Parent’s Choice Organic Infant Formula
I am fortunate in that I was able to successfully breastfeed both of my baby boys; 6 months for one, 7 1/2 for the other. As I made the transition to infant formula, the question that weighed heavily on my mind was, organic or not? I myself drink organic milk, so I decided to research some organic formulas. I am not hard core on this subject, and have used regular formula when my brand of organic formula was out at the grocery store.
I recently visited a site called babyformulaquiz.com. I completed the quiz, and they promised to mail me some coupons for baby formula. At the end of the quiz, there was a section to ask questions. I asked about some of the differences between organic and non organic formula. Here is their response:
Dear Ms. White:
Thank you for participating in our Baby Formula Quiz. We are in receipt of your comments regarding organic formula. From a medical perspective, non-organic and Organic infant formulas are nutritionally equivalent.
The major difference between the non-organic and organic formulas is the source of protein: The protein source in Organic comes from cows that are fed organic feed and raised with access to the outdoors according to USDA regulations.Like all infant formulas, ORGANIC and non-organic infant formulas are nutritionally complete and meet the strict nutritional guidelines determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ORGANIC and non-organic infant formulas also meet the nutritional levels recommended by the National Academy of Science-National Research Council and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the largest organization of pediatricians dedicated to the health and well-being of infants and children
Sincerely,
Gina P. Jollofsky
Customer Service Specialist
PBM Products, L.L.C.
204 North Main Street
Gordonsville, VA 22942
800-959-2066 Ext. 1564
If you have been wondering about store brand formula vs name brand, check this out:
The Infant Formula Act
In keeping with the Infant Formula Act, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strictly regulates the minimum and maximum amount of every nutrient in all baby formulas, so the best baby formula for your little one may be also be the cheapest.
A decade ago, chain stores began selling store-brand baby formulas alongside the better known corporate brands that give away free baby formula to hospitals. Store-brand baby formulas offer complete nutrition for a baby’s first year, just like the more expensive brands. The only difference is that the store brands don’t have to make enough money to pay for expensive advertising campaigns and supplying hospitals with free baby formula.
Consumers are catching on. According to AC Nielsen, store-brand baby formula is the fastest-growing segment in the infant formula category in the United States.
The history of store-brand baby formulas dates back to 1997 when Paul B. Manning and his PBM Products first offered retailers the chance to carry branded baby formulas under their own labels. Since that time, the company has become the industry leader, offering store-brand nutritional products to more than 20,000 retail locations in the United States and other parts of the world. The company even sells organic and kosher formulas, and one that’s partially hydrolyzed for babies who have trouble with gas.
Only you and your doctor can find the best baby formula for your child.
About Dr. Barbara S. Levine
Barbara S. Levine, R.D., Ph.D., has been a researcher, consultant and teacher of nutrition at some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the country. She is the director of the Nutrition Information Center and of the DHA Information Center and associate professor of nutrition in clinical medicine at Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University.
For the full article click here.
I settled on Parent’s Choice Organic Infant Formula with Iron. I fed it to my first son and had no problems with gas or fussiness, and now I feed it to my seemingly more sensitive second son without a hitch!
My reasons for choosing this formula are as follows:
- Price. When you compare this formula (or any Parent’s Choice Infant Formulas) to the more expensive brands, the ingredients are the same, and all infant formulas have to pass the same regulatory process and stamp of approval before hitting shelves. One 24 ounce can costs $14.97 for organic, $11.97 for regular. In case you didn’t know -The same company that makes Earth’s Best Organic Baby Formula also makes Parent’s Choice. The price for Earth’s Best is ~$30 per can. You make the choice!
- Reduced Minerals Whey as the first ingredient – Milk contains two dairy components -Casein and Whey. Whey is the easier component to digest. Since breast milk is so easy to digest, I wanted to reduce the risk of digestive issues when making the transition to formula. Most formulas list Nonfat Milk as the main ingredient, which means casein and whey are both used.
- Organic Lactose- Parent’s Choice Organic along with many other organic and non organic brands use Lactose as the added carbohydrate source. The use of sucrose (sugar cane) as the carbohydrate source has been linked to childhood obesity. In Europe they instituted a ban on sucrose in infant formula due to its link to childhood obesity. Note – Similac Organic uses sucrose.
- Great for babies with sensitive bellies – As I noted earlier, babies with sensitive stomachs seem to digest reduced whey better. FYI, If you suspect your baby has an allergy to cow’s milk, Parent’s Choice also makes a Soy based formula.
- DHA & ARA: naturally found in breast milk for baby’s brain and eye development
One negative: Parent’s Choice Formulas are sold exclusively at Walmart. In my hometown, we have a Walmart on every end of town, but so far I can only find the organic formula at one of them. I have sent a request to the one nearest my home, so hopefully they will order it for me. Update- My local Walmart WILL NOT order this formula.
Update- After more research, I found out that the use of palm olein oil can lower calcium and fat absorption in babies. Parent’s Choice Organic Infant Formula and Earth’s Best Organic Formula both contain palm olein oil. Although Parent’s Choice Organic is still a good choice for the reasons I stated above, I have chosen another Organic Formula (Baby’s Only by Nature’s One) that does not contain palm olein oil - read my post for more information.
In the end, you have to choose what is best for your baby. For me, this formula is inexpensive, nutritious, and just in case any of those sneaky hormones may be present in regular formula, I’m sticking to organic as much as possible just to be safe.
Happy bottle feeding!
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I would choose organic where possible. I think its always best to feed babies and children organically as far as you possibly can. Be on the safe side – we still don’t really know what all of these pesticides etc do to the human body.