This article is written in conjunction with Supermom.
In the statement dated 15 January 2011, World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mothers worldwide to exclusively breastfeed infants for the child’s first six months to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, they should be given nutritious complementary foods and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond.
While breast milk should always be the first choice when feeding our babies, infant milk formula would be an alternative and supplementary source of infant nutrition, in cases when breastfeeding is inadequate or not possible. However, with the wide range of infant milk formula brands available in the market now, it can be overwhelming when the need arises for the choice of the right one for your baby.
When I was expecting my #3, it was the same time when organic food was becoming all the rage and I became interested in being onboard the bandwagon after reading that organic milk means that the cow was not fed any additives or feed treated with pesticides. I mean, if you can avoid any health complications to your kid just with what they eat, why not right? However, I remember being taken aback when I walked through the supermarket doors – the amount of milk formula brands to choose from was astounding! Yet, organic toddler milk was a rarity.
Then came the quest to weigh the benefits of the different types of milk to feed my baby…
Below are some points of consideration I put together to aid in your selection of the right brand of infant formula milk for your baby:
(1) Decide on the type of infant formula milk: cow’s milk-based formulas, soy-based milk formulas, specialised formulas
(2) Check the milk tin labels for the nutritional values and ingredients used
(3) Factor in whether an organic formula milk is required
(4) Consider the practical aspects: selling price of each brand; availability of stock, ease of purchasing from supermarkets, additional transport charges for online purchases, brand names, etc.
And bringing us back to this highly debated topic which I myself was having an internal debate about:
Organic Vs Non-Organic
Organic foods are everywhere nowadays, including infant formula. So, what makes an infant formula organic and what are the benefits of an organic infant formula?
For infant formula to be labelled organic by The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 95% of its ingredients must come from farms that use sustainable agriculture practices. Things like conventional pesticides, fertilisers made with synthetic ingredients, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation are not used on these farms. Also, any animals used to produce organic foods must not have been given antibiotics or growth hormones.
As organic formula is designed to closely model breast milk without the use of any artificial or synthetic ingredients, especially artificial sweeteners, it is often more easily digestible and gentle than traditional formula. It is also healthier for your baby as chances of developing an intolerance to unnatural ingredients, which, in turn, causes a broad range of gastrointestinal ailments, is greatly reduced. Your baby also will not ingest any chemicals that are harmful to his / her health and well-being, as all the ingredients that make up the organic formula are non-GMO (genetically modified) as well as certified organic.
Is organic food worth the hype? With the benefits of Organic Infant Formula stated above, it is a definite yes for me to choose to feed my baby organic milk, and of course I’ll choose only the best! One such brand of organic milk that I believe in is Nature One Dairy®. Originated from Australia, Nature One Dairy® is fast gaining popularity among parents who want the best for their babies and yet at an affordable price range.
The quality of Nature One Dairy® Organic Formula Milk is also never compromised. Australia has a very well-established dairy industry and Australian dairy products are particularly well received for being clean, unpolluted and safe; and adhering to the highest food standards and strict government health regulations.
Certified by the Australian Certified Organic, which is Australia’s largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce, this organic milk powder is processed in pharmaceutical grade facility licensed by Dairy Food Safety Victoria (DFSV) in Australia, bringing Nature One Dairy Organic Formula Milk at its purest and freshest state. This nutritionally complete milk-based organic formula, specially formulated with higher concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6, essential Vitamins and Antioxidants to protect your baby’s development and growth, will definitely give your little ones an amazing start to life!
