Hi there-
Yes, were it my baby I would go for Loulouka Stage 2.

Their DHA is extracted with water, but Bobbie formula also contains ARA (on the label as MORTIERELLA ALPINA OIL), which IS hexane-extracted.

Thanks so much for sharing your story! Glad to hear that you finally found something that works for your son!

Yes, Kendamil is definitely Good Stuff!

I used Kabrita for my son starting at 2 1/2 months old and it constipated him to the point he couldn’t poop without enemas. If you are going for the Kabrita Toddler formula just go for the Babys Only Organic dairy/whey with DHA and ARA. My son is on that now at 11 months old and honestly I wish I had found it sooner. He always was constipated on Kabrita and Mt.Capra homemade goat milk formula but for some reason the switch to babys only Organic helped with the constipation relief.

Do you consider other baby formulas?

Between Happy Baby and Bobbie which one wins out as being “better”?

We still consider this good stuff.

Hi Allison-
You’re right–they removed the coconut oil. You will not see cassein listed on any labels.

I love your guides! I’m now looking for formula to supplement and immediately thought to check here. I was sold on Loulouka but stumbled across Kendamil. I was wondering if you heard about that brand or had any insight. I love how all the stages had lactose as the only sweetener and were free of palm oil. Do you feel that they are a reputable brand?

My LO was on Happy Baby Organics but has developed a milk allergy. Which Hypoallergenic Organic Baby Formula would you recommend? I would like to avoid Allimentum, if possible.

Hello, In my experience most formulas have a metallic taste and smell. Not an expert here but it’s probably because of the vitamins.

Not sure where you get that info but would like to know if you have proof before we start using it. I’d really appreciate it. If verified it to be NOT true, it would be nice if you can update this article (as I see you did constant updates on other brands too which is very helpful).

Thanks,
-Peter

Katherine, I recently started our newborn son on the HIPP formula and it’s done wonders for him. He’s gained a healthy weight, no longer consolidated, and his poops look like he’s being breastfed. I, too, was initially worried about the “high aluminum levels” mentioned in this article, so I did further research and came across this article which you may find to be helpful as I have – https://pickyeaterblog.com/truth-behind-aluminum-hipp-formula/ . As an alternative to HIPP, Loulouka is the best one. I agree with what’s been said on this article. A friend of mine uses it for her newborn and she’s highly recommends it. I’ll have our son try it once he’s finished his HIPP supply.

Hope all of this helps!

I was at first buying formula from local store at first but then i started buying from formulaRUs website. It’s so much easier to choose on this website and Im getting good bundle deals.

thank you so much for this article! i used it with my first daughter and bought the european brand and now with my second daughter and corona virus, im picking the american brand that you recommend because i think it will be easier to get

Those who breastfeed and talk about it are likewise used to comments that imply they should “keep it to themselves.” Not breastfeeding whether by choice or because you couldn’t do so does not make you a bad mom. Talking about breastfeeding “accomplishments” in the arena of the healthiest foods for infants does not make the author judgemental towards those who formula feed. I understand that this topic brings up a variety of emotions and rightfully so, it’s important… you’re clearly here because you want the best for your baby. Don’t we all? The author shows respect for those who formula feed for whatever reason and is here to offer this FREE resource as a support. I think that shows where her intentions truly are!

Try Bimbosan! The company has been around for 90+ years and the ingredients are pretty much the same

FYI- my first son had milk protein allergy and I supplemented with HIPP hypoallergenic formula- he didn’t do great with it but his allergy was mild. I found out with my second son that this formula is not broken down as much as US hypoallergenic formula and is not intended or appropriate for milk protein allergy. My second son had a terrible reaction to it (as well as regular US hypoallergenic formulas) and had to be put on an amino acid based formula, all of which have horrific ingredients. He refuses to nurse due to severe reflux and continues to have bad reactions to pumped breastmilk even though I eliminated dairy and several other major food groups from my diet. I am curious about Bébé Mandorle, a rice based French formula but a bit nervous to try it. I can’t believe no companies in the US make an organic formula for milk protein allergic babies. I would pay so much money for a better quality formula.

Maia, can you please provide a response for the above questions?? These are actually very good questions that many of us moms have and would be great to have answered.

What are we to do? It is shameful that mothers in the US are not offered infant formula without soy and these other harmful ingredients. Formula is NOT regulated by the FDA….this should not be! Some EU countries have very strict rules for infant formula, and so should we!

I’m in the same boat, need to start supplementing my 10 month old and hoping to get my hands on Loulouka. I noticed that the Stage 2 has maltodextrin though (which is for 6-12 months) so not sure if it would be safe to stay with the maltodextrin-free Stage 1 even though he’s older? Really appreciate your insight!

**also, I know I need to refer to my paediatrician and you may not want to give ‘advice’ but I would certainly love to hear your ‘opinion’! 😉

Please disregard my question! I just re-read the Plum section and realized you were saying Baby’s Only is the one that is not FDA approved for infants, not Happy Baby. Thanks!

I’d have to defer to your pediatrician on when exactly you should switch. I’d be going to Kabrita, were it my toddler.

Simply because I have a slight preference for goat milk over cow. Loulouka stage 3 is also a great choice!

See above–it’s now in this review:)

Definitely Good Stuff!

Curious about this too!

Thank you for all this incredible information. This momma, values your opinion and research more than you can ever imagine!

I love lebenswert stage 1 formula. It worked so well for supplementing my first born. Expecting my second and researching again to make sure nothing has changed in the two years. I noticed another European brand, Loulouka. Would you be able to review it and see which category you would classify it? Thanks!

Wondering if you know the type of folate in the infant Euro formulas. I’m specifically looking for one that uses methylfolate or folinic acid and methylcobalamin. The term folic acid is ambiguous and doesn’t tell the whole story. I have several people that are also looking for methylated B vitamins in a formula. Any help is appreciated.

Good choice 🙂 There is really nothing better than Hipp and Holle if you want healthy organic for your baby.. We can recommend this online store https://www.buyorganicformula.com/default.asp
they have excellent customer service and free shipping

If you want a really reliable source than try
https://www.buyorganicformula.com/default.asp

I am sure that you will be completely satisfied with https://www.buyorganicformula.com/category-s/101.htm

I bought my grandson’s formula Lebenswert at Organic Start. It was pricey , but, it stopped the fussiness.
Service was great. It took only a coupled of days to get the formula.
He is ,now, a happy toddler.

I’ve heard of them yes, but I haven’t spoken with them personally.

Wow! This one actually totally looks like Good Stuff, but it’s also sold out on its website as well as Amazon–I wonder if the company folded?

Hi there- Well, I tend to think Europe is better than we are when it comes to food and health regulations, so I’d probably try the Stage 3 were it my baby! Glad she’s done so well on Kabrita:).

What Formula would you suggest? My daughter is on the same Similac and I was thinking about the Holle Pre Bio. What are your thoughts on that?

https://vera-farms.com

What did you end up going with? I am in this boat now.. have been feeding my son elecare but i really want to make a switch to something more organic.

Hi Maia,

Were you able to find out anything more on this report/topic?

Thanks
Jun

Oh, hugs to you! We all are familiar with the terror of keeping our kids healthy! The oil is definitely the biggest problem behind sugar in baby formula, and I wish I had a definitive answer for you on the soy vs. canola issue. Considering the age of your baby, why don’t you look into Kabrita? (see above)

I just tried to purchase the Kabrita formula and it looks like your coupon has expired. Do you by chance know anything about this? Perhaps there is another code I can use?

Thanks very much!
Evelina

Hi! Nothing is as good as breastmilk, ideally straight from the breast, so if that’s an option, I say do that for as long as you can! If not, Kabrita is a good second choice…

Baby’s only its not for Infants as some of the contents amounts are way too high for them, Its a toddler formula. I got a list directly fro them and Calcium and other stuff are double than FDA suggested amounts for Infants.
So please don’t include it in lists for Baby Formulas and do not give it to kids younger than 1yr.

Baby’s only its not for Infants as some of the contents amounts are way too high for them, Its a toddler formula. I got a list directly fro them and Calcium and other stuff are double than FDA suggested amounts for Infants.
So please don’t include it in lists for Baby Formulas and do not give it to kids younger than 1yr.

Thanks for the great article!

I will have to start supplementing with formula soon but my 6mo old son has a milk protein allergy (I’m not eating any dairy nor soy just to make sure). Now I dont know which formula would be best. Soy might be my only option, but wanted to hear your thoughts on which formula would be best for an infant allergic to milk protein.

Thank you so much!
Sejla

Thank you for the great resource of information​! What are your thoughts on Kabrita stage 1 and 2… They sell them in Europe and I could have access to them. I am looking for a formula for my 10 m old baby.

I used to buy Hipp but it doesn’t seem like you’re​ a fan of it anymore and the one you recommend overall is for stage 1.

Thanks!

Angelica

I’m not a fan of this, sorry to say:(

First of all thanks for being s resource for new moms, there is a lot of conflicting information on the internet. I have a few questions about what you’re promoting with the organic formulas and specifically the European formulas.

1. Do you care about scientific research? The one thing that I’ve found with some of the larger companies (Enfamil, Gerber, and Similac) is that they at least have research to show that the ingredients in their products are bioavailable and for some of the companies – Similac & Gerber – they test their formula against the breastfed infant to see how close the formula is performing to the gold standard of the breastfed infant. Is this less important to you than having an “organic” label on something?

2. I like that you support Baby’s Only Organic and the fact that it’s a US company. There’s not enough emphasis on supporting US based companies these days. Also, that means in case of recall formula is well-documented with the FDA vs. purchasing European formulas which don’t have the same regulations as far as tracking disbursements of product. I think it’d be good to do an update on your site with the recent recall of Lactalis and the horrible contamination of Salmonella.

3. I’ve currently been feeding my baby Similac’s Pure Bliss and Similac’s Pro-Advance and I’ve been very pleased! I did a lot of research and I wanted to share it with you so you could update some of your information.

I loved that Pure Bliss comes from grass-fed cows – I’m waiting to hear back from the company to see if the farms are Demeter certified like the Hipp and Holle farms. At least I know it’s non-GMO and the cow’s aren’t treated with growth hormones of any kind. I also inquired if they will apply for the Organic certification. I found out that it has the added vitamins and minerals for baby, but actually has natural ingredients like natural lutein, vitamin D, E, and DHA (not synthetic) and of course is palm oil free.

Similac Pro-Advance is the latest version of the formula and like you said above it has a very similar make-up to Baby’s Only Organic. It has the same natural vitamin D, E, lutein, and DHA, is palm oil free, and has human milk oligosaccharides.

I wanted to know your take on these HMO’s? I did some research and they seem like a great ingredient – very abundant in breastmilk. Is this another marketing ploy? Do any other formulas have the human milk oligosaccharides?

Thanks in advance for your answers!!! I’m just trying to be the most educated in a constantly changing world! My fellow baby-mama’s thank you for your reply!

Yes, my #1 choice overall for formula is Lebenswert.

It depends on where you order from, but definitely ask whatever vendor you choose!

I’d never heard of it! Definitely looks like great ingredients, but I would want you to check with your pediatrician for his/her opinion.

Personally, I would filter my tap water and use that to mix with the formula.

Why do you prefer Lebenswert to this formula? Your thoughts are MUCH appreciated, navigating European formulas are difficult! Thank you!

https://mtcapra.com/product/homemade-goat-milk-formula-kit/

*prebiotics, not probiotics 🙂

You’ll see Topfer listed under The Okay Stuff.

I am curious what you decided! We’re in the same boat.

Hey! Curious which you ended up going with?

Thanks!

Hi!
I purchased the lebenswert for my 4 month old after he started drinking way more BM than I could produce. So he’s 30% formula and 70% BM.
I cannot tell if he’s “reacting” to the formula. He does seem way fussier in the 3 weeks we’ve started and his bowel movements have been a little different lately. Does that constitute an allergy? Should I be trying a different brand formula??

Thanks a mil!

I am one of those moms that had a crazy challenging time breastfeeding. It’s my third child and we literally tried everything including multiple lactation consultants, tongue/lip clipping, etc but my supply kept dropping and he kept losing weight.

All this being said, we eventually moved fully to formula around 5-6 weeks and we went with Lebenswert Stage 1 because it was still super good but much cheaper per ounce when bought in bulk online.

My son has been thriving on it but is about to be 6 months old so I know we need to move to Stage 2. Unfortunately, Lebenswert Stage 2 has different ingredients, one being maltodextrin instead of lactose. I also didn’t like that they have both a Stage 2 and 3 which means I can’t get it as cheap since I will need less of each type in bulk.

So I went to try Hipp Dutch Stage 2 even though it costs more. The ingredients are great so I had high hopes! Of course, my son just started it and is refusing the bottle, I believe, solely on taste.

I also noticed it doesn’t dissolve well in the water I put in the bottle (usually lukewarm) and so I have to put the nipple on and shake it to mix it after every 2-3 scoops…which is kind of a pain when making an 8 oz bottle when I have 2 other children to attend to or when I take him to any type of childcare/nursery at church or otherwise where they have to make his bottle.

Now I’m at a loss as to which way to turn. Do I try Hipp UK and hope he is OK with the taste and it dissolves better into the water? Do I go back to Lebenswert even though their Stage 2 has maltodextrin and I have to buy it for more money in order to get less of Stage 2 since I’ll soon need to move to Stage 3??

I’d love your advice!! Thank you!! 😘

So that adoption fell through but we did end up adopting a sweet baby boy in July who was quite a bit premature and in the nicu for a month. He’s an eater which is great and we have recently switched him from Enfacare which had the added calories to Lebenswert. However our pediatrician is concerned about Lebenswert’s use of skimmed milk, which it appears Holle and Hipp do too. She said she wouldn’t be concerned if he was over six months old and eating solid foods when we could supplement healthy fats like avocado, but wanted to get me to use a full fat/Whole milk formula. Are there any full fat suggestions? I can’t tell if the whey protein in the HA formulas would fit the bill. Thanks!

Thanks so much! I’ll ask my peditrian. Do you recommend glass bottles? If so what brand is best?

Hi Michelle! HiPP makes a ready-to-drink formula.

You should ask your pediatrician about sterilization; I believe they are no longer recommended. If it were my baby, I would proabably go with Happy Baby:).

Thank you so much for this article. It has been super helpful for our daughter. She has a dairy and soy allergy. After eliminating all those foods from my diet my supply dropped. We have used HiPP HA for a month now but she is not tolerating it. Our pediatrician is recommending an amino acid based formula at this point such as Neocate or Elecare. In your opinion which is the lesser of the two evils here? Thanks so much!

Thanks so much, I’m due in Jan so just want to get everything ready. So thankful for you and your blog. It helps moms SO MUCH (:

And what your favorite is. Thanks!!

Laura, as per my comment below, this might be of help. It is a very balanced and honest response (for me at least).

http://hippformulausa.com/hipp-formula-aluminum-study/

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but HiPP wrote a rather convincing response to the Aluminium suggestions leveled against them;

http://hippformulausa.com/hipp-formula-aluminum-study/

i was wondering if there is anywhere i can get some samples of Hipp, lebenswert or holle for my 4 month old boy. my wife is worried that her breastmilk supply is start to decrease and that we won’t have enough milk to feed him. We both want to give him the best natural and organic formula there is if we do have to supplement formula with breast milk. We tried happy baby over the weekend and he didn’t like it one bit and for shits and giggles we tried some slimac organic which my sister had on hand and he did like that. We don’t want to give him slimac unless that’s the last resort. That’s why we are hoping to find some samples of hipp and lebenswert to see if he will like it before we have to stick to slimac

Thank you so much for all your product guides! I cannot tell you how much you have helped me in choosing everything from nipple balm, to dish-soap, to our family’s first crib mattress.

I just have a couple of questions regarding the hypoallergenic Hipp formula:

-You mentioned that the powdered form of Hipp contains high levels of aluminum; does that mean you would not recommend using Hipp HA in its powdered form (I ask because it is proving VERY difficult to purchase the liquid form from here in the US)?

-What are your thoughts on the different Hipp HA formulas: PRE HA, HA 1, and HA 2? My daughter, Willow, is now 7 months old, and I’m just not sure what the best option is for her. What is up with the starch, for instance?

Thank you in advance for any response you might have!

Laura
Sarasota, FL.

“To gain deeper insight into the formula manufacturing industry, check out an article written by Charlotte Vallaeys, who is the Director of Farm and Food Policy at The Cornucopia Institute. Her article was immensely helpful as we worked on this Guide. And while I really trust and respect her work, the tenor of her perspective tends to be more alarmist and she is more heavily on the “precautionary principle” side of the spectrum (versus “ingredient is innocent until proven guilty” approach), which isn’t always practical.”

I do not know Ms. Vallaeye ,however you seemsto insinuate that you do not agree with the precautionary principal, which she apparently follows. And you claim is is not ‘always practical’.

To say something isn’t (always) practical gives the impression you think someone who does it is foolish. I believe a more appropriate term is “inconvenient” because it is never impractical to do your best to protect yourself and your family from potential threats. However poor US regulations certainly have made it inconvenient for an American to simply try and be healthy and raise healthy family.

And yes there are times- as an individual having to live within our means- we have to ‘give in’ and say, let our children be exposed to plastics at public schools. Or maybe we can’t afford to buy ALL our food organic but we get as much as we can and maybe give that to our kids while we eat conventional.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what it means to actually practice the ‘precautionary principal’ but I thought it was about practicing it to the best of your ability, which may not be perfect but it certainly isn’t foolish or impractical. And it does surprise me that you would have that view (if you do) because it seems to completely go against the point of your website.

I stopped following another healthy living blogger because she made the ignorant comment that “humans are always more important than nature” when humans- like all lifeforms-are a PART of nature, so it’s only logical (not even mentioning the moral side of it) to keep our planet healthy if we want to be healthy.

It was really disappointed she turned out to be like that and again I had to navigate the web trying to find people and information that went with my principals and I could truly trust, because it’s difficult enough navigating food labels and finding ingredients in non food items.

I know we are all responsible for our own education and choices, but that is exactly what I am trying to do-find credible information to help me make the best choices I can for myself and future children.So if you could clarify your position on the precautionary principal I would appreciate it, so I can decide if your website is a good fit for me. Thank you in advance for reading my comments and concerns.

Hi All,
My name is Ursula Overstreet. I am happy to let everyone know that I live in Switzerland and therefore have a direct access to Bimbosan formula. I’ve been sending it to Chicago to a friend of mine Alicja and her baby son Jake for about 6 months. I buy the formula at the local pharmacy and send it by Swiss post. After trying many formulas, both Alicja and Jake are happy with Bimbosan, and I decided to open an Internet shop featuring Bimbosan and other European brands.

My website is currently under construction and will be operating soon.The Bimbosan brand is a well known and respected brand here in Switzerland next to Holle which is also Swiss, not German as most people seem to believe. The Bimbosan company was established in the 1930s as a family business and has been running ever since. Beside traditional powdered milk the Bimbosan brand offers options like AR and HA, a variety of paps for different conditions i.e. loose or hard stools, hearty appetite, etc. It is well worth checking their website. The website is available in English http://bimbosan.ch/en/home/. It provides detailed product information plus there is a hotline number also available in English. A friend of mine used the number and was happy with the service. They don’t deliver to the USA.

I have also written to Maia with the request to verify me as a vendor. I hope this can happen soon.
Ursula

My son, Jacob has been on Bimbosan Swiss formula since he was about two months old. He’s nine months now. Jacob was born at 35 weeks and weighed 3 lbs 11.7 oz. At first, not knowing any better, I gave him enfamil gentle ease as per my pediatrician because he had a terrible acid reflux. As a first time mom, unable to breastfeed ( I only breastfed Jacob for two weeks while he was in the hospital) I was completely devastated and felt incredibly guilty. I wanted my baby to have the best, most natural formula. My friend, Urszula, who lives in Switzerland started sending me Bimbosan formula and my son has been thriving on it. He’s 9 months now and weighs 14 lbs. My pediatrician is amazed each time we go for a visit. I did show her the formula and honestly, she told me whatever I’m feeding him, it works because he’s doing great. I feel at ease, knowing that even though I’m unable to breastfeed, my baby is getting the best possible formula and he’s thriving on it. My friend will be selling bimbosan and holle. Her website is currently under construction. Also, bimbosan recently released acid reflux specific formula. Currently, my son is on bimbosan paps. They have paps for evening and morning, for loose stool and constipated babies. I love all of their paps and formulas. I am happy to have found it through my friend. I wish more mothers educate themselves about this wonderful, family owned Swiss company.

Alicja

I have not found it to be true that powdered and liquid are the same. Often, the ready-made contains additives like carageenan. Congrats on your upcoming arrival!

Yes, they do, but they say that no hexane remains in the final product:)

Thanks for your feedback! I actually never listed Baby’s Only soy version in this guide, so maybe we emailed directly or you are thinking of another post or emailed response. That said, I’m going to re-organize this to be easier to navigate, and add a note about both HiPP HA and Kabrita. Thanks again!

Thank you for your diligence. However, looking over the revised guide, I was disappointed to see Baby’s Only Organic Soy no longer on the list anywhere. While I understand the debate about soy, for some it is an option of last resort for “when all else fails” with a milk protein allergy. I came to your website a year ago looking for information on the best soy formula I could give my daughter since we were out of options (even all of the hypoallergenic formulas now contain hydrolyzed milk protein). We settled on Baby’s Only Organic Soy and have been very happy. If I was in the same place again today looking for answers on soy, your updated guide would not have the information I was seeking.

You may consider putting a note under your review of Kabrita Goat Milk toddler formula. Its packaging is a bit deceiving as it is marketed as goat milk formula not goat milk formula with cow milk proteins. A few months ago, I picked up a can in Whole Foods to look for an allergy statement and I am glad that I did. Sure enough, Kabrita is not suitable for infants and toddlers with a cow milk protein allergy.

Also, technically HiPP HA is not truly hypoallergenic. It too, contains hydrolyzed milk protein. It may help sensitive bellies, but beware if you have a child with a true milk protein allergy.

PS I also found the old list much easier to navigate in terms of grouping all milk based together, soy based together, and other like goat milk together.

Thank you
Yuliya

I did a lot of research on formula, and I agree that Baby’s Only with Whey looked better on paper, and we tried it but it didn’t agree with my daughter and they didn’t have it when my son was born. I can’t speak to what these ingredients do or don’t do for your baby. I will say that I gave both of my children Earth’s Best, the one with the red label. Corn syrup was a concern and so was the process they use to create their DHA. Since breast milk is the best solution and nothing will reach that standard we settled for EB. Also EB was alot easier at the time to get as Target sold it locally. We initially did BM with both of them and then half and half as long as possible until finishing off with just formula. Results for us was 2 healthy and intelligent kids. That was my experience, take it for what its worth.

you can have your pediatrician weigh in, but the bottom line is that there is a different mix of vitamins, minerals, and whey/casein ratios in the formulas from stage 1-3. It seems unclear, however, if this really matters, as many babies do fine on level 1.

updated guide is here! Sorry for the delay!

I wanted to make sure that everyone saw that we did review goat milk formula: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/is-goat-milk-formula-healthier/

Hi there-
I’m updating this guide as we speak, and tomorrow will be adding our picks for best sensitive formula:).

sorry Maia** can’t win autocorrect

Plum’s formula looks like at least Okay Stuff, probably Good!:)

I was wondering if you had any thoughts on Similac Pure Bliss. I know it is not organic, but I like that it has lactose vs. the brown rice syrup found in Baby’s only. I don’t like that it has hexane extracted DHA and ARA (and also lutein) but these are less than 2% and the brown rice syrup is the first ingredient in Baby’s Only. Having a hard time deciding which is more important to me. I would go with Lebenswert, but I really don’t like that it has palm oil.

Your advice is greatly appreciated along with your article! 🙂

There is no brown rice syrup in their whey version.

When will the updated guide be released? I’m specifically interested in seeing how some of the new entrants in the marketplace (i.e. Plum) stand up to brands like Holle and Hipp.

Thanks – the information you provide is extremely invaluable and I appreciate it so much!

Stephanie

Pretty please do.. with all thanks for your efforts. Bless you

You recommended the baby’s only organic formula but warned against brown rice syrup. However, This is the very first ingredient in it! Help!

I started giving my baby Baby’s Only Dairy with Whey. I noticed she was very fussy so I assumed she had a reaction to dairy. Then I started giving her Baby’s Only Lactorelief formula. I noticed she was a lot less fussy. However, at the same time I stopped taking fenugreek (my baby drinks breast milk and I supplement with formula when needed). After a month, I resumed fenugreek (still avoiding dairy and using Baby’s Only Lactorelief) and I noticed her fussyness returned thus, concluding that fenugreek was causing her issues. Now that I have pinpointed her issue to fenugreek…should o switch to Baby’s Only Dairy Whey?
My pediatrican says if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Meaning if she likes the Lactorelief just keep giving her that. However I am wondering if I’m giving her less nutrition or more unnecessary additives by using the Lactorelief. What do you think?
Thank you so much!

I use Alimentum as well. What is your take on it. Any advice?

Thanks for providing this resource!

Excited to know that you are reviewing Plum. Definitely would like to know where it ranks compared to Babys’s Only. Eagerly awaiting your updated post.

Really appreciate the great work you’re doing with your site. I noticed that you have a new recommendation for a retailer of the Holle and HiPP products – BabyKind. Although you’ve described it as a European retailer, from its website, it looks like a company based in Long Island in New York. Could you please tell us a bit more about this retailer, including your process for vetting this company? Also, I note that you’ve disclosed an affiliation with BabyKind – could you please provide more information about that?

Many thanks – and keep up the great work you’re doing on behalf of kids and parents!

Steve

I’ve read most of these posts, but struggled to understand which baby’s only u feel is best? I’ve used the dairy dha/ara. Is either the whey or whey & dha/ara better than the dairy dha/ara? Or should I stick with what I have

Thankyou so much for sharing your research. Your site is so helpful

My daughter was born in August 2016 and sadly I had struggled with breastfeeding (multiple issues) and had to supplement. My first choice was, obviously, donor breastmilk. But after we were unable to find a long-term donor I realized we needed to go to formula. I agonized over what type to buy.

All that to say, this post SAVED me. We started out with Baby’s Only but unfortunately it made my daughter extremely constipated (we tried several versions). Then we tried Plum Organic’s formula and it constipated her as well. By this time, I realized that she was taking after me. My mother had to make my own formula when I was a baby because everything constipated me.

I finally gave in and paid the high price from Holle…and while it did constipate my daughter, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the others. She’s done great on it!

Thank you again for working to hard to provide useful information for those of us trying to raise healthy children!

Also, bimbosan is free of palm oil and maltodextrin.

My 6 month old son has acid reflux. I’ve been giving him Bimbosan formula. It is a completely organic formula straight from Switzerland. The company is family owned since 1930’s. My son loves it and thrives on it. Bimbosan just released Acid Reflux formula. They also sell paps. I purchase this formula directly from Switzerland from Swiss Baby Brew company.

Alicja

Hi Kat-
You’re right; we are super delayed on this formula update, but it really is happening in May!

My son is 6 months old and I was told at Organic Start, that it is recommended to use Stage 2, even though Stage 1 is fine.

I had been using Lebenswert Stage 1. However, Lebenswert Stage 2 contains Maltodextrin.
Looking at this chart is supposed to help, but it is making me more confused and anxiety stricken. https://organicstart.com/comparison-chart-hipp-holle-lebenswert-topfer-nannycare/

Is there a formula you recommend for Stage 2?

Thank you! I greatly appreciate your input.

Plum is Good Stuff. Will be updating the guide soon.

If it were me, I would probably give Kabrita a try!

Earth’s Best is more cost effective than Plum and their current ingredients list appear to be almost identical so I am leaning towards EB. What do you know about EB’s DHA + ARA? Is that dangerous? That is not listed in Lebenswert and neither is Soy Oil which also is in Earth’s Best.

Also, how much worse is it that Lactose is the first ingredient in Earth’s Best instead of the second ingredient like in Lebenswert?

It’s difficult to swallow that I can buy EB for $.97/ounce vs. $1.48/ounce for Lebenswert (and that’s when buying in CRAZY bulk up front).
Appreciate your feedback!

Thank you Maia, I appreciate it!! We’ve been using Lebenswert but it is definitely hard on the budget so I’d love to know how Earth’s Best or Plum stacks up as the next best option?

Is this still the case? I do not seen anything formal on this here?

Is this still the case?

What is the verdict on Plum’s organic formula? Will you add this one to the chart above? Thank you!

Hi Justine-
The only reason they aren’t certified is that the companies haven’t undergone the arduous task of obtaining FDA certification. Also, it’s worth noting that Earth’s Best has actually recently improved their formula, so it’s a much better option now;).

Oh, it must have been another comment! I tried looking through them on a couple of your posts but couldn’t find it 🙁 Thank you though!

I didn’t formula feed, so you must be thinking of a reader comment or another blogger. Sorry about that:)

I would not give an infant a non-organic formula, so no matter what else is (or isn’t!) in the Similac, I won’t be able to call it Good Stuff. (Meanwhile, before I started researching any of this I gave my own son regular old Enfamil when he was an infant!).

I would probably try Kabrita if it were my child, but definitely check with your pediatrician!

I don’t see Similac Pure Bliss listed in your list of good, bad or sneaky. I’d love to know if Similac Pure Bliss is safe to give a 3 week old? I’m now concerned about it not being organic…what exactly would that mean could be in it that is harmful? Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Thank you.

hi maia ive read ur post.so informative
thank u.i also wanna ask d babys only formula for toddler can be used for my 4mos old baby?what about similac alimentum formula?what are ur thoughts on dat?gladly aprreciate ur response

Hi Lily-
Would you consider goat milk? Otherwise, I am sorry to say that I don’t really feel comfortable dispensing anything that might be considered medical advice–I’m not an MD or a nutritionist. I can tell you, however, that my first-born had pretty much zero interest in solid foods until he was 18 months old (although he was still nursing), and I never really found a way to get him to eat. I wish I had just chilled out about it rather than stressing so much! Overall, I think you would benefit most from a holistically-minded pediatrician you trust.

Hi Ashley-
Kabrita doesn’t: https://goo.gl/BdNLir

I’ve been and continue to primarily nurse my daughter but when my production has occasionally dipped, I’ve had my daughter’s daycare or partner try to feed her Baby’s Only dairy (DHA & ARA free) formula but she’s never accepted it, preferring instead to hold out until I arrive. Now that she’s just over one years old, we want to consider opting out of dairy milk as we have our misgivings about her drinking animal milk. Any good resources for ensuring she gets proper nutrition while consuming plant based milk? And other things we should concern ourselves with that she doesn’t over-consume from plant milk (such as estrogen)? I have limited bandwidth for very academic materials but would appreciate any sound practical advice or other educational resources. Also, she hasn’t really taken to really solid foods yet (prefers mainly pureed food or breast milk) so any tips on encouraging consumption of solids would be great. Thanks!

I think Plum looks like Good Stuff:)

Would you maybe think about doing a review for Australian products ? My son is breast-fed but I’m looking to wean him , I would appreciate any suggestions .thanks

I did some research and Baby’s Only is not FDA approved as an infant formula, it’s a much more rigorous process which includes numerous checks on their facilities. If you google Natures One Baby’s Only FDA you will come up with a link on the FDA site showing where they were warned because they had been marketing it otherwise. Saying that it’s because mothers should breastfeed for the first year is a marketing ploy. We have been using Baby’s Only Whey but recently switched to Lebenswert when I found that out. Our daughter didn’t seem to like the taste at all which helped make that decision even greater. Google what I mentioned earlier and you will see. You can also google FDA infant formula and see what the requirements are.

Thank you and by the way your thread is incredibly helpful as a first time mom!

Hi! I know you are updating all the details in March but I really need to know now to make the decision for my baby…. please help!!! If it was for your baby, out of all the current formulas here in the US, which one would you pick? Thank you soooo much!!!!! <333

formula will cause these digestive issues in a baby that is only breastfed. pump pump pump if you cannot nurse. it can help your supply. and now the aap recommends not offering anything besides breastmilk until 6 months of age. good idea. many women think they arent producing enough milk but the more suckling or pumping you do the more you will.

Yes I am so happy to see the changes Earth’s Best has made! Will include a more thorough investigation when we update this guide (in early March).

Thanks so much for this! I’ve read through all the comments but still have one question. What two/three formulas would you recommend trying for a baby that has reflux and one wanting to avoid constipation? We are looking for the purest, cleanest, safest formula too. Thanks so much!!

Yes the ingredients in Sammy’s are great, but my understanding is that there was a recall and it’s no longer available except as a toddler formula (so check with your pedi). We wrote about Goat Milk formula here: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/is-goat-milk-formula-healthier/

Maia,

Thanks for a very insightful article. I am due in July with twins and know that I will have to use formula. I had a very difficult time with my now 3 year old and could only breast feed from one side. After a month of a lot of discomfort and not providing enough milk for him I made the switch to baby’s only. With twins my fear is now doubled! I was going to use baby’s only again and found an article online about Sammy’s milk. Have you heard of it? Any thoughts? You input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

sammysmilk.com

Hi! Thanks so much for the kind words. I wish I could help with this question, but since I am not a medical professional, I feel like I need to defer to your pediatrician on the specific nutritional needs of your child at various ages. 

I will look into this one when we update our formula guide! Thanks for the suggestion!

Yes, we are on it! There will be an updated Safe Formula Guide coming out this month.

Roughly when in February? We are due the day before yesterday and trying to choose a safe formula. 😀

We like the baby’s only stuff, but my only concern is that our pediatrician recommended the first ingredient on any formula be milk/lactose. The only one for which that is true is the Whey protein formula for sensitive stomachs. The standard Non GMO and DHA/ARA both start with BRown Rice Syrup. Nonfat milk is second.

Hi and I also missed out on thanking you in my below comment as well, so sorry! I have loved your site (and you for the conscientiousness and care you put into keeping everything on it [and us] updated)! I have revised it a number of times. I’m curious, following up this thread comment if you might elaborate on what you think might be best for what age ranges? We were using Plum Organics but I’d like to skip the DHA and soy. Even so, if there is something I’m missing on the suitability of these for various ages then I would like to know your thoughts, and if you know there is a suitable version (at least without soy for each stage?). Again, I just truly want to thank you so much for everything you do! You’re amazing!

We are working on an updated Safe Formula Guide and it will include this one. It should be live in February!

I saw that too! Unfortunately it still has the DHA and soy, for one thing. It looks like it’s pretty similar to Plum Organic formula (can find it at Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us) now, which I have been using but I’m definitely heading to a Whole Foods to pick up some of the Nature’s One Baby’S Only formula instead now. I don’t want my little boy to have hormonal issues due to soy and I partially breastfeed so I can probably pass along some natural DHA, if just a little. I am also curious if the DHA supplement made by the Honest Company or any others can be recommended. And though it’s kind of unrelated, the Honest Company also sells a probiotic my pediatrician said she would recommend (baby experiencing intermittent bloody stool) because she said that the bacteria (lactobacilli) is one of the few strains that has been vigorously tested on infants. I would like to know if there is any information on what probiotics are recommended now. Thanks so much!!

Earth’s Best Organic Formula has recently removed the corn syrup solids, when you are able to, can you take a look at it again and possibly update the review of it?

Many Thanks,
Ali

Hi there and thanks so much for your kind words! I know people who do both successfully—switch to Stage 2 or stay with Stage 1 because of that vexing maltodextrin. I don’t feel qualified to answer questions about specific nutritional needs of babies, so I suggest you run it by your pediatrician. As for the lavender issue–my understanding is that only at very high levels would this be a concern, but I do think it’s worth being aware of when choosing products.

If it were my baby, I would prefer BO to EB.

You’re right! This version is sweetened with lactose, which is awesome! Thanks for bringing to my attention. 

Hi there! Unfortunately, I don’t feel qualified to answer this kind of nutritional question, and would have to defer to your pediatrician. Congrats on your babies and best of luck!

I think this is Okay Stuff based on my cursory research. I will address this more when I update the Safe Formula Guide soon!

P.S. at her recent 9 month appointment with pediatrician he said her health and growth rates are absolutely perfect, and to “keep doing what you’re doing!” Which was so encouraging and I feel like that is largely thanks to YOU!!! I just love how hard you work at helping us mamas do the best we can for our babes. <3

Also he mentioned recent research showing baby skin care products (or breathe-easy rubs like Maty's and The Honest Company's) containing lavender are raising estrogen levels in babies. Yikes!!! Guessing you already know that but it was a shock to me, considering how many products out there for babies contain it for "calmness" and to help them sleep.

Hi there!
Our pediatric chiropractor talked to us about my daughters gas abd constipation and mentioned he used baby’s only lacto relief with his son and had success, I also bought earths best sensitive but noticed it had soy…egatvare your thoughts?

Looking thru the ingredients list, it doesn’t seem to contain any cane sugar, like mentioned here on this page. Is there something we are missing?

Unfortunately I’m not a medical professional and can’t provide any specific. I would recommend you see your pediatrician to find out what would be best for your baby.

HiPP sells a hypoallergenic formula called Combiotik that may be worth a try. I would still check with your pediatrician to make sure this is a good alternative for your baby.

Yes, if you are going with a dairy formula, I would look into Baby’s Only. What about goat milk formula?

I buy it regularly here (cheapest offer available right now) :
http://unlimited-recipes.com/store/babys-only-organic-toddler-formula-powder-12-7-oz/

Check it out 🙂

Baby’s Only has both a dairy formula and a soy formula, and it’s true that even their dairy version contains soy oil. Holle does not contain any soy ingredients. Since I’m not a medical professional, I can’t tell you what’s best for your son specifically. I recommend seeing your pediatrician and going over the best options for supplementing. You could also look into the relatively new formula from Plum Organics, although this also contains soy oil!

I would go for Plum.

Hi! I haven’t conducted an official review of Plum but it definitely looks like Good Stuff:). Since it’s approved for infants and Baby’s Only is technically a toddler formula, a lot of people are choosing Plum.

I actually would probably go with Plum over Baby’s Only if it were my baby. But Baby’s Only is a really good brand, too, but it is not FDA-approved for infants (to get approval, the FDA requires clinical trials, etc.). I agree you should run the ingredients by your pediatrician to make sure they meet the requirements for your baby.

You could look into Baby’s Only soy formula and see what your pediatrician thinks.

I certainly know people who use this formula for their infants, and nutritionally it meets the requirements. However, Baby’s Only has not gone through the clinical trials and such that are required to be certified by the FDA as an infant formula. My advice is to have your pediatrician take a look and weigh in.

Thanks!

These will be included in our next update of the Safe Formula Guide! 

I would check out Baby’s Only soy.

Thank you,

CR

We are a vegan family. I’m planning to breast feed but just in case that doesn’t work, is there any non dairy formula that’s recommended?

Thanks!

Hi Melissa! This sounds like something you should take up with your pediatrician. As long as baby is getting around 16 oz. of milk a day, you shouldn’t be too worried. But again, pedi knows best! If it were my baby, I would go with Holle’s Lebenswert brand or one of the goat formulas.

Similac also has a “Non-GMO” version and an Organic. How does this compare to the Pure? Would you recommend one over the other? Or non at all…

I have to say this ingredients list isn’t so bad! It contains lactose as the sweetener, which is a happy surprise:).

You should talk to your pediatrician, but you might consider Baby’s Only soy formula.

Hi there-Yes, Plum Organics has a new formula and I consider it Good Stuff (I’ll be updating this guide soon!). Also, I recently reviewed all the goat milk brands: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/is-goat-milk-formula-healthier/

Hi there! Yes, if it were my baby, depending on his/her age, I would consider Baby’s Only, Plum Organics, or Kabrita.

Thank you!

I like Plum Organics but I would ask your pediatrician about your baby’s specific needs.

First ingredient is brown rice syrup instead of milk! Contains Taurine (likely processed with sulfuric acid and aziridine), and soybean oil!

North American formulas seem to add way too many toxic synthetic ingredients

This is a toss-up. At this point Earth’s Best seems to have removed all the corn syrup and carageenan, which is awesome!

Hi Jess,

Which baby’s only formula do you use? My SIL had the same problem with the regular one but switched her daughter ro Baby’s Only – Whey Protein formulation and worked wonders on her 🙂

Candice

I have been supplementing with Baby’s Only. Baby suffered from constipation from the Baby’s Only, I started weighing the formula before adding to water, still hasn’t helped :/ do you now recommend Earth’s Best? Or what about Plum Organics? Any help is appreciated. Need to help my little girl, she’s uncomfortable.

Thank you 🙂
Jess

I did look into these.
Kabrita contains cow milk ingredients in the lactose and GOS {whatever that is}. It also contains glucose syrup solids. My source was the main Kabrita website.

I am waiting to hear back from HOLLE about the lactose source in their goat milk formula. I am not holding my breath that it isn’t cow.

Have you tired Plum Organics formula? It is terrific if your LO can tolerate dairy.

It looks like Earth’s Best has removed carrageenan from their formula! Wahoo!

I haven’t had a chance to review these in detail, but because they are not organic, I doubt they will receive a Good Stuff designation when there are much better brands on the market.

I have been reading the comments and I am trying to decide between Earth’s Best and Plum Organics. I only ruled out Baby’s Only because of my doctor’s recommendation to wait till he is one year old to use that. Should I be concerned that Plum Organics doesn’t include a prebiotic? That seems important to me and Earth’s Best has prebiotics.

Thanks for the really in-depth article! It is super helpful as we are needing to switch over to formula. My son had some pretty intense medical issues recently and developed issues with breastfeeding, so we are needing to supplement to help him gain weight. Though disappointing for me, it is what’s best for now.

Prior to finding this article, I did some research on my own and ended up doing Earth’s Best Organics with DHA/ARA. This was in part because it seemed a little better than some of the others, and also the convenience as it is sold at our local store. My question is, you mentioned that this formula contains carrageenan? This is concerning. I am looking at our tub of formula now and don’t see it as a listed ingredient. Is there another name it is hiding under?

I don’t know these brands but will add to our list for investigating!:)

Yes, I like Kabrita and definitely consider it Good Stuff:). Of course you should ask your pediatrician if it’s nutritionally appropriate for your baby.

So sorry for ur LO hopefully he will get well soon

What are your thoughts about Novelac infant Formula? And also S26 from wyeth?

Hi! I’m wondering the same thing…

Since I am not a medical professional, I’m going to have to defer to your doctor in terms of what is best for your baby. I do know that constipation is really normal at her age–even among breastfed babies. If it were my baby I might try experimenting with another Good Stuff formula–Kabrita and Plum Organics are two that you could run by your pediatrician:).

Thanks for the info. I was on the fence about transitioning over to Babys Only Whey since it’s more accessible in US. After reading I’ll hold off till my LO is 1yr. I hope your LO gets well soon.

My 7 month old son spent 3 weeks at a children’s hospital due to hypercalcemia and his kidneys were full of calcium that this may take years before his kidneys return to normal. They ran all sorts of tests and he’s gotten full body MRI, X-rays, PICC line in his neck. He saw all sorts of specialists including neurologists, endocrinologists, oncologists, and list goes on. We still do not have answers on the cause. He had been on Baby’s Only Whey Protein formula since one month of age. He did very well at first and I was so happy with the formula. First signs showed soon after: constipation, little spit ups here and there, trouble sleeping through the night. These symptoms seem pretty benign and common his pediatrician was not worried. At seven months, I felt something was really off and took him in to Children’s Hospital. He has been on low calcium formula since. There’s a reason why Baby’s Only Formula says its for Toddlers. Even their online comparison charts show the level of calcium is way higher than other formula and even breast milk. Looking at other blogs and posts, there have been concerns about Baby’s Only by other people’s pediatricians due to high level of calcium. I was shocked to read another baby had similar story like mine due to hypercalcemia on same formula. That mother was told by the doctors that it was due to the formula.

Also for those who have ordered Holle/HIPP,
I initially ordered Holle formula from a European vendor who have been mentioned by other moms here. Going with my gut instinct I spent over $100 on shipping them back. My gut was right. The address and the company was bogus as the package came right back to me since no one was there to claim the package even after I let the vendor know I was shipping it back since he never followed upon his word to send me a rerun shipping label since no one has ever requested to ship back. I looked up the address on Google and it was some apartment complex. I’m just so reluctant now about giving formula that is not approved here and our doctors know nothing about. We need to have this conversation with our kids doctors and go based on solid evidence based science and recommendations.

I am frustrated we don’t have good options here.

http://www.naturesone.com/pdf/BOO%20DAIRY%20DHA%20Chart.pdf

http://community.babycenter.com/post/a48550327/babys_only_organic_formula?cpg=2

BTW my LO did great on Holle stage 1… I only switched because my husband preferred lactose to maltodextrin.

Best wishes 🙂

I do think organic is important when it comes to formula, but otherwise, I have to say this ingredients list isn’t so bad! It contains lactose as the sweetener, which is a happy surprise:).

You should definitely check with your pediatrician, but if it were my baby and was doing well on goat formula, I would porbably try Holle or Kabrita.

Any advice you can offer would be great. We don’t want to keep her on this too long if it is not working with her system. But we don’t want to give up on the good formula before we need to.

Sorry- I answered my own question. Earth’s Best Soy contains glucose solids and palm oil. This would put it into Sneaky Stuff, I assume.

I also wondered if you knew what type of starch (corn, wheat, potato) and if the added lactose is dairy-based in the Holle and HIPP formulas.

And many of us have babies/kids who are allergic to dairy and cannot breastfeed. What option then do we have when goat’s milk based formula is not available/an option? Babies have to eat.

How about Earth’s Best Soy?

I meant to add he has had allergic reactions to Plum Organics, Baby’s Only Soy, and Similac Alimentum. For this reason, I am heavily leaning towards the Holle Goat. He was doing very well on Sammy’s and did not spit it out or react to it.

What are your thoughts?

Hi Kat my son was also on Sammy’s Milk and it is my understanding that they are taking the necessary steps and working with the FDA to get it back on the market so hopefully that is the case and it won’t be long! In the mean time I wasn’t sure what to do either as nothing here matched up to Sammy’s simple ingredients so I decided to order one of the European formulas through Organic Munchkin. I’ve always heard great things about the quality of the formulas in Europe along with Maia’s reviews. Waiting for my shipment to arrive and hoping my son will do well on it. It’s stressful having to switch so I know how you feel. Hoping you find something that works for your baby!

I am so so sad. Just discovered them and tried it out. Good stuff and I got word, the fda won’t let them sell it any longer. Now I don’t know what to get for my sensitive guy!

I suppose that’s somewhat of a comfort…thank you so very much for all that you do!!

Earth’s Best has actually improved their formula recently and removed the corn syrup:).

As far as I know, Holle isn’t FDA approved because they haven’t applied for it.

If you’re into goat’s milk, check out Sammy’s or Kabrita–then you don’t have to choose:).

Just an update. I did eventually decide to try adding a little less than a tsp of molasses to my son’s bottles of Sammy’s Milk and it did help with the constipation. I thought about it and decided this was an easy fix and better then switching to a different formula that had an ingredient in I wouldn’t be happy with or not knowing how he would react to something new. I think Sammy’s Milk is by far the best out there as its ingredients are so pure 🙂 Looking forward to your formal review on it.

Thank you!! I’m enjoying the detox e-book and even have my mom starting to detox her life! We’re loving your research down here in Texas!

Before a soy formula, I would probably try a goat milk one (Kabrita or Sammy’s Milk), but you should of course check with your pediatrician.

Thanks to your page I was able to find the best option possible for my baby since my milk dried up. We buy it from Organic Munchkin and they have been wonderful. They are now advertising a new formula that they have just been able to import, Topfer brand. They said its the best of the best and I was wondering what you thought of it. Here is the link to the Topfer website and organic munchkin’s.

https://www.toepfer-babywelt.de/en/
https://organicmunchkin.com/topfer/

My little one will be 6 mo in Oct so we will be changing to stage 2 soon and I was thinking of making the switch, but was wondering about your input.

Thanks for everything, you are my go-to site for all my baby needs. I have changed so many things for the better thanks to you.

Erin

Thanks for your kind words:). I really think Baby’s Only and Plum are both great options, and am hard pressed to choose one over the other. In the end, I might go with Plum if my baby didn’t have constipation issues (that’s why whey is added to BO formula).

No formal review yet, but it is Good Stuff!:)

Hi Maia I was wondering if you could please help me out. I had to start supplementing because of low milk supply. My son will get 1 to 2 bottles of formula a day and the rest breastmilk. I tried Baby’s Only Dairy and found it gave my baby gas and made him irregular so I decided to switch to Sammys Milk. I loved the pure ingredients and heard goats milk can be easier to digest but I am having a terrible time with my baby getting constipated from it even more so. We added some extra water as the owner said some babies do get constipated with the transition but it has not helped. She suggested adding molasses, prune juice or pear juice to offset the protein but I don’t feel comfortable adding more to his diet since he is only 4 months old and have not started solids. I also don’t feel I should have to keep altering the formula just so he can have regular bowel movements. He never had this problem before when he was just on breastmilk and he is such a happy,content baby I hate to see him struggling and in pain to have a bowel movement and some days he will go without any. I don’t want to keep giving him the Sammys Milk if it will continue to happen but I still need to supplement. My question is do you know of a formula that babies have done better on who tend to get constipated from formula? Should I try the Baby’s Only Whey or Plum Organics or do you know of something else others have had success with? I’m just at a loss of what to do and hate to keep switching and adding new things to his little system. Any input would help. Thanks so much!!

I just wanted to comment that we tried Baby’s only and our son had major digestive issues and constipation. We stopped immediately. It was painful to watch him go through that.

Wondering whether you have an opinion on Kabrita vs Baby’s Only Soy or their lactose sensitive one (forgot the name) for a baby who has shown some dairy sensitivity… Do you like the non-dairy Baby’s Only lines?

Hi Maia!! First of I LOVE LOVE LOVE your work!! This site is a godsend, so thank you!!

I was feeding babys only whey to my almost 7 month old, but have recently seen you think plum is better.. what are your reasons why plum is better than babys only? Thank you and I’m hoping you publish the infant formula update soon! I love reading this site daily!!

Baby’s Only now has a version without the brown rice:http://amzn.to/2bXTxVj

I would not, because it contains white sugar (and way too much of it!).

Has there been a formal review done on Plum Organics yet?

I think it’s a great option for those in need of a hypoallergenic formula.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for taking your time to reply!

Time to wake up. Breast is best people always run to the Antibodies right off the bat. Fact – the baby gets most antibodies from the placenta. The antibodies from breast milk are Never passed into the blood at all and the actual benefits are overstated. Fact – the mothers health is not a perfect science. Whatever is being taken in by the mother is likely going to be passed on to the newborn. There is no firm science on how long alcohol stays in the breast milk, nor medications, nor recreational drugs. The reality is that almost anything a mother puts in her body while breast feeding has a chance of making it into the newborn child. Fact – this is not the same formula from years ago. Over the last 10-15 years there have been many advancements in both the contents of formula and the varieties available.

I am not a pro formula person per-say. My wife breast fed both children, but she got mastitis and could not feed my youngest well. I don’t need someone trying to down on anyone for using formula. I was formula fed and have done numerous tours overseas, never get sick, and feel like I hang with the most intelligent people out there.

Make you own choice and don’t listen to people that don’t have actual background of case study to back up their claims. I am not an expert, but I have read the studies. The Journal of the American Medical Association, British Medical Journal, and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have all gone public on studies saying that breast milk benefits are “modest” at best. Some UK publications have gone further to state that it is of no benefit at all. The truth is in the eye of the beholder. Find what works best for your child and don’t let the Breast is Best campaign way your decision on bias.

Have you reviewed this formula…The Hypoallergenic from HIPP….I am going to try it but was wondering if you have any info or comments.

Some people do feed exclusively goat formula, but you should ask your pediatrician if he/she is comfortable with that.

Hi! All of my formula posts need updated, and I appreciate everyone’s patience! (Nothing that I say is Good Stuff is now Bad or Sneaky, but other Good Stuff options have emerged!). I actually think at this point I would put Plum Organics formula above Baby’s Only (this one: http://amzn.to/2bEKbMQ). But really both are great options. As for goat–Sammy’s is definitely Good Stuff, but a lot of people have said their pediatricians are not comfortable with goat’s milk formula, so I would check with yours!

I like that Kabrita uses non-GMO goat milk and has lactose as the primary added carbohydrate. Kabrita forgoes the most concerning preservatives and most synthetic nutrients (they do add L-carninite and taurine). I don’t like that they use glucose syrup solids, but there is only a small amount (it’s used as a carrier for other nutrients, not a source of carbohydrates), and it’s from non-GMO corn. I’m not a fan of the palm-based oils and soybean oil that are part of their blend of added fats. They add hexane-extracted DHA and ARA but claim that hexane is not present in the finished product. Overall, yes, I like Kabrita:).

Yes, Earth’s Best has improved their formula! (And I do need to update that Safe Product Guide). In fact, based on the ingredients list you just sent me (which has changed even since when I last looked a couple months ago), it looks like it’s very similar to Plum (with lactose as the sweetener). I want to do a little more digging, but it looks like Earth’s Best might now be Good Stuff. Please note that the Sensitive formula lists corn syrup solids as the very first ingredient.

Try Nordic Naturals Baby DHA they sell it at the Vitamin Shoppe…so much better. And yeah it was hard at first to give to my baby in the dropper but mixing it with her formula has gotten easier. Just mix half the doze of DHA “for her weight” in her morning bottle and the other half in her evening bottle. http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/nordic-naturals-baby-dha-2-fl-oz/ye-1044#.V78nzvkrK70

I used to buy from Organic Munchkin…but the formula is kinda of expensive from them. Even though they’re great to deal with it was hurting my pocket. I found http://www.organicbaby15.com/ and they are definitely more cost efficient and great to deal with fast customer service. Awesome totally recommend them.

Yes, I agree with your assessment and ranking of the formulas. In terms of Sammy’s vs. Plum: there is some evidence that goat’s milk might be more similar to human milk. But some pediatricians are really not into goat milk formula. I would ask yours.

Part of this addresses the egg “issue” so hang tight and read it in its entirety. 🙂 “Thank you for contacting Nature’s One®. Firstly, you are correct in that our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas meet the nutritional requirements of the FDA’s Infant Formula Act. No dilution is needed for babies under 12 months of age. Please follow label mixing instructions.

Regarding the calcium and phosphorous content in Baby’s Only Organic® formulas, calcium is an essential nutrient needed for bone health. The American Academy of Pediatrics Expert Panel for Nutrient Levels in Infant Formula has provided recommendations on the amount of calcium with the minimum per 100 Calories being 50 milligrams and the maximum being 140 milligrams per 100 Calories. Phosphorus is another important mineral for bone health. The Expert Panel has also recommended that the calcium to phosphorus ratio in an infant formula be no less than 1.1 or more than 2.0. Baby’s Only Organic® falls within these ranges with our calcium at 135 milligrams per 100 Calories and a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1.5.
Reference: Committee on Nutrition, Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, The American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009, pages 1245-1246.

The balance between calcium and phosphorus is most important for bone development. The calcium to phosphorus ratio in both Baby’s Only Organic® formula and Enfamil NextStep is 1:5. Thus, Baby’s Only Organic® formulas provide an appropriate ratio of calcium and phosphorus for toddlers and an appropriate overall quantity of calcium and phosphorus.

Regarding our Baby’s Only Essentials® DHA/ARA supplement, The DHA utilized in our Baby’s Only Essentials® DHA & ARA supplement is sourced from egg yolk phospholipids. You are probably aware that most often an egg allergy is caused by the egg white rather than the yolk. Additionally, it is the protein component of foods that usually elicit an allergic reaction. Because we use the phospholipids (not protein) from the egg yolk, there is only a very minute chance that an allergic response will ensue.

If your child has a history of allergies, we highly recommend that you consult your child’s healthcare provider.

DHA is also found naturally in other foods, including oily fish like trout, sardines, tuna and salmon and the yolk of eggs. Dietary ARA is available from animal meats, dairy foods, eggs, peanuts and nori seaweed. As your child increases the variety of foods in her diet, you can include some of these foods in her diet. Other natural sources of DHA would include fish oil or fish oil supplements. Unfortunately, it is difficult to insure that these are free from mercury or other environmental toxins. But, also remember that these fatty acids can be formed from dietary linoleic and linolenic acids (nuts, seeds, grains legumes, vegetables and their cold-pressed oils). By including good sources of high quality fats in the diet, your child will easily be able to meet her specific needs

Most egg allergies are a result of ingestion of egg white; egg yolk allergies are rare.

Proteins are the component of foods that cause allergic reactions. Egg allergy is usually due to the proteins in the egg white. These protein allergens are: ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin; lysozyme, and ovomucin.

However, there can be a rare situation of egg yolk allergy. The literature to date usually associates egg yolk allergy to a reaction triggered by inhaled bird allergen, referred to as Bird-egg syndrome. This is a very rare syndrome.

Egg allergy can also be seasonal. Oak pollen, short and western ragweed and the goosefoot family of weeds may cross react with eggs when these pollens are in season.

The estimated point prevalence of egg allergy in children is 1.6% by 2.5 years of age. (1) Again, egg white is usually the cause of an egg allergy. Most children outgrow an allergy to eggs by 5 years of age.

(1) Eggesbo M, Botten G, Halvorsen R, Magnus P, “The prevalence of allergy to egg: a population-based study in young children,” Allergy 56; 5:403

I hope this information is helpful to you. Thank you for your interest in Baby’s Only Organic® formulas. Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,

Lori
Nature’s One Inc”

Unfortunately, I was not able to get a clear enough sense of BOB’s supply chain to recommend them (I’m not saying they aren’t legit, just that I didn’t get clear answers from them).

And finally is Plum Organics a better option than Sammy’s Milk or does Sammy’s have all the benefits of Plum, plus not having the downside of hexane extraction?

Thank you!
Joanne

Sorry, I haven’t done a full review of Topfer. At first glance, it looks to be very similar to Holle.

Yes, it is marketed for toddlers, but I do know people who give it to their newborns. You’d have to check with your pediatrician.

Yes, goat’s milk formula might be a good option. HiPP also makes a hypoallergenic formula (called Combiotik).

Yes, Plum Organics is a great option!

Unfortunately, I don’t have any additional info on this version of HiPP.

Your blog is very helpful and thank you. My 4 months old has been feeding Baby’s only formula for 2 months now. His pediatrician wants me to switch him to an infant formula because of the iron, calcium and phosphorus level. She said it’s for toddlers and can be harmful for infants. I really like Baby’s only formula and I’m thinking about switching to Plum Organics formula. What do you think? Thank you.

Here is the updated link.

Thank you!

https://www.honest.com/feeding/organic-sensitive-baby-formula

I think the ready-made is available at Organic Munchkin and Little World Organics? As for Plum vs. Sammy’s, I would defer to your pediatrician, but Plum is a great option for cow formula, and Sammy’s if you want a goat milk formula.

Thanks.
Renny

Hi Maia,
Would love your opinion: We are trying to decide between Holle Stage 2 and Topfer for our 6 month old. According to organicmunchkin.com, Topfer has no maltodextrin, only lactose. Holle has maltodestrin.

Thanks.

Great! When will your review be ready? I need to transition my baby to a stage 2 formula, she has been on Holle Stage 1 since birth, and we are trying to choose a follow up.
We have been buying from Organicmunchkin.com, by the way, from the start, and can’t say enough GREAT things about their service! Bulk pricing, FAST delivery, friendly service.

We haven’t checked it out ourselves, but sounds promising:)

Unfortunately, we just don’t have any info (as it doesn’t exist, as far as I know) on the alumnium levels in Holle or Baby’s Only. You can see what HiPP has to say on the issue here: http://hippformulausa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Aluminium-follow-up-statement-18-10-13.docx

I AM SORRY, IT IS milkywayorganics.com

Thank you for this informative and helpful breakdown of formulas. I have 8 month old twins and at this point they are getting half formula and half breastmilk because of my supply. One of them is on Baby’s Only Organic and the other is on Holle. I have been reading some UK studies drawing attention to dangerous levels of aluminum in infant formulas (like Hipp) because of the packaging. Holle uses the exact same packaging as Hipp, and Baby’s Only is lined on the inside with aluminum as well. I was wondering if you had any insight or opinions on this.

Katie

I’m working on a review, but I can tell you now that I do think Plum is the best US-option:)

Neither of these links is showing me the ingredients, so I’m unable to weigh in!

https://www.honest.com/feeding/organic-sensitive-baby-formula

http://m.target.com/p/honest-company-organic-sensitive-baby-formula-23-2oz/-/A-50827590

Hi Lindsey-I don’t like Earth’s Best or VT Organics (you’ll find them under Sneaky Stuff in the Safe Formula Guide and can read about why). Plum Organics is new on the market and is Good Stuff:)

Sorry, I haven’t had the chance to do a full review of Topfer, but it is very similar to Holle. The only downside is the maltodextrin.

Not unsafe, no. Soy isn’t ideal, but there is no perfect formula, and I still consider HiPP a good choice.

I was wondering what your thoughts on Earth’s best organic formula & Vermont Organics formula are?
I have been doing some research on both of those companies…

Thank you for doing so much research & offering help to all of us mommas!
– Lindsey

Oh please do! I would love your feedback! It’s the only one that didn’t smell like death that I tried when living there! W used HIPP but I found that even HIPP smelled aweful!

Sorry, but no, I have not vetted either of those websites

Sorry about all the type-o’s! Dumb autocorrect…

So any thoughts on Topfer?

The Lebenswert (Holle) is still top IMHO. Plum and Baby’s Only tied for second:)

I have had numerous conversations with the founder of BOB, and while I don’t believe they are selling counterfit formula, I simply wasn’t able to gain enough clarity on their supply chain to feel comfortable recommending them as a vetted seller of European formula.

I was a Lebenswert monthly member through LWO and I believe it’s been discontinued through the website. I am looking into more cost effective alternatives and I came upon 2 websites, I just don’t know if they are legitimate. Have you heard of either?

http://biologisch24.com/product_info.php?info=p3909_Lebenswert-bio-Organic-Infant-Formula-1-500g.html&XTCsid=682389b6ae103d7eacf8350ea5858f08

https://www.my-german-depot.com/epages/78360477.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/78360477/Products/118400-10

Thanks!

Hi Maia-
This is such helpful information! I was wondering how Baby’s Only with Whey would compare to Holle, Plum and Earth’s Best as well as I am trying to make a similar decision. Would love your insight!
Thanks so much !

I ordered a can of Hipp from BOB for my 4 month old to try but then decided to stick with a U.S. brand formula so I haven’t opened the Hipp yet. I am not able to get ahold of BOB about returning the Hipp because they are in the middle of “reorganization”, very frustrating!!!! I’ve left messages and even tried leaving an emergency message but still no response! My concern Is is it safe for me to give my baby the Hipp that I ordered if I have him on a different formula brand (Honest Co)? Because BOB isn’t getting back with me I am a bit concerned about the quality of their product. What would you do?

Awesome, thank you so much!

Holle is best, then plum, then earths best. Holle isn’t FDA approved because as far as I know they haven’t sought FDA approval (which is an extremely arduous process)

Sorry, one more question. why is Holle not fda approved?

or the Plum organics vs Holle? i dont think earths best is worth it.

Nope your not missing anything. People are just weary in general. I’ve ordered from organic baby 24 several times and they are great. Nothing different from the U.S. sellers expect their prices are much better, US sellers over charge because they can. I love their free samples too, extra nice of them. I’ve also ordered holle biscuits and several varieties of cereals. Everything is great!

Pediatricians are stuck in their ways and drones of the government. 😉 they will most likely give you issues. Also they give out these samples just like samples of medication from pharmaceutical reps and we all know how that works. I’m just saying there might be an agenda. Sometimes as parents we have to make the hard decisions on our own. I love my son’s doctor but when it comes to his formula we can agree to disagree.

Alan just wanted to let your know that all formula should be heated like holle and Hipp recommend. It’s because the powder is not sterile and there’s a small chance of baby getting sick. Again all formulas are the same only here in America it’s not a known practice but you will see it in fine print. Europe has much stricter health regulations than we do. Also it’s only recommend that you boil for the first four months. I use distilled water now but you can premake batch for the day and refrigerate to make it easier.
I’ve used holle, lebenswert for the past 7 months and now waiting on hipps dutch version. Most people think hipp is one brand but it’s actually made in the UK, Germany, Netherlands,etc. all versions are different and made by different companies. They contain similarities but different packages and sizes. Some with soy, some w starch. You have to research which works best for you. If you want a dairy free, try holles goat formula. Fyi Hipp holle and lebenswert all come in the same foil packages. I done believe one is safer than the other. I personally prefer this to plastic containers. Unfortunately there is going to be some drawback to every formula. I just personally trust the European standards much more than the United States which is sad as a U.S. citizen. Hopefully one day our fda will care about our health but I won’t hold my breath and just continue to order from Europe.
I’ve ordered from organic munchkin, l.w.o(way too expensive and inconvenient, sorry) beyond organics and organic baby 24. All great customer service. You have to decide if you want to over pay for fast delivery or not. I prefer to buy in bulk from organic 24 because it’s a fraction of the price even with shipping.

To all those asking , Yes you can buy baby’s only or earth best cause it’s easy to pick up locally but does that ease your mind?? I swear it’s just as easy to purchase a large quantity online. if you want to give your child a quality organic formula try Hipp or holle and see the difference for yourselves. I could tell the difference immediately just by how it smells and mixed so easily. I’m not trying to be anything but helpful and sincere. I know this experience can be a trying one, I wish everyone good luck.

Is the amount of palm oil in Lebenswert less than the amount in Plum Organics?

Do you know why Baby’s Only markets formula for toddler and not infant other than the reason of promoting breastfeeding? Also any reason why a toddler who can drink cow’s milk at that age would drink formula?

If you want to avoid BO because it’s technically a toddler formula, I would do Lebenswert. But Plum Organics is a solid option as well (really the only downside is that they use hexane to extract DHA/ARA).

I think it’s a good option based on what you’re looking for:)

What do you recommend between Plum Organics, Baby’s Only Whey and Lebenswert stage 1?

I like Plum and lebenswert but both contain Palm oil. I like that baby’s only doesn’t have palm oil but its for toddlers. Our ped did not recommend.

I finally received Lebenswert 1 from Organic Munchkin and my baby has been drinking it for about a week now and man its been incredible. She has made a complete 360 and is so different, much happier. Baby’s Only Lacto Relief was good but like I said before it did make her a lil constipated. But this formula has just been a blessing I am so happy I did the research that brought me to you and then Organic Munchkin. My pediatrician hadn’t even heard of it…I told her about it after she complimented our baby on how happy and healthy she looks. She looked up the formula while we where there and looked at our baby and was like wow this is really good stuff you are very lucky to have the parents you have. She definitely said she would recommend it from now on. I couldn’t be happier.

Thank you so much,

I think this was indeed a good switch. The big advantage of the plum is that it’s sweetened with just lactose. The DHA/ARA are extracted using hexane in the Plum, and this is really the only downside.

After reading this guide I quickly switched her to Baby’s Only Diary with DHA/ARA since it was easier to obtain at the Sprouts store near me. It was better but she seemed not to take it fully well so I switched to the LactoRelief DHA/ARA and it worked out even better. Shes been now taking it ever since and loves it. But she recently started having some minor constipation. I read from you here that you have also heard that. So yesterday I decided to order her Stage 1 Lebenswert (even though it has lactose I wanted to give it a try since European cows are obviously better than American ones) and I also bought a box of the Holle 1 Goats Milk just in case the lactose in Lebenswert still gives her minor constipation.

If I do end up sticking to one of these European brands I am highly considering adding Nordic Naturals Baby DHA to the formula since I believe its very important for her to obtain.

I hope you can finally post your review on Goats Milk Formula too…I heard Sammy’s Milk is also good. But I ordered the two European Formulas from Organic Munchkin because they offer free shipping and its crazy to me that even though Sammy ‘s Milk is in Newport Beach, CA which is about an hour or so away from me they have a flat rate of $10 on shipping…or I have to drive there to save on shipping. That was my only thing.

Anyways thank you so much for all of your product guides I visit your site on a regular I’m so happy for coming across it love obtaining all this knowledge.

If it were my baby, I would do Sammy’s, but you should check with your pediatrician.

Ask your pediatrician about Sammy’s Milk. I’m really excited about what I’ve learned so far! If you do end up doing soy, I would say Baby’s Only is the best bet. Again, as your pedi:) And congrats!

Unfortunately, I don’t love the Vermont Organic formula. It has plant-based sweeteners rather than lactose (which more closely resembles human breast milk). You should check out the new Plum Organics formula, or better yet Sammy’s Milk if your pediatrician would be cool with a goat formula.

Thank you for your response! We didn’t even think to keep her on Lebenswert Stage 1 (this would be optimal). We’ll definitely be discussing this option with our Pediatrician!!

As far as I can tell, Holle and Lebenswert Stage 2 are identical. Some people choose to just keep their babies on Stage 1 Lebenswert–you could ask your pediatrician.

Holle is organic which is why I consider it superior, but NannyCare is still a good option.

I haven’t done deep research into this, but since it’s from Gerber, not organic, etc., I am pretty sure I won’t call it Good Stuff. All I see at first glance is so much plastic!

HiPP makes a hypoallergenic version, yes. It’s called HiPP HA. As I mentioned elsewhere, the vendors I have vetted are Little World Organics and Organic Munchkin.

Both companies are legit. I would feel completely comfortable ordering from OM if it were my baby!

Hi Maia,
What makes Holle better than NannyCare?

Thanks

After doing loads of research, I decided to go with Holle Goats Milk 1 as a supplement for my 5 month old daughter (unfortunately, I had to return to work and I respond poorly to the pump).

Anyway, I’d like to know if anyone has experience with this formula. Baby likes it a lot (I tend to feed it mixed with breast milk so it’s not such a “shock”) but I find it’s quite thick and creamy and tends to leave a bit of residue in the bottle. Is this normal? I worry because I have read about palm oil and gut issues.

Secondly, does anyone have experience with http://www.organicbabyfood24.de? I placed an order there to check it out and my formula arrived in perfect condition, proper batch numbers, exp date in december 2016, 4 boxes to a sealed carton, everything in German (as it should be) and I also received samples of holle porridges and coupons. Even with shipping (DHL and USPS once stateside) the formula was CONSIDERABLY cheaper than what I’ve seen being resold in the US.

Is there a reason folks aren’t buying directly from Germany? I am worried that I am missing something. . .

Loved your article and very informative. I’ve transition my 8 month old to formula because, long story short, he started biting my nipple really hard and as much as I kept trying he wouldn’t stop. We think he has a dairy intolerance because he has really bad eczema. Out of all the formulas you mentioned are there any hypoallergenic?

Thank you,

Leti

I’m sorry that I don’t have an answer for you on the HiPP Bio Combiotik aluminum levels. When I do more formula research, I will look into it.

I have recently transitioned my 8 month old to formula and decided to go with Holle. I noticed on your very informative article that you recommend to purchase from either LWO or Organic Munchkin- but you seemed to prefer LWO more. I noticed that it is very difficult to get an order in with LWO, while Organic Munchkin is much faster and “easier” to order from (and cheaper).

I just want to make sure both companies can be relied upon as far as authenticity and quality of the product…

Thanks so much for your help!

Check the labels to be sure, but I don’t think Sammy’s Milk contains coconut, and I really like what I’ve learned about this company!

I think Holle is better, but NannyCare also fine

I’m not sure if goat milk would be a problem, but I am a big fan of Sammy’s Milk.

My 7 month old has eczema and an allergy test just came back positive for dairy, eggs and peanuts. So, we are putting him on a formula while I can eliminate any of these out of my milk. I am trying to also find a formula with out coconut as the doctor said the peanut sensitivity could extend to coconut (and indeed when I put coconut oil on his legs, he has a flare up). Even the Baby’s Only seems to have coconut. DO you know of any organic, non-dairy that do not have coconut?

What are your thoughts about Nanny Care Goats Milk Formula? How does that compare to Holle Stage 1 Goats Milk Formula?

Thanks

Sorry just saw your other replies 🙂

I was curious if you have any thoughts on Plum Organics baby formula? I was able to breastfeed with my first off and on for about 10 months. I am currently pregnant with my second, and while I plan to breastfeed I want to have a back up choice we feel comfortable with. We used honest company with my first.

Hi Livia-
Holle goat formula is Good Stuff:)

Hi Erin-
Yes! I love what we’ve learned about Sammy’s so far…will be doing a full review soon;).

Bottom line on Plum;
The DHA/ARA are extracted using hexane. This is the only downside to this formula
.
The HUGE advantage, over Honest formula and others, is that this is sweetened with
JUST organic lactose. No corn syrup solids, no glucose solids, no maltodextrin.

Apologies if someone else already asked about this, but I recently heard Sammy’s Milk praised. Any thoughts on that one? It’s goat milk based. http://www.sammysmilk.com/

Thanks!

Ive asked this lady here, the website about the hexane issue. She answered me via Facebook and told me that Plum seems to be honest about how they obtain their DHA. So basically its a safer method. Im using Plum Organics when Im not using Lebenswert stage 1. To sum it up, Plum Organics is the way to go regarding U.S formula.

Yes agreed, I would stay away from any DHA/ARA formula, just that the company is ok with adding it should be a warning sign of their quality standards.

I have fed all my children the Goat milk formula from HOLLE
Sammy’s is not organic so it was a no brainer for me no to use, we all know how much crap goes in pastures, animal feeding etc… It’s just the best out there there’s no comparison.
Someone had sent me a picture of the farms they use milk from and it was like 20 cows operation, very human and manageable compare to what we have here.
Good Luck 🙂

Yes, Plum formula seems like a great option. Only issue is that the DHA/ARA are hexane-extracted. But on the whole, I would call this Good Stuff;)