With that said, the news is reporting that containers identified as "MICROWAVE SAFE" may allow or increase the chance of BPA leeching into the food when the container is put in the microwave. (read full article)  As I noted in an earlier post, heat has been identified as a source of causing BPA to leech into food.

As we discussed earlier, the Environmental Working Group identified the packaging of powdered formula as having the lowest BPA content and the ready to use formula package with the most.   So, seriously consider powdered formula and do not heat it in the microwave in a bottle.

]]> http://saveonbabyformula.com/microwave-safe-and-bpa/feed/ 0 http://saveonbabyformula.com/good-start-with-natural-cultures/ http://saveonbabyformula.com/good-start-with-natural-cultures/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:44:15 +0000 Brent http://saveonbabyformula.com/?p=160 In earlier posts, I commented that we used Good Start with Natural Cultures and that we could get it regularly at about $14.99 per can.  The question came up where can you get it for that price, without having to go through ebay?  Here you go.

When its on sale, like now, the 6 pack of 12 ounces for $87 and some change is at the $14.99 mark. There is also the 6 pack of 24 ounce cans, at its current price of $167 that is roughly $13.99. There is a lot of savings  on baby formula if you can buy in bulk.

	Nestle Good Start Supreme DHA & ARA Natural Cultures, Infant Formula with Iron, Powder 12 oz (340 g) List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $10.99 You save: $4.00 (27%)

Both of these ship for free with standard shipping.   DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR NATURAL CULTURE STORE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE A LOT MORE MONEY.

If you thought I was going to tell you to pick Enfamil over Similac, sorry about that.   Choosing the right brand and formulation depends on your baby and his or her unique needs.  If your baby is having issues, or you have concerns you should consult your pediatrician.  Otherwise, you can probably choose from one of the standard formula.

Whatever the formula you chose, you might want to consider its packaging.  According the folks at Environmental Working Group (ewg.org/babysafe)  powdered formula cans have the least BPA of any other packages.  According to the group, the ready to feed has the highest levels of BPA in the packaging.  They strongly recommend going with powdered formula.

Here is a great video from the group:

We understand that the economy is not good, times are tough, and that you need to find ways to save money.  With the high cost of baby formula, many parents look for ways to save on baby formula. There are safe ways to save on baby formula, like the suggestions that we offer on this site. Then there are unsafe ways.

Never water down baby formula to save money.  Diluting baby formula is UNSAFE and cause serious injury to your baby.   Diluting baby formula with water can kill your baby.

Adding water to formula can cause "water intoxication," which in a baby is essentially like drowning.   This can cause seizures and death.  The other health issue is nutritional.  Assuming your baby survives, diluting formula deprives an infant of vital nutrients at one of the most critical times in their lives.

NEVER, NEVER DILUTE FORMULA

In the past we have discussed why you might choose a specialty formula over standard powdered baby formula.  Most specialty formulas (eg Elecare or Nutramigen) are designed for infant's with special digestive needs like a food allergy or that are suffering colic.  I wanted to spend a moment on organic baby formula.

The two organic baby formulas where you can save some money are Earth's Best Organic Formula and Similac Organic.  Like any organic food, the draw for organic baby formula is the quality or purity of the ingredients used in making the formula.

All baby formula contains sugar because it is a necessary in the digestive process. However, Similac Organic formula has recently come under scrutiny because one of its ingredients is pure cane sugar.  Now, no one is suggesting that the ingredient is not organic or dangerous the concern appears to be that this will lead to childhood obesity. Here is a news report on the matter, the video is from youtube.

This is a video from the folks at Playtex who spoke to mother's about issues and solutions that they have encountered with bottle feeding. The panel of moms raised a lot of issues, though not all, that most new parents experience about bottle feeding.  So, I wanted to share the video and some solutions they discussed with you.

Much of the discussion focused on the advantages and disadvantages of the type of bottle (ie, the delivery system) that they used.  Although some had issues, most of the mom's indicated that they preferred bottles that had a disposable inner liner.  Most of the moms said they liked one of two things.  Either the disposable drop made cleaning bottles easier or that it reduced the amount of gas experienced by their child.

In case you don't know what they are talking about, these are the bottles that they are referring to

Playtex VentAire Bottle 9 oz.3pk.
You just put in a disposable liner (listed below) and feed.   Because you throw away the liner, all you have to clean is the nipple, not the bottle.  The liners are BPA free and they collapse so less air gets into little tummies.  This should reduce gas and, in turn, reduce crying and symptoms of colic.

Playtex Drop-In Disposable Bottle Liners - 4 oz - 100 count

Playtex Standard Bottle Liners 8 oz 140 count

Playtex Drop-In Disposable Bottle Liners - 8-10 oz - 100 count

Playtex Drop-Ins Pre-Formed Soft Bottle Liners, Expandable to 10 oz.

We had a lot of response to the post on Elecare Formula.  So, I wanted to see if I could answer some questions about Elecare Infant formula.

Why is Elecare more expensive than most baby formula?   Elecare is a specialty formula designed for babies with food allergies or other digestive problems like EGID, short bowel syndrome, or malabsorption problems.  One of the reasons it works for these conditions is that Elecare is, in part, an elemental food.

What makes Elecare an elemental food?  An elemental food is one where the energy-providing nutrients are in their simplest form, just like they would appear after complete digestion. EleCare contains free amino acids, not whole proteins.   Amino acids make up protein, so Elecare provides these nutrients in a more fundamental or elemental form.

Elecare for Food Allergies?  Elecaremay also be recommended for certain food allergies.  Elecare is lactose free, galactose-free, and fructose-free.  Because Elecare infant formula does not contain these ingredients, babies with allergies to these items should tolerate the formula well.

With that said, Elecare is a specialty baby formula, that you should discuss with your pediatrician before giving to your baby.  If you and your pediatrician have chosen to provide Elecare, we recommend that you buy Elecare formula in bulk and save.

]]> http://saveonbabyformula.com/elecare-infant-formula/feed/ 0 http://saveonbabyformula.com/abcs-of-formula-feeding/ http://saveonbabyformula.com/abcs-of-formula-feeding/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:29:50 +0000 Brent http://saveonbabyformula.com/?p=120 Basics of Formula Feeding

I remember when the hospital sent us home with our first son.  I could not believe that they were going to let us out of that hospital to care for that tiny, helpless baby.  What kind of people would do that to a child?

Like most everyone else, we were petrified and had no clue what to do.   That drive home was nerve racking.

Sometimes we forget how nervous new parents are and that they don't have a clue about the basics of formula feeding. How do I make a bottle or Am I doing this right is something we all asked ourselves.  I wanted to give some advice on preparing and feeding a baby formula. First, almost every study shows that if you can breastfeed, do it.  But if you need to feed or supplement with formula, there are a lot of great options.

How you prepare formula can make a difference both in nutrition and health  Babies's immune systems are just getting up and running, so the less stress you put on that system the better.

Don't use Expired Formula

Look for an expiration or "use by" date on the can of formula. If the formula has expired, its quality must be questioned.

Wash your hands

Formula feeding is food preparation.  Just like preparing any meal be sanitary.  Wash your hands under warm running water with soap.  Sing happy birthday to yourself and when your done with the song, your done washing.

Sanitize area and utensils

This is just an extension of washing your hands.  Make sure the area where you prepare the formula is clean.  You also need to clean and sterilize bottles, nipples, etc. before the 1st use and then periodically after that. All you need to do is boil them for about 5 minutes and let air dry.

This is really pretty simple, just use the pot that you normally use for making pasta and add water.  Bring it to a boil and add items.  Let it boil for about five minutes and pull out with some tongs or a long kitchen spoon and let air dry.   I usually did this every Saturday or Sunday during nap time.

Measure

Although it is as simple as following the directions on your product, whether it is powered formula or ready to use, this is always hard to do.  The reason you want to do this is to insure that the little one is getting the proper amount of nutritiion.

Adding Water

First, only add water if you are supposed to, like with a powdered formula.  Your formula of choice will tell you how to mix.  For example: 1 scoop with 4 ounces of water.   Again, measure.  Too much water may  dilute the formula and too little may cause digestive issues, like constipation. Shake well and your on your way.

Use filtered or purified water if you can.  If you must use tap water, some experts suggest boiling the tap water and letting it cool.  I never did this, we were able to use filtered water.

Heating formula

There is no requirement that formula must be warm.  It's OK to give a baby formula at room temperature or colder.  However, most parents heat formula and most will tell you that a warm bottle goes down easier and helps make a baby sleep.

If you heat it, it should be warm, not hot.  I strongly recommend a bottle warmer.  It saves time, which is great at 3 am.  This is one of the absolute best investments you will ever make.

Quick Serve Bottle Warmer
Fast and foolproof! This versatile warmer takes out the guesswork, so you can't overheat breast milk and destroy precious nutrients. Great for formula, too; it eliminates dangerous "hot spots." The secret: fast, gentle steam heat and a precise water measuring system. Accepts any size or shape bottle, even jars of baby food.

If you don't go with a warmer, keep a pan on the stove.  Fill it with water and get the water hot and let the bottle sit in the water until warm.

Don't warm bottles in the microwave. The formula may heat unevenly, creating hot spots that could burn your baby's mouth.

Storage

If your baby does not take or finish a bottle, after you have heated it, I would dump it after about an hour.

For all of the new parents, I hope this quick guide helps.  Just know that you can do it.

have previously posted about my concern over BPA and its health risks, as wells BPA free alternatives. Although the FDA has given the all-clear to BPA use, that decision is coming under significant fire.

Some members of Congress have questioned the FDA for hiring a private consulting group, with  ties  to the industry, to perform some of the analyses that went into the FDA's determination that BPA is safe.

More damning, in my opinion, is the FDA's own advisory board vote that finds the agency ignored critical evidence suggesting that a controversial plastic chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, could harm children.  The FDA's science board, a group of outside experts, voted unanimously to endorse a report that found major flaws in the agency's decision to declare BPA safe.  There are specific issues raised in connection with the study.

In light of the questions about the study and the history of drug recalls, after FDA approval, I continue to beleive that BPA free products are a better choice for our children.

Should I feed my baby a formula with iron?

According to the experts, if you cannot breastfeed or need to supplement, then you should provide your baby with an iron fortified formula.  Source There is good evidence that iron deficiency in the first years adversely affects an infant's brain development. So it is an important ingredient to look for in baby formula.

Are there side effects?

You are probably going to here people that iron fortified formula will give your baby gas or  constipation.  Or, if your baby has constipation, friends may recommend switching to a low-iron formula.  In actuality, constipation and gas are rarely the result of iron in the formula.

The basis for most people's belief that iron formula causes constipation is based on the fact that when adults supplement with iron, constipation is a common side effect.  However, a study done concerning the formula question in babies was performed and the rate of constipation for babies taking the low-iron formula and the iron fortified formula was the same.

Considering its benefits and the data showing little or no side effects, choose a formula with iron.  Most every formula available on this site contains iron.  Use the menu to the right to find the right baby formula for your child.