A returned to day care last week, which brings a whole host of new parenting dilemmas and choices to make. A has been enjoying his morning cereal mixed with breast milk this summer, but day care staff aren't allowed to transfer breast milk due to health and sanitation concerns. So here I am, researching formulas to mix with the cereal. Just like cloth diapers, I keep wading into more and more options with long lists of pros and cons.
If you want to go eco-friendly and uber healthy for your baby, here's what I found:
If you want to go eco-friendly and uber healthy for your baby, here's what I found:
- Check the ingredient list. Make sure it is made with milk lactose or brown rice syrup. Avoid cane sugar, corn sugar, and sucrose. Babies don't need super sweet formula.
- Decide if you want it made with DHA/ARA or not. Manmade DHA is a fairly new idea and not much is known about it's effects on infants.
- Look for the USDA Organic label
- Go with powdered formula instead of premade formula. Powdered formula requires less packaging, and premade formula has been found to contain high levels of BPA.
- Mix it with regular tap water or filtered water, not bottled water. Bottled water creates unnecessary waste and might leach BPA into the milk. If you are still nervous about your water, boil and cool it for use.
Four formulas continue to come up in my research as the best options. In order (based on my opinions of what I think is best for A):
