Each parent desires their baby to be well-fed, healthy, and happy. But a mother’s decision to breastfeed their baby tends to be personal and may be determined by many factors. What is crucial is to make sure that your baby is well-fed and happy. Mothers and babies can benefit a lot by choosing exclusive formula feeding or even combining breastfeeding with formula feeding.
No wonder, many mothers tend to choose an organic formula for their babies. Remember that there are several types of bases for the organic formula you can find on the market, making it overwhelming to choose the best one. This article discusses the top tips to help you buy an organic formula.
Organic baby formula
The organic baby formula refers to a formula that is produced with the right organic ingredients. Therefore, the baby formula shouldn’t have synthetic preservatives, pesticide residue, artificial colors, growth hormones, genetically modified organisms, and potentially toxic substances.
To have a baby formula certified, it needs to have a specific level of organic processing aids and ingredients. The European Union organic certification demands that 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic. Even better, there are more comprehensive organic certification requirements for the European Union. For instance, if the product originates from a farm, then the location of the farm needs to be shown on the product.
Some European baby formulas also seek specific certifications like Demeter and Bioland. For instance, Holle is the only European baby formula that was Demeter certified. You should note that Demeter is a certificate that is offered for biodynamic agriculture. Demeter-certified milk comes from cows raised in an excellent caring and humane environment. Simply put, Demeter farming focuses on the preservation of the ecosystem, so it ensures proper management of soil fertility, crop protection, and improving biological diversity. To get more information, visit myorganiccompany.store; learn more here.
Cow’s milk baby formula
Cow’s milk happens to be the most common base for organic baby formula. In most cases, the formula for organic cow’s milk is usually made with skimmed milk that is supplemented with blends of organic vegetable oils to get a fatty acid profile that is similar to breast milk.
Kendamil and Holle Pre organic utilize whole milk recipes. It’s worth noting that whole milk recipes are good because by utilizing the milk’s full cream, it has a naturally occurring milk fat globule membrane. This component is crucial in breast milk as it’s associated with improved cognitive development in babies. Minerals and vitamins are also added in amounts that correspond to the right stage of baby development.
The major difference between breast milk and cow’s milk is the quantities of casein proteins and whey. Mature breast milk has at least 40 percent of casein proteins and 60 percent of whey. On the other hand, cow’s milk has 80 percent casein proteins and 20 percent whey. Casein proteins take longer to metabolize, so this can cause digestive problems like gas and bloat, especially for young infants.
The good thing is that most baby formula manufacturers usually add extra whey to the cow’s milk formulas to compensate for this. For instance, some European formula brands can have a 60/40 ratio in stage 1 and a 40/60 ratio in stage 2. The difference is designed to show the natural change in breast milk and assists to prepare your baby for weaning.
Goat’s milk baby formula
Many reputable baby formulas are usually made with organic goat’s milk like Kendamil, Holle Goat, and many more. These formulas offer the same amount of nutrients as cow’s milk formula, though they may be ideal for infants with problems digesting cow’s milk formula or even those who show symptoms of milk protein intolerance like skin rashes and eczema. Goat’s milk formulas are now also in high demand as a great option for babies, and not just those who have cow’s milk sensitivity.
Most babies with sensitivity when they take in cow’s milk tend to have success with formulas for organic goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is usually naturally homogenized, has lighter curd, and smaller fat globules, similar to breast milk curds, and can be easy to digest compared to cow’s milk.
But it’s necessary to remember that goat’s milk and cow’s milk are pretty similar in many ways. Infants who are diagnosed with milk protein allergy can have some symptoms after eating goat’s milk formula. And, they likely need amino acid-based or extensively hydrolyzed milk formula to fully get rid of the potential chances of experiencing an allergic response.
Soy-based formula
One of the reasons you may want to use a soy-based formula for your baby is if they have severe dairy allergies, are lactose intolerant, or need to be fed a particular diet for other health reasons. Soy-based based formulas offer enough nutrition for infants and can appeal to parents who desire a vegan option. Unfortunately, most sources of soy and corn have been genetically modified, so it can be hard to find a GMO-free soy-based baby formula.
Because soy-based baby formulas are entirely plant-based, they are usually highly processed and can be less similar to breast milk than goat’s milk or cow’s milk formulas. The presence of ingredients like synthetic I-methionine has made it impossible to find certified European soy-based formulas.
In conclusion, organic formulas, especially in Europe are usually sold in stages that correspond to various points in the development of a baby. For example, you can find stage 1 which covers 0 to 6 months. This nutritional profile tends to correspond to the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that infants and newborn babies need.
Ideally, all stage 1 formulas also called first baby milk is ideal as a complete source of nutrition or even as a breast milk supplement. But in other countries, most baby formulas are not sold in stages. Therefore, the nutrient levels need to be right for babies of all ages.
This doesn’t mean that these baby formulas are not safe for babies, though they fail to meet the particular developmental nutrient needs of those from Europe. Therefore, to be sure of the nutritional developmental requirements for your baby, it’s a good idea to buy European organic baby formulas.
