Gimme the Good Stuff

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• My interpretation of the good stuff today ties directly to human health impacts. But not everyone connects with this topic. Most of the disconnect originates with the misunderstandings of chemicals as a "green" issue. "Green" for many, is associated with political preferences. Increasingly we will find that our parents and grandparents open their thinking beyond the typical associations and stereotypes of "green" to make decisions on products based on the impact chemicals have on our health. As such, great resources such as this site will benefit from eliminating the term "green" to connect with a broader audience for the purposes of connecting to a broader audience. Health product declarations and material transparency are two emerging efforts that decentralize the discussion from a "green" dependency, and exponentially impact smarter decision making for healthier living

• Thank you so much for this post. It’s really helpful!
  Holle formula was a life saver! Had tried all the American formulas and between fighting colic and then no dirty diaper and screaming from hunger, diaper changes, and the white volcano I was truly desperate. After a week on this formula my son is a different baby, happy, normal diaper changes and eating like a horse. I would highly recommend this product to any parent struggling with feeding issues. I am supplementing breast feeding with this formula. God bless and good luck to all the parents out there, and many thanks to http://www.organicbabyfood24.com to making the purchase of this possible.

• Thanks so much for your comment. How expensive are they and do they ship to US for a reasonable price? My grandson is 6 months. We are looking at goats milk to supplement with breast milk.

  Randi

• Hi Randi,
  If you do not want to wait that long for the shipment I recommend to check out http://www.organibabyfood.shop. They are based in the US and have the best pricing + free shipping.

• Hi,

  I contacted the company Lebenswert to see which are their official retailers. I was told that their retailers are not allowed to sell to USA/Canada. Thus, I am wondering how do they (little world organics) get it here and how can I be sure they are authentic formulas?

  Thanks
  Anna

• I am also wondering the same thing.

• Unfortunately a number of health complications prevented me from having a successful nursing relationship with my little girl. After numerous visits to a lactation consultant, lots of extra support from my doula, a La Leche League Leader, much effort with a supplemental nursing system, and practically treating my hospital-grade pump as an extension of my body to stimulate supply, my babe was only transferring an average of half an ounce per nursing session and consequently kept losing weight beyond the ten percent dip following birth. Under adamant medical advice, my husband and I made the painful decision to switch to formula.

  Although we desperately wanted her on the best organic formula available, she began showing many symptoms of a cow's milk protein allergy and began losing weight again due to malabsorption and lots of diarrhea, which of course further triggered the guilt and pain associated with not being able to breastfeed. She has since been on Nutramigen, which she refused to eat and Elecare, prescribed by her allergist, which she also didn't do so well on. I cringed reading the ingredients in these formulas and felt very defeated in knowing that there aren't any organic/GMO-free hypoallergenic options, aside from the WAP liver based formula which I just didn't feel brave/equipped/confident enough to attempt. I also wasn't so sure that her symptomatology was in fact reflective of a protein allergy, but perhaps more of a lactase deficiency. I trusted my mama instinct and after much diligent research, switched her to Baby's Only Lacto Relief. Her personality began to come out, she began to smile more and her poop was healthy looking for the first time since switching to formula.

  All this to say that before the allergy/lactose issues emerged, I had full intentions to feed her Holle. I contacted Little World Organics and exchanged a number of emails with Elleigh who was extraordinarily attentive, prompt and empathetic in her responses. I so appreciated the time that she took to respond thoughtfully to my questions. You can absolutely tell that the mamas who run LWO truly want to help other moms and babes and that their intentions are far from profit driven. My exchange with her, though brief, was one of the first times I felt some relief from the guilt and shame associated with not being able to breastfeed - she related her own situation to mine which did wonders for easing the sting. The fact that the moms with LWO highly value breastfeeding but had difficulty with it and, thus, feed their own little ones the formula that they sell definitely adds to their credibility, and the extra support that they are willing to provide is a rare find.

  Since switching my girlie to Baby's Only Lacto Relief, we did attempt to slowly switch her to the new Baby's Only with Whey Protein because we thought there was a chance that her symptoms were the result of temporary lactase deficiency due to a possible viral infection (we're at the children's hospital pretty frequently for ortho issues, so her exposure is elevated). We thought that it might be a more gentle transition than switching to Holle since it is a more similar composition to the Lacto Relief formula that she did so well on. I really wanted her to do well on it because I loved that the whey/casein ratio is 60/40, that the carbohydrate is lactose, and in speaking with Lori through Nature's One customer support, I also learned that it is free of taurine and like all of the Baby's Only formulas, that the nucleotides are naturally occurring. Unfortunately halfway through our attempted switch, the diarrhea returned and it smelled somewhat chemically, along with bloating, a wicked diaper rash, and worsened cradle cap that moved down to her face. We immediately switched back to the Lacto Relief and her symptoms have begun to subside. I really don't like that the first ingredient is brown rice syrup, but she's smiling, cooing, and imitating noises. Her relief from constant pain has allowed her to discover her own personality. She's happy, so I'm happy.

  If the allergy/lactose issues weren't in the picture, I would absolutely have her on Holle and I would definitely order it form the super sweet and helpful mamas at LWO!

  Now that we finally found something that works perhaps one day soon I'll finally be able to let go of the dream of relactating breasts that never really lactated to begin with, pack up and return my hospital grade pump and end the madness of taking herbal supplements four times a day, and pumping and hand expressing multiple times each day only to yield less than five mls in a 24-hour period and instead reclaim that time to hold and play with my babe. It's been a process, but I've learned that although breastmilk is literally a miracle liquid and that the bond of breastfeeding is invaluable, for those of us who physically can't do it for whatever reason, our babes absolutely need an emotionally present mother who is not incapacitated with guilt - sometimes having that emotionally aware and attuned mama is more critical to the healthy development of our little ones than is having breastmilk. They can survive and even thrive without breastmilk but a mama who is worn down with guilt of whatever kind can negatively impact attachment and a host of other critical developmental facets for them. And those of us who formula feed can replicate some aspects of the breastfeeding relationship by drawing our littles as close to our bodies as possible as we feed them, engaging in eye contact and stroking their skin as we feed them, loading up on the skin to skin and wearing those babes as much as possible. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

  Being informed on the best possible alternatives to breastmilk truly makes it easier to let go of some of that guilt and free up the capacity to rest in doing the best we can with what we've got. So I truly thank you for your efforts in helping those of us moms who can't breastfeed to make informed choices.

  I apologize for the ridiculously long-winded comment, but I wanted to share my experience in case it might help any of your other readers in any way!

  One last note - just in case it's helpful to anyone... I've also done some neurotic obsessing over going as plastic free as possible in our feeding regime, finding the safest bottles, the safest way to filter and boil the water for the formula as well as sanitize the bottles and nipples. We used to use Born Free glass bottles, but I don't like that the venting component contains plastic (kind of defeats the whole purpose of a glass bottle), so for awhile we used the silicone venting piece without the plastic piece, which we found is doable but it does lead to leaks if the seal of the collar isn't just right. I suspect that the venting feature was somewhat compromised by my bootleg version and my babe began having some latching issues with the nipples as well as frequent nipple collapses. We were going to switch to the Pura Kiki stainless bottles, which I love as a future sippy, but I wasn't sold on it as a bottle since we are still regularly sanitizing our bottles and stainless can possibly leach metal toxins when heated. So we decided on the Avent glass bottles. I love that the nipple folds over the top of the bottle so there is no chance that the plastic collar comes into contact with the formula, and the venting system is built into the nipple so there are no extra (plastic) parts to wash. The nipple also has petals that prevent collapsing and it is wider and more breast shaped which has helped my baby to have a more open, deep and ergonomically correct latch. I really wanted an electric all-glass kettle to boil the water for the formula, but I had no luck finding one without a plastic lid or spout, so we are now boiling the water in a Ceramcor Xtrema kettle which is Lead, Cadmium, Heavy Toxic Metals, PFOA & PTFE Free. We also ditched the bpa-free plastic sterilizer that was gifted to us and we are now sterilizing the bottles in a Ceramcor sauce pan and sterilizing the nipples in a Ceramcor steamer. We also got rid of our boon grass plastic drying racks in favor of bamboo drying racks. Now I'm just saving up for one of your water filters!

• Wow! Thank you so much for this moving and informative comment, Sage. This could be its own blog post! Your daughter is a lucky little girl to have such a conscientious mother!

• Thank you for posting this- I read it and could totally relate to a lot of what you said about not being able to BF and the feelings surrounding it, as well as my fears of the plastics, etc. and looking for a safe tea kettle. Just wanted to let this Mom know that her post was helpful to another new mom (who is now on the search for best formlula for her little one)!

• Great comment here from Sage. My babe was in NICU for several months following birth and it was not a situation that encouraged breastfeeding, and I simply didn't know any better - I assumed I could just start breastfeeding him whenever he came home. Instead, I started my maternal relationship with the dreaded breast pump. By the time I got home with the babe, he was used to fast-slow bottles and my letdown didn't come until 30+ minutes into pumping. It just didn't add up. Anyway, along with a lot of other trials and tears, we're still pumping and bottle-feeding breast milk at almost 6 months of age. I'm not able to increase my supply, though, so I am forced to look at formulas for supplemental feeding. It is emotional torture to constantly see these "breastfeeding is best" mottos every darn place I look. Everyone knows this. Breastfeeding is healthier (unless you or your babe is dealing with one of hundreds of diseases that require certain medications), breastfeeding is cheaper (duh), and breastfeeding is usually more convenient (arguable I know), so I can't imagine why we need to be beaten down about this anymore. Who is this motto directed towards anyway? Are there people out there who enjoy paying tons and tons for formula, thinking its better than breastmilk? I mean its not 1975 anymore. Anyway, best of luck to all the moms out there trying to feed their baby the best they can - you are awesome, and you deserve a pat on the back no matter what paths you've been down. I have ordered Holle and Nannycare goatmilks from organic munchkin and they were both very good. I primarily use Kabrita goat and its also just great. Beats the pants off Nutramigen, Good Start, Alimentum, Honest, NeoSure, or any of the other junk out there, all of which we'd tried.

• I am so sorry breastfeeding didnt work for you and that happens for many others too. As a Lactation Consultant I can say those mottos are not directed at moms who diligently tried but for the large proportion of moms we see daily at the Hospital post partum who still insist on formula and they have not been educated. Believe it or not!
  I promise it's true. I wish the motto was not visible to awesome mamas like you because it's no fault of yours!! And glad these organic formula options are here. Now if the FDA would just get on board like the EU and penalize / force Change in USA formula co's for the ridiculously bad ingredients they allow.

• Hi Maya,

  Is beyondorganicbaby.com a good company? I've been buying Hipp from them since my son was 4 months, and he's still drinking it at 13 months. I found out about hipp on your website and I remember you used to recommed this seller. Why did you delete them from your list? Just wondering.

  Thanks

• I've been buying from beyondorganicbaby for months and never had an issue until now. I only received half my order-and it was a big one, over $500. They have not responded to any of my emails or phone messages. I even messaged them on Facebook. I don't care if they are the cheapest, I will never order from them again!

• Hi Maia,

  Is beyondorganicbaby.com a good company? I've been buying Hipp from them since my son was 4 months, and he's still drinking it at 13 months. I found out about hipp on your website and I remember you used to recommed this seller. Why did you delete them from your list? Just wondering.

  Thanks

• I just stopped hearing back from them, and others said the same thing (that they were unresponsive), so I felt I could no longer recommend them.

• Got it!!
  I haven't heard from them as well. But since they have the best price I still order from them and have no problem with the product besides the dented cans and the poor packaging. Thank You!!!!

• We have been ordering lately from http://www.organicbabyfood.shop and we are super happy with their service. They are cheaper then other US based shops, as OrganicM, Beyondorganic and LWO and very responsive.
  They are currently offering Hipp, Holle and Lebenswert and beat all Us based competitors price wise. From the about us section I found out that it's because one of the founders actually lives in Germany and buys it directly from the producers and ships to their warehouse in Austin so I guess they are cheaper because of that. I strongly recommend this shop and hope they will be around for as long as my baby gets formula :).

• Sage,
  You will never know the impact your post has had on me. I keep re-reading the paragraph on being an emotionally aware and attuned mama. I shared it with my own mom, and her response was, "Wow! You could have written that paragraph!" -- It sounds like our experiences are eerily similar. I have a 2.5 week old, my first child, and I have spent the last 2.5 weeks crying daily (with my mom and husband watching, not knowing how to help me), slowly mourning the "loss" I feel at being unable to breastfeed due to low supply. I am finally to the point where I have realized this isn't going to work out, and I need to move on to formula. This change will create for a much happier mama and a better bond with baby. Your words were beautifully written, and I am printing them off to remind myself when and if guilt starts to creep back in. Your baby is so lucky to have you as a mom!

• It looks like the moms in LWO are super responsive and very helpful. Unfortunately some of us cannot afford to buy the formula regularly. Under circumstances where exclusive breastfeeding is the only available option it is also a really expensive one. For all the parents out there who can´t pay the expensive imported formula like myself, I would definetely recommend neogno. They have an excellent customer service. I explained my financial situation and they really helped me out. Too sad that they don´t sell Hipp formula. Shipping took 9 days to the US.
  I ´ve ordered the small pack from here https://www.neogno.com/shop/organic-baby-formula/holle-infant-goat-milk-formula-1-wholesale/ and received on top an extra free box.

• Hi Lydia I recommend to checkout http://www.organicbabyfood.shop as it is much cheaper than LWO. You save up to $10 per box compared to LWO and even more if you buy 10 boxes for instance. Best wishes :)

• This write-up is SO helpful. thank you for all of your diligent research! I was ordering Holle from Beyond Organic Baby - I was curious if you researched them and if so, what were the reasons for not suggesting them. I'm considering switching to LWO based off of this review
  thanks!

• Hi Audrey!
  I did speak with BOB as well, and they seemed fine to me. I just couldn't quite understand where they were located (address on their site says LA, but the guy I talked to (who is French) said he lives in Tennessee (I think, maybe it was Mississippi)), and partially due to language issues, I just continued to feel confused about their supply chain. They DID however agree to provide proofs of purchases (although I haven't received these yet), so as I stated in this post, I don't honestly think they are up to anything shady.

• Hi Maia,

  I just ordered HIPP from Beyond Organic Baby because you had listed them along with LWO and OM. Based on this email did you end up doing more research and this company was good? I'm only asking because the first place I ordered my HIPP from came in a box with 2 sealed containers from a British company but the box was in English and I just received my two orders from Beyond Organic Baby and they are in HUGE round containers all in German so I'm concerned.

• Hi there and sorry for the delayed response. I indeed spoke with the folks and Beyond Organic Baby and thought they seemed legit. Of course I cannot guarantee anything, but based on my conversations with them, I would feel comfortable ordering from them if I were formula feeding my own child.

• Beyond Organic is no longer replying to any customers (phone/chat/email all ignored), and they fail to give discount for referrals which they promise on their website. All this seems to be confirmed by the comments under https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/hipp-versus-holle-which-european-infant-formula-is-healthier/

• Yes, that is why I no longer recommend them as a vendor.

• Did you ever receive the proofs of purchase from BOB? I am curious since I've been purchasing my formula from them for my baby since she was born!

  A very concerned mom

• Hi Chrissy-
  Unfortunately, no, I did not hear back from them. Still, I think the formula they are selling is probably legit.

• Hi All,
  Just thought I'd share this bit of information regarding Beyond Organic Baby. I have twins that are breast fed and I supplement with Holle Goat Milk Formula. I've ordered from BOB a few times but the last time I had the worst experience. The first few times I ordered from them, the orders were shipped from Richmond Hill, GA--just outside of Savannah. I was thrilled as I live in Savannah and the orders came super quick--like next day. This last time I ordered from them (and it will be the LAST time I order from them) it took over a week to receive the order. I called them multiple times inquiring about the order only to get vague information about when it shipped and where it shipped from. I was told that the order had shipped and would arrive within two days, however, they could not provide me with tracking information. Come to find out, the order was shipped from France and took over 10 days to arrive. When the order didn't arrive when they said it would, I left several voicemail messages, emails and two posts on their Facebook page. Twelve days later, still no return phone call or email and they deleted my Facebook posts. The fact that some of their formula ships from GA and some from other parts of the world seems strange to me, then to get vague information and no follow up whatsoever is unacceptable. Their supply chain seems questionable at best and I would not recommend using them. I just placed an order with Organic Munchkin out of New York. The order has not arrived yet, however, they provided tracking information and all communication from them so far has been spot on. Again, just wanted to share my experience in hopes of helping others.

• This company is either a hobby or a scam. They messed up our order, and the ONE box they did ship was nearly destroyed - it was jammed into a USPS envelope with no protection. They have been non-responsive to voicemail, website contact form submission, facebook messenger, and their website's chat support is never available. I would avoid beyondorganicbaby.com.

• I have to echo similar negative sentiments about beyondorganicbaby.com - I ordered German but got French product in the mail. I made phone calls and wrote emails to them for clarification on this issue (is it actually the same product??) and have received zero feedback or contact from them. I will not be ordering from them again.

• Another similar complaint about Beyond Organic Baby. 6 months of successful orders until a week ago.
  They sent me Stage 2 when I had ordered Stage 1 (don't like Stage 2 due to maltodextrin).
  After 6 days and 5 emails (to 3 separate accounts including their supposed "Emergency" email account that they "monitor 365 days a year" and voicemail to the number on the sight...
  NO RESPONSE whatsoever. I kept making excuses in my head for why they hadn't replied but started getting angry about day 4.
  Today I disputed the charge and ordered from Organic Munchkin.
  It's not like it was life or death, but I was totally out of stage 1 and have been forced to use Stage 2. It made me wonder what if it was a more urgent matter like not having a formula my baby could ingest (maybe due to allergy for example) and having no response, let alone a solution, after a week.

  Let's see how long till they respond now that the credit card company is disputing the charge.

• I just bought Holle formula online on Amazon through superfooduk today, before I found this article. Now I'm worried that what I'm going to get might not actually be Holle formula. Has anyone ordered through this vendor on Amazon? Or does anyone know anything about it? The reviews were positive...

• Just wanted to let you know, Amanda, that I didn't speak with Superfood UK. So they are not among the companies I referred to as sketchy!

• Hello~

  I ordered 12 boxes of Holle formula from Organic Baby Food at http://www.organicbabyfood24.de The price they charged seemed reasonable compared to others and the shipping rate considering it came from overseas wasn't too terrible. The boxes came in a DHL packing box about 4 weeks after I placed my order. So far we have had no issues with the formula we received however, I'm VERY curious if this is one of the "sketchy" distributors you researched. I will be needing to order boxes of stage 2 by the end of this week...no later. Wondering if I should purchase from them again???

• Hi Jessica-
  If you have been happy with them, I have no reason to think you should stop ordering or that they are sketchy.

• Hey Jessica,

  I m extremely happy with my purchase at http://www.organicbabyfood24.com :)
  The customer service was fantastic and I appreciate how quickly Laura and Ben responded to any questions I had. Without question the formula is incredible. My son is rapidly gaining weight and growing plus he has NO colic or spit-up! I was nervous but I am so glad I made the decision to feed my son Holle!

• My daughter loves the Holle organic formula to supplement breastfeeding and I am very happy knowing that I am giving her a much better product than anything available in the U.S. We buy the formula at http://www.organicbabyfood24.com/
  Best prices and amazing customer service!!!

• I have ordered Hipp online through forumuland....and now I am of course worrying that they are not legit. My son is mostly breast-fed so only gets a formula bottle once or twice a week when supply is low but still worried :/

  Did you research them?

• Im thinking of ordering from Formuland. Were you happy with your order? Did it arrive on time?
  Have you ordered from them again or did you switch to LWO?
  I wanted to order from LWO but they have once again reached their order limit for the day..
  Thanks for your help

• I have ordered Hipp online through Formuland....and now I am of course worrying that they are not legit. My son is mostly breast-fed so only gets a formula bottle once or twice a week when supply is low but still worried :/

  Did you research them?

• Hi Claire-
  I didn't speak on the phone with anyone at Formuland. The last thing I wanted to do is sow doubt in the minds of people who are happy with the experience and the product they are getting from these various vendors. It was simply that everyone was asking where they should buy HiPP/Holle, so before I recommended an online store, I wanted to make sure I did some due diligence. I liked LWO, and so I stopped there--it certainly doesn't mean there aren't other legitimate sites selling these formulas!

• Sure, I completely understand. We have had no problems with the product but that doesn't mean that there couldn't be something weird going on. If I buy again, I will take a look at LWO.

• Thank you so much for this write-up. I wholeheartedly appreciate you.

  Neurotic mom of 2 here. BF 1st daughter through so many challenges until 16 months old. Feeding my second child has been a nightmare. After suffering from excruciatingly painful nursing, pumping like a mad woman taking time away from both kids, nipple cuts (from hospital grade pump), and a lanolin allergy that I was initially unaware of. By the time everything resolved, my milk supply was down and LO no longer wanted to nurse:( She just would scream after a minute or two at the breast out of hunger and frustration:( Started supplementing at 2 months and now fully formula fed as my milk supply has dwindled.

  I was ordering from Holle from formuland, but I got very worried one night (may be for no reason) and switched bebe to Baby's Only. She became horribly gassy and constipated on it. So now she is on Earth's Best and doing okay on it. But I'm worried about some of the ingredients in it. I'm thinking of switching her to Baby's Only Whey Protein. Looking forward to your review.

  Once again, thank you Maia for uplifting those of us who suffer from so much heartache and providing such a wealth of information. God bless you.

• Hello and thanks so much for your kind words! I am so sorry to hear that breastfeeding was so horrible the second time around! You're not the first mother to mention a lanolin allergy (I wrote about it here: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/updated-nipple-cream-guide-a-lanolin-horror-story/). I feel pretty confident that the new Baby's Only is really great--I haven't officially reviewed it but a glance at the ingredients list raised no red flags at all!

• Hi Maia,
  I have been feeding my 7 week old Holle since birth which was ordered from a European vendor recommended by one of your readers. The product seems legitimate so I think we are good from that perspective. However, I wanted to share my experience to see if you or any other readers have any insight. My baby seems to like Holle and thrives on it but I wonder if he is thriving a little too well? He is hungry all the time! He eats every two hours like clockwork and no small amount. I know that every baby is different but the amount he consumes each day is more than what I have read is normal (and what is recommended on the Holle package). At 7 weeks old he eats about 35oz per day. He was born at 7lbs but weighed 10 at his one month appointment (and I suspect from weighing him on my scale he is now at 12lbs).
  My pediatrician didn't seem overly concerned with his weight gain but suggested trying gripe water and other remedies to help soothe him in case he was just eating for that purpose. I will be honest in that I don't know what I am trying to solve for (gas, reflux?) but none of those remedies obviously work (he is my first). My ped will not comment on the formula itself since it is not FDA approved but not sure she is familiar with it anyway. But he legitimately is hungry. I have read that Holle closely resembles breastmilk so could that be why he seems to eat more often? We do feed him about 3.5oz each feed and others recommended feeding him more to extend the time between feedings but that hasn't been successful to date. Every time I tried that approach he would either spit it out or still be hungry again in 2hrs. I tried a trial version of the honest formula for a few days to see if he needs a thicker than Holle formula to keep him fuller longer but that didn't seem to work (and he is now constipated but that could be from switching back and forth). He is a little cranky at times which may or may not be related to Holle but in general I am happy with the formula aside from worries around the weight gain and amount/frequency of feedings. I am not sure if this is outside your area of expertise but thought I would share in case you may have some advice. Thanks!

• Hi Brooke!
  Congrats on the birth of your son! My babies both drank breastmilk, but they definitely seemed to eat every 2 hours for the first months of life, so this doesn't seem abnormal to me. I would be inclined to tell you not to worry about it and feed him if he seems hungry, but I am not a pediatrician obviously, so I have to suggest you defer to yours! Perhaps another reader will have some better insight. Thanks for writing and reading!
  Maia

• Can you tell us the EU vendor you were refering to... please

• Please share the European vendor you are happy using! Many thanks!

• The one I recommend is Little World Organics.

• We too have been ordering from http://www.neogno.com
  :)
  They have a great support and ship parcels packed with care. And of course the price is really good. Lydia