Guest Blogger, Dawn Higham from Astrid+Co
Based on True Events
Please note:
The content is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your pediatrician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
My Top Formula Choices in 2021!
Hey everyone! Happy National Cleft Lip and Palate Awareness Month! My name is Dawn Higham; I’m a first-time-mama to Theo, who was born in January of 2021. Since Theo was born with an unilateral cleft lip and bilateral cleft palate, he was unable to breastfeed. This is because babies with a cleft palate can’t create suction. My body didn’t respond to pumping and so my milk supply never came in.
For these reasons, I put countless hours into researching formulas for Theo. It can be so daunting to find the right formula for your baby’s specific needs, especially if your baby has sensitivities, allergies or if you are a firm believer in wholesome, organic living (like I am). I’m by no means an expert, and am certainly not a doctor so please be sure to discuss your feeding choices with your pediatrician. That being said, if you find yourself needing to supplement or exclusively formula feed, I hope My Top Formula Choices in 2021 can help give you a head start.
I’m a big believer in wholesome, organic living, so the thought of formula feeding felt like the ultimate failure to me. I wanted to give Theo the best sustenance I could, and I believed formula was the nutritional equivalent of only feeding your child frozen pizza. When formula became our only option, I began searching for the best organic option I could find. What I discovered was that although not all formulas are created equal, there are some amazing wholesome, organic, sensitivity- and allergy-friendly options available for those who need them.
I chose European formula for Theo. European formula guidelines are much more strict than American guidelines, and exclude many ingredients that are standard in American formulas but have been deemed harmful in Europe. There’s no denying that breastmilk is the ideal for all babies, but it isn’t always an option for one reason or another. There is no shame in formula feeding, and we are so fortunate to live in a day when there is a healthy and viable substitute when breastmilk is not available.
*Please note: I am not sponsored by, endorsed or affiliated with any of the following products. I’m simply a mother who did some personal research.*
Without further adieu, here are my top organic formula choices:
MY TOP CHOICES
- Comes in cow’s and goat’s milk varieties (their goat’s milk variety is great for cow’s-milk-protein *sensitive* babies and is the only organic goat’s milk formula on the market; this is what we give Theo, and he is thriving on it)
- Soy free
- Palm oil free
- Corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup free (the only drawback is added maltodextrin)
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Ingredients are biodynamically farmed/sourced (Demeter certified; this is considered an even higher standard than organic)
- DHA added
KENDAMIL ORGANIC
- Organic
- Soy free
- Palm oil free
- Corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and maltodextrin free (lactose is the only sweetener)
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- DHA/ARA added
- Prebiotics
- Organic
- Soy free
- Palm oil free
- Corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and maltodextrin free (lactose is the only sweetener)
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- DHA added
- Prebiotics
BEST HYPOALLERGENIC OPTION:
HiPP HA COMBIOTIK:
- Organic No casein (100% whey)
- Proteins are hydrolyzed to 86-87% (which means they’re broken down and easy to digest; this significantly reduces or completely eliminates CMP reaction for most babies)
- Does contain lactose (best suited for babies with *cow’s milk protein* sensitivity/allergy)
- Does contain palm oil, unfortunately
- Soy free
- Corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and maltodextrin free
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Prebiotics Probiotics
- DHA added
[It’s important to note that due to recently changed FDA regulations, EU formulas are becoming difficult to buy in the US. I am currently researching US organic options in case we need to switch Theo, and I will update this info with my findings when possible.]
Every parent deserves to feel confident about their feeding choices, whatever their circumstances lead to. The truth is, at the end of the day your baby doesn’t care whether the milk in their bottle came from a breast or from a carefully crafted box of formula; they just want a full belly and to be close to the person they love the most--YOU.
Thank you to CozeeCoo for inviting me as a guest blogger today! We have simply loved using our CozeeCoo through Theo’s cleft journey. He sleeps so well in it and no longer takes his NAM device out. I highly recommend going the CozeeCoo route. If you’d like to connect with me for questions, advice or anything related to this blog, please feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @dawn.denise and I’d be happy to help. Theo’s cleft journey has been a tough road to say the least though we are so very grateful to everyone who has helped us get to where we are.
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Please Consider Donating
Theo’s parents, Dawn and Matt have been able to make trips to the medical care that Theo needs because of the beautiful support of loved ones and generous strangers who continue to make donations to Theo's Go Fund Me fundraiser page.
DonatE
If you find you’re in a position to help, please do as your gift will be deeply felt. ❤️
Curious about CozeeCoo®'s full story? Please check it out.
Jennifer Stelmakh