopted at age 11 weeks. He had many issues with every formula on the market except BABY’S ONLY Organic soy “toddler formula”.

    The ONLY REASON they label this for “toddlers” is because they want to encourage breastfeeding. Our baby has been on it since he was 5 months old.. Doctor approved and APRIA, a medical supplier delivers this formula to my home for our now toddler son.

    I just want to let those who are interested in this formula to know that is is fed to newborns all the time. Please, don’t take my word for it…call NaturesOneDirect Toll Free (US Only): (888) 227-7122. It was like a miracle when my son started on this formula nearly two years ago! And I’m still using it!

  41. Are there any formulas out there that are healthier options for babies with cows milk allergy??? I can’t find any and am just sick over it!! I need an organic hypoallergenic formula.

  42. It’s very sad to me that America cannot get it right. If I want to feed my baby an organic formula I should be able to trust the organic label. I shouldn’t have to search in a different country for something I know is actually chemical free. With that said…

    Hipp formula has amazing ingredients! I order it from Amazon and while it does take a while to arrive (approximately a month), shipping is typically free. I have a box on the way now that was $30 with free shipping.

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