RI eliminates free infant formula giveaways at hospitals in move to boost breastfeeding
(Michael Dwyer/Associated Press) – Rhode Island First Lady Stephanie Chafee, center, embraces Vice President of Patient Care Services of South County Hospital Barbara Seagrave following a news conference to discuss the state’s efforts to encourage mothers to breastfeed infants, including eliminating the distribution of free infant formula to mothers when they are discharged from the hospital, at the State House in Providence, R.I., Monday, Nov. 28, 2011.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — New mothers in Rhode Island will no longer leave the hospital with a free goody bag of infant formula.
To encourage breastfeeding, the state’s seven birthing hospitals stopped formula giveaways this fall, apparently making it the first state to end the widespread practice.
State health officials hailed the decision Monday, noting that breastfeeding has been proved healthier than formula for both infants and mothers. Stephanie Chafee, a nurse and the wife of Gov. Lincoln Chafee, called the decision a critical step toward increasing breastfeeding rates.
“As the first ‘bag-free’ state in the nation, Rhode Island will have healthier children, healthier mothers, and a healthier population as a whole,” Chafee said. “This is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Formula will still be available to new mothers who experience difficulties with breastfeeding.
The new policy isn’t intended to force women into nursing their children, according to Denise Laprade, a labor and delivery nurse and lactation consultant at Woonsocket’s Landmark Medical Center, which eliminated free formula distribution last month. She said the focus is instead on parental education and helping mothers decide what’s best for their child.
“We never make any woman feel guilty about her decision,” Laprade said. She said she has received few complaints from parents about the new policy, though she said the older nurses needed a little time to adjust.
Thirty-eight percent of Rhode Island mothers nurse their babies six months after birth, compared with 44 percent nationally, according to a report issued this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Director Michael Fine said the state hopes to raise the percentage of Rhode Island mothers nursing at six months to 60 percent by 2020.
Public health officials in Massachusetts endorsed a ban on free formula samples in 2005, but the regulation was rescinded by then-Gov. Mitt Romney before it took effect. Getting the new policy in place in small Rhode Island was easier, since it’s not a law or regulation and required the agreement of only seven hospitals.
Nationally, about 540 of the nation’s 3,300 birthing hospitals have stopped the formula giveaways, according to Marsha Walker, a registered nurse in Massachusetts and co-chairwoman of “Ban the Bags,” a campaign to eliminate formula giveaways at maternity hospitals.
Walker said the bags given to new mothers — typically containing a few days’ worth of formula — amount to a sophisticated marketing campaign by formula manufacturers.
“Hospitals should market health and nothing else,” she said. “When hospitals give these out, it looks like an endorsement of a commercial product.”
The International Formula Council, a trade group representing formula manufacturers, opposes the end of free formula samples. In a statement, the council notes that sample bags also include “key educational materials” on how to use and store formula.
“Mothers should be trusted to make good choices for their babies,” the council said in its statement. “More than 80 percent of U.S. infants will be given formula at some point during their first year of life … these educational materials are needed by the vast majority of mothers to ensure infant formula is prepared correctly and the baby’s health is not jeopardized.”
New mom Crystal Gyra said that while the new policy is well-intended, women should have the option of taking home formula samples. The Providence woman said she gladly accepted the free formula she received after giving birth to her daughter Gianna, now 2 months old. Gyra gives her daughter formula.
“It helped me,” she said of the samples. “They should leave it up to the women to decide whether they want to take the samples or not. We’re smart enough to figure it out.”
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Organic Baby Products: What’s Worth the Money?
When a baby is born, mom and dad are suddenly thrown into a world full of diapers, rashes, sleepless nights, seemingly never-ending fits of crying and anxiety. Parents want nothing but the best for their babies and are bombarded with products touting the benefits of green and organic products.
But organic products often come at an added cost, and for families on a tight budget, they may have to prioritize what organic items are worth the price tag.
“Honestly, with organic products, it’s really about, how much am I willing to pay for a theoretical benefit of using an organic product? For me personally, I feel that if the organic product is 5 to 10% more, it’s probably worth it, and if it’s more like 20 to 30% more, I’m less likely to shell out the extra cash,” says Kristin Mallon, a mom of two young children in Rahway, N.J.
Mallon makes an exception when it comes to food, and pays the higher prices for certain organic food products.
“We know now about the problems with the use of antibiotics and hormones in our meat and dairy and the effects that can have on children, and we know about the harm DEET and other pesticides can cause etc… So for organic produce, I’am usually willing to pay whatever the extra cost is to get organic. “
Erika Jones, publisher of the Organic Baby Resources website and author of the e-book, The Organic Baby Food Guide, started her online community in 2008 for parents seeking natural and safe baby products. As a new stay-at-home mom, Jones was searching for that information herself.
“I look from the inside out in terms of priority, meaning, what is going to be in closest contact with my child?”
Experts breakdown the following items that might be worth splurging on and getting organic:
Food
For parents using formula, they can avoid pesticides and hormones found in most non-organic dairy products.
Jones says that finding organic formula a frequently-asked question on her site. A six-pack of 32-ounce bottles of Similac organic infant formula is about $4 more than the non-organic counterpart.
When a child starts eating solids, The Environmental Working Group and other organizations recommend always going organic when it comes to the so-called “Dirty Dozen:” apples, bell peppers, celery, lettuce, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach and strawberries.
“There’s just too much already well-known research about the dangers of food and the chemicals and preservatives and dyes,” says Ayo Hart, founder of Dolphin Organics skin care line and mom of twin girls.
While there are many organic baby food lines available on store shelves, you can save money by making your own. If you can’t afford all organic produce, you can buy environmentally-friendly produce washes that will get rid of the chemical residues.
Skin Care
Many companies are also selling organic products that go on your kids, including lotion, shampoo, soap and toothpaste.
Hart’s company, for examples, offers 100% organic and natural baby shampoos, bath soap, and other items. According to Hard, organic baby shampoo tends to be about $4 more than its non-organic counterparts, but she says babies’ and children’s skin is more porous than adults.
“Whatever you put on your baby’s skin is being absorbed into the bloodstream – actually, 60% of whatever you put on is being absorbed.”
To save even more money, try home brews, like using olive oil to moisturize baby’s skin instead of pricey lotion, Jones recommends. Rubbing baby’s scalp with oil and a toothbrush also helps remove cradle cap.
Clothing & Bedding
When it comes to clothes, it may not be necessary to fork over a lot of cash for organic materials; 100% cotton may do just fine, the experts say.
“I often feel like it’s a status symbol, like having a Coach bag,” Mallon says of organic clothing. She continues to say 100%-cotton apparel is a good standard.
Jones recommends steering clear of clothing made up largely of polyester, or very dark colors because that means heavy use of dyes. Avoid fabrics that have been treated with formaldehyde-based resins that could cause allergic skin reactions, and be sure to wash clothes a few times before putting them on baby for the first time.
As for mattresses, while organic ones are considered safer because they tend to consist of fewer harmful chemicals, they are pricey. A more cost-effective solution is to instead use organic mattress pads or sheets, duvet covers and other topical bedding. Be sure those products are flame retardant, and air the non-organic mattress out well before being used
Diapers
While cloth diapers are better for the environment, the required dumping and washing of the diapers is a turnoff for some and a cloth diaper cleaning service can be pricey. While organic diapers are widely available, some moms feel they just aren’t worth the money after one too many leaks or blowouts.
“Your baby’s in diapers all day long … they’re sweating in the diapers and what not. So I think that another important decision you have to prioritize” is what to put on baby’s bottom, Jones said.
Companies like Seventh Generation offer diapers free of chlorine processing, fragrance, latex and petroleum-based solutions. Big-named brands like Huggies are also offering a similar line.
Any new parent is aware the cost of diapers quickly adds up, and organic diapers are even pricier. To help keep costs down, experts recommend opting for diapers that are at least chlorine free.
Organic Baby Formula: Breast Is Best, But What’s Next?
NJMom wrote: My question is around formula and water. With my first baby, I breastfed until she was able to drink regular milk but with my second baby, she naturally weaned herself at 8 months is drinking solely formula. I am using the Nestle brand but saw recently that there is an organic product. Can you tell me anything about it or the differences in the formula? Also, what is the best water to use for the formula? I had been buying bottled water but realized how much plastic I was going through so I switched to a water filtration system and have been using that water. With all the water issues these days, which one is the best for my baby? Thanks for helping increase awareness!!
When I got pregnant the taste of my breast milk changed and my five-month old daughter refused to breastfeed anymore. It was a bummer because for a few happy days I thought I was getting the best of both worlds — being pregnant and not having to give up breastfeeding — but there was nothing I could do. I pumped and tried feeding her the breast milk in a bottle, but she let it dribble out of the sides of her mouth.
woman feeding baby organic baby formula with baby bottle
So I researched all of the options for organic infant formula, and found three that I really trust: Earth’s Best, owned by Horizon (which is owned by Dean Foods), Similac Organic (new to the market), and Baby’s Only from Nature’s One. Baby’s Only is called “toddler formula” on the label, but this is only for political reasons; they want to encourage breastfeeding for as long as possible. You can also investigate private labels (most of which are made by Parent’s Choice) for individual supermarkets around the country like Wal Mart and Kroegers, but their nutritional ingredients often come up short when compared to the big three.
It turned out that my daughter liked them all equally, so it would be up to us to decipher the differences between carbs and fatty acids. The biggest difference I could find is that Earth’s Best uses organic lactose where Baby’s Only uses brown rice syrup. The argument for using brown rice syrup is that it’s a higher quality and more complex carbohydrate, and therefore less likely to cause an insulin/blood sugar spike by keeping the blood sugars more level. As far as the dreaded food allergies it’s also very safe to introduce brown rice syrup because rice is a great first food. Earth’s Best uses organic lactose from cows, which some might argue is bad for lactose intolerance and will burn more quickly than brown rice syrup. I had ferocious heartburn with our daughter and drank about a gallon of organic milk a day for relief, so it was no surprise when our milk-basted daughter had no negative reactions to Earth’s Best, and we have ended up using it the most. But I would use Baby’s Only equally. Similac has practically the exact same ingredient list as Earth’s Best, but it has a little more sugar, which is why we use it the least. I also don’t love how it smells sweeter than the other two.
If this is still confusing, I would recommend going to this site and printing out this nutritional comparison report and talking to your health care provider about it. When you’re having that conversation you might also want to bring up fatty acids, which are the other main difference in these three formulas. All three have DHA and ARA, which are good for brain and eye development, but Baby’s Only has more fatty acids than Earth’s Best and Similac, and they don’t treat them with hexane solvent, acid or bleach. Nature’s One also sell a supplement that can be added to food or a bottle, which is essentially the equivalent of taking a fish oil pill.
I wouldn’t use bottled water for the baby’s bottle, it’s too big a strain on the environment and there’s the potential for plastic to leach into the water if it’s stored in a hot place or used after the expiration date. (See How to Avoid Phthalates and Bisphenol A) I filter my tap water through my Brita and then boil it and keep that water in a jug on the stove for bottles. This might sound extreme, but maybe it helps a bit with the guilt I feel for not being able to breastfeed. I’m determined to get her back on the boob, but so far have had no luck. If anyone has any great tricks to share, I’d love to hear them.
Organic formula that’s great for my kids!
Earth’s Best Infant Formula is easily prepared, organic, and my kid drinks it. I like the formula because it’s organic and has DHA and ARA included so I know my kid is getting the nutrients he needs. When I ordered, it was sold in a 4 pack(and shipping and tax are included!) so we had enough formula for the month. Highly recommended!
Good formula,
This formula is one of the few out in the market that is Organic! My husband and I really wanted to feed our newborn nothing but Organic & when we found this one we were really excited & we hoped that she will be able to tolerate it especially after being nursed for 6 months. Luckily she took this formula in well and rather enjoyed it! I know they also have a soy one but we never needed to try it out. I buy this one all the time now, & the best deal is to go subscribe & save!!
Great option for our house!
We did a lot of research on formula for our son – and switched him from the Similac Advanced that we supplemented with for the first few months, after reading the list of ingredients on the side of the container.
Switching my son to EB was a breeze – we had absolutely no problems with gas or fussiness. It’s a great option for those that can’t breast-feed.
Regarding the clumping: I typically filter water for my son’s bottles in the morning and again in the afternoon, and set the bottles out at room temperature in between. This is how my son prefers his bottles, and I’ve found that either room-temperature or warmed water helps to break the clumps up and then it’s very easy to mix up.
Life Saver
My son has an acid reflux issue since 10 weeks old and this is the only formula that he can keep down. There has been a dramatic difference in his personality since we started him on Earths Best. He is a much happier baby. Each one of these cans cost $30 at the stores but if you order through Amazon and join there super saver program you can save tons of money. Thank you Amazon for making this formula affordable for our son.
It’s Formula
No complaints. I did see this product later for $29 at whole foods (versus the $25 per can paid here). Whole foods was actually selling this product side by side with the can without the bonus 20% for the same $29. Strange.
Works for us!
Prior to this formula, we tried Similac Advance, Similac Sensitive, Enfamil Gentle Ease, and Up & Up Gentle Ease (Target’s brand). All of these formulas gave my son painful gas and caused him to be constipated for as many as 5 days. In fact, we were starting to use suppositories because it was making him so miserable. Then, we tried Earth’s Best, and instantly he went from passing a pasty stool a couple times per week to a more normal looking stool 3-5 times per day! As a result he is much happier. He still has gas but it’s not as bad as it was. Now he’s 6 months and he has one good poop per day! This formula works for us, and you don’t have to worry about all the crap that’s in many other formulas. I like knowing that my baby is not consuming genetically modified organics, chemical pesticides, and high fructose corn syrup – all of which are found in most non-organic formulas. I definitely recommend this formula!
Baby’s been on this since birth,
I couldn’t breastfeed so I decided to go with the next best thing. My baby has been eating this since birth and we’ve had no problems w/digestion. They always arrive in perfect condition from Amazon for a bargin price! Can’t beat that!!
Great Product!,
I started my daughter on this formula when she was 7 months old as a supplement to breast milk because my supply was weakening. I wanted to give her organic if she couldn’t have breast milk and we never tried anything else. She had only had breast milk up to that point and she didn’t hesitate to drink it up! We haven’t had any issues with her spitting it up as long as we make sure that she burps after she drinks more than 2 ounces. She never really spit up with breast milk( only on a few occasions), but I noticed that if she didn’t burp with the formula, she would sometimes spit up after drinking it. She is 10 months old now and drinking this exclusively and she loves it. I would totally recommend this product to others and their customer service line is great if you have any questions or concerns.
Best for my breastfed baby,
My baby was exclusively breastfed for 8 months before I started introducing formula. This is the only formula he would tolerate at first, and now he happily gulps it down. It smells much better than any of the other formulas we have tried.
Not perfect, but very close
We used this formula for our first two babies, and they both loved it. Neither had gas issues with it, although I know each baby is different.
We ordered this formula through the subscribe and save program, and it was wonderful. It saved us about $5-8 per can and we never had to make a last-minute run to the store. I wish we could have ordered more than 3 cans per month through the subscription program though. We often had to adjust our subscription order before the month was over. It would have been nice to order 4 cans per month automatically. Fortunately, we never received any dented cans like other reviewers had and we usually received the order within a few days (at the latest).
The only negative things I will say is that we cut our fingers/hands on the edges of these cans at first, and we quickly learned to be more careful. It would have been better if the manufacturer designed the can a little differently. Also, sometimes the scoop was buried in the formula, so it would have been more convenient if they had the scoop attach to the lid like some other manufacturers do. This was not a big deal because we always had the scoop from the previous can.
Separately, my oldest (around 3 years old) just started to get repulsed by the smell of her baby sister’s formula recently, only if they are sitting VERY closely together. I don’t know if it is just this brand or all baby formulas. Fortunately, if they are sitting at the breakfast table (a couple of feet away), it is not a problem. It is also not a problem when they are both in the back of the car.
The best formula on the market,
I started to use Similac when my Baby was first born. I couldn’t stand the smell of it and my daughter was getting lots of gas and spit up. I decided to change to Earth’s Best and it was the best choice ever! This formula doesn’t not smell, looks more like breast milk and my Baby doesn’t have any tummy problems or painful gas. It’s truly a wonderful product. It is a little expensive, but it’s definitely worth the higher price.
Best for “spitty” and “gassy” babies!,
This formula is the the best formula! I switched to Earth’s Best when the formula I was using had been recalled. Another reason is that my baby was spitting up a lot with the former formula and was extremely gassy but the pediatrician and I thought she was just a “spitty” and “gassy” baby. Her tummy could not tolerate other formulas either so I was very hesitant about trying Earth’s Best at first but I didn’t have many other options. It supposedly has real lactose and is less sweet than some of the other formulas and it has generally good reviews on web sites I researched. Since we switched to this formula a few months ago, my baby doesn’t spit up anymore and she is less gassy. The formula must be a lot easier to digest for sensitive babies. As the company’s name indicates, it really is the best!!! I order this formula repeatedly from Amazon b/c you can’t beat their price anywhere!
Our girl is happy with it.,
This formula is all we have used for our nine month old baby since she was born. It mixes well even with the water from our filtered tap. She has grown well and is healthy overall.
Made my daughter gassy and fussy until 8 weeks old!,
I love using organic milk, but this made our baby girl very gassy, fussy and she spit it up.
Since switching her to Enfamil Gentlease she has been fine. I wish they’d make a gentler organic milk formula too.
At 8 weeks we have gone back and tried this formula again b/c we had 2 big cans of this left in the cupboard. She has no problems now with this formula at all. So we will now use this from now on since organic milk is important to us.
great!,
we exclusively breastfed for 4 months, and then introduced formula. he gets maybe 1 bottle a day of formula, or if i leave him for a few hours he will have it then. it’s great stuff and my son loves it. i tried enfamil and good start first and he hated the way they tasted. they even smelled bad. this one is awesome and he loves it!!
This is the only formula we use!!!,
When we started shopping for formulas for our DD to supplement, we reviewed and researched all possible options out there. After a considerable review and research we decided that this is the best one we could find in the market for now.
There are several reasons why we picked this over the others..
- This is organic (so a lot friendly to the baby as well as the environment).
- Pesticide / Chemicals / Hormone Free
- This was very very close to breast milk and our DD did have any problems switching back and forth between breast milk and the formula.
- The bowl movements were regulated and resembled very close how it would look if she were only breast fed.
- Less Gas / Less Iritations
- AMAZON’s amazing price offer (on Subscription).
The best
This is the only formula my boy would tolerate. I love the fact that it is Organic. Other formulas would give him a lot of gas and therefore sleepless nights for me. This is a savior for sensitive tummies.
Great on sensitive tummies
My son was a very ineffective nurser, and lost too much weight in the beginning, so we ended up having to supplement with formula. At the hospital, they gave us some ready to eat similac, and it was terrible. He threw up almost every time we fed it to him, and the stuff looked and smelled terrible — thick, dark, sticky, and overly sweet. We try to go as organic as possible, so as soon as we found out we had to give our son formula, we searched for a good organic.
This seems to be great. It doesn’t have that overly sweet smell to it that the similac had. In fact, my husband being the curious creature that he is has tasted both, and says that the Earth’s Best is much better. It just looks and smells much more like something that you should give a baby. WE also have very few problems with him spitting up with this formula. He is now strictly a formula baby, and gaining weight above and beyond what his doctor had hoped to see.
I order the formula through Amazon Subscribe and Save. It saves a bunch of money (which is pretty nice at $30 a can!) and it’s automatically shipped to me every month (I get 4 cans a month, but plan on upping that as his appetite increases), and don’t have to worry about running out and having to make those late-night emergency runs to the store. I love Amazon!
We Love this Formula
We love this Formula for a few reasons. One it is pestiside free another it is usda cert organic not all the organic formula’s are. The best reason our son is moving his bowels once a day. All the other formula we tried gave him bad painful gas and spit up and he wouldn’t go to the bathroom but every three or four days. The formula doesn’t make me want to vomit every time I make him a bottle every formula smells awful except this one it’s the closest thing to breast milk for our son.
EARTH’S BEST Formula is the BEST!!!
I have been using this product since my daughter was 4 months old and she LOVES it. We haven’t had any issues with spitting up or irritating her stomach. We used it in addition to breastmilk and she was willing to take both!! We really felt strongly about giving our daughter the best in organic products and felt that a company that focuses only on organic would be the best choice for us. So far we have had nothing but success!! She is now also enjoying the rice cereal and solid food!!
Good quality formula,
I did a lot of research prior to purchasing this formula, on auto-ship, for my grandson. It was the only one I found which had, as the first ingredient, organic whey. He has been drinking this formula for five months now, and is doing great. It pays to look closely at ingredients. Your child’s nutrition is NOT something to risk on the “bargain” formula or food. Buy used clothing, but get the best formula you can find.
Excellent product,
We began feeding my daughter formula at 9 mos. due to medical reasons. I did a lot of research prior to finding this product. It has been wonderful. It smells good, she had no aversion to the taste and made the change without incident. It caused no tummy upset. Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program has been cost effective and easy to use. I am so glad we found this product!
Best formula
I was told about this product and I love it. And knowing that my child gets the best for formula out there makes me happy. I like the fact that it does not have corn syrup solids in it like Simalac and all the rest. Its as natural as be for formula. I am so happy that they make organic formula that is not from a Pharmaceutical company.
Earths Best is the BEST !!
Because the Earths Best Formula saved me tons of sleep I rate it a 5 stars !! Our baby was fussy, trouble being regular and sleeping thru
the night.. Our Doctor recomended we change to Earth Best and WOW
it has been great. I feel good feeding Organic. The best part is the
price…This is the Monster size can ! I looked at other web sights
and amazon.com has the best price and so much cheaper than stores.
We saved an extra 15% by getting it auto shipped. I would also highly
recomend the Eaths Best baby food jars on amazon also. We get a couple of the variey packs shipped on subscribe and save.. that has saved me more than one late night trip to the stores
A happy baby and happy wife….mean a very rested and happy Dad !!
Eco-Babe In Progress
I love this book! Most green guides repeat the same information. This one gave me much more than that. What’s even better is that Stephanie Byng breaks it down so that you can figure out what she’s talking about even if you’ve never heard of it. I like the fact that she breaks down the label reading process rather than just giving you a few of the famous carcinogens. I would definitely recommend this book and buy more by this author depending upon subject.
Great read!
This is a phenomenal guide. It’s great for a full read through but is organized well enough to allow it to be a quick reference guide handy to keep out for common use. It’s clear that the author did her research (and a lot of it). It’s written with a spunky fun author’s voice that makes it relatable and memorable. A must-have!
great green guideThis book is a great guide! i picked it up wanting to learn ways i could be more green in my life and it was super informative. The author has tried all suggestions herself so right there you get first person about what works best and why. which i found very helpful. Since ive read it ive picked a lot of these practices and not to sound melodramatic but it has changed my life, especially the femine hygeine section of how to green it, i no longer use tampons/pads im now an avid fan of the diva cup. She covers every subject possible in here that a girl would need.From green clothes, cleaning products, food, and beauty supplies, just about every thing. it gives you resources and listes of this produces to find and use yourself. I have even caught myself going back to it a few times for more info. its definitly worth picking up whether just to green up your life a little or a lot.
Eco Review
A fellow student in my class just published this book in 2008 so I just had to buy it and have her sign it. It come as planned and she loved the idea of me buying her book. Thank you.
((((huggs))))
Love,
Tell Kermit, It IS easy being green!
This book should be in every school, doctor’s office, daycare center and home. Look at American kids today. Sick sick sick. Asthma, ear infections, food allergies, environmental allergies, ADHD, seizures, mental illness, autism, learning disabilities. Our kids are bearing the brunt of our toxic world. Deirdre explains what’s going on and offers solutions in an easy to ready book. In a world where parents are determined to raise the next LeBron or Tiger, enrolling their kids in class after class to get a leg up on the competition and sacrificing left and right to make sure their kids have the best of everything, what good is all of that if the child is not well?
Parents have the power to make their kids lives’ safer. Deirdre helps you to learn how.
This is a perfect baby shower gift, Mother’s day or Father’s day gift, end of year teacher gift. Even a copy for Grandma and Grandpa who may still have a bottle of rat poison next to the lead paint cans in the garage….. It’s never too late to learn!
Comprehensive and Very Well Done
Growing Up Green, by Deirdre Imus, is a well-researched and comprehensive book on how to make your child’s world eco-friendly to keep them healthy.
Imus presents to problem in the introduction: “The World Health Organization estimates that we could prevent more than 80 percent of all chronic illnesses by improving our lifestyles in simple ways, like working to reduce our exposure to environmental pollutants and eating a healthier diet. Eighty percent! So why aren’t we doing more to protect our children?”
In chapter two, Imus addresses the role of the environment in children’s health. Specifically, she writes about the health issues caused by pollution including learning disabilities, headaches, hyperactivity, asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes, autism, pediatric cancer and more.
“Prevention is the best cure,” Imus says.
With prevention is the best cure in mind, the remaining chapters focus on way to keep your kids healthy, beginning with preparation for pregnancy. This chapter includes information on greening your home by replacing toxic chemicals with safe products. She also discusses green building and specific green tips for the nursery.
The following chapter shows the expectant mother how to eat healthy for two.
Next, Imus describes how to develop a healthy eating “palate” for your baby, which includes organic and healthy food.
Imus writes about all green aspects of your child’s life, including safe toys and personal care products. One of my favorite tips was to use apple cider vinegar in the bath, as it boosts mood and is relaxing for children. Add bubbles to the vinegar in the bath and you get amazing and fun foam!
The chapter on pediatrics was excellent and covers vaccinations, antibiotic overload, natural homeopathic cures and more.
Imus even includes a section on getting the schools to go green.
Finally, the book includes a list of basic foods for your kitchen, healthy breakfast recipes and easy recipes, recommended reading and resources.
The book is health insurance for your kids.
By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.
Thorough and Trustworthy
This book is proving itself to be a thorough and trustworthy reference. I’m finding that each time there’s a new and worrisome problem in the news (first it was lead paint on the toys, and now it’s toxic plastic in the baby bottles), I can turn to reassuring, authoritative advice in Raising Baby Green. Check out the box on page 132 for help in choosing safe baby bottles (if you don’t have the book, you can look it up here on Amazon.) There’s a huge amount of information packed into this book, (great index, by the way) and thankfully it’s not preachy, just very helpful!
Excellent
Although I was hoping for more some tips during pregnancy, this is an excellent book for raising your baby green. It has some fantastic tips on everything from painting your room to laundry detergents. Some of these tips are even helpful for you even if you are not expecting a child or work with children.
Fantastic Book!
This book was a gift for a friend who is pregnant with her first child. I heard an interview on NPR’s People’s Pharmacy and expected the book to great. I was thrilled. It was better than I imagined. My friend loved it too and is excited to apply some of the great advice. I recommend this book to anyone who has children or is thinking of starting a family.
The BEST baby book – essential for every parent!!!!!!
This book is incredibly helpful and I am so grateful to finally have a resource like this. With all of the harmful things in our environment today, it is hard to navigate through it all and know you are doing the very best to raise a healthy child. This book helps me feel empowered. I am giving this book at every baby shower I go to. If you only buy or have time to ready one baby book – this is the one!!!!
Wonderful!!!
What a great book!!! So much detailed information, with interesting facts and studies, I could hardly put it down. This book is a must for anyone thinking about having children, or just wanting to improve the quality of their life. You’ll soon realize that there is a lot you can do to make your house and your lifestlye a healthier one.
Very informative book and well worth the read
I think this is a very good to start raising a green baby. I wasn’t the most eco-educated person out there, but I tried to do my part. When my wife and I started to try to have a baby, I wanted to have a healthy baby and started to do more research. What I like about this book is that it has a ton of information and resources and all laid out in a logical manner. The book was very easy to read, although I did not read every single page. I took note of a lot of tips (just bought some castile soap from Trader Joe’s w/ my reusable bag) and websites. I liked the pages on the chemicals you should not purchase. I actually wrote them on back of my printout of the Environmental Defense Fund Seafood Selector guide. I used that chemicals list to check against sunscreen that I was looking to purchase, which I found that most sunscreens have one or more of those chemicals even the ones that say organics. I won’t follow every single advice in the book just because of practicality or cost reasons, but at least I’ll be a more educated parent on raising a greener baby. As with every book, you should use your own common sense when following an author’s advice.
On a side note, there is so much information out there and sometimes conflicting information. It seems to me that one study will contradict another study that was done just a few months ago!! Case in point is Brenda Murray’s review on when to fill-up your car. One study says it doesn’t matter and another says it does matter (take a look at the comments on her review). I live in Phoenix and they actually do say you should fill your car up at night (or early morning) not because of air pollution, but because of how the regulators (I think) on the pumps work. It actually cost less to fill-up when it the temperature is cooler than when it is hot. I wish I could find the Arizona Republic article that talked more to the technical side of why this is the case and why the state is trying to change the regulators.
Lastly, in Brenda Murray’s review, the author (Alan Greene) actually comments on her review. Some people might find this self-serving or being an ego maniac, but I found it very refreshing as he wanted to provide additional insight. I don’t know if many authors would do this, but I found it very refreshing for the author to do this and the tone of his comment was not negative or preachy. In my opinion, he does really seem to care about the subject.
My new favorite baby gift
I love giving books to expectant parents, especially books written by experts who are both reassuring and inspirational — and that’s Dr. Greene to a T. For your next baby shower, you could package this book with some of the products mentioned, or a coupon to come over and help the new parents “greenproof” the house. We can take nesting to a whole new level with this fun and engaging guide!
Great Book, every new parent should own a copy.
I thought this book was an excellent source of information for those wanting to live a more “natural” lifestyle. It contains tons of information on product materials, even to the point of being scary as to what we expose our children/family to on a daily basis. I do think, however, that it should be titled to include the entire family and not just baby since most of the infomation in it is not soley directed at baby care. It would make the book more appealing to a larger audience.
This is the only formula we use!!!
When we started shopping for formulas for our DD to supplement, we reviewed and researched all possible options out there. After a considerable review and research we decided that this is the best one we could find in the market for now.
There are several reasons why we picked this over the others..
- This is organic (so a lot friendly to the baby as well as the environment).
- Pesticide / Chemicals / Hormone Free
- This was very very close to breast milk and our DD did have any problems switching back and forth between breast milk and the formula.
- The bowl movements were regulated and resembled very close how it would look if she were only breast fed.
- Less Gas / Less Iritations
- AMAZON’s amazing price offer (on Subscription).
The best.
This is the only formula my boy would tolerate. I love the fact that it is Organic. Other formulas would give him a lot of gas and therefore sleepless nights for me. This is a savior for sensitive tummies.
Great on sensitive tummies
My son was a very ineffective nurser, and lost too much weight in the beginning, so we ended up having to supplement with formula. At the hospital, they gave us some ready to eat similac, and it was terrible. He threw up almost every time we fed it to him, and the stuff looked and smelled terrible — thick, dark, sticky, and overly sweet. We try to go as organic as possible, so as soon as we found out we had to give our son formula, we searched for a good organic.
This seems to be great. It doesn’t have that overly sweet smell to it that the similac had. In fact, my husband being the curious creature that he is has tasted both, and says that the Earth’s Best is much better. It just looks and smells much more like something that you should give a baby. WE also have very few problems with him spitting up with this formula. He is now strictly a formula baby, and gaining weight above and beyond what his doctor had hoped to see.
I order the formula through Amazon Subscribe and Save. It saves a bunch of money (which is pretty nice at $30 a can!) and it’s automatically shipped to me every month (I get 4 cans a month, but plan on upping that as his appetite increases), and don’t have to worry about running out and having to make those late-night emergency runs to the store. I love Amazon!
We Love this Formula
We love this Formula for a few reasons. One it is pestiside free another it is usda cert organic not all the organic formula’s are. The best reason our son is moving his bowels once a day. All the other formula we tried gave him bad painful gas and spit up and he wouldn’t go to the bathroom but every three or four days. The formula doesn’t make me want to vomit every time I make him a bottle every formula smells awful except this one it’s the closest thing to breast milk for our son.
EARTH’S BEST Formula is the BEST!!!
I have been using this product since my daughter was 4 months old and she LOVES it. We haven’t had any issues with spitting up or irritating her stomach. We used it in addition to breastmilk and she was willing to take both!! We really felt strongly about giving our daughter the best in organic products and felt that a company that focuses only on organic would be the best choice for us. So far we have had nothing but success!! She is now also enjoying the rice cereal and solid food!!
Good quality formula
I did a lot of research prior to purchasing this formula, on auto-ship, for my grandson. It was the only one I found which had, as the first ingredient, organic whey. He has been drinking this formula for five months now, and is doing great. It pays to look closely at ingredients. Your child’s nutrition is NOT something to risk on the “bargain” formula or food. Buy used clothing, but get the best formula you can find.
it does not retail at $41 a can – even at its manufacturer
This is a wonderful formula.
However, it is misleading to list this product at a higher price and appear as if Amazon carries it at a reduced price. It is priced at [..] at Whole Foods, same size. It is also available for online order at Earth’s Best (the manufacturer) on their online store’s website at [..].
The only place you are saving is to order more than one by monthly subscription through Amazon.
Love it!
Our baby has been on this formula and breast milk for a few months now. She doesn’t have much gas from it. It does take some vigorous shaking to totally dissolve the formula. I let it settle a bit prior to giving it to her so that there are less bubbles in the formula which in turn is less air in her belly. I love the larger can, more bang for your buck and am hoping that Amazon puts this on Subscribe and Save soon. I purchased it for 86…it was in the Friday sale section one week. So look there a couple of weeks if you are not in a hurry to get.
4/14/11 It is cheaper to get get the smaller can on subscribe and save rather than this one!
25.75oz can with subscribe & save is 0.772/ounce (4 can pack) at 79.57/case (on subscribe and save)
31.75oz can is 0.858/ounce (4 can pack) at 109/case
The ONLY formula to use!
No one had told me about this product because I am breastfeeding, but when I realized I was going to supplement at night I wanted to find a formula that would work well with breastfeeding. I tried everything on the market and all of them had added sugars and made my baby boy extra gassy and some even gave him a rash. I started reading reviews and found out about Earth’s Best. It is amazing! It smells good, it lessened his gassiness and he absolutely loves the taste. I predominatey breastfeed, but the two bottles he gets a day are always Earth’s Best…you won’t be disapointed. (Too much sugar and carbs in the others).
The best formula on the market
I started to use Similac when my Baby was first born. I couldn’t stand the smell of it and my daughter was getting lots of gas and spit up. I decided to change to Earth’s Best and it was the best choice ever! This formula doesn’t not smell, looks more like breast milk and my Baby doesn’t have any tummy problems or painful gas. It’s truly a wonderful product. It is a little expensive, but it’s definitely worth the higher price.
Best for “spitty” and “gassy” babies!
This formula is the the best formula! I switched to Earth’s Best when the formula I was using had been recalled. Another reason is that my baby was spitting up a lot with the former formula and was extremely gassy but the pediatrician and I thought she was just a “spitty” and “gassy” baby. Her tummy could not tolerate other formulas either so I was very hesitant about trying Earth’s Best at first but I didn’t have many other options. It supposedly has real lactose and is less sweet than some of the other formulas and it has generally good reviews on web sites I researched. Since we switched to this formula a few months ago, my baby doesn’t spit up anymore and she is less gassy. The formula must be a lot easier to digest for sensitive babies. As the company’s name indicates, it really is the best!!! I order this formula repeatedly from Amazon b/c you can’t beat their price anywhere!
Our girl is happy with it.
This formula is all we have used for our nine month old baby since she was born. It mixes well even with the water from our filtered tap. She has grown well and is healthy overall.
Made my daughter gassy and fussy until 8 weeks old!
I love using organic milk, but this made our baby girl very gassy, fussy and she spit it up.
Since switching her to Enfamil Gentlease she has been fine. I wish they’d make a gentler organic milk formula too.
At 8 weeks we have gone back and tried this formula again b/c we had 2 big cans of this left in the cupboard. She has no problems now with this formula at all. So we will now use this from now on since organic milk is important to us.
great!
we exclusively breastfed for 4 months, and then introduced formula. he gets maybe 1 bottle a day of formula, or if i leave him for a few hours he will have it then. it’s great stuff and my son loves it. i tried enfamil and good start first and he hated the way they tasted. they even smelled bad. this one is awesome and he loves it!!
The best formula on the market
it does not retail at $41 a can – even at its manufacturer
This is a wonderful formula.
However, it is misleading to list this product at a higher price and appear as if Amazon carries it at a reduced price. It is priced at [..] at Whole Foods, same size. It is also available for online order at Earth’s Best (the manufacturer) on their online store’s website at [..].
The only place you are saving is to order more than one by monthly subscription through Amazon.
Love it
Our baby has been on this formula and breast milk for a few months now. She doesn’t have much gas from it. It does take some vigorous shaking to totally dissolve the formula. I let it settle a bit prior to giving it to her so that there are less bubbles in the formula which in turn is less air in her belly. I love the larger can, more bang for your buck and am hoping that Amazon puts this on Subscribe and Save soon. I purchased it for 86…it was in the Friday sale section one week. So look there a couple of weeks if you are not in a hurry to get.
Great Product, Great deal, but not in the summer
This has been a great product for our daughter and we will continue to have her use it. Amazons price through subscribe in save is near impossible to beat. There are 2 problems. 1. We live in Tucson and the formula arrives very hot. The product explains that it should never be exposed to extreme temperatures. It gets so hot in the UPS truck that when you pop the lid it sprays out powder. That amount of heat is likely not good for some of the ingredients. 2. Amazons warehouse does a poor job packaging the cans. They put the cans to one edge of the box with bubble plastic on the other end. The cans get dented and Ive read where they have arrived opened. The product itself is fantastic.
The ONLY formula to use
No one had told me about this product because I am breastfeeding, but when I realized I was going to supplement at night I wanted to find a formula that would work well with breastfeeding. I tried everything on the market and all of them had added sugars and made my baby boy extra gassy and some even gave him a rash. I started reading reviews and found out about Earth’s Best. It is amazing! It smells good, it lessened his gassiness and he absolutely loves the taste. I predominatey breastfeed, but the two bottles he gets a day are always Earth’s Best…you won’t be disapointed.
Great formula, mixes well and organic is a plus
I switched from enfamil to this. Baby seems to like this much better. The formula is expensive but i have found the best deal on amazon. They had a price mistake so they were giving it for $27 for 4 cans… which got fixed later. But now they had other deals and with subscribe and save it is about $17.15, best price i have found… specially when it retails for $30 +tax.
Tolerated just as well as breastmilk
Unlike my previous three children, I was unable to BF our fourth child. But when I tried Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula, I knew I was giving my child the best formula I could buy. I was surprised to find that my son tolerates this formula every bit as well as my BF babies….maybe even a little better. No reflux causing spit up. No gas. We tried the leading national brand while on vacation b/c an obscure grocery didn’t have any Earth’s Best. He was so gaseous and uncomfortable all weekend. We couldn’t wait to get back to Earth’s Best. And you can’t find a better deal than amazon.com direct shipping, to boot!!
Great Formula, with great ingredients
All infant formulas have the same ratios of nutrients – that’s mandated by the government. However, the ingredients used to source those nutrients, that’s what’s important. Earth’s Best is organic, and made with wholesome organic ingredients that you would actually want to put into your infant’s body.
My son was breast fed, but I couldn’t make enough to meet his requirements when I went back to work. I tried Infamil once, and he threw it up. Earth’s Best, he actually looked forward to drinking.
Do you know that formula manufacturers used to remove Omega 3′s from formula? Because it decreases shelf life. So be prepared to use the can within a month of opening it.
Also, if your infant is allergic to soy, this product is not soy-free (It has soy oil).
The best formula on the market
I started to use Similac when my Baby was first born. I couldn’t stand the smell of it and my daughter was getting lots of gas and spit up. I decided to change to Earth’s Best and it was the best choice ever! This formula doesn’t not smell, looks more like breast milk and my Baby doesn’t have any tummy problems or painful gas. It’s truly a wonderful product. It is a little expensive, but it’s definitely worth the higher price.
