Gimme the Good Stuff

Safe Baby Formula Guide

Maia James — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:44:42 +0000

1. Loulouka (both cow and goat) / 2. Happy Baby / 3. Kabrita / 4. Bobbie / 5. Lebenswert / 6. Serenity / 7. Holle / 8. HiPP / 9. Baby’s Only / 10. Kendamil

UPDATED: November 2021

I wrote this guide on how to choose organic baby formula in 2012, and have updated it more than ten times since! The great news is that overall, things have moved in a positive direction on the formula front. Many new organic baby formula brands have come to market–while others have been discontinued.

This guide will review the current organic baby formula options, including European baby formulas, goat milk formulas, and which brands I consider the Best Stuff. (Speaking of goat milk formulas–this post goes into details about why you should consider it if you’re formula-freeding, but it needs to be updated from the 2018 version, mostly to include our new favorite goat milk brand, Loulouka.)

Bottom Line: Best Organic Baby Formula

If I were formula-feeding my infant, I would choose Loulouka. Loulouka Stage 1 is free of palm oil and maltodextrin. You can read more about why I think Loulouka is a superior formula below, under “The Good Stuff.”

As always, my goal with this updated guide is to make choosing the safest product easy. We’ve researched dozens of brands of organic baby formula, and I hope this guide will save you time and anxiety.

Here are two ways the industry has changed for the better over the last decade:

Many companies have ditched corn sugars in favor of lactose. Lactose occurs naturally in cow (and goat) milk and much more closely mimics human milk.
Many organic baby formula brands are using lower quantities of cheap, problematic oils (such as soy and canola). They’ve increased the amount of healthier oils (such as coconut and olive).

The bottom line: infants born today will almost certainly enjoy a healthier formula than did their siblings born even a few years ago.

What About the Baby Bottle?

Here is a cheat sheet to help you choose the safest bottle for your baby, whether you are breast- or formula-feeding! My top pick is this one.

Two important disclaimers before I jump in:

I am not a medical professional or a nutritionist. I’m just a label-reading mom like the rest of you, here to share what I’ve learned and which organic baby formula I would choose if I were shopping for my own baby.
If I recommend vendors from whom you can purchase European organic baby formulas, I am not guaranteeing that you’ll have a satisfactory experience shopping with them. I’m simply telling you the companies with whom I would feel comfortable were I looking to buy formula myself. I’m also an affiliate partner with some of them, so please read my disclosure page.

P.S. Breastmilk is Better Than Any Organic Baby Formula

Needless to say, I’m pro-breastfeeding. I have only two kids, but I breastfed for a total of 7 years, so you can do the math.

The reality is that many of my readers and clients— amazing moms with beautiful, healthy children– formula feed at least some of the time. And one thing that all formula-feeding moms want to know is, what is the safest, healthiest organic baby formula I can give my child? I hope this updated guide helps answer that question.

Best American Organic Baby Formula

If you aren’t comfortable getting a European formula, you should consider Bobbie. You’ll read more below about why I love this brand below.

What to Avoid in Baby Formula

When it comes to choosing a safe infant formula, it’s as much about avoiding the bad stuff as it is about finding the good stuff. What follows are some of the controversial ingredients and additives that you will find in most baby formula.

Even a few brands that I have deemed Good Stuff contain some of these ingredients–it’s impossible to avoid them all! Some of them are worse than others, but I mention them all here because these are at least worth considering when you are choosing baby formula.

Non-organic ingredients

An organic label alone doesn’t make a formula healthy, but avoiding any non-organic formula is a good start. Conventional formula likely contains traces of pesticides, milk contaminated with antibiotics or growth hormones, and oils extracted with hexane. Organic baby formula is almost always superior to anything conventional.

Organic baby formula cannot contain GMOs or artificial colors/flavors. Organic baby formula from Europe is even better: it must be free of sugar, corn syrup solids, and chemically-extracted synthetic nutrients. In addition, 30% of the calories in organic European formulas must come from lactose.

Soy

Soy formula is usually only recommended if a baby suffers from dairy intolerance.

If you’re buying non-organic formula, the soy is likely genetically modified. Synthetic l-methionine is added to soy formula to meet nutrition requirements. Because it is produced with things like hydrogen cyanide and other air pollutants, it is prohibited in European organic foods. This means that there is no such thing as organic soy-based infant formula in Europe.

Soy-based formula contains soy protein isolates, which my mother the health coach describes this way: “highly processed soybeans that have been chemically altered to no longer resemble a whole food.”

Soy formulas tend to have higher levels of aluminum contamination since soy sucks up aluminum from the soil.

Soy formula also contains high levels of plant-derived estrogens (phytoestrogens). In fact, the concentrations of phytoestrogens detected in the blood of infants fed soy formula were shown to be 13,000 to 22,000 times greater than the concentrations of natural estrogens. The effects of this are simply unknown.

Unfortunately, even most dairy-based formulas contain soy oils or lecithin, but it makes sense to avoid soy-based formulas unless a baby has a true dairy allergy. If that IS the case for your child, you can ask your pediatrician about Baby’s Only’s newer Pea Protein formula. Earth’s Best soy fomula contains corn syrup (as the FIRST ingredient), so this is a hard one for me to recommend even for lactose-intolerant infants.

Palm oil and palm olein

These are commonly added to formula to help replicate the high palmitic acid content of breastmilk. But the structure of the fat molecules in palm oil (and other vegetable oils) is different from that found in breast milk, and the fats are digested differently.

Palm oil and palm olein have been shown to inhibit the absorption of calcium and fat. On the other hand, plant-derived fats that match the structure of the most common fat molecules in breast milk have been shown to promote more healthy bacteria in the gut, reduce colic, gas, and constipation, and allow for fat and calcium to be absorbed better.

From what we know, only one company—Kabrita, which makes a goat milk formula—uses these more beneficial fats (high SN-2 palmitate, a.k.a. “OPO fats,” a.k.a. “structured truglycerides”), which are produced by an enzymatic reaction on a mixture of vegetable oils.

If you want to avoid palm oil, Loulouka doesn’t contain it.

DHA/ARA

Most formulas now boast the addition of essential fatty acids DHA and ARA. DHA and ARA are long chain fatty acids found naturally in human breast milk, which make up the major long chain fats in baby’s brain and nerve tissue.

We know that naturally occurring oils from food, food-based oils, and mom’s diet (in breast milk) is highly beneficial, but some studies have shown no benefits when DHA and ARA are added to formula.

The most common types of DHA and ARA extracted by the solvent hexane, a known neurotoxin, although the hexane is removed from the formula after it’s been processed. There are other methods for extraction, but these are relatively new and the jury is out on whether they are harmful, beneficial, or of no consequence at all.

Note that any organic oils in European formula cannot be hexane-extracted.

If you want to avoid DHA/ARA, avoid formulas with these ingredients:

DHA oil
algal oil
cohni oil (DHA)
alpina oil (ARA)

If you choose a formula without DHA added, but want to supplement on your own, this is the brand we like.

Note that since February of 2020, all European formulas are required to contain DHA.

Carrageenan

You will find this additive in tons of stuff in your health food store, and infant formula is no exception.

Derived from seaweed, carrageenan helps stabilize liquid formula, but numerous animal studies suggest that it leads to intestinal inflammation and colon tumors. The European Union has outlawed the use of carrageenan in all infant formula, but in the United States it appears in both conventional and organic baby formula–typically the ready-made varieties since it functions as a stabilizer to ensure the nutrients are well-mixed.

Preservatives

Synthetic preservatives are sometimes added to prevent the oils in formula from spoiling. Two that have snuck into even organic baby formula: beta carotene and ascorbic palmitate.

Synthetic nutrients

There are several synthetic nutrients that you will find in many organic baby formulas.

Look out for the following:

Lutein is hexane-extracted from marigolds.
Lycopene is produced with toluene, a neurotoxic benzene derivative.
Nucleotides are produced from chemically-treated yeast.
Taurine is processed with carcinogenic sulfuric acid.
L-carnitine was banned by the National Organic Standards Board because of concerns over carcinogenic properties. As of February 2020, the European Union requires infant formula to contain this nutrient. (The reasoning: the nutrient is present in breast milk and infants with this deficiency can develop a variety of disorders.)

Certain sugars

Breast milk is naturally very sweet, so formulas invariably contain added sugars.

The sweetener that most closely mimics that found in human milk is lactose, but this cow’s milk-based sweetener is expensive. As a result, many manufacturers instead use plant-based sucrose, which was banned by The European Union in 2009 (except for babies with allergies), because of concerns of over-feeding and subsequent obesity. The FDA provides no such regulation on what kind of sugars can be used.

Other sweeteners include maltodextrin (made from rice, corn, or potatoes), and “glucose syrup solids,” which is just a clever name for corn syrup solids.

In 2012, concerns were raised about formulas sweetened with brown rice syrup when Dartmouth researchers found that organic baby formula made with organic brown rice syrup contained six times the EPA’s safe limit for arsenic. (More on arsenic in baby food here.)

Most organic baby formula these days, even the superior European brands, seem to choose maltodextrin as a sweetener, since it’s cheaper than lactose and helps powdered formula dissolve quickly.

My two cents on sugar: I’m not a big fan of maltodextrin, but I do feel that it’s better than white sugar or corn syrup. The best organic baby formula will contain only lactose as a sweetener.

Best Toddler Formula

If I were looking for a formula for a baby older than 12 months, I would consider Kabrita. There is strong evidence that goat milk more closely mimics human breast milk, and Kabrita is the only formula I know of that contains the beneficial type of palm oil (see more on this above).

Kabrita has generously offered 10% off for my readers with code GIMMEKABRITA.

Buy now from Kabrita

“Sensitive” and Hypoallergenic Organic Baby Formula

For those babies who need a hypoallergenic formula, many pediatricians recommend Pregestimil or Nutramigen (both by Enfamil) or Allimentum (by Similac).

If forced to choose between these, I would go for the Allimentum since it skips the carrageenan and corn syrup. But I can’t call any of these Good Stuff since all three contain ingredients of concern and none is organic. Nutramigen is probably the very worst of these, comprised of 48% corn syrup solids!

If it were my baby, I would choose HiPP HA organic baby formula, which contains no sugar, corn syrup, or maltodextrin, and is full of good prebiotics. You also might want to try HiPP Anti-Reflux formula if your baby has a sensitive stomach. It’s made with 100% whey and no casein to prevent reflux. This site carries these versions of HiPP.

Please check with your pediatrician first if you suspect an intolerance or allergy.

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Other Things to Consider When Choosing Baby Formula

When you’re shopping for an organic baby formula, you’ll also want to be cognizent of the whey/casein ratio, the addition of prebiotics and probiotics, A1 versus A2 milk, and potential aluminum or BPA contamination. Let’s look at these one by one.

Whey/Casein Ratio

In an attempt to mimic real breast milk as closely as possible, formula manufacturers engineer their products to have a specific whey/casein ratio. Not sure what whey and protein are? Here’s the deal:

Whey proteins stay in liquid form in the stomach (when exposed to stomach acid)—think the watery whey that separates in a container of natural yogurt–and exit the stomach more quickly. Whey proteins are therefore easier to digest and are rarely a source of allergies.
Casein proteins form solids in the stomach (like cheese curds) and empty at a slower rate. They are more likely to cause digestive issues and be a source of allergies.

There is controversy over the optimal whey/casein ratio for a baby formula because the ratios found in breast milk change over time: whey content is high in early lactation (with a ratio of about 90:10), and by late lactation, whey and casein protein amounts are roughly equal.

Goat milk and cow milk both have a whey to casein ratio of about 20:80. Whey protein is added to formulas to adjust this ratio.

So what is the optimal whey/casein ratio? This depends on factors such as how old your baby is (in other words, how developed his/her digestion is), whether your baby has any digestive issues (like reflux, which may be a reaction to too much casein), and whether your baby is sensitive or allergic to casein.

We also don’t really know how much of the whey and casein added to formula actually ends up being assimilated. It’s definitely worth having a conversation with your pediatrician about which formula has the right ratio for your baby, although in many instances the whey/casein ratio isn’t an issue you need to worry about. Most babies do fine on standard formulas.

Prebiotics & Probiotics

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics are food for probiotics. You probably already know that good gut bacteria is key to healthy immune function.

Breast milk has natural prebiotic properties, such as its oligosaccharide content, and breastfeeding introduces lots of healthy bacteria to the breastfed infant’s microbiome. In an attempt to mimic human milk (and ride the wave of current health trend!), many formula manufacturers now add prebiotics and probiotics to their products.

There’s little research to suggest that this offers any real benefits, and the American Association of Pediatrics doesn’t officially recommend it, but they are probably also not harmful to healthy babies.

My two cents: I probably wouldn’t rely on what’s in formulas as an effective probiotic/prebiotic supplement (mostly because of dosage and quality/viability of the organisms). Parents who are really interested in supplementing with probiotics should choose a high-quality product like Klaire Labs Ther-Biotic.

Aluminum in Infant Formulas

Unfortunately, it seems like high aluminum content in formulas is pretty much ubiquitous (studies confirm this in UK and Canadian markets, and there is no research done yet on formulas in U.S. market).

It’s not clear exactly why this is, but there are a variety of modes of potential contamination: raw materials (powdered milk may have aluminum added to prevent clumpiness, for instance), additives (like phosphorous), and manufacturing processes.

It’s important to note that a lot of healthful foods we eat contain more aluminum than even that found in the most contaminated formula (which was HiPP in this study)–including fish, spinach, and many types of tea. I’m not convinced tha the amount in formula is something we need to be overly concerned about.

We also don’t know is how much of the aluminum that’s ingested ends up accumulating in the body of infants and toddlers. In adults, most aluminum is excreted, but what remains does accumulate and can cause problems in the long term.

There’s little that consumers can do about aluminum in formula, except for:

Choosing breast milk if possible.
Avoiding soy-based formulas, as these tend to be highest in aluminum.
Preparing powder formula with a silicon-rich mineral water—in the U.S., Volvic and Fiji water fit the bill. Experts believe that this could reduce the absorption of aluminum across the gut of the child and also potentially help the child to excrete aluminum in the body via the urine. However, these are areas which are also being researched.

A2 Milk

You will see that some of the Good Stuff formula listed below contains “A2 milk.” Cow milk has two primary types of proteins–A1 and A2 beta-casein. More studies are needed, but there is some evidence to suggeste that A2 milk is easier to digest and less likely to cause inflammation than is A1 milk. The strongest evidence is around lactose intolerance–studies suggests that milk with A1 protein is much less likely to cause gastrointestional distress.

BPA in Formula Cans

Good news: there is one thing you no longer have to worry about when buying formula, and it’s BPA. The FDA has finally gotten with the program and banned BPA from formula container linings. Of course, I worry about what’s being used in place of BPA, but still this is a small victory!

One Important Way to Make Formula-Feeding Safer: Filter Your Water!

Tap water may be contaminated with chlorine byproducts, weed killers, insecticides, solvents, lead, BPA, phthalates…the list goes on. Fluoride is present in infant formula, and when combined with fluoridated tap water, infant exposure levels can exceed safe amounts. I think everyone should Invest in a good carbon water filter, but especiaily if you have a foirmula-fed baby in your home.

The Good Stuff

Baby’s Only Dairy Toddler Formula

While it’s not perfect, Baby’s Only, in particular the Gentle variety, is one of the best formulas available in the United States. Here’s why:

Baby’s Only makes an organic baby formula with no added DHA. Their other formulas include DHA and ARA extracted from egg lecithin, which may or may not be problematic for babies who react to hexane-extracted DHA.
Baby’s Only organic baby formula is made in the USA by a family-owned business that is not publicly traded.
Baby’s Only does not contain palm oil.
As of 2021, Baby’s Only is using A2 milk, making it an even better choice.

Here are all of the ingredients in the Gentle formula: Organic lactose, organic whey powder, organic nonfat milk. organic canola oil, organic high oleic oil (organic high oleic sunflower and/or organic high oleic safflower oils), organic linoleic sunflower oil, organic whey protein concentrate, organic coconut oil, less than 2% of: organic sunflower lecithin, calcium ascorbate, calcium phosphate, inositol, magnesium oxide, ferrous sulfate, niacinamide, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, zinc sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine hydrochloride, vitamin A, copper sulfate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, manganese sulfate, phylloquinone, biotin, vitamin D3, sodium selenate, vitamin B12.

Some concerns I have with Baby’s Only:

Baby’s Only regular dairy formula contains brown rice syrup–it’s actually the first ingredient. In response to concerns about high arsenic levels, they created a high-tech filter that removes inorganic arsenic from brown rice syrup, reducing it to undetectable levels, as confirmed by the Consumers Union. Still, I recommend Baby’s Only Gentle formula because this one is sweetened with just lactose.
Baby’s Only formulas are technically “toddler” formula, because in order to have FDA approval as an infant formula, a company must conduct clinical trials and undergo extensive testing. Many people choose Baby’s Only even for infants, but you should check with your pediatrician before doing so.
Baby’s Only contains canola oil (hard to avoid!).

Bellamy’s Organic Baby Formula

This Australian formula is very similar to to the European brands. It doesn’t have DHA/ARA or corn ingredients, but it does contain soy and palm oil. It contains 97% organic ingredients, but unlike Lebenswert, the dairy in this formula doesn’t come from biodynamic farms. Unfortunately, we haven’t found a way to get Bellamy in the United States.

Bimbosan Organic Baby Formula

This Swiss brand of organic baby formula looks similar to the other European brands. I love the lack of maltodextrin, palm oil, corn syrup, and sugar! Bimbosan doesn’t include DHA/ARA. Unfortunately, I can’t find any vendors selling this formula.

Bobbie Organic Baby Formula

Finally someone is producing a European-style formula that meets all FDA requirements and is now available in the U.S.

Here’s why Bobbie is Good Stuff:

The milk used in Bobbie’s formula comes from pasture-raised cows from Organic Valley Farms.
Bobbie sweetens their formula with lactose, not sugar or maltodextrin.
Bobbie meets the EU levels for iron and is the only US formula to meet EU DHA standards.
Bobbie’s formula does not contain palm oil.

Bobbie includes DHA and ARA, and while hexane is used to retrieve the ARA, it is removed and undetectable in the final product. Bobbie formula does not contain prebiotics or probiotics. Bobbie contains some healthier oils (like coconut), but does still contain soy.

Here are all the ingredients in Bobbie: ORGANIC LACTOSE, ORGANIC NONFAT MILK, ORGANIC HIGH OLEIC (SAFFLOWER OR SUNFLOWER) OIL, ORGANIC SOYBEAN OIL, ORGANIC WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, ORGANIC COCONUT OIL, LESS THAN 1%: ORGANIC SOY LECITHIN, SCHIZOCHYTRIUM SP. OIL, MORTIERELLA ALPINA OIL, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM CITRATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM BICARBONATE, FERROUS SULFATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, ZINC SULFATE, CUPRIC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM SELENITE, CHOLINE BITARTRATE, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), ASCORBYL PALMITATE, INOSITOL, MIXED TOCOPHEROL CONCENTRATE, dl-ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), NIACINAMIDE (VITAMIN B3), CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), FOLIC ACID, PHYTONADIONE (VITAMIN K), BIOTIN, CHOLECALCIFEROL (VITAMIN D3), CYANOCOBALAMIN (VITAMIN B12)

Buy now from Bobbie

Happy Baby Organic Baby Formula

Happy Baby’s organic baby formula is a great option for parents who want to avoid corn syrup and maltodextrin, but don’t want to order European formulas. I put this brand as a close second to Bobbie when it comes to formulas you can buy in this country.

I love that lactose is the first ingredient in Happy Baby’s formula, and that it skips synthetic taurine.

I also like that this formula contains a nice prebiotic blend; in fact it contains nearly four times the prebiotics found in an other organic baby formula in the U.S. market.

The only negatives of this formula are that it contains soy oil and algae-derived DHA.

The complete ingredients of Happy Baby formula stage 1: Organic Lactose, Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Palm Olein Or Palm Oil, Organic Soy Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic High Oleic (Safflower Or Sunflower) Oil, Organic Galactooligosaccharides (GOS), Organic Whey Protein Concentrate, <1% of: Fructooligosaccharide (FOS), Choline Bitartrate, Potassium Chloride, Organic Soy Lecithin, Calcium Hydroxide, Mortierella Alpina Oil, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Chloride, DHA Algal Oil (Schizochytrium), Potassium Bicarbonate, Inositol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Mixed Tocopherol Concentrate, Vitamin E (Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Vitamin K (Phytonadione), Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Cyanocobalamin

Note: Happy Baby makes a stage 1 and a stage 2 formula, both of which are Good Stuff. Happy’s Sensitive Formula is Sneaky Stuff–you’ll see more on this below.

HiPP Organic Baby Formula

The major upside to HiPP is the lack of plant-based sweeteners (it uses lactose instead). HiPP also contains beneficial probiotics. Hexane is used to extract the DHA and ARA, but it is removed and undetectable in their formula.

There are actually three versions of HiPP–one from the UK, one from Holland, and one from Germany. They are so similar that I wouldn’t worry about which one you get. The only distinction worth noting is that the HiPP UK does not contain probiotics, only prebiotics. You can read more about my thoughts on pre/probiotics above.

If your baby needs a hypoallergenic formula, I recommend HiPP HA (more on that above, too!).

Complete ingredients in Stage 1 HiPP: Skim milk, Whey powder, Vegetable Oils (palm, rapeseed, sunflower), Lactose, Galactooligosaccharies from Lactose, Whey Protein, Fish Oil, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Choline Oil, from M. Alpina, Sodium Citrate, L-Phenylalanine, Calciumorthophosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, L-Tryptophan, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Stabilizer Lactic Acid, Vitamin C, Natural Lactic Acid Culture (Lactobacillus Fermentum Hereditum3), Vitamin E, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Potassium Iodate, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin K, Maganese Sulfate, Vitamin D, Biotin, Vitamin B12

As with Holle, HiPP can be hard to purchase in the U.S. and expensive to have shipped from Europe. At the moment, these two retailers have HiPP in stock: Organic Baby Food 24 and My Organic Company (for 5% off everything at My Organic Company, use code GIMME5 at checkout).

Holle Organic Baby Formula (with Cow Milk)

This European brand of formula comes from grass-fed, organic, and biodynamic milk. It doesn’t contain a host of the synthetic ingredients that you’ll find in American formulas. It also doesn’t contain soy or corn ingredients.

I love that Holle formulas are made from milk from Demeter-certified farms. This means that the cows are pastured in organic farms, but goes beyond organic to ensrure biodiversity and sustainability.

Holle’s Bio Pre formula contains no maltodextrin, and is only sweetened with lactose. I like that the Bio Pre line has more milk fat than other formulas. This means it contains fewer vegetable oils. Stage 1, 2, and 3 contains skimmed milk and maltodextrin. (Holle Bio Pre has basically the same ingredients as Lebenswert–more on that brand in a moment!).

The ingredients in Holle Bio Pre: Whole milk**, whey powder* (partly demineralised), vegetable oils* (palm oil*, rapeseed oil*, sunflower oil*), lactose*, skimmed milk powder**, calcium carbonate, vitamin C, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, vitamin E, ferrous lactate, zinc sulphate, niacin, calcium-Dpantothenate, copper sulphate, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, manganese sulphate, potassium iodate, folic acid, vitamin K, sodium selenate, vitamin D

Unfortunately, Holle has not been approved by the FDA, so it’s difficult and expensive to obtain in the U.S. Here are three companies with whom I have affiliate relationships:

BabyKind Market
Organic Baby Food 24 (based in Germany)
My Organic Company (for 5% off everything at My Organic Company, use code GIMME5 at checkout).

Holle Organic Infant Goat Milk Formula

This formula forgoes the most concerning preservatives and the most problematic synthetic nutrients. (Formula 1 does have L-methionine).

I don’t like that maltodextrin is the primary added carbohydrate here, but I appreciate that it is organic. I gave Holle a few points for including lactose. I’m also not a fan of the palm, sunflower, and grapeseed oils, but they are organic in this case.

If you’re debating between Kabrita and Holle goat milk formulas, keep in mind that Holle goat milk does not contain whey. Because of this, Holle goat might be constipating for some infants.

Holle Goat Organic Baby Formula ingredients: Organic Goat Milk Powder, Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Lactose, Organic Vegetable Oils [Organic Rapeseed Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil], L-Choline, Calcium Hydroxide, Algae Oil (DHA), L-cystine, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Chloride, Vitamin C, L-tryptophan, L-Tyrosine, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Iron Lactate, Inositol, Vitamin E, Zinc Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B2, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin K, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin B12

Holle isn’t imported to the U.S. so can be hard to purchase. Here are three places with whom I have affiliate relationships:

BabyKind Market
Organic Baby Food 24
My Organic Company (for 5% off everything at My Organic Company, use code GIMME5 at checkout).

Kabrita Goat Milk Formula

For now, Kabrita is approved for 12+ months (although people do use it for infants). The whey/casein ratio is 50:50, making this an ideal option for babies 12 months and older. (Kabrita hopes to debut an infant formula in the U.S. market later this year.)

I like that Kabrita uses non-GMO goat milk (from Missouri and the Netherlands) and has lactose as the primary added carbohydrate.

What really makes Kabrita stand out, however, is the fat blend that they use. From what we know, Kabrita is the only brand that uses plant-derived fats that match the structure of the most common fat molecules in breast milk. These fats (high SN-2 palmitate, a.k.a. “OPO fats”), which are produced by an enzymatic reaction on a mixture of vegetable oils, have been shown to promote more healthy bacteria in the gut, reduce colic and gas, reduce constipation, and allow for fat and calcium to be absorbed better.

For parents with children with coconut allergies, Kabrita doesn’t contain coconut oil (of course, this could change at any time, so always read the label!).

Ingredients in Kabrita formula: Lactose (Milk), Nonfat Dry Goat Milk, Goat Whey Protein Concentrate Powder (Milk), High sn2-Palmitic Acid Oil, Soybean Oil*, Galacto-oligosaccharides (Milk), Palm Kernel Oil, Sunflower Oil, and less than 1%: Tri Calcium Citrate, Mortierella Alpina Oil, Tri Sodium Citrate, Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Choline Bitartrate, Sodium L-ascorbate, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulphate, L-ascorbic Acid, Zinc Sulphate, Vitamin E Acetate, Inositol, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulphate, Retinyl Acetate, Thiamin Hydrochloride, Vitamin B6 Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Manganese Sulphate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin K1, D-biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, Cyanocobalamin.

Kabrita has generously offered 10% off for my readers with code GIMMEKABRITA.

Buy now from Kabrita

Kendamil Organic Baby Formula

Kendamil is another great European formula, and has been made organically in the UK since 2018. Kendamil uses whole milk from grass-fed cows and doesn’t contain soy or palm oil.

Kendamil formula comes from the milk of English Jersey cows, whose milk is richer in good fats, protein, and calcium. Furthermore, Jersey cows produce mainly A2 milk.

This formula does not contain probiotics, but it does have prebiotics and its DHA and ARA are not extracted with hexane. Kendamil contains taurine, l-carnitine, and nucleotides.

The complete ingredients in the stage 1 Kendamil are: Organic whole milk, Organic demineralized milk whey protein powder, Organic skimmed milk, Organic vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, rapeseed), Organic galacto-oligosaccharides (from milk), Calcium citrate, Sodium citrate, Potassium chloride, Calcium lactate, Magnesium chloride, Docosahexaenoic acid, Arachidonic acid, Vitamin C, Potassium hydroxide, Choline bitartrate, Inositol, Taurine, Nucleotides (cytidine-5’-monophosphate, disodium uridine-5’-monophosphate, adenosine-5’-monophosphate, disodium inosine-5’monophosphate, disodium guanosine-5’ monophosphate), Iron pyrophosphate, Zinc sulphate, Vitamin E, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Copper sulphate, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Manganese sulphate, Folic acid, Potassium iodide, Sodium selenite, Vitamin K, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin B12

One thing that makes Kendamil special is that even their Stage 2 and Stage 3 formulas do not contain maltodextrin—almost every other formula adds this carb beyond Stage 1.

Kendamil also makes a goat milk formula that is Good Stuff.

You can buy all Kendamil varieties at My Organic Company.

Loulouka Organic Baby Formula (Cow)

As I mentioned above, this newer Swiss formula is the very Best Stuff. Loulouka Stage 1 is free of palm oil, soy, corn syrup, sucrose, carrageenan, and maltodextrin, contains lactose, and is certified organic with milk from grass-fed cows.

Loulouka contains DHA and prebiotics, but does not contain ARA or probiotics.

Please note that the stage 2 and 3 Loulouka do contain maltodextrin. Some parents choose to keep their older babies on the stage 1–this is a decision you should make with the help of your pediatrician, but we do still consider Stage 2 and Stage 3 Loulouka to be Good Stuff.

Loulouka Stage 1 ingredients: Organic Skimmed Milk, Organic Demineralized Whey Powder, Organic Vegetable Oils [Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Rapeseed Oil], Organic Lactose, Galactooligosaccharides (GOS from lactose), Minerals (Calcium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Citrate, Zinc Sulphate, Sodium Selenate, Manganese Sulphate, Potassium Iodate, Potassium Hydroxide, Copper Sulphate, Iron Sulphate), Emulsifier (organic sunflower lecithin), Refined Fish Oil, Choline Bitartrate, Vitamins (C, E, A, D, B3, B5, B7, B12, K, Folic Acid, B1, B6, B2), L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, Inositol, Antioxidants (tocopherol-rich extract), L-cysteine, L-carnitine

$45.00 — or subscribe and save up to 8%Buy Now

Loulouka Goat Milk Formula

Goat’s milk formula is worth considering if you have a baby with sensitivities to cow’s milk (or maybe even if you don’t). If you’d like to consider a goat milk formula for your baby, our top choice is Loulouka. I like that the primary ingredients in Loulouka’s goat milk formula—goat milk, carbohydrates, and oils—meet a very high, European organic standard. Goat milk formula is not usually organic, so that makes this one special.

It is superior to Holle’s goat milk formula because it does not contain maltodextrin.

The ingredients in this formula are: whole goat milk*, lactose*, vegetable oils* (sunflower, rapeseed), calcium carbonate, trisodium citrate, microalgae oil (MILK), magnesium chloride, L-cysteine, calcium hydroxide, vitamin C, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosin, sodium chloride, iron lactate, vitamin E, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium D-pantothenate, retinyl acetate, copper sulfate, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, riboflavin, mangenese sulfate, potassium iodide, vitamin K1, sodium selenite, cholecalciferol, biotin, cyanocobalamin

Lebenswert Organic Baby Formula (Stage 1)

Lebenswert formula is produced by Holle, and is even better.

One of the the biggest problems with Holle’s original formula is that it contains maltodextrin. Lebenswert’s stage 1 formula is free of maltodextrin, relying instead upon lactose to lend sweetness to the formula.

Moreover, Lebenswert adheres to Bioland organic guidelines for farmers and manufacturers. These guidelines are even more stringent than the European Union’s Eco-Regulation; you can read more about them here.

Lebenswert also skips soy and a bunch of the synthetic nutrients found in most of the organic formulas in America, but does still contain palm oil and canola oil (called “rapeseed oil”).

Here’s a complete ingredients list of the stage 1 formula: Organic skimmed milk, organic whey powder (partly demineralised), organic vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed, sunflower oil), lactose, potassium chloride, calcium, vitamin C, sodium chloride, ferrous gluconate, vitamin E, zinc sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, copper sulphate , Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 , Vitamin A, manganese sulfate, folic acid, potassium iodate, vitamin K1, sodium selenate, vitamin D.

Because it’s from Germany, Lebenswert is not FDA approved, so it can be challenging to obtain here in the U.S.

I’ve vetted the several places to purchase this formula, and am happy to have established affiliate relationships with the following sellers (this list continues to be updated as the market changes):

Organic Baby Food 24
BabyKind Market
My Organic Company (for 5% off everything at My Organic Company, use code GIMME5 at checkout).

PLEASE NOTE: Lebenswert organic baby formula in stages above 1 do contain maltodextrin. While these are still “Good Stuff” and on par with original Holle, Lebenswert stage 1 is superior.

Serenity Kids Toddler Formula

Serenity’s new toddler formula uses milk that is not only grassfed and organic but also A2. It contains a lot of the Good Stuff we look for–lactose to sweeten, prebiotics, olive and coconut oils, and non-hexane extracted omega acids. It’s free of corn, rice, and soy.

You should ask your pediatrician about giving this formula to an infant.

These are all the ingredients in this Serenity Formula: Organic Lactose, Organic A2 Whole Milk Powder, Organic Galactooligosaccharides, Organic Whey Protein Concentrate, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter, Less than 2% of: Human Milk Oligosaccharides (2′-fucosyllactose, Lacto-N-neotetraose), Organic Inulin, Algal Oil, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Egg Lecithin, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Nucleotides (Adenosine-5-Monophosphate, Cytidine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Guanosine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Inosine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Uridine-5-Monophosphate), Choline Bitartrate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Inositol, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Methylcobalamin, d-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Copper Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid, L-Methylfolate, Kelp Powder, Manganese Glycinate, Phylloquinone, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Vitamin D2.

Use code GIMME15 for 15% off anything at Serenity.

The Okay Stuff

Earth’s Best Organic Baby Formula

I am so happy to see that Earth’s Best has gotten rid of the corn syrup in their formula! The only sweetener is now organic lactose, making this formula almost Good Stuff. I’m still only calling it Okay Stuff because of the sheer number of synthetic nutrients. It also contains several soy ingredients. Earth Best’s sensitive organic baby formula as well as their dairy-free version both have corn syrup solids as the very first ingredients, so those two are Sneaky Stuff.

The complete list of ingredients in the basic dairy infant formula is: Organic Lactose, Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Oils (Organic Palm or Palm Olein, Organic Soy, Organic Coconut, Organic High Oleic Safflower or Sunflower Oil), Organic Whey Protein Concentrate, Less Than 1: Mortierella Alpina Oil*, Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oil**, Fructooligosaccharide, Lutein, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Vitamin E (DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Mixed Tocopherol Concentrate, Vitamin K (Phytonadione), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cyanocobalamin, Niacinamide, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Bitartrate, Inositol, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Cupric Sulfate, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Selenite, Sodium Citrate, Taurine, Organic Soy Lecithin, Nucleotides (Cytidine-5-Monophosphate, Adenosine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Uridine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Guanosine-5-Monophosphate, Disodium Inosine-5-Monophosphate)

Topfer Lacatana Bio

A lot of you have inquired about Topfer, and I like that it’s the very oldest of the German formulas! Still, when I drilled down on the ingredients, I don’t think it’s as good as the other European options. This is really just because it isn’t biodynamic, contains canola and palm oils, and uses maltodextrin as a sweetener.

The ingredients in Topfer are as follows: Skimmed milk, whey powder partly demineralized, vegetable oils (Organic Palmoil, Rapeseedoil, Sunfloweroil), maltodextrine, skimmed milk powderˡ, starch, oil of Mortierella alpina, fish oil, calcium carbonate, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, vitamin C, calcium phosphate, iron lactate, vitamin E, bifidobacteria cultures (B.breve, B.bifidum, B.infantis, B.longum), zinc sulphate, niacin, calcium-Dpantothenate, copper sulfate, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, manganese sulphate, potassium iodate, folic acid, vitamin K, sodium selenate, vitamin D.

(Note: Topfer’s Stage Pre does not contain any sweeteners at all, making it Good Stuff!).

The Bad Stuff

Avoid any infant formulas that are not organic, for all of the reasons listed above.

Aptamil Nutura is a British brand about which many of you have inquired. Because it isn’t organic and contains corn syrup, I can’t recommend it.

Gerber’s BabyNes is admittedly super convenient, but there are lots of problems with these pods. For one, they are plastic-heavy, with lots of surface area exposure (as opposed to bigger traditional containers.) They also involve warm water running through plastic tubing and other parts in the machine. You probably know that warmth and plastic equals increased chemical leaching. Plus the pods are super wasteful from an environmental standpoint. And what’s in the pods isn’t Good Stuff anyway, with corn sweeteners and no organic ingredients.

Nan formula is perhaps the best of the Bad Stuff, since it does contain lactose as a sweetener. But this formula, made by Nestle, isn’t organic. And if you read all the way down the ingredients list, you will eventually find the corn syrup!

Two other definite Bad Stuff brands who don’t even make an organic variety of their formula:

Gerber Good Start. This should come as no surprise. Their jarred baby food is also Bad Stuff.
Enfamil. For some horrible reason this is the brand I chose for Felix when I needed a nursing break due to bleeding nipples and ran out of pumped milk. Wah! Enamel’s Pregestimil and Nutramigen lines (for sensitive or allergic babies) are made up almost entirely of corn syrup and vegetable oils.

The Sneaky Stuff

Bright Beginnings Organic Baby Formula, owned by pharma giant PMB, contains corn syrup, rather than dairy-based lactose, as well as lots of vegetable oils.

Enfamil Enspire doesn’t have a terrible list of ingredients (it’s sweetened with just lactose rather than corn syrup or white sugar), but nothing is organic and it has a ton of synthetic nutrients and some questionable preservatives.

Happy Baby Sensitive contains corn syrup and maltodextrin. Note that Happy’s regular formula is Good Stuff (see above).

Parent’s ChoiceOrganic Baby Formula contains maltodextrin, as well as all the other bad stuff.

Similac Organic Baby Formula is the only organic formula to contain actual cane sugar, and lots of it. Their ready-to-use formula also contains carrageenan. The only upside? Similac is free of palm oil.

Similac Advance Non-GMO Baby Formula. This marketing ploy really annoys me. GMOs are the least of the problem with conventional infant formula.

Still, I was surprised to see that there isn’t sugar or corn syrup in this formula. If you’re going for a conventional formula, this is the one to get.

This version of Similac contain galactooligosaccharides, which are prebiotics. It isn’t unlike the Baby’s Only Whey in fact, except it isn’t organic (and btw, organic by definition means non-GMO).

This version is actually better than Similac Organic, but it still contains a significant number of synthetic ingredients.

Similac Pure Bliss is yet another version from this pharma giant. This one uses dairy from grass-fed, antibiotic-free cows, but it’s not organic, and is still loaded with synthetic nutrients.

Vermont Organics Baby Formula, also owned by PMB Nutritionals, contains palm oil, hexane-extracted DHA/ARA, and organic glucose syrup solids (corn), and maltodextrin.

Whole Foods 365 Organic Baby Formula, also produced by PMB, contains palm oil and corn-based sugars.

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Safe Baby Bottle Cheat Sheet

Maia James — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 21:23:00 +0000

All bottle-feeding moms want the best non-toxic baby bottles for their babies, whether the bottles are is filled with breastmilk or formula or even water. Here’s how to make sure you’re using truly non-toxic baby bottles.

1. Avoid Plastic Baby Bottles (including “BPA-free” ones!)

Plastic bottles are tempting—they are inexpensive, readily available, lightweight, and hard to break. But plastic leeches chemicals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors (hello, BPA!).

Don’t be fooled by “BPA-free” labels. BPA-free plastics that contain BPA substitutes like BPS are possibly just as bad, if not worse. Bottom line: If you want non-toxic baby bottles, you’ll never be buying any kind of plastic.

2. Choose Glass or Stainless Steel Baby Bottles

The safest baby bottle material is probably glass. Glass bottles won’t leech anything into milk or formula. Whenever possible, choose glass for breast milk storage, too.

Food-grade stainless steel is a close second to glass. Stainless steel bottles are lighter and less breakable than glass. We love Pura Kiki infant bottles because they are totally plastic-free, come in two sizes (5 oz and 11 oz), are available insulated and non-insulated, and can be converted into bottles for toddlers, kids, and adults.

3. Silicone Baby Bottles Are Okay

Silicone baby bottles are better than plastic, but probably not as safe as glass or stainless steel; research on the safety of silicone is relatively limited. We do know that silicone may leech at very low and high temperatures, so you might consider skipping silicone bottles for hot liquids and avoid putting them in the freezer. I like the Comotomo Natural Feel silicone bottle. (Note: (These silicone bags are better than storing breast milk in plastic.)

4. Don’t Forget the Nipples

Food-grade silicone is probably the safest, most durable and hygienic material for baby bottle nipples. A close second is natural rubber nipples from a credible company like Hevea or Natursutten. Definitely skip synthetic latex nipples (like these by Gerber), which can contain a number of concerning additives.

Because my babies rarely drank from bottles, I can’t recommend a favorite in terms of efficacy. That’s why I need you guys to comment below on your favorites glass, stainless steel, and silicone baby bottles and nipples–please do so below!

Stay sane,

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HiPP Versus Holle: Which European Infant Formula is Healthier?

Maia James — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 02:43:05 +0000

Below is an email I recently sent to a private client of mine. Since the number one question I receive is “What is the safest infant formula?,” I thought some of you might be interested in my analysis of the two safest brands of baby formula, HiPP vs. Holle (both from Europe). Note that whichever formula you choose, you should always use a water filter to remove chlorine (carcinogenic) and fluoride (linked with lowered IQ). (Here’s more on why you should get a filter and which ones I like.)

Dear E.:

So the bottom line is I would recommend Holle formula as the best option, but it’s not without some problems, unfortunately (yet again it becomes clear that nothing can compare with breastmilk). HiPP is superior in a few ways, but I’ll explain why ultimately I would go with Holle below.

Here’s what I considered when researching HiPP vs. Holle:

Palm oil. Palm oil is an ingredient that a lot of people worry about (suspected to affect bone density), and both HiPP and Holle contain it. However, because they each contain a blend of other oils (like coconut and sunflower), I don’t think the amount is as concerning. They do both also contain rapeseed oil, otherwise known as canola oil, which is also somewhat controversial. It’s worth noting that Baby’s Only doesn’t contain palm oil–but it does contain soybean oil, which I don’t like, so not really a huge win.
Aluminum issue. The HiPP ready-made formula is preferable to the HiPP powder because the latter has strangely high aluminum levels, although even the ready-man has borderline levels. (I can’t figure out why–possibly because it comes in aluminum pouches (within a cardboard box)). However, in general I actually DON’T like ready-made formulas because they contain soy lecithin (sometimes extracted with hexane…and soy is problematic anyway because of its estrogenic properties). On the other hand, the amount of lecithin is relatively small, and probably worth the trade-off. Note that the HiPP Growing Up milk in powder form actually has much lower levels of aluminum (but you can’t use that until after 12 months, and it does contain soy lecithin. Sigh). Bottom line here is go for ready-made or Growing Up milk if you do get HiPP, but with Holle you don’t have to worry about this.
LCP oils. The addition of omega 3 and 6 oils in U.S. formulas is controversial because of the extraction methods (super complicated issue so I’ll spare you all the details). HiPP has these added oils, but I suspect the extraction methods are probably required to be cleaner in Europe. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to get to the bottom of this, so it’s a question mark and potentially another negative for HiPP. And studies show that the addition of the oils doesn’t improve the nutrition for babies anyway, so their absence isn’t really a negative for Holle.
Organic practices. Both of these companies have been around for more than 50 years, and the dairy products from both come from grass-fed, organic cattle, certainly of a higher quality that anything you get here. Holle farms are certified organic and biodynamic–which I’ll simplify by saying is like organic-plus, with very strict standards from the processing all the way to the packaging. Another point in the Holle column.
Sugars. All formula has a lot of sugar (breastmilk is naturally quite sweet), and HiPP wins in this category, as it uses lactose as a sweetener, which is the best option (and also the most expensive). Holle uses maltodextrin (a plant-based sweetener), although it seems to use less of it than most American formula brands. And here’s an update from July 2015: Lebenswert is a newish formula under the Holle umbrella. The Stage 1 Lebenswert formula contains lactose instead of maltodextrin, and Lebenswert is now available at Little World Organics!
Prebiotics. This is another win for HiPP. Holle doesn’t contain these, and it’s one of the big things found in breastmilk but missing from formula.

Bottom line: Both HiPP and Holle are superior to American formulas, in my opinion. They lack many of the concerning ingredients found in most formula you get here, don’t have white sugar or corn syrup in them, and also skip some preservatives and the carrageenan found even in other organic formulas. If it were my baby, I would probably choose Holle because of the aluminum issues with HiPP–which to me is more concerning than the maltodextrin (the only major downside to Holle). The lecithin, biodynamic farming, and LCP oil issues further put Holle in the lead. And if you choose Stage 1 Lebenswert, you skip the maltodextrin as well.

In terms of where to by Holle (or HiPP): this is complicated since these formulas do not meet FDA approval. There are many online vendors (including Ebay sellers), but until I can vet that one (or several) are legit, I cannot make a recommendation on where you should purchase European formula. I hope to have this information available soon.

October 2019 update: I’ve vetted several places to purchase this formula, and am happy to have established affiliate relationships with the following sellers:

Stay sane,

P.S. If you want to learn about goat milk formula (including one from Holle), click here.

Standard disclaimer: The advice and opinions presented here by Gimme the Good Stuff are based on our own research process as well as current scientific evidence. For medical advice, you should see a licensed medical professional. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness.    Manufacturers change the ingredients in their products frequently; always read labels or call companies to verify.

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How I Nursed Three Kids Without Going (Too) Crazy

Colleen Webb — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 14:52:36 +0000

Written by Colleen Webb, Chief Product Investigator

Until recently, I was nursing three kids: a newborn, a two-year-old, and a four-year-old.

When other women hear this, the most common thing they say is, “Oh my gosh, I could never do that!” Moms often share stories about how they weaned their older child in anticipation of a new baby arriving.

I don’t think nursing two or more kids is as hard as many people assume, but it’s also not for everyone (obviously!). I’ve nursed three kids because it’s been a natural choice for my family: My kids and I enjoy nursing from infancy through toddlerhood, and I’ve had them relatively close together.

For those of you who are curious, below are the strategies that have helped make nursing three kids work for me and my family.

PS: I can’t speak for moms of multiples, because I’ve only had one baby at a time. If you’ve nursed twins (or triplets?!) and have wisdom to share, please leave a comment below.

1. Only the baby nurses “on demand.”

Newborns need to breastfeed frequently, whereas older babies and toddlers can usually go hours (or days!) without nursing. For me, feeding the baby “on demand” and having the older kid(s) on stage-appropriate nursing schedules (see below) has been essential.

2. I got the older kid(s) on a nursing schedule before the new baby came.

In order to prevent the chaos of a lap full of kids clamoring for milk, I’ve used the final trimester of my pregnancies as a time to get the older kid(s) on a more structured and minimal nursing schedule.

Before my second baby was born, I got my toddler nursing three times a day (morning, after lunch, and bedtime). Before my third baby was born, I got the oldest kid nursing only at bedtime, and the middle one nursing in the morning and at bedtime. This approach created plenty of space for an infant to nurse on demand.

3. I nurse one kid at a time.

For about 18 months, with my first two kids, I often breastfed both of them at the same time. This worked until the younger one entered a feisty phase, and the kids would sometimes struggle with each other on my lap…while nursing. Ouch! After my nipples got caught in the crossfire one too many times, we switched to “taking turns.”

Maia asked me to write this post, since she had her own boys four years apart and only was ever nursing one!

4. I eat (and hydrate) a lot.

When you’re pregnant, people love telling you that you’re “eating for two,” but there’s actually a higher caloric demand on your body when you’re lactating for a new baby—about 500 extra calories per day.

I eat a lot of nutritious food and drink plenty of filtered water to help my body maintain a healthy milk supply without getting depleted. (I also take a multivitamin and a couple of other supplements, as recommended by my midwives.)

5. I weaned when the time came.

Last summer, when my third baby was a few months old, I hit a point where nursing three kids started to feel like too much. I also started looking at my four-year-old (who’s the size of a six-year old) and thinking, “Maybe you’re getting a little bit big for nursing.” So I weaned him. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected, and now I’m happily nursing my baby and my two-year-old.

Have you wondered about or tried breastfeeding more than one baby/toddler at a time? If you’ve nursed twins (or triplets?!), do you have any wisdom to share?

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Is Goat Milk Formula Healthier?

Maia James — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 05:48:49 +0000

UPDATED: March 2018

Organic baby formula is a hot topic here; in fact, it’s what you guys ask about most! I understand—you want to make sure that what you’re feeding your babies and toddlers is the best stuff possible, and there are about a gajillion types of organic baby formula now on the market. I’ve reviewed many of them in my Safe Infant Formula Guide, but this post is dedicated specifically to goat milk baby formula.

Best Goat Milk Baby Formula

If I were looking for a goat milk baby formula for my own child, I would choose Kabrita. There is strong evidence that goat milk more closely mimics human breast milk than does cow milk, and Kabrita is the only formula I know of that contains the beneficial type of palm oil (see more on this below). Kabrita is now also the only formula sold in the United States that is certified glyphosate-free!

Kabrita has offered 10% off for my readers with code GIMMEKABRITA.

Buy now from Kabrita

I’ve researched the goat milk formulas from Sammy’s Milk, Kabrita, Holle and NANNYcare because these are the brands that you ask about most.

Here’s the Deal with Goat Milk Baby Formula

1) Is goat milk healthier than cow milk? What are the benefits of goat milk baby formula?

Goat milk can be better, yes.

In basic nutritional terms, goat milk and cow milk are pretty similar. Goat milk tends to be higher in several vitamins and minerals. Cow milk is higher in vitamin B12 and has significantly more folic acid than goat milk.

When it comes to formula, these differences don’t matter much. All formulas have nutrients added to make up for whatever the milk they’re based on might be lacking, and to make the formula mimic human milk as closely as possible.

What’s most important is how the animals—be they cows or goats—are fed and raised. I prefer milk that is organic, or at least non-GMO, and from animals that are pastured.

It’s also worth noting that animal studies and some studies on humans suggest that the vitamins and minerals in goat’s milk might be more readily absorbed than those in cow milk. Basically, goat milk in its natural state seems to be closer to human milk than cow milk is, which is one of the benefits of goat milk formulas.

Note that whichever formula you choose, you should always use a water filter to remove chlorine (carcinogenic) and fluoride (linked with lowered IQ). (Here’s more on why you should get a filter and which ones I like.)

2) Is goat milk less allergenic than cow milk?

Yes. One of the other benefits of goat milk baby formula is that it’s easier to digest. But it’s not for everyone.

Goat’s milk is regarded as a “hypoallergenic” alternative to cow milk because it’s less likely to trigger the allergies and food sensitivities that many people experience with cow milk.

The composition of the proteins and fats in goat and cow milk varies enough to make goat milk less problematic and, overall, more digestible. For babies, whose immune and digestive systems are still developing, this could make a big difference.

The proteins in goat milk digest faster and more easily than those in cow milk. (This is true for the fats, too.) In terms of allergies, goat milk does not contain the type of casein protein, alpha-S1, that tends to be problematic in cow milk. Instead, the primary type of casein in goat milk is more similar to what’s found in human milk. Note: if your child has a full-blown cow milk protein allergy (CMPA), he or she could also react to the proteins in goat’s milk, which are similar.
Goat milk has less lactose than cow milk, but it might still be an issue for people with lactose intolerance. All of the goat milk formulas I reviewed, except for Sammy’s Milk, add more lactose as carbohydrate source.

3) Why aren’t all of these goat milk formulas organic?

Of the goat milk formulas I researched, only one brand, Holle, is certified organic (according to European standards, which are actually stricter than American standards). This may be surprising, given that these companies all seem to be going to great lengths to make formula with pure ingredients. As it turns out, there isn’t much certified organic goats milk being produced. There are multiple reasons for this phenomenon, but that’s beyond the scope of this post.

Kabrita goat’s milk is non-GMO, from farms in the Netherlands and Missouri.

NANNYcare milk is from goats that are mostly pasture fed in New Zealand, and raised without the use of hormones; antibiotics use is minimal.

You’ll find more info about Sammy’s Milk below.

4) Which goat milk formula is best? Is it worth switching baby formula?

We all know breast milk is better than formula, be in from a goat or a cow, and even if you’re choosing an organic baby formula. There’s no such thing as a perfect formula, but the best brands get really close– close enough that you should feel confident feeding the formula to your infant or toddler.

In this comparison of goat milk formulas, I considered several factors:

The quality and purity of the goat milk (organic/non-GMO/pastured);
The type and purity of of added carbohydrates (sugars);
The type and purity of added vegetable oils;
The presence of hexane-extracted DHA/ARA;
and the presence of problematic synthetic preservatives and nutrients.

For more about my rationale behind these factors and why I think they matter when selecting an organic baby formula, see our Safe Infant Formula Guide.

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Here’s my bottom line: All of the brands I looked into qualify as Good Stuff when looked at in the context of baby formula in general. If I were looking for a goat’s milk formula for my kids, here is what I would choose, in order of preference:

1st choice: Kabrita Goat Milk Toddler Formula (12+ months).

I like that Kabrita uses non-GMO goat milk (from Missouri and the Netherlands) and has lactose as the primary added carbohydrate. Kabrita is now the only formula sold in the U.S. that is certified glyphosate free.

Kabrita’s latest formulation doesn’t contain any taurine or carnitine (two synthetic nutrients that are in most baby formulas), and they’d added a probiotic.

What really makes Kabrita stand out is the fat blend that they use—from what we know, Kabrita is the only brand that uses plant-derived fats that match the structure of the most common fat molecules in breast milk. These fats (high SN-2 palmitate, a.k.a. “OPO fats”), which are produced by an enzymatic reaction on a mixture of vegetable oils, have been shown to promote more healthy bacteria in the gut, reduce colic and gas, reduce constipation, and allow for fat and calcium to be absorbed better.

I also appreciate that Kabrita is transparent about their ingredients. And like all of the formulas listed here, Kabrita forgoes the most concerning preservatives and most synthetic nutrients (they do add L-carninite and taurine).

Kabrita adds hexane-extracted DHA and ARA but assures me that hexane is not present in the finished product.

Kabrita hopes to debut an infant formula in the U.S. market later this year, at which point I feel confident that it will become my top formula pick. (Ask your pediatrician if the current toddler formula–which has more protein than most infant formulas–is appropriate for your baby.)

Since I am a Kabrita affiliate, they are offering my readers 10% off with code GIMMEKABRITA. (Read my affiliate disclosure page here.)

Try Kabrita

2nd choice: Holle Organic Infant Goat Milk Formula 1 (0+ months) and Holle Organic Infant Goat Milk Follow-on Formula 2 (6+ months).

I like that the primary ingredients in these formulas—goat milk, carbohydrates, and oils—meet a very high, European organic standard. These are the only goat milk formulas that are officially organic. (I’m a fan of Holle’s cow milk formulas, too.) I also like that they don’t add hexane-extracted DHA/ARA and also forgo the most concerning preservatives and most problematic synthetic nutrients. (Formula 1 does have L-methionine).

I don’t like that maltodextrin is the primary added carbohydrate in Holle’s formula, but I appreciate that it is organic, and that they do also use lactose as a sweetener. I’m also not a fan of the palm and grapeseed oils, but they are organic, and Holle also uses organic sunflower oil.

Holle isn’t imported to the U.S. so can be hard to purchase; you can buy this formula Huggable or Organic Baby Food 24 (based in Germany). I’ve spoken with both of these distributors, set up affiliate relationships, and would feel comfortable ordering from them if I were looking to feed my own baby this formula.

3rd choice: NANNYcare First Infant Milk, Follow On Milk, and Growing Up Milk.

The goat milk used for NANNYcare formulas seems to be well-sourced from New Zealand, but they don’t have any organic or non-GMO certifications.

I like that lactose is the only added carbohydrate, and they skip palm oil and hexane-extracted DHA and ARA. They also don’t use any soy-based ingredients (oil or lecithin).

Like all of the goat milk formulas listed here, NANNYcare forgoes the most concerning preservatives and most synthetic nutrients (they do add L-carninite and taurine to the first formula and growing up milk, and taurine to the follow on milk).

What About Sammy’s Milk?

We originally wrote this guide during the Sammy’s Milk recall. It’s now back on the market as a “Toddler Formula,” and while some of you remain skittish, and we haven’t done a thorough review, there is a lot to like about Sammy’s, including milk from goats that are free range, antibiotic free, and hormone free; molasses as the added carbohydrate and a source of bioavailable iron; real fish oil as a source of DHA and EPA; the lack of controversial palm oil and soy; and the addition of prebiotics to this formula.

Should You Be Switching Baby Formula?

If I were formula feeding my own child, the apparent benefits of goat milk formula would probably make me consider switching from a cow milk variety. I do have clients whose pediatricians discouraged this, so definitely talk to yours before starting on or switching to a goat milk baby formula. It bears repeating that I am not a medical professional of any kind.

Stay sane,

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Review of Holle Lebenswert Infant Formula

Maia James — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 11:51:48 +0000

First, read my affiliate disclosure.

As a breastfeed-until-they’re-in-braces type, I never thought I would spend so much time writing about formula! (Here’s our Safe Formula Guide, here’s where I review Honest Company Formula, and here’s where I take two European formulas head to head. But I try to research the topics and products that you’re most worried about, and I hear you loud and clear: formula is number one! So here is more information that I hope will help those of you looking for the healthiest infant formula on the market.

Even Better Stuff: Holle Lebenswert Formula (Stage 1)

I’ve previously stated that if I were formula feeding, I would go with Holle (from Germany). I am happy to report the discovery of a new formula that’s even better than original Holle, which is Lebenswert formula (stage 1 only). Lebenswert features a shorter list of ingredients and one other major upside over regular Holle.

Holle Lebenswert Stage 1 Is Sweetened with Lactose

One of the the biggest problems with Holle’s original formula is that it contains maltodextrin, a cheap sweetener derived from rice, corn, or potatoes that is less similar to the natural sugar found in breast milk. Lebenswert’s stage 1 formula is free of maltodextrin, relying instead upon lactose (which more closely mimics breast milk) to lend sweetness to the formula. Moreover, Lebenswert adheres to Bioland organic guidelines for farmers and manufacturers. These guidelines are even more stringent than the European Union’s Eco-Regulation; you can read more about them here.

Lebenswert does still contain palm oil and canola oil (called “rapeseed oil”), but it is definitely what I would choose if I were formula-feeding. Here’s a complete ingredients list of the stage 1 formula: Organic skimmed milk, organic whey powder (partly demineralised), organic vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed, sunflower oil), lactose, potassium chloride, calcium, vitamin C, sodium chloride, ferrous gluconate, vitamin E, zinc sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, copper sulphate , Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 , Vitamin A, manganese sulfate, folic acid, potassium iodate, vitamin K1 , sodium selenate, vitamin D.

PLEASE NOTE: Lebenswert formula in stages above 1 DO contain maltodextrin. While these are still “Good Stuff” and on par with original Holle, the review I am providing here only applies to Lebenswert stage 1.

Where to Buy Lebenswert

Because it’s from Germany, Lebenswert is not FDA approved, so it can be challenging to obtain here in the U.S.

I’ve vetted several places to purchase this formula, and am happy to have established affiliate relationships with the following sellers:

Little Bundle
BabyKind Market
~~Organic Start~~ (no longer in business)
Organic Baby Food 24 (based in Germany)

Stay sane,

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Where to Buy European Infant Formula

Maia James — Fri, 29 May 2015 19:53:27 +0000

Written by Maia, President

First, read my affiliate disclosure.

As you may have seen in our updated Safe Infant Formula Guide, I recently recommended Lebenswert as the healthiest infant formula on the market (yes, even better than Holle and HiPP!). Unfortunately, it’s become harder and harder for American parents to find European formulas as they are no longer available on Amazon.

Some parents have resorted to buying Holle and HiPP and other European formula on eBay, but many of you feel uneasy purchasing something so important from unverified sellers.

This is why I decided to create a screening process to help me find trustworthy online vendors where my readers could confidently buy European baby formulas.

This post will help you figure out where to buy Holle and HiPP and Lebenswert, as well as other European brands of formula.

Bottom Line on Where to Buy European Formula

I’ve approved and established an affiliate relationship with the following vendors.

BabyKind Market

Organic Start

Organic Baby Food 24 (based in Germany)

Little Bundle

Please note that Gimme the Good Stuff is not responsible for the quality of either the formula itself or the experience of ordering from these vendors. I am simply saying that based on my research, if I were buying a European formula for my own child, I would feel comfortable getting it from any of them.

My Vetting Process for European Formula Vendors

I started on the websites of Holle and HiPP, and contacted the retailers they listed to see if any of them would ship to the U.S. The answer was no.

I then looked into a variety of websites that were mentioned on blogs and parenting forums as places moms were buying European formula–some of these had good reviews and others had failed to deliver the formula parents ordered. One mom told me that she drove by the address listed on one of the websites and found a boarded-up building in a bad L.A. neighborhood!

I narrowed my list down to the websites that seemed not sketchy (based on my online research), and scheduled phone calls with the owners of these sites.

Why Most of Them Didn’t Make the Cut

While I cannot say that any of these companies seemed outright dishonest–or that I truly believe anyone is taking empty Holle formula containers and filling them with Similac–I didn’t feel completely reassured by my conversations with most of these vendors.

Perhaps some of this was a language barrier (plus time-zone issues–one guy in Germany was nice enough to speak with me at midnight his time!), but in many cases I just couldn’t seem to get a clear answer on the supply chain.

I really wanted to know exactly where this formula was coming from, and how these vendors were getting it to their customers in the U.S.

Another thing I didn’t like about many of these sites is that they didn’t seem to know anything about why these formulas were superior, and in many cases they would ask that I recommend a bunch of other European products they wanted to sell to U.S. parents–most of which of course were not Good Stuff!

A Note on X-Rays

A lot of you wonder if you should be concerned about formula being x-rayed when it comes through customs (as is the case for any imported food or food ingredient). What I have read suggests that this is not a risk, and this article may be particularly reassuring to those of you who are concerned.

Stay sane,

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Updated Nipple Cream Guide & a Lanolin Horror Story

Maia James — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:35:01 +0000

Written by Maia, President

My big project for the next few weeks is going through all our Safe Product Guides and updating each one with additional information I have learned since their original publication, plus of course adding new products that have entered the market (or changed their formulas) and are Good, Bad, or Sneaky.

A recent email I received from a reader (pasted below) prompted me to start with the Safe Nipple Cream Guide.

In addition to a reminder that lanolin creams should be avoided, the new Safe Nipple Cream Guide features a couple more products that I’ve rooted out as The Sneaky Stuff.

Thanks as always to all of you who write to me with your own stories. I hope the following reader email will help someone with similar symptoms who is unable to find answers.

Stay sane,

Read our Safe Nipple Cream Guide

This lanolin-free nursing balm is the Good Stuff!

Hi Maia-

I just wanted to tell you I was so happy to find your article about lanolin and the problems with it! During my fifth pregnancy I developed an absolutely horrible lesion, raw-flesh based rash on both my nipples, which ultimately required me to stop nursing completely because the doctors thought I either developed a severe infection, or worse: Paget Disease (it was THAT horrible).

I had two rounds of IV antibiotics, multiple visits to a cancer center, along with guilt and despair beyond belief because NO ONE could figure it out. After months of this I decided to turn to a dermatologist because nothing was working. The course that I was told to follow after the IV treatments, sonograms to determine nothing was wrong internally and a biopsy to confirm it was in fact NOT cancer was to continue to treat my sore, inflamed open nipples with lanolin.

I went to the dermatologist figuring they would tell me to continue to “stay the course,” and that eventually whatever it was would clear up. He told me something completely different… He looked at my nipples and said, you are using lanolin aren’t you? I said yes.. I was told to keep my nipples moist to avoid friction. He gave me a combo steroid/antihistamine cream and said throw the lanolin away! I did, and within a week my nipples were significantly better, within a month the rash and all were completely gone! On my follow up visit with the dermatologist he said I had developed an allergic reaction to lanolin that tends to build up in your system over time (most likely from nursing over the years) and your body could no longer tolerate it. It’s common among women with wool allergies as well as those allergic to synthetic materials such as latex.

That was roughly 3 years ago, and sadly at the time, the lanolin issue was well “talked about.” For years it was pushed to help save nursing moms, to “relieve” them; pushed by doctors, nurses, nursing consultants. Everyone. I was devastated that I spent that much time and pain over a product that I was allergic to. I will never forget what I consider unnecessary pain and the unfortunate demise of nursing my child because a few “professionals” chose to ignore the simple truth in front of them.

I apologize for the longevity of this response, but again – I really did want to say keep up the wonderful articles and know that they truly help so many!

Best,
L.

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Honest Company’s Infant Formula Review

Maia James — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 19:14:06 +0000

As soon as The Honest Company’s infant formula hit the market, we were flooded with emails asking, “Is this the Good Stuff?” After putting the Honest formula through our research and review process, our answer is…sort of.

Essentially, Honest’s formula is the same as the rest of the Jessica Alba product line: definitely well-intentioned, definitely better than most conventional stuff, not quite Sneaky Stuff, but not quite Good Stuff. When it comes to this formula, here’s what we discovered:

The Good

It’s mostly milk. I like that Honest’s formula’s first ingredient is actual organic milk. The only other American-made formula I recommend to clients, Baby’s Only, has brown rice syrup (a sweetener) as its first ingredient, so this is a plus for Honest.

It contains lactose. It’s also great that Honest formula contains lactose as a sweetener, which is most similar to breast milk, but which many companies have stopped using because it’s pricier than other forms of sugar. (Unfortunately, Honest also uses corn syrup to sweeten this formula—more on this below.)

It skips some synthetics. The synthetic nutrients found in Honest’s formula are less in number than is the case for other organic formula brands. Some of these additives are not allowed in organic products in Europe, so it’s nice to see an American brand leaving them out.

It doesn’t contain hexane residue. The biggest plus to Honest formula is that the DHA they use is actual fish oil rather than hexane-extracted oils from algae and fungus (as is the case with most formulas, even organic ones).

It’s free of carrageenan. Honest’s formula is free of carrageenan (which is found in some organic formulas). Derived from seaweed, carrageenan helps stabilize formula, but numerous animal studies suggest that it leads to intestinal inflammation and colon tumors. The European Union has outlawed the use of carrageenan in all infant formula.

The Bad

Corn syrup. The biggest bummer about Honest’s formula is that it contains corn syrup (cleverly called “organic glucose syrup solids”). Honest uses mostly lactose to sweeten their formula, but I assume they blend with corn syrup because the latter is much less expensive.

Palm oil. Honest’s formula also contains palm oil, which is not properly absorbed by infants, and may contribute to decreased bone density. Even the European formulas I recommend (HiPP and Holle) contain palm oil, but it should be noted that Baby’s Only formula does not.

Soy. Honest formula also contains soy oil and soy lecithin. I’m not into soy for babies, since it is a source of phytoestrogens, which may have negative health implications. Worth noting: Baby’s Only also contains soy, as does HiPP. Holle is the only soy-free formula, which is part of the reason it’s our number one formula pick.

Synthetic preservatives. Honest formula contains two synthetic preservatives that some experts say should not be allowed in organic products: beta carotene and ascorbyl palmitate. Baby’s Only doesn’t contain these two, and nor do the European brands we recommend. I’m not convinced these are particularly harmful in the concentrations present in formula, but they aren’t natural and their effects are unknown.

Whichever Formula You Choose…Filter Your Water!

Tap water may be contaminated with chlorine byproducts, weed killers, insecticides, solvents, lead, BPA, phthalates…the list goes on. Fluoride is present in infant formula, and when combined with fluoridated tap water, infant exposure levels can exceed safe amounts. Invest in a good carbon water filter.

What Are the Best Infant Formulas?

After all the research I’ve done (I’ve written about formula here, here, and here), there are only four I would consider feeding my baby, and yes, Honest is among them. In order of preference, the best infant formulas, in my non-doctor opinion, are:

While difficult and expensive to obtain, the European formulas win out because they are both made with milk from grass-fed cattle, and have a simpler and more natural list of ingredients. I still consider Baby’s Only the best widely-available formula in this country, but Honest is a pretty close second, only losing out because of the corn syrup and palm oil it contains.

Baby’s Only remains our top choice amongst American formulas.

We feel that HiPP formula is superior to anything you can get in the U.S.

Holle remains our #1 choice for infant formula.

Honest Formula is better than most organic brands sold in the U.S.

Stay sane,

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The Pendulum Swings: Breastfeeding

Maia James — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 21:10:48 +0000

You know how we feel about breastfeeding here at Gimme the Good Stuff. Our president, Maia James, breastfeeds her kids until they are pushing three. She has written about why she thinks the benefits of breastfeeding have not been overstated, despite headlines to that effect last year. And whenever we talk about the best formulas out there, it’s always with the caveat that no formula comes close to being as good for your baby as breastmilk. On the other hand, we know that our readers include a lot of wonderful formula-feeding moms, and we also recognize the challenges of exclusive breastfeeding for a whole host of valid reasons. More importantly, we dislike the inevitable guilt that we all feel as parents every single day (whether it’s about how much TV we let our kids watch today or the lack of green veggies in their diet). We always welcome open and nonjudgemental discourse on this website, and in that spirit we invited our friend, Alison, to submit a guest post sharing her perspectives on breastfeeding, and specifically on the idea that formula should be kept away from new mothers in maternity wards. Please comment with your own opinions!

By Guest Blogger Alison Relyea

I have a challenge for you, and I urge the breastfeeding preachers out there to take the same challenge: Next time you go to a cocktail party, look around at the people in the room. Look closely. Study their faces, hair, and skin. Think about what you know about the ones who are already acquaintances. What do they do professionally? Where did they go to college? Are they healthy? Are they happy? So far, the challenge is not very interesting. Now, without asking any further questions, try to break them up into two groups based on your evaluations: The Breastfed and the Formula Fed.

There is an enormous amount of pressure placed on mothers to breastfeed in today’s world, and while the intentions are probably good, the outcomes are mixed. I am not questioning whether or not it benefits an infant’s or a mother’s health to try to breastfeed. What is concerning is the extent to which mothers are criticized and made to feel guilty if for any reason this is not the right choice for them, or if challenges cause them to alter their plan once their newborn arrives. This guilt leads some mothers to go to extreme measures, spend a lot of money, and waste a good portion of their time with their newborn to find “success” in breastfeeding. In the big picture, there are options. A healthy, happy mother is a usually a better mother than a sleep-deprived, anxious mother. Women need to decide what works for them, and follow their own instincts and the advice of professionals whom they trust.

In today’s world, with so much attention on parenting issues and health issues, and with personal boundaries breaking down on the web and Facebook, it is difficult to even identify one’s own goals and priorities without considering the opinions of others. Women who feed their child formula, either as their primary food source or to supplement, are not sinners and they are not breaking the law, despite recent attempts to keep formula under lock and key at hospitals, essentially making it the infant equivalent of a cigarette or prescription drug. These are mothers who have just brought a new life into the world and who will be making many decisions for their child in the future.

I understand that some of the rationale for locking up formula is to create a paper trail and encourage hospitals to follow protocol, preventing nurses from giving formula without a mother’s consent. When my son was born at Manhattan’s St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital in 2008, he was fed formula once during the night despite my request to be woken up to feed. I was disappointed. Friends of mine at many local hospitals have had similar experiences. It did not ruin my breastfeeding career, but I do hope that hospital employees are more careful now that there is greater scrutiny. With my daughter, two years later, I did not have any issues. There must be a way to monitor hospitals without increasing the already intense pressure on new mothers.

Most mothers have done a lot of reading. Most know that breastfeeding their baby is recommended. Ultimately, it is the woman’s body and her choice how to feed her child, and the hospital’s responsibility to provide resources and support that choice. A friend of mine decided before giving birth that she did not want to breastfeed her child. On the hospital tour at NYU, a great deal of time was spent in a Q&A with a lactation consultant and all of the other expecting moms and dads asked their questions. When my friend’s husband started to raise his hand to ask whether or not they should bring their own formula, she kicked him and whispered, “Not now!” Even among her friends and colleagues, she had been asked if she would breastfeed and had to defend her decision to confused expressions. What kind of response would she get from these new parents, complete strangers, and a lactation consultant? The formula question was not worth the judging glares.

We have all, as new mothers, heard the preaching about breastfeeding from other mothers. Sometimes it is well-intended. Sometimes it is aimed at making the mother feel less adequate than the preacher. And sometimes it is just cruel. When my son was a few weeks old, I attended a lactation support group at St. Vincent’s hospital with a friend who also had a newborn. At this point, my breastfeeding was pretty much underway, but I still had some concerns and questions. Nursing with other moms was okay, I guess. What I did not expect was the tears and the responses. Questions like, “I have to go back to work because I am a hairdresser and am not getting paid for the six weeks I am off. I want to nurse when I am home but don’t think I can take breaks to pump.” The lactation consultant’s response? “You should do everything you can to continue. Do they have a lactation room at the salon where you work?” Another woman described having supplemented her feeds with formula because the baby had been crying uncontrollably and this seemed to soothe him. Another was supplementing because her baby had lost a lot of weight at birth and was slow in gaining. She was extremely anxious about it – visibly anxious to those of us in the room. The consultant’s response to both of them was, “Whatever you do, you need to cut out the yucky stuff.” I was confused. A comforted baby and a baby on a steady weight gain were bad outcomes? All my years of school combined with common sense and logic led me to question this woman’s expertise. Luckily, in my early days of breastfeeding, I had a sensible lactation consultant who helped me develop a plan to supplement with small amounts until I could breastfeed exclusively.

For me, it worked. I am a success story where things evened out around six weeks and it became easy and, the word that perplexes many new mothers when it feels anything but, natural. Among my friends, however, the outcomes varied. There were friends who suffered from a typical amount of pain, anxiety, latching issues or infant weight loss, but some that went well beyond this. Conversations with friends who are recent new mothers often involve them confessing their failure as a breastfeeder for various reasons. I try to reassure them that once the baby is older, they will see that it is just one of many things we do as parents and not a huge deal, but when you are in those early months and everyone is judging you, you need to confess. I get it. I did it, too. Reasons for quitting range from recurring bouts of mastitis and thrush to a baby who was hospitalized with RSV at two months and needed to be fed through an IV at times. I know of women who have not been able to breastfeed because of pre-existing medical conditions, including a mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy and had to undergo chemotherapy during pregnancy and after delivering her son. Should she have to sign a waiver explaining why she is feeding her son formula? Should she have gone to greater lengths, asking friends to donate their extra milk or changing her own treatment to nurse? La Leche League might say yes. Her doctor said no.

One major problem with breastfeeding is that currently, despite our individual goals and situations, we live in a country that does not support new mothers adequately. We all know formula costs money and breastfeeding is free. It is one of the many compelling arguments laid out by breastfeeding advocates. Breastfeeding is only free if our time is worth nothing. Many working mothers do not receive any paid maternity leave and can only take the minimum amount allowed. They do not have lactation rooms at work and to pump in closets and bathrooms would add hours to their day, precious time away from their newborns. For the people who hire baby nurses and nannies to ensure that they can nurse, sleep, and make it to their morning Soul Cycle class between feeds, sure, breastfeeding seems great. Nursing bras, special pillows, herbal supplements and a myriad of other purchases are made without blinking an eye. My $350 breastpump was not reimbursed by my employer’s flex spend account, and neither was my session with a private lactation consultant. I even submitted receipts for the storage containers and other accessories, thinking it would all be covered as a necessary health expense, but it was not. Will healthcare laws ever reimburse for post-partum support groups or extended maternity leave, during which mothers will have continued support for their breastfeeding efforts? If people took a few minutes to consider the socio-economic and class issues imbedded in this debate, it should be enough to give them pause before they preach.

The women who frown at a bottle of formula are the same ones who give a sympathetic, almost pitiful look if someone mentions having had a C-section. I have even heard one person tell an acquaintance who had a recent c-section that she is lucky they can do V-BACS these days so she’ll have a chance to have that bonding experience, as if she won’t be able to bond adequately with this child. It seems so strange to me that people feel sorry for women who have given birth to a healthy baby surgically, when in generations past, they or the baby might have not survived childbirth. Babies with feeding difficulties may have suffered Failure to Thrive in the 1800s, or may have been sent to a wetnurse every time they needed to eat. Where’s the bonding in that? In today’s world, for mothers who pump because of feeding difficulties or because they have returned to work, bonding with a Medela breastpump, no matter how “in style” it may be, is usually the low point of that first year. For many of us, it is a reminder that we are not with our child because life entails decisions and compromises. But we must not compromise on breastfeeding, because good mothers breastfeed. We want to be good mothers. It is an endless cycle.

Prenatal and postnatal care have improved significantly over the last few generations, and we have much more knowledge and expertise to help us make good decisions for ourselves and our children. We have options. Other people besides mothers can feed and bond with our babies, a great joy for fathers and grandparents everywhere. My mother did not breastfeed any of her four children and we are all very bonded with her, perhaps resulting in more frequent phonecalls than she would deem necessary for four married individuals in their thirties and forties. The greatest strain my sister and I suffered with our mother was probably during the early days with our first born children, when she came to stay in our respective cities to offer us maternal support and get to know her grandchildren. As a non-breastfeeder, she struggled to understand how her educated, responsible and loving daughters could feel so strongly about something that was causing them immense stress during an otherwise precious and joyful time in their lives. It reminded her of high school peer pressure revisited; hearing our stories of why we have to do it because everyone else is doing it. We overcame it, but I am grateful she was there to give me some perspective. A college friend of mine had twins and she had difficulty breastfeeding both children and getting any sleep. Her father, a pediatrician, removed the myths and gave her advice based on actual research, not the dramatic claims touted by preachy playground mothers. His advice? One potential IQ point and one extra cold does not make or break a child’s future. Calm, rested, relaxed parenting, on the other hand, can have a huge positive impact.

We have a lot to worry about as new parents, but we also have a lot to celebrate. Smiles, sleeping through the night, visits with family and friends, and most importantly, embarking on a new journey that will change our lives forever. We have decisions to make, and we don’t all make the same ones. Trust yourself. Get advice from close friends when you need it. Respect the decisions of others. If you feel the need to preach about something, preach about sunscreen.

About the Author

My name is Alison Cupp Relyea and I’m a 38-year-old, mother, teacher and former marketing professional now trying my hand at writing. I live with my three children and my husband in Rye, New York. After sixteen years in Manhattan, we left the city for the suburbs. I am currently taking a break from teaching elementary school to be home with my kids and explore some of my other interests. Writing has always been a passion of mine and part of my professional life, and now use it as a creative outlet to share my stories and connect with people. Writing helps me stay engaged, think critically, and find humor in the everyday moments life brings us. I hope you enjoy this piece and please check out my other work at alicupp.wordpress.com.

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Are the Benefits of Breastfeeding Overstated? I Doubt It.

Maia James — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 02:57:59 +0000

Written by Maia, President

Have you heard the news? It turns out that nursing your baby is a big waste of effort because formula is just as beneficial as breastmilk. At least that’s the conclusion you could reasonably draw from recent headlines that assert that there are “no long-term benefits of breastfeeding,” and “breast doesn’t beat the bottle.” Bloggers and reporters suggest we “hold the guilt!” because a “new study finds benefits of breastfeeding [are] dramatically overstated.” What has the media in such a froth? That would be sociologist Cynthia Colen’s cleverly designed new study, which looked at 1,773 sibling pairs in which one had been breastfed and the other had not, and found that—when these kids were between the ages of 4 and 14 years old–there were no statistically significant differences in their BMI, obesity rates, hyperactivity, parental attachment levels, behavioral compliance, or several measures of academic achievement.

I admit that as soon as the “formula is as good as breastmilk” headlines started clogging up my inbox and newsfeeds, I felt skeptical, defensive, and even annoyed. Am I attached to the idea that breastfeeding is hugely beneficial, considering that I nursed exclusively for over two years with my first son and am now doing it a second time? Absolutely. Breastfeeding–while snuggly and sweet and a great way to lose pregnancy weight—is also a serious commitment and involves a lot of personal sacrifice, especially if you plan to do it without supplementing with formula, without a breast pump (obviously not an option for moms working out of the home), and for longer than a year. All this nursing—and the lack of traveling, sleeping, and drinking margaritas—had better be ensuring that my sons are healthy little geniuses, dammit!

My husband, a stem cell scientist and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, got his hands on Colen’s manuscript, and I spent an evening poring over the 57-page document (while breastfeeding my 8-month-old, naturally). There are some really obvious issues that jumped out right away, and I won’t spend much time addressing the ones that many bloggers have already tackled, such as, what about the many established health benefits enjoyed by a breastfeeding mother, especially if she breastfeeds multiple children for long durations? Or how about the fact that Colen only looked at kids over the age of 4? She does briefly acknowledge the nutritional value of breastmilk for newborns, but the media is ignoring the numerous, well-established health benefits breastfeeding offers infants—such as a proven decrease in SIDS risk.

But let’s forget about the benefits to moms and babies for a minute, and focus on Colen’s conclusions about children ages 4-14. Does breastfeeding really offer NO benefit to this group? In order to answer that, Colen would need to address the following:

For how long did these women breastfeed? The mothers who participated in this study were asked two questions: did you breastfeed your baby, and if so, for how long? I read the manuscript over and over, and bugged my husband to help me understand the tables of data, and it’s official: nowhere does Colen mention what the average duration of breastfeeding was for the families studied. In fact, she doesn’t tell us anything about the duration of breastfeeding for any of the families, except to say that the length of time a child was breastfed didn’t affect the outcomes. In Colen’s analysis, an infant who was breastfed even one single time would be put in the breastfed category (and of course this child’s outcomes cannot be expected to be different from a sibling who was never breastfed at all). What if the average breastfeeding duration among the study’s participants was two weeks? And what if no woman breastfed for more than 4 months? In that plausible scenario, the results of this study aren’t very meaningful, or at least need to be interpreted differently. Studies show that very few women in this country exclusively breastfeed for a significant amount of time (less than 15% at 6 months postpartum), so I suspect that the number of babies in this study who were breastfed for more than a few months is quite small (the fact that Colen measured breastfeeding in weeks instead of months supports this theory). In fact, it seems likely that a mother who lacks good support to breastfeed the first time, and therefore doesn’t stick with it, might opt to formula feed her next child right from the start, possibly concluding that she doesn’t produce enough milk. I know several moms in this exact situation, and I would not expect their eldest child to have different math scores at age 14 than the younger siblings, obviously.
Were these babies exclusively breastfed? Another huge piece of missing information here is how much these women breastfed—in other words, were the babies also fed formula? I don’t know anyone who exclusively breastfed one child and exclusively formula-fed another. This isn’t to say such situations don’t exist, but my hunch is that most of the babies who were put in the “breastfed” bucket were fed some combination of breastmilk and formula. Other studies clearly demonstrate that exclusive breastfeeding is protective against a number of diseases and that “partial breastfeeding” (supplementing with formula) provides much weaker protection, so knowing whether the breastfed siblings were exclusively breastfed (or even mostly breastfed) is important when looking at long-term outcomes.
How did the author choose which outcomes to study? Colen’s selection of long-term outcomes is curious. Other studies on breastfeeding duration have failed to show a substantial effect on obesity, asthma, and intelligence (three outcomes that Colen chose to look at), but have showed a significant effect, for instance, on the risk of high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes (two outcomes Colen chose to ignore). Colen’s previous body of work focuses on socioeconomic and racial disparities in a variety of healthcare issues, and again in this paper she asserts that these factors are responsible for the better outcomes of breastfed babies (rather than the breastfeeding itself). It seems possible that Colen cherry-picked which outcomes to study in order to support her thesis.

Breastfeeding Isn’t a Panacea, But We Should Make It Easier

I will concede that breastmilk isn’t necessarily the liquid gold many of us want to believe it is (every time my son, Wolfie, gets a runny nose, you will find me shaking my fist shouting, “But what about the ANTIBODIES?!!”). It isn’t a cure for all illnesses, and it doesn’t guarantee your kid admission to Harvard or a BMI of 18 for life. But I mean, come on, it’s better than formula. We all know this intuitively, even without the bajillion studies other than Colen’s that strongly suggest the superiority of breastmilk.

What vexes me most about Colen’s study and the sensationalist news headlines that followed isn’t that it lets formula feeders off the hook—I’m all for making parenting choices that work for you and not feeling guilty about them, and I know loads of wonderful formula-feeding moms who have robust, bright, well-adjusted kids. What bugs me is that this one questionable study has shifted the focus from where I believe it needs to be: and that’s on improved policies and support—like paid maternity leave and better postpartum healthcare—that would enable more mothers to have successful and pleasant nursing experiences, should they choose to breastfeed.

(By the way, if you do formula-feed, you should read our Safe Infant Formula Guide.)

Stay sane,

Maia

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Breastfeeding My Second Baby: No Pump Needed

Maia James — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 22:55:32 +0000

This entry is one written for my blog on The Huffington Post.

I recently completed our Safe Infant Formula Guide, and have thus been living and breathing this topic for weeks, hoping to uncover a formula that every mom can feel totally guilt-free about feeding her baby, and perhaps even one I will keep on hand for my own baby. My second son, Wolf, is now 4 months old, and has never even had breastmilk from a bottle, let alone any formula. Truly exclusive breastfeeding like this is admittedly confining–most client meetings can’t exceed an hour, and date night with my husband is pretty much out–but it’s amazing how much less the confinement is bothering me this time around.

Wolf and I have been attached since his first day of life.

When my first son, Felix, was born, our pediatrician insisted that we give him some formula after he lost more than ten percent of his birth weight at three days old (in retrospect, I believe that this was entirely unnecessary). Once we had a 6-pack of Enfamil in the house, I found reasons to use it–once because my nipples were bleeding, another time because Felix was screaming in the car seat. Fortunately, skipping a breastfeeding session here and there didn’t seem to affect my milk supply, but I can see how using formula at all can be a slippery slope: once you start supplementing, you end up supplementing more because it’s so easy, this diminishes your supply further, and now you have to supplement because you aren’t making enough milk.

In addition to using a bit of formula, I also pumped a lot when Felix was born. Daylon and I enjoyed going out to dinner while Felix stayed with a sitter, and I wanted Daylon to handle some of the nighttime feedings. I also liked the idea of having maybe two glasses of wine sometimes and then feeding Felix the bottle of milk while I regained sobriety. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that I really couldn’t leave Felix for more than two hours at a time! After 40 weeks of pregnancy, I felt that I deserved a break from the tiny human now and again.

With Wolf, it’s been so different. I now know firsthand how quickly this phase passes–it seems Wolfie was just born, and yet in another two months he will be eating solid foods. The stage of intense confinement and attachment is brief. And with a 4-year-old with a 7:00 p.m. bedtime, a commitment to hitting the gym daily, and a rapidly expanding, increasingly active business (yay!), date night or even multiple glasses of wine in front of the TV have become both logistically difficult and significantly less important to me than they were back in 2009. Obviously, for mothers working outside of the home, my arrangement is not an option. But since I don’t HAVE to pump, I feel almost no inclination to do so.

I have gotten as far as taking the breast pump out of storage, but I cannot seem to make myself use it. It just seems like too much effort with not enough payoff, although some of my friends have expressed annoyance that I cannot be more flexible. I’m used to this annoyance by now and have (mostly) learned to not let it bother me. I’m making this arrangement work: last night, my parents babysat while Daylon and I had dinner at the wine bar up the street. I nursed Wolf before we left, and my mom texted as we were paying to say he wasn’t falling asleep and was sucking her shoulder hungrily. I was a block and a half away, and back in the apartment within ten minutes to nurse him (yes, with a glass of wine in me, but this freaks me out less this time around, too). Two weeks ago, I did a Home Detox for a new client, and simply brought Wolfie along (of course I confirmed with her first that this would be cool)–he slept in the Ergo while we walked room to room in her apartment. Instead of taking classes at a gym several blocks away, I’m making do with the gym in my building, meaning that if Wolfie is unexpectedly starving, I can head back upstairs when the nanny texts me. If my baby isn’t invited to your wedding, I’m not able to come, sorry. (This stance has struck certain friends as particularly outrageous, but again, I’m learning to let go of what other people think of my parenting choices.)

I don’t consider myself a hardcore attachment parent–I use the stroller daily and we eventually did a version of sleep training with Felix. But this time around, my laziness combined with a desire to enjoy this fleeting infant stage makes being attached to Wolfie a very pleasurable type of confinement indeed. (By the way: I did find one brand of formula worth recommending, although it goes without saying that it can’t compare to breast milk.)

I want to hear from my readers on this topic. What worked for you with pumping, formula feeding, or breastfeeding with first or subsequent children? How did friends and family react to your choices?

Stay sane,

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Safe Nipple Cream (for Nursing Mothers) Guide

Maia James — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:08:00 +0000

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page.

Worstfeeding

Nursing was a nightmare in the first weeks.

I suffered from cracked, bleeding, and excruciatingly sore nipples for the first two months of breastfeeding my first son (although for most women, the pain will be milder and will last just a few weeks).

After hearing great things about lactation consultants, I paid a ridiculous Australian woman $250 to visit us and observe Felix while he was breastfeeding. Apparently, nothing was wrong with his “latch,” and the Aussie seemed confused as she doled out her standard advice in infuriating, often nonsensical, smiles: “Breastfeeding is like a dance, and the breast pump is just an extra partner.” “Hold the baby’s head like a steering wheel as you guide it onto your breast.” Huh? Try holding your baby’s head like a steering wheel and let me know how it goes. I couldn’t quite get the ten-and-two position down.

I might have laughed, had I not already been crying from the burn of my soft cotton shirt touching my chest.

During this time, I’d burst into tears whenever my baby began fussing from hunger, and my husband, Daylon, called the pediatrician in a panic after Felix spit up bits of blood (turns out it was from the lesions on my nipples). I even allowed Daylon to feed my precious newborn a bottle of Enfamil one morning around week 5, while I lay in bed and sobbed from the guilt…and from the flannel sheets tearing at my nipples. (If you do resort to formula, don’t go for Enfamil like I did. Instead, check out this Safe Infant Formula Guide for some better options.)

My Top Pick for Best Organic Nipple Cream

I’ve already told you that nipple creams didn’t do a whole lot for me when I was in the throes of breastfeeding misery, but if I had to do it again, I would try Green Goo Nursing Cream, based on their clean ingredient list and the commitment of the herbalist who makes this stuff.

$17.99Buy Now

The Light At the End of the Nipple…I Mean Tunnel

Once my nipples healed, breastfeeding was a blast!

Even the most gruesome of breastfeeding scenarios will eventually improve (I did not, in the end, lose the entire tip of my left nipple, despite my conviction that it was detaching). I know moms who have been saved by visits from La Leche League reps or lactation consultants.

For me, nothing really worked, except of course the passing of fifty or sixty days spent topless, watching TLC’s “A Baby Story,” and taking solace in the fact that at least I wasn’t in labor anymore.

And organic nipple cream helped soothe the pain between nursing sessions. (By the way, the time between said sessions usually did not exceed 45 minutes. Felix was a nursing fiend.)

If your own nipple pain is less intense than mine was (as in, there is no fear of losing a nipple and only limited scabbing), creams may offer significant relief during those rough few weeks of breastfeeding.

Oh, it’s worth noting that with my second son, Wolfie, the pain never escalated beyond a mild pinch, and breastfeeding cream definitely brought relief.

Nipple Cream: Your Baby’s First Food!

Nursing my second child has always been a breeze.

Since your baby will presumably be ingesting small amounts of whatever you smear on your nipples, it’s critical that all ingredients are safe. Many people swear by lanolin, and I know this was what my mom and her friends all used in the ’70s and ’80s. Yet a lot of products now boast that they are “lanolin free.” So what’s the deal?

The Deal with Lanolin
Lanolin is the greasy discharge from a sheep’s sebaceous glands, and is used in host of cosmetics, from lip balms to breastfeeding creams. Although highly effective in soothing and healing chapped skin, lanolin contains a heavy load of pesticides (the wool is soaked in chemicals to remove parasites before the lanolin is scoured out of it), and at the moment there are no truly organic options out there.

These days, thankfully, lanolin-free nursing creams are easily found.

The Good Stuff

Green Goo Nursing Cream

Green Goo Nursing Cream contains 100% organic, non-GMO ingredients, including beeswax, chamomile flowers, and extra virgin olive oil. This is now my go-to gift for nursing friends, and one of our best sellers. You can buy Green Goo Nursing Cream from Gimme the Good Stuff’s online store.

$17.99Buy Now

Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter

Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter contains ingredients safe for baby–such as organic olive oil and mango butter. This cream brought me a bit of relief when I was nursing Felix (I hadn’t yet discovered Sierra Sage), and can be found in lots of brick-and-mortar retailers and on Amazon.

MADE OF Soothing Organic Nipple Cream

Made Of’s Soothing Nipple Balm is made from only plant-based ingredients, 95% of which are organic. It’s also been tested for everything from microbial contamination to heavy metals, which is what makes this brand so unique.

Buy Now from MADE OF

Motherlove Nipple Cream

Motherlove Nipple Cream’s organic ingredients include marshmallow root and calendula, and is scored a zero-hazard product by Skin Deep. You can buy Motherlove on Amazon.

Fans of Poofy’s breastfeeding cream say it not only soothes sore nipples, but also works for dry skin and eczema. Just four natural ingredients make up Happy Boobies, so it’s safe for momma and baby alike.

Buy now from Poofy Organics

The Bad Stuff

Maternity Solutions for Painful Breasts Cream contains fragrance, parabens, and triethanolamine, none of which I would want my baby to ingest, even if it cured my mangled nipples. (Well, maybe at the height of my misery while nursing Felix I would have made my peace with it, considering I justified Enfamil).

Udderly Smooth Udder Cream is icky for all the same reasons, and also contains peg-2 stearate, a suspected environmental toxin.

The Sneaky Stuff

The two most popular breastfeeding creams are the lanolin varieties produced by Lansinoh and Medela, and each is rated only a 1 out of 10 on Skin Deep. However, given the potential risks of lanolin (see above), I avoid both brands. Of the two, Lansinoh seems safer: according to their website, Lansinoh HPA Lanolin “has been refined…to remove all allergenic components…and to bring to the lowest level possible any environmental impurities (including pesticide residues).” Medela does not provide such information.

Mama Mio Keep Calm Nipple Balm also contains lanolin.

Despite its high price, Mustela Nursing Comfort Balm is not the Good Stuff, with PEG chemicals and other synthetic ingredients in its formula.

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Breastfeeding, Immune Function, and Healthy Gut Bacteria

Maia James — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:01:39 +0000

Earlier today, my husband, Daylon, sent me an article about a new study that shows that breastfeeding is linked to a healthy gut in infants because of the way specific genes are expressed. While the conclusions of this study are fascinating, the details are esoteric and the article is too science-y for me.

Since Daylon has a Ph.D. in molecular embryology and works in the medical field, I asked him some questions that helped me understand the crux of this article. Here’s what he had to say:

Most people are aware of the connection between the flora in your gut and your general gastrointestinal health (see: fecal transplants as a treatment for IBS) as well as the capacity for the flora in our bodies to regulate healthy homeostasis (see: why antibiotics result in yeast infections).

People are also generally aware of the notion that lack of proper immune stimulus (e.g., bacterial/viral infections and/or exposure to allergens) can result in poor immune responsiveness in adulthood and/or allergies. Indeed, many lines of evidence have been presented in recent years supporting the hypothesis that a childhood of exposure leads to a healthy immune system; another vivid example is the one involving pigs in mud versus clean pigs.

Ok, I’m with you. But get to the part about THIS study.

Basically, this breastfeeding study builds on what everyone already knew, but in a different context. Because the intestinal epithelia (the skin lining the inside of the intestines) is shed in feces at an astonishing rate (one-sixth of its total each day), you can examine the “expression profile” of those cells. At the same time, you can also measure the types of bacteria that are colonizing the gut by virtue of their own non-human “expression profile.”

Ok, so what did the study find?

These researchers made two important discoveries:

There were more types of microbes present in the gut of a breastfed baby.
In spite of this putatively “pathogenic” finding (more flora is often mistakenly presumed to equal a more virulent burden), the immune response in the intestine had adjusted to cope with the increased diversity of flora. The researchers can tell how the cells in the gut are responding because they are shed in the feces, from which they can be isolated and tested.

By tying these points to other studies of immune capacity and early exposure to bacteria, it is reasonable to believe that the lack of bacterial diversity in the formula-fed gut may result in imbalances in the acute phase (an interesting though data-light explanation for colic), but more importantly, may result in long term complications surrounding the health of the gastrointestinal and immune systems.

So is it the absence of breast milk or the presence of formula that causes problems (and vice versa when it comes to the benefits)?

I’m sure that the natural balance of sugars in breast milk are suitable for a range of biota, while formula either negatively or positively selects for a subset, leaving an unbalanced repertoire that leads to a relatively incomplete immune stimulus.

While Daylon’s synopsis may still be a little dense for some of us (I secretly just had to look up the word “putatively”), I understand the gist of the article now, and I think this is further incentive for mothers to breastfeed for at least the first year.

Stay sane,

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Most Moms Don’t Exclusively Breastfeed Their Newborns

Maia James — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:02:24 +0000

I was recently surprised to read that, in the United States, only 33 percent of mothers “exclusively breastfeed [their babies] to three months of age…and only 14 percent to six months.”

Considering that a standard maternity leave is three months long, I find it really hard to believe that only one-third of mothers make it that long with breastfeeding.

I have to wonder, though, what constitutes “exclusive breastfeeding.” When Felix was a couple of days old, my pediatrician was worried about his weight and insisted I supplement with some formula. Looking back, I’m sure Felix’s health wasn’t in any danger (he has remained a super skinny kid, and our new pediatrician has never been concerned). At the time I was of course a nervous new mother, and I heeded the doctor’s advice.

Once we had that six-pack of Enfamil in our pantry, it was a slippery slope. I let Daylon give Felix the rest of the bottles over the course of the next month, when my nipples were bleeding on a daily basis and we feared that one was going to come off all together (true story).

So although Felix still nurses like a maniac at 26 months and hasn’t had any formula since he was four weeks old, I suppose that I am one of the majority of moms who didn’t EXCLUSIVELY breastfeed for even three months…in fact, I only made it two days!

For those of you who breastfed…how long did you make it? Did you ever give your baby any formula?

Stay sane,

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