Your cart is currently empty!
First, read my affiliate disclosure.
As you may have seen in our updated Safe Infant Formula Guide, I recently recommended Lebenswert as the healthiest infant formula on the market (yes, even better than Holle and HiPP!). Unfortunately, it’s become harder and harder for American parents to find European formulas as they are no longer available on Amazon.
Some parents have resorted to buying Holle and HiPP and other European formula on eBay, but many of you feel uneasy purchasing something so important from unverified sellers.
This is why I decided to create a screening process to help me find trustworthy online vendors where my readers could confidently buy European baby formulas.
This post will help you figure out where to buy Holle and HiPP and Lebenswert, as well as other European brands of formula.
Bottom Line on Where to Buy European Formula
I’ve approved and established an affiliate relationship with the following vendors.
Please note that Gimme the Good Stuff is not responsible for the quality of either the formula itself or the experience of ordering from these vendors. I am simply saying that based on my research, if I were buying a European formula for my own child, I would feel comfortable getting it from any of them.
My Vetting Process for European Formula Vendors
I started on the websites of Holle and HiPP, and contacted the retailers they listed to see if any of them would ship to the U.S. The answer was no.
I then looked into a variety of websites that were mentioned on blogs and parenting forums as places moms were buying European formula–some of these had good reviews and others had failed to deliver the formula parents ordered. One mom told me that she drove by the address listed on one of the websites and found a boarded-up building in a bad L.A. neighborhood!
I narrowed my list down to the websites that seemed not sketchy (based on my online research), and scheduled phone calls with the owners of these sites.
Why Most of Them Didn’t Make the Cut
While I cannot say that any of these companies seemed outright dishonest–or that I truly believe anyone is taking empty Holle formula containers and filling them with Similac–I didn’t feel completely reassured by my conversations with most of these vendors.
Perhaps some of this was a language barrier (plus time-zone issues–one guy in Germany was nice enough to speak with me at midnight his time!), but in many cases I just couldn’t seem to get a clear answer on the supply chain.
I really wanted to know exactly where this formula was coming from, and how these vendors were getting it to their customers in the U.S.
Another thing I didn’t like about many of these sites is that they didn’t seem to know anything about why these formulas were superior, and in many cases they would ask that I recommend a bunch of other European products they wanted to sell to U.S. parents–most of which of course were not Good Stuff!
A Note on X-Rays
A lot of you wonder if you should be concerned about formula being x-rayed when it comes through customs (as is the case for any imported food or food ingredient). What I have read suggests that this is not a risk, and this article may be particularly reassuring to those of you who are concerned.
Stay sane,
235 responses to “Where to Buy European Infant Formula”
-
Thanks for sharing your experience. Its very challenging that how to find the safest organic baby formula. Babies are very sensitive at this age and mothers want best organic milk for their babies.
-
I had ordered from Beyond Organic Baby and got the wrong order after waiting a month. Found all the complaints on BBB website and another mother told me about getleche.com. Ordered from them ever since. Great customer service!
-
Has anyone ordered from organics4yourbaby.eu? They have Loulouka in stock but I’m wondering if they are legit before ordering.
-
Hi Jennifer, did you get any response to your question above? I’m also interested in buying Loulouka but not sure where to order from. Any idea where to order from in Europe?
-
-
We love Hipp & Holle formula for our babies. We order them and get a decent discount at formularus. If you stock up, you can get free shipping if you order enough.
-
BEWARE of Formuland selling Non Authorized Formula….I emailed Formuland to ask if they buy their Hipp UK formula from an authorized distributor (knowing there are only 3 distributors with rights. They told me that they buy it from a “smaller wholesaler” which really means not a legit source. Since they will not share their source and they are not buying from an authorized wholesaler, I have every reason to believe their products could be counterfeit. There are several discussions on underground message boards like blackhatworld where shady people are selling bulk formulas to retailers. With the news out of China about fake formula, one should not trust Formuland as a source for their baby.
-
Jim – do you know any way to determine if it’s fake formula? I just ordered from formulaland before reading reviews as Organic Start just stopped selling formula. I’ve tried to cancel with my credit card company … but that seems near impossible. How can i tell if the formula is counterfeit/fake? I could taste it … but i dont know if that would really answer my questions 🙂
-
-
Thank you so much for this post. It’s really helpful!
Holle formula was a life saver! Choosing the correct Organic formula for a baby is big deal for all mothers. Always check all ingredients and reviews of the people while buying a product. -
Do not order from Little World Organics. It has been a hellish experience with no customer service. We still don’t have our baby formula that was ordered 3 weeks ago and now I am scrambling to find an alternative. The customer service takes weeks to respond and they don’t solve issues. LWO is the worst customer experience I have had in a decade. Do not rely on them for your precious baby food.
-
We are having the same experience with Little World Organics. Ordered over a week ago and they still haven’t shipped.
-
-
Recently decided to stop breastfeeding and was so happy to find OrganicBabyShop. We’ve been ordering Holle from them and both shipments came very fast (few days) and it really is one of the best formulas out there, very similar to breastmilk. Super happy with organicbabyshop.com
-
Hi! I’ve struggled so much to find a formula that works well for my preemie baby daughter that doesn’t give her tummy issues and your site let me to Lebenswert. She has only been on a few days but so far so good! I am so relieved. Now I am obviously trying to buy it from the most affordable place since we have spend 30K on medical costs this year. It seems like organicbabyfood.shop has the best pricing. Have you vetted this one?
-
Donot order from beyond organics, they offer no contact or support service, you wont even receive any kind of tracking number for your order nor person to answer on their number. Its big issue and not trustworthy
-
At the risk of sounding stupid, does anyone actually know how to place an order from Little World Organics? I found no apparent method on their website to actually place an order.
-
It looks as if you can no longer place orders on Little World Organics. I have been ordering from moonbeamsorganicformula and love it! They shipped free USPS Priority, and my order was on my doorstep the next day. They had better bulk discounts then I have been seeing on other similar sites.
-
-
Hi Maia.
I would like yo know if My Organic Formula is a good website to purchase from Hipp.
Also, between Little World Organics and Baby Kind, which one you trust the most. I could’t breastfeed due to health issues so my baby is only receiving formula.
Thanks
Ximena-
https://www.buyorganicformula.com/
free shipping and great prices
-
-
Hello. I was happy with beyond organic baby for several month. They made a mistake once but after a week they send me the missing items. But This time I’m trying to contact them email, chat and lot of phone calls with no answer. Their product and shipping are good but their customer service doesn’t exist at all……….
-
I had the same experience. I started buying from a small-time shop called moonbeamsorganicformula.com, and she was great. Responded to every email within a couple of hours, and had my orders shipped same day.
-
-
I have ordered Hipp formula from Beyondorganicbaby and received completely different product .Not sure if I will use it at all .Tried to contact them numerous time without success .Emails, messages, live chat nothing worked .
Their customer service is terrible read some posts from them where they are saying that they are the best ,I am really disappointed that after 10 messages nobody contacted me in 7 days .I do not recommend them at all .-
I do not recommend Beyond Organic Baby either.
-
-
Can some one point me to a source in English where I can get the details of what’s printed on the boxes of Holle and lebenswert formulas (all stages) ? This would be really helpful. I have a tough time reading the contents and use an online translator to look up word after word. Not easy 🙂
-
Didn’t realize it before. I got the packaging info in English from their UK website. Great !!
-
-
I have been buying formula from buyorganicformula.com they sell lebenswert for $26 if in bulk or $28.95 for 1 box, free shipping. I have dealt with them for the past 2 month and its been great. Always fresh formula and comes on time.
-
Hi Heather, I’d also like to recommend Udderly Organics for their incredible customer service, lightning fast shipping, and always fair pricing.
udderlyorganics.com — $31 (Includes 1-3 Priority Mail Shipping)
-
I forgot to mention that udderlyorganics.com also offers bulk discounts, frequent sales/ promotions, as well as a points system good for discounts off future orders.
-
Thank you Cameron, but I’m sticking with Organicbaby15 for the $25 and save $6
-
-
-
Advising all mothers and fathers
1.Organicbaby15—$25
2.Organic munchkin-$30
3. Formuland—– $39
4. Beyond organic bby-$30
5. Little world organic—-$35
List can going on but you already see the point.
Plus with Organicbaby15 price can drop to $20 if you buy in bulks.-
Those are prices for lebenswert ( plus shipping)
-
-
I am interested in knowing if you’ve recently re-evaluated this list (as I see that Mariposa Kids said they did not in the past ship here but have since begun to do so again with the number of requests they’ve received – with an added disclaimer). The disclaimer is to explain why maybe 1 person in 97 in a month, or so, might not receive their shipment simply due to customs, or might have to pay a customs fee.. but otherwise, they sell at a much lower price and make it more possible for parents like us to afford to feed our kids better formulas… They did mention having an issue with one purchaser who chose to still not assume the customs fee their order incurred upon entry and said that it might cause them to stop shipments to the US again. I can understand that their inability to keep everyone happy (about customs issues that are outside their control) might have an impact on their desires/ability to keep shipments to us here in the US possible. If you do order from them, please don’t fail to keep this in mind, as you’re affecting the ability of other mother’s to find these formulas at the lowest prices. You need to understand that especially with larger shipments your order might get stopped altogether and/or it might also be docked an import fee and you need to happily assume this fee if it happens to you or purchase from another vendor (like the ones suggested here). I will try an order there today and see if I have any issues, but please let me know if there is any known reason why you might not suggest using this site in the future that you know about, if possible! Thank you!
-
I have ordered from 3C’s Organics many times for our babies. They are a family owned business in South Carolina and are spot on with their customer service. This is their website: http://3csorganic.com/ They have a great selection of Holle, HiPP, Lebenswert, and Topfer formulas, cereals, porridges, and other snacks for the whole family. They have been adding many new products to their website lately as well, which is even better for my family. Excellent customer service and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND them to anybody looking to get this excellent organic baby formula. The owner, Carl, is a blessing and such a help anytime we are in need. I believe that they can ship internationally as well. Within the United States, they also offer FREE USPS shipping. That is such a help to our family as well. They also offer discounts throughout the year and even promotions on Facebook. Their customer referral and buyers reward program beat just about anybody out there. Such a great company. I won’t ever change. I can trust they will get me the formula my babies need in a very quick way and with the best customer service out there.
-
Oh sorry me again!
One last thing, I live in Canada, so those 2 main companies that our recommended on here seem great except they do not ship to Canada ?
Anyone have a suggestion for Canada?
Has anyone heard of Happytots?
Thanks again!
Alexandra-
Dear Alexandra,
my husband ordered Holle formula for our little one from https://www.neogno.com/
We are very HAPPY with their service. and had all our products delivered to Canada within 13 days. (We live in Toronto) We chose to pay the extra charge for DHL premium method as I was running out of formula and Happytots had no Holle in stock.
The formula was cheaper than buying canadian brandg. (Including the pricey shipping.) Order 2 weeks in advance just to be sure that the formula arrives in time.
I also asked them through FB for a discount code which they kindly provided me with
Lydia.-
Just thought I’d share this bit of information regarding neogno. I’ve ordered from neogno a few times but the last time I had the worst experience. 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. Their supply chain seems questionable at best and I would not recommend using them. Again, just wanted to share my experience in hopes of helping others.
-
Dear Miranda,
this review is a fake. We have no posts regarding a non-delivered parcel from the day of your posting and at least 6 months back. I have checked all the facebook messages and posts manually and could not find any unanswered messages and or deleted posts. The best part is that we had never a customer with your first name, luckily for this case. I would like to advise you to concentrate more on your website and how you can offer a better support instead of posting fake reviews about other shops and trying to get customers scared. If that doesn´t help, you could start by dropping your prices first, ensuring that your customers won´t feel being ripped off when buying from you. Just stop scamming and writing about imaginary orders you have placed.
http://www.neogno.com is providing the best organic products at very low prices and do our best to ensure that there is always enough supply and freshly delivered products in our warehouse. We always find a solution for the moms and dads that trust in us, and so far we´ve received a ton of positive feedback. Unlike other shops selling organic formula we do not create fake reviews and therefore we have only original parents feedback about the products we have listed in our website. We do our best to ensure fast packing (in less than 24 hours) and fast shipping to USA, Canada, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil and many more countries all over the world. We always try to answer to all our customer’s request ASAP and we also answer to emails from nonclients that ordered the formula somewhere else and are just seeking for advice and or instructions. And the best of all is that we do offer discounts and support parents with economic struggling because we know how important a baby’s health is.
I wish you all the best and lots of luck. The neogno support team.
P.S: By chance of taking the time to answer this posting we have created a special offer. For all https://gimmethegoodstuff.org readers.
LEBENSWERT formula stage 1, 2 and 3 for only 13,99. Fast Shipping method(DHL premium) for 10 boxes is only 6 $ each box for most of the countries.
https://www.neogno.com/product-category/lebenswert/
Offer is only available until 29.06.2017
-
-
-
-
Hello
I too, like many other posters, have ordering Holle from BeyondOrganicBaby.
I am starting to really doubt my decision, since I can’t get in touch with them, actually seems like nobody is actually there.
I did though get a confirmation of a shipment that was sent out to me from them and it says its coming from Richmond Hill , GA, which is yet again a different location than the others people on this blog have posted…. so reallyyyy makes me wonder why the location of dispatcher keeps changing…
I probably sound paranoid like many of you hahah but It is scary to think we might be feeding our babies some “fake” formula that we do not know the content of.
Well all this said , does anyone have any tips to recognizing the real Holle merchandise? ( I heard you have had a discussion on this topic on facebook but I do not have facebook )
Or any more news on BeyondOrganicBaby?
Thanks !
Alexandra-
Dear Alexandra I will be happy to answer your questions. First of all our apologies for the difficulties on reaching us, our customer service was closed for a few days ahead of the holidays as we decided to be open during this time instead to help our clients better for emergency needs etc… As you may know we are once of the largest and oldest retailer of european formula. We have only but the best provenance available and have build our business on this since the beginning.
As to the shipping location concern’s : we are not liable as to what strangers may post, if they confuse us with another website and such, certainly we have never changed our shipping location since the beginning and as mentioned in other places, our company is based in GA where our shipping location is, and we may also ship from our other warehouse in europe where all the formula is stocked before being dispatch, because as you may know, none of the brands retailed here are made in the Usa thus all have to be imported from europe. Furthermore to be able to physically visit our distributors in europe is something that allows us to guarantee total authenticity unlike some other vendors. As you mentioned so far all has gone well with your order as you have received shipment confirmation and tracking as well. We have created an emergency email address for questions that cannot wait that can be found on our website which I recommend you may use to get the answers you need. Thank you again for trusting us and we wish your family happy holidays!
-
-
Extremely happy with http://www.organicbabyfood24.com 😀
Fantastic service, free shipping, products arrived in great condition and are 100% authentic! I ordered a couple boxes from a US based supplier first to make sure baby liked it. I then ordered from there and even with shipping costs saved compared to the US supplier. 1 box makes more ounces than 1 can of the Similiac I was using. I ordered the 15 box bundle and it comes out to $0.12 per ounce (with shipping) and I was paying $0.20 per ounce for Similiac.
So glad I made the switch, only wish I had done it sooner.
-
Natural Baby Organics also carries Holle and Lebenswert formulas at drastically lower prices than the two recommended stores and they offer free shipping. http://www.naturalbabyorganics.com/
-
What are the differences between the versions of HIPP HA? I see there’s a UK version, a German version, and I even found a US site… How many are there? Pros and cons? Help!
-
Thanks so much for the info! Just placed my first order with Little World Organics!
-
I am really satisfied with Holle and so happy to have found this site: https://www.maluma-green.com/
Its cheap and they have a fantastic customer service. I received my order in about 3 weeks after ordering from Germany, clearing customs in the States takes the most time I think. I feel better giving my little girl organic, all natural formula instead of the commercial brands found in the USA-
Thanks for the comment Roberta! And what’s actually great about maluma green is that it looks like they ship to Canada (whereas Organic Munchkin doesn’t and My Organic Formula might charge a fee). Thanks so much for sharing!
-
-
I have purchased Hipp 1 Formula successfully from three sources: Organic Baby Food 24 (https://www.organicbabyfood24.de/https://www.organicbabyfood24.de/), Little World Organics (https://littleworldorganics.com/) and Organic Munchkin (https://organicmunchkin.com/). Their prices are generally similar when you include shipping. Obviously, shipping is more expensive from Germany (Organic Baby Food 24), but the product is cheaper when bought straight from the source, so the cost per package is around 35-40 dollars for all three sources. All packages arrived in pristine packaging and my son fed on them happily.
-
Hi Maia,
Have you ever heard of the FDA seizing Holle or Hipp formulas when they are being shipped?-
No, I am not aware of this happening.
-
-
I just bought Holle Follow-on formula for our 7 month old son from Babykindmarket.com. They shipped really fast, and the product came in a sealed, German-language box. I’ll definitely order from them again.
-
Has anybody tired the site myorganicformula? I wanted to know if they are legit.
-
Hi Claudia,
We’ve tried little world organic and organic munchkin and they’re both legit, but we are staying with organicbaby15.
-
-
Hi Maia! Do you happen to know what the casein to whey ratio is in Holle or Lebenswert stage 2?
thanks!
Lisa Wong -
The best customer service, and lowest price in the US with free fast shipping.
Organicbaby15.com is an amazing place to shop for my little once -
Hi all
I also have about 10 boxes of holle stage 2 that I need to get rid off. I over ordered and now that my son is turning one at end of the month , I have to start using real cows milk. We can work out shipping fees and can sell it for $20 a box. If interested please email me at mip97002@yahoo.com
Thanks
Mayra -
From a happy dad! Great article, I made the switch and am very happy with the formula! We started using it at 3 weeks, and have been using it now for about a month. Switched from Similar Organic and his stool went from brown back to yellow like when he was breastfed only. We do about 50/50 breastfed/formula. Mixes a lot easier, no bubbles or film in the bottle like there was with Similac. Baby spits up less and now poops more regularly. The pediatrician thought he was solely breastfed based on looking at his stool!
-
Hello,
Thank you for this article. I’ve been able to purchase HIPP from both of your recommended vendors, however, both now seem to be out of the UK version of HIPP. It’s unclear when they will be able to get additional inventory thus in the meantime, I am curious if you have reviewed or looked into the following vendor:
https://www.britishonlinesupermarket.com/
In the meantime, I’ve been told that the German version is the closest to the UK version and thus I’ve ordered some of the German version from your recommended vendors.
Sincerely, In search of HIPP UK for my son ; ) -
Hi there,
I am in desperate need of some advice! I made a huge order of Holle Stage 2 formula and I think I by mistake ordered the goat’s milk stage 2. Is it bad if I switch my baby over to the goats milk if she has been drinking the cow’s formula? I can send it back, but it will take forever to get more formula and cost a ton to send.
Thanks so much for you advice!
Melanie-
Hi Melanie-So sorry, but this is a question for your pediatrician. We can’t answer questions about the specific nutritional needs of individual babies. Best of luck, and keep us posted!
-
-
Get the lowest price and free shipping on all orders nationwide. You can save more on bulk orders on top of our already reduced prices. Organicbaby15.com
-
We began importing Holle and Lebenswert several months ago, initially in smaller quantities and selling on eBay (485 feedback, 100% positive) . We realized that not everyone was comfortable purchasing something as important as formula on eBay so we recently started our website: http://www.milkywayorganics.com
We have what I believe to be some of the lowest prices of any reputable seller, have a 100% legitimate supply chain, and our products are never irradiated. We are still in infancy stages as a business, and rather than spreading ourselves too thin, we just offer the basics (Holle and Lebenswert formulas)
so we can keep a large, consistent supply. More will be coming in the future, but for now please check out our site for Holle and Lebenswert at very reasonable prices, with great customer service 🙂For 5 dollars off, use code HELLO at checkout
Additionally, we recently took on several hundred boxes of HIPP Feine Hirse Cereal from our vendor that must be sold by 8/31/16 that we will be having a huge sale on (50% off) so please sign up to our mailing list for updates, coupons and specials like this
Regards,
Chris -
For others are wondering if Beyond Organics Baby is a legit supplier of Holle formula, I suggest you check out the recent comments on their Facebook page. I was trying to research them and came across their page with recent negative comments (one was written today)… it appears no one can get a hold of their customer service team and many are receiving incorrect orders (if at all). So I’m obviously not going to order from them, but wanted to share my findings because I had to do some digging before coming to this conclusion.
-
Hi Karen,
I also sell Holle Organic formulas on my site http://www.naturalbabyorganics.com Although I do not have a customer service phone number, as I am a small home-business, I do have a contact email (naturalbabyorganics@gmail.com), Instagram (naturalbabyorganics), and Facebook page and reply within a few hours at most. I also have the lowest prices and offer free priority shipping on all U.S orders. If you have any questions please feel free to message me.
-Celina -
I recently ordered four boxes of Hipp Stage 2 formula from Beyond Organic Baby.com and 2 our of the 4 containers were dented and in round canisters with french labelling but when I went on their website it said Savannah which confused me. They also surprised me with paying Dhl fees at the door when I was told it was free shipping. I have made several attempts to contact them by voicemail, email and messages on their website with negative results which leaves me concerned if they are even legit. Any suggestions?
-
I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can be much help here. I have also had a very hard time consistently being able to reach BOB (although I have no reason to suspect they are selling inauthentic formula).
-
-
-
Did your research include 3C’s Organics? I am wondering if they are a reputable company to purchase Holle from.
-
Hi Angela,
I also sell Holle formulas on my site http://www.naturalbabyorganics.com I am a SAHM of 2 small children and run the small business out of my home. Please feel free to check out my site, Instagram page (naturalbabyorganics), Facebook page, or message me at naturalbabyorganics@gmail.com. I promise you that I am a legit company to order from and have the lowest box prices and free priority shipping.
-Celina
-
-
> hi,
> first and foremost thank you for doing all this research. having a baby is overwhelming enough let alone vetting out all these products out on the market.
> I am a first time mom and find myself buried in questions and was wondering if you can help me. my daughter was born 6 weeks early (premie) and is very colic. she just turned 5 months old and she is still colic and very fussy (primarily due to gas and early stages of teething). she is solely on formula right now (similiac sensitive). though it has helped her gain weight (she is 15 pounds now) I worry about all the ingredients. I am seriously considering switching over to Lebenswert. However, I noticed that Lebenswert, HIPP, and Holle have only half the nutrients that Similiac and Enfamil contain. Should I be worried about that? Should I give my daughter additional iron and vitamin supplements if I decide to switch to Lebenswert? is that something you would recommend? I value you opinion and hope to hear back from you soon.-
For this question, I will have to defer to your pediatrician. I personally wouldn’t worry about this for my own children and think that the European brands are superior to the American ones you mentioned, but I am not a doctor and am not qualified to advise on the specific nutritional needs of your child. A good pediatrician should be able to take a look at the info and provide advice!
-
-
Quick question…was 3c’s Organics one of the sites you vetted, by any chance? I’ve been ordering from them and have been questioning their legitimacy. If not, do you have any pointers on the best way to vet? Thank you!
-
No, I don’t know of that site. In terms of vetting, I scheduled phone calls where I asked a bunch of questions about where they get the formula, and then also asked for proofs of purchase–receipts, pictures of the boxes they had shipped, etc. There are undoubtedly other legit vendors out there, but sorting through them all is difficult.
-
-
Hi Maia,
Thank you for everything you’ve done. Thank god we found you, now our baby can get a healthy formula. Also we searched and found organicbaby15.com and they have the lowest prices of organic baby formulas in the USA with free fast shipping and great service. Hope you recommend them instead of the other overcharging companies.
Thank You
E -
Hello, I recently purchased lebenswert bio stage 1 from organic munchkin. Before it even got here I emailed them to cancel my oder, so right after that I received an email saying your item has been shipped. I emailed them again asking if I can ship it back to them but they’ve just been giving me the run around. I have 4 boxes I just received now. The reason I don’t want to use them is because I’m worried why it isn’t approved by the fda? Or sold in the USA. I’ve been trying to look around for a organic formula. I haven’t found a good one yet. I saw that in baby’s only there were levels of arsenic found inside. What do you recommend I should go with? My daughter is 3 weeks. My wife tried breastfeeding but that just failed. We are first time parents.
-
If you are concerned about buying European formulas (which it’s true, do not meet FDA approval), I would recommend Plum Organics formula, Baby’s Only with Whey, or Sammy’s Milk (goat formula). You could ask your pediatrician to weigh in on which is best for your baby’s specific needs.
-
-
HI, I myself only gave my daughter Hipp and Holle brand formula. I was living over in Europe for the last 8 months and just returned to Canada. With me I brought boxes of Stage 1 Hipp. I over calculated how many boxes I needed so In the end I have 13 boxes if anyone is looking.
-
Los Angeles MOMS. Need good deal on Holle, Lebenswert and Hipp?
Here is what I have found out.My 9 months old baby girl Emma seems to only digest Holle.
therefore we have tried all kind of online stores within the US and even directly from Europe.
while shipping directly from UK (we ordered 3 times and once it was taken by US customs) did not end up to be much cheaper while took around 5 days to get delivered only 2 times out of 3. there is this new online store which looks simple and slick called My Organic Formula http//:www.myorganicformula.com. We are living in Los Angeles so since I found out they are located almost around the corner – i called and asked if I can pick it up to maybe get a better price…Guess what, they agreed on 24 USD/ pack when I would buy at least 5 and when I told them to buy even 10 stage 3 boxes a very nice german lady with sweet accent, delivered it within 3 hours directly to my home.
-
Hi all, I have some boxes of Holle that I no longer need for my son. I will do a price break if you want more. I’m asking 20$ a box and you can email me at msmasters@yahoo.com I’m in the US but willing to ship anywhere, can work out shipping fees. Thanks 🙂
-
We ordered from http://www.naturalbabyorganics.com, they had the lowest prices that we found on Holle Stage 1 $24/box and had fast free shipping. They’re definitely worth checking out. 🙂
-
Hi Katie,
I found it for a cheaper price on organicbaby15.com
Holle stage 1 for $22 or $19 a box if you buy 6 boxes. Free 2-3 fast priority shipping. They also have very low prices compared to other US sellers.
-
-
Limited time only.
Buy 15 or more boxes of Lebenswert and price can get as low as $20 a box. With free 2-3 day shipping nationwide.
Reg price $25 with free shipping -
My daughter was breast fed unitl about the 9 month mark. After my freezer stash depleted I was just not able to pump enough to leave with her while I was at work( i tried everything down to ordering a new pump). After reading your review I decided to go with Holle. We had no issues with making the switch. I have been purchasing from Organic Munchkin and I can’t express how pleased I am with both the product and the purveyor. My daughter is 11 months old and we use the Holle Stage 3 now. I have had a few questions and the folks at Organic Munchkin respond rapidly. Sometimes items are only available for pre-order so i started buying several boxes at a time. I view this as a positive that the demand for Holle here in the states is increasing. When the Holle stage 3 wasn’t available we tried the Lebenswert. Orders always arrive quickly and it has been convenient to get this quality product.
-
As a businessman myself who deals in wholesale goods.I did some research myself. There is some suppliers on aliabba who offer Holle, but not the Lebenswert that i could see. As a soon to be dad, i wanted to have a little bit on hand in case the whole breastfeeding thing doesn’t happen or is impossible for whatever reason with my SO. So of course i checked eBay, like everyone knows.Ebay is full of fake goods etc. I noticed that a lot of sellers on there are offering a product that expires 2/17 . Which is interesting because organicmunchkins newest batches are also dated that same time. Most fake products are copied over and over, Meaning same serial #, same date etc.. I don’t believe most of these on eBay are fake. And if you can save $10 from another website… on a formula that costs less than $10usd in a european store.I think you should do it. There is a lot of sellers on there with sorts of quantities, i see from germany you can get them about about $17 each with free shipping. I will probably try a few from each website, and make sure none of the batch # times match.That’s a red flag. That being said, years and years ago they had some fake formula thing going on in china and many were arrested and children died, i don’t think these products could be counterfeit,,
-
We had to order from ebay at first and then we got a tip from a friend about Holle that comes directly from Germany. Unfortunately we started ordering the Holle formula stage 3 since our little one was already 10 months old. The website is neogno.com and their support is great. We have ordered 3 times in total and everything was well packed including some free gifts and coupons in the parcel. The prices are really good compared to the overpriced US vendors.
Chen NY
-
-
Does anyone know if biologisch24 is legit?
-
Hi Kelly,
I almost ordered from that site, but thought the site looked a little sketch and didn’t personally feel comfortable ordering from a company outside of the U.S. in case there was ever a problem. My friend told me about her cousin who sells Holle and so I ended up just buying from her. You can order online from her website http://www.naturalbabyorganics.com -
Updated Date: 06-sep-2015
Creation Date: 05-sep-2006
Expiration Date: 05-sep-2016website information from whois lookup.. they’ve been around awhile.
Placed an order for 28pcs at $11.54 each after tax + shipping.We’ll see what happens.
-
-
Maia,
Thanks for taking out the time to vet European Formula vendors and informing curious parents. Per your recommendation, I ordered Lebenswert 1 from LWO and liked Lacey’s services. I also ordered from Organic Munchkin and Peter too offered great service. However, the downside is, both LWO and Organic Munchkin are usually out of stock of Lebenswert 1. I did my research and before ordering from German online stores, I tried ordering from Udderly Organics. And I am glad I did. Udderly delivered within 2 days and the quality was genuine. And the best part is, their prices are very reasonable and I did not pay additional taxes and shipping fee. Louise at Udderly was helpful and answered my questions about baby cereals. I plan to order Lebenswert 1 from Udderly Organics and highly recommend them.
Isha
-
Another great recommendation is https://www.neogno.com
I ordered the bigpackage with 22 boxes Hollle goat milk stage 1. Quick delivery directly to Canada(13 days) and very satisfied with Holle. Our lo is doing great since switching from enfamil infant baby formula.Lydia
-
-
Very helpful info, plus doing other research, I decided to go for Hipp for my Niece’s lovely twins. But it seems not that easy to order from LWO in a timely manner.
-
Thank you Organic Munchkin for going out of your way to help me out! My daughter is 6 months old and we are currently visiting NYC for the holidays. I unexpectedly ran out of Holle and tried using another organic brand from Whole Foods but my daughter had a reaction to it. I sent a SOS request to Peter and he was highly responsive and flexible to ensure my daughter got her supply of Holle in less than 24 hours! I have a happy girl again 🙂 I am very grateful. Highly recommend them.
-
I would like to order from Britishonlinesupermarket.com but I am a little unsure of the validity of the site. Has anyone used this site to buy Hipp Combiotic baby formula? I saw one comment on here stating that they did. http://www.britishonlinesupermarket.com/index.html
That is the website above. It seems legit but again, I do not want to take any chances on feeding my daughter fake formula. I just need help with trying to locate Hipp Combiotic NOT Hipp Bio at a reasonable price. I have been asking around my job and friend and family if they have friends or relatives traveling out of the country. I am also curious if this formula is sold in Canada. Because if it is I will just drive up there myself and get it, but I would need to know the price of course. Can someone please help me I am a desperate mother trying to get this formula for my baby. I could not breastfeed her and feel like less of a mother. It really hurts me that I can’t do it and this formula is the only formula that has made her feel better. Before she was on the honest company and I would feed it to her and she would scream within ten minutes of eating it. She became very constipated as well. I will stop at nothing to get this for my daughter even it it means flying over there to get it. So if someone could please help me that would be much appreciated. I am just trying to find it for 22-25 dollars a box and not 40. I can’t afford it. -
Hi Maia,
Do you know why HIPP formula isn’t sold on Amazon anymore? I’m curious as to what their reasoning was.
-
Hi Brendan-
My guess is because it doesn’t meet FDA approval.-
How do you know the HIPP doesn’t meet FDA approval? Does that mean the selling or purchasing it in the US is illegal?
-
My understanding is that it is not illegal to buy or sell this formula, but that the manufacturer has not attempted to be approved by the FDA (yet–I’m sure eventually they will considering the demand).
-
Why did you delete my comment about my call to the FDA? I called, asked about the legality of buying/selling HIPP or Holle in the US and they said it was illegal to buy/sell non-FDA approved baby formulas.
-
-
No comment was deleted, Brendan. Your question about the legality appears above mine. As I said before, my understanding was that it wasn’t illegal to buy or sell non-FDA approved formula, but I am not a lawyer so I would definitely talk to one if you are concerned! You could also choose to buy Honest formula or Baby’s Only. Although Baby’s Only is also not approved for infants (only children over the age of 1).
-
I posted a separate comment about calling the FDA days ago with this question [whether it was legal to bu/sell non-FDA approved baby formula]. The FDA stated that it is illegal to buy/sell non-FDA approved baby formula. This is the comment that was deleted.
-
We don’t delete comments unless they are offensive, and always welcome all other discourse within blog comments and on our Facebook page! Thanks for sharing–my advice remains the same, which is for parents to check with their pediatricians and/or lawyers if they are concerned about the ingredients or source of the formula they feed their babies!
-
-
-
-
-
Beyond Baby Organic is great! I have had multiple encounters with them! i have nothing but great things to say. They have been extremely helpful and generous. Their customer service is excellent. Their live chat support is real people and parents. Anytime I had a question concerning shipping, discounts, or product information they were right there to help. I had an incident where my doctor thought my son had a milk allergy due to a vomiting and choking episode that scared us to death. But I had already placed and paid for a preorder of 5 boxes Lebenswert Stage 1 which is cows milk based. So I explained to them my situation and that I needed to cancel my order and instead needed a 1 box of Holle goats milk formula. With no hesitation they refunded the difference in price of the orders, gave me a discount on the box of goats milk just because we had trouble and shipped the goats milk that day so it could be here asap! I personally recommend them to anyone that asks! Their price is also less than Little World Organics. And they offer discounts on multiple box orders! So again, nothing but great things to say. Definitely a legitimate site and I am in no way compensated by them for this review as I know some parents, including me, worry about companies reviewing for themselves. Just one health conscious, concerned mom to another!
-
Hi! I ordered some HIPP Stage 1 from Beyond Organic Baby and the HIPP that I received came in large round containers rather than the square boxes that I’ve seen on other websites. Does that seem ok? Not really sure why it came in these containers. Thanks so much for any help!!
-
Hi Dawn-
If you check our FB page there was a discussing about this exact issue two days ago. Thanks!-
Hi Maia,
Thank you! I read the posts on FB and somehow feel both reassured and nervous at the same time. It seems like the company had a good response but now I’m nervous about the potential of fake formula. (It doesn’t help that my baby seems to have been a lot hungrier since starting the HIPP yesterday!) I bought several containers from them and just don’t know if I should continue to use the HIPP or if I should just switch to a U.S. brand from a store now. I really don’t want to switch but the anxiety about the possibility of fake formula is almost overwhelming. Do you know of anyone who has purchased HIPP (or another brand) from Beyond Organic Baby and had success with it? Thanks again for your help!!
-
Dear Dawn,
I hope it is ok for me to step in and leave a quick note regarding your concerns. We have further explained and also gave additional details on the Hipp can which hope you will be able to review soon. You can rest assured of all our products and quality, offering the best for babies have and will always be our top priority, even if along the way have to introduce new and different packaging 🙂 Because at the end….bringing the best to babies is what is most important, we all feel very blessed to do so daily and be one of the most transparent and reachable company out there.
Thank you Maia as well for giving us the chance to respond to this comment! Your team as been so great to work with.-
Hi, thank you for responding to my concern! I feel much more comfortable now after reading your responses. It does seem that everything is fine and legit. Hearing that a formula could be fake from China is so anxiety-provoking! I received my order very promptly and your company has been very good to order from so far. The only other issue I’ve had is that my canisters arrived dented. Not sure if that can be helped but wanted to let you know about it. (I had emailed Beyond Organic through your website several days ago about this issue but I haven’t received a response.)
Thanks again!
-
I’m very happy we were able to help clarify those important points and thank you for taking the time to follow on 🙂
I will make sure the canister dents request is handled immediately for you. We had some issues with our new email service this week and will make sure your message is handled right away! Whatever it will take to make your experience the best. Thanks again.
-
-
-
-
-
Hi Maia,
I came across your blog researching for supplemental or weaning off formula. My son is 13 months and is breast fed although we did supplement the first week of his life until my milk came in… I think my supply is dwindling as he seems to be waking up more frequently at night to “nurse.” I wanted to offer formula since I do not want to give him full cows milk yet… What would you recommend? Any input is appreciated! Thanks-
Hi Jasmin-
If it were my baby, I would try Lebenswert Stage 1, and I would feel most comfortable buying it from Little World Organics.
-
-
THello,
Was wondering if you came across barebottom organics in your research. They seem legit (very responsive, no defective cartons), but wanted to get your take, if you have one.
Thanks!
-
I haven’t done a vetting of them, but certainly don’t know anything bad about them!:)
-
-
Hi Maia,
I see that you mention your official review of the new Baby’s Only Whey Protein formula. I’ve been breastfeeding my daughter for over eight months and am going to have to start supplementing with formula. I’ve been unable to get formula from LWO so am considering Baby’s Only as what looks to be our best American option.
Were you able to research any of the ingredients and how the Whey Protein version might be different than the Dairy version? Thanks for such a great site and information.
– Sarah
-
Hi there!
I do indeed like the Whey formula better than the dairy–mostly because it doesn’t contain brown rice syrup!
-
-
Hi Maia
Thanks so much for this great post. Do you have any thoughts on Holle cow milk based formula vs their goat milk based formula?
-Ghazal
-
Hi –
I recently ordered from Beyond Organic Baby. Have you received their proof of purchases? LWO is wonderful but I can only order a limited amount of Holle at a time. We would like to order 8-10 boxes and BOB ships in bulk.
Thank you!!
Erin-
Hi Erin,
I just ordered from Beyond Organic Baby as well and wanted to see what your experience has been like? The first time I ordered from Tora Foods and it came in a small box in English with two small envelopes of formula. I just received my two huge containers from Beyond Organic Baby and they are in German in round containers (very different from my first order from Tora so now I’m concerned) I would love your input or Maia’s.
Best,
Mykelle-
Hi Mykelle,
I just received our order of Holle Stage 1 and the boxes are in German. The order I had prior from LWO was the exact same box just in English. I bought from Beyond Organic Baby based on Maia’s recommendation. I tried to do some research and didn’t find anything. The website was great and our formula shipped quickly. I feel good about it but would love more feedback from people.
Erin
-
I did and love them. Thanks for the recommendation!
-
-
I’m a seller based in NYC and the merchandise I sell are Holle and Lebenswert and they both come in German.
-
-
-
Hello I was wondering if anyone ever ordered Holle formula from Organic Munchkin? They are located in the USA.
My daughter was born on October 27th and we need to supplement on top of breast milk and from what I’ve read holle is one of the best.
I ordered a few boxes really.hope it’s the real stuff.
Thanks
Chris -
Thank you for all the great info on your site! I wasn’t able to breastfeed completely like I wanted to, and we ended up having to supplement from the get-go. Eventually we switched completely to formula. I made the decision that if I was going to feed formula, it would be the best formula i could get. It’s been a bit of a rough road as our finances are very tight. It took me a long time to find a decent website without the outrageous shipping costs or over priced products. My last 2 orders have been from http://www.biologisch24.com/ I don’t know if you’ve reviewed them or not. So far I have no complaints, except maybe the fact that it takes a few weeks to receive an order, but that’s to be expected.
The dilemma I have now, though, is that by the time I was able to afford another large order from them, we are low on our existing stock. I’m down to 1 box, so I need a couple quick to hold us over until my order comes. It’s been really hard to find any that I can justify the cost of! $20+ a box just seems so unreal! I don’t know if I have any other choice, though, unless someone can recommend a good seller in the states that ships fast and sells it cheap. With all the looking I’ve done, Im thinking such a thing doesn’t exist. 🙁
Perhaps one day these amazing formulas will be more readily available in the states.
-
If it’s the lebenswert you want then I offer you the lowest price and free shipping
-
Hi, I have 8 boxes of Lebenswert bio 1 and 10 boxes of stage 2. I also got them from biologish24 and I don’t need them anymore. I wonder if someone had seen the same reaction as my baby:
I started feeding her with Holle 1 on October 5th in combination with Nordics baby dha, she got low grade fever that day.
She also got low grade fevers that came and went for two weeks after feeding her with it. I switched her to Labenswert bio 1 in combination with Nordics baby dha on October 21st and she got low grade fever one more time and after two days of feeding her with it she started loosing hair. I quit Holle and baby’s dha on October 25th and switched her to another commercial formula and she is totally fine. No hair loss, no fever that comes and goes.
I’m thinking on returning the formula to Germany, since they gave that option (biologish24.com), they told me that they haven’t had that problem before and if I couldn’t find someone who wants the formula, they can refund the formula payment but not the shipping.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!
-
-
Amir Simkhai says
Tuesday, October 20th, 2015 4:49 PM at 4:49 pmHey, I hope you dont mind but I really have this strong urge to recommend a British website that i used to order 15 NEW boxes of Hipp and 12 Ready to feed.
British Online Supermarket – http://www.britishonlinesupermarket.com/
It was Quick, with no NO Daily Quotas and no NO Membership Fees. No nonsense in short.
The best part is that it is literally half the price of the American website that are selling it. Some of these American website give you a feeling that they are doing you a favor that they are selling it to you. I didnt like that and I am so happy I found this site.
Apparently you make an order and then the folks in the UK go out and shop for the items.
I made the order on Oct 13 , on Oct 16 I got a confirmation email that the order was shipped and today (the 20th) I got all the sealed boxes. 7 Days.
They said it will take about 2-3 weeks.
Below is the order i made so you can compare the costs: (works out to about $22-$23 per 800 g box!!)
DESCRIPTION QUANTITY PRICE COST
Hipp Organic Infant Milk 800g 15 £10.49 £157.35
No. Shipped 15
Hipp Organic First Infant – 12 £1.19 £14.28
Milk 200ml
No. Shipped 12
Subtotal: £171.63
Shipping & Handling: £77.99
Total: £249.62I swear i have no affiliation to the website, just one very very happy customer! My name is Amir Simkhai, you can check me on Facebook.
-
I had a breast reduction in 1995, nursed my now 5yo daughter with a supplemental feeding system and got maybe 30% breast milk on a good day. For baby boy due in December, we’re looking at different formulas than the first time. We used US organic brands, mostly Earth’s Best.
We’ve read great things about Holle and Hipp, but my husband and I are both concerned (paranoid?!!) about repackaging, as in, phony formula in phony box.
I emailed both Formuland and Udderly Organics and heard back from both companies within 24hrs. Ultimately I feel safer with Udderly though as their website is friendlier and more personal, so we’re ordering from them.
-
Glad to hear you liked Udderly. I have not vetted them yet but I did determine that Organic Munchkin is legit if that’s helpful: http://goo.gl/EG9HNB
-
We sort of investigated Organic Munchkin for our second child, here’s some claims on both of their sites we found to be immediately a problem, we let people decide for themselves :
They claim :
1) (We are one of the oldest and biggest sellers of German formulas in the USA)However they just started retailing formula 2 months ago at best and have a very short selling history.
2) (Shipped in Bulk straight from Holle)
I think as most people know, Holle does no sell to individuals, and especially do not sell to americas! This claim basically says we get our milk from holle directly which is impossible in Europe or here. Granted it sounds nice to the hear but impossible in reality.
3) (Shipped from (Germany) in Containers. Irradiation Free!!!)
Again here, customs and fda regulations do not allow large quantities into the country and surely not by boat containers which takes weeks to arrive. Many times our small 10 boxes orders were stopped.
4) (The Superior German Made Organic Formula! This is not the UK version that is being sold by most sellers, but the actual formula created in Germany using the extraordinary famous German milk!)
We’re very confused about this claim as well, Holle and other brands manufacture their milk in only one factory, meaning same milk everywhere. They do not have different version than a different packaging.
We never end up ordering from them due to those concerns so we cannot say of their items are good or not, just that those points are very concerning to say the least. In a business like this we want to be sure of the clarity of things.
-
Hello Jackie,
We had answered all your questions through email and we will answer them all here for all to see as well. Vetting a seller for organic baby formula should be something that is very important for all parents, I mean we are feeding our babies! Just like we scour the world for the greatest formulas, we also want to make sure they come from good sources as well. I will answer all your questions below:
1. Just because we weren’t selling online does not mean we haven’t been doing this for a while. My family has been in the importing business for many years, and have been selling German formulas in brick and mortar stores around NY for a long time. We didn’t say we are the biggest and oldest, just that we are “one” of them. We take pride in what we do, and our passion sometimes comes out in exuberance through the words we choose!
2. When we say we get straight from Holle it means from their certified organic distributers in Germany. Nobody gets straight from Holle and that includes Europeans also let alone Americans. We say we get from them as that is the only way you actually can.
3. This is a mistake on your part. While the FDA has not approved Holle & Hipp for sale here in the states that does not mean we are not allowed to ship it in. Many items for sale here in America are not FDA approved, that does not mean they can’t be allowed to be sold. My family has been importing gourmet food products from Europe for two generations, we have our ways to accomplish these feats. It shows in our inventory, and pricing that we roll out into our customers.
4. My research in Germany tells me this statement you have made is false. There is slight differences in each product and it is not just a lebeling issue. They are not made in the same factory and not with the same ingredients. Hipp Germany sources their milk from different areas that Hipp UK does and that goes for every region in the world. Hipp Germany also has starch in their formula where UK version does not, and there is much more. They are all great products but they do have unique characteristics to each one.I can say many things to prove our company, and Gimme he Good Stuff here has also vetted us extremely thoroughly, but the most important thing is trying the actual product. We have over 1,000 orders sent out in the last 30 days alone and have received nothing but positive reviews and an outpouring of bulk ordering. We want to reach as many parents as we can find and turn them on these “Miracle Milks” that we fed our babies. That is what makes it all worthwhile. We strive to make it easier to get at an affordable price we call all afford. If we can help anyone else with any questions, I would love to answer them!
Thanks,
Peter – Owner – Organic Munchkin.
-
-
-
-
Did anyone buy from organicmunchkin.com ?
-
I bought from this website several times. Their formulas are authentic and Maia confirmed in a different post that this website is legit.
-
-
Reaching our tenth anaversity we finally had our first child a boy, so we wanted the best formula for him and we heard about Holle Lebenswert, but couldn’t afford it because most merchants in the USA sold it for a high price. Now we are selling them for a better price and we ship from New York.
-
How much do you sell Holle stage 1 for?
-
The only in stock item now is Lebenswert 1 for $22.99 and it comes with free shipping nationwide. Once Holle 1 and 2 are in stock I’ll have them for a lesser price than any other seller.
Thank you
-
Holle stage 1 $24.99
Holle stage 2 $28.99
Lebenswert 1 $22.99
Free shipping on all orders nationwide
-
-
-
have you heard of below for buyiing HIPP or HOLLE?
http://www.britsuperstore.com/usa/-
I have heard of them, Annie, but I haven’t been in touch with them directly.
-
I was looking at buying from Britsuperstore.com. Annie did you get your order? I am really liking Hipp. My child is not born yet but I want to be prepared just incase my wife cannot breastfeed.
-
-
LWO has been extremely difficult to order through, and has not had inventory of the Holle 2 formula for quite some time, and other types as well. The order form is up for seconds a day. I’m at work now, so I can sit poised waiting for the site to be up. Imagine a stay at home mom who doesn’t have the luxury of being on the computer waiting. Furthermore, they have now instituted “LWO CLUB” where you can pay $35 – $75 PER MONTH – IN ADDITION to the cost of the product, to be assured that you can even order product. How is this helpful? It seems to me just an effort to make more money, when all we are doing is trying to feed our kids healthy. Greedy!
-
Hi Lesley-This sounds so frustrating! I know that Lacey has been overwhelmed trying to fulfill all of the orders, and has been trying also to increase her supply. In the meanwhile, I am working on vetting other vendors. Right now, Beyond Organic Baby looks promising! Have you tried ordering from them?
-
Hi Wonderful Moms! I’m a new mom to an amazing 4.5 month old. Breastfeeding was a difficult journey for me with initial latch problems to my milk coming in slowly (thanks to my hospital shoving formula down my throat instead of helping me figure out how to breastfeed) to my not so supportive mother/sister in law telling me to only feed formula (and soy formula since the sister in law fed her kids only soy formula) – long story short, I began to pump to figure out exactly how much milk I was producing since I was convinced I wasn’t making enough milk and my baby wasn’t latching correctly at times.
With pumping and bottle feeding my milk, I spoiled my LO and now he only takes the bottle (darn it!!!!)… so I pump, but pumping consistently is hard – with longer stretches of time between pumpings, my milk has begun to slowly deplete recently. I began supplementing my LO with Similac Alimentum (horrible, I know, but it’s what the hospital convinced me was “good” for baby) and he began to get much fussier and gassy.
Losing my “mom naivety,” I began researching your site Maia and figuring out that Holle is best. I wanted to update all the moms on my experience with Beyond Organic Baby. I just ordered from Beyond Organic Baby and received the Holle formula (all in German) very quickly – within a matter of about 3 days. However, I wanted to warn the moms that the USPS Priority Mail package was in terrible condition and the Holle box was completely smushed — the formula itself in the plastic (or whatever material it is) was unharmed. That’s most important, but, I’m not very happy about the condition of delivery. I think it’s unacceptable. I may order from the two other sites for the next time.
Maia, quick kudos to you on all your amazing research and posts. I religiously read about all the products and go nuts about getting “The Good Stuff” only for Baby 🙂
-
-
Sorry to hear that you are having trouble ordering Holle. Please visit us at http://www.purelylovedorganics.com/ for Lebenswert Bio and other Holle products. I was only able to b’feed my son for about 5 months before my supply dried up. I was on a quest to find the best formula for him and came across Holle. I’ve made it my mission to offer this AMAZING formula for mommies here in the US. Hope this helps!
-
-
Hello to all!
We have been carrying both Holle and Hipp for years now and would feel blessed to sale to new customers. Our prices are extremely competitive (not $40 for 1 box!) as we try to offer them to as many families as possible. We also offer discounts and the more you buy the more you save! (normal right?)
As low as $21 per box for stage 1 and $25 for stage 2, all shipped priority 2-3 days.Our email if interested is : Maryorganic@outlook.com
Thank you! -
I have used both, and both are great. I am from Canada but currently living in France. I can ship whatever Holle or Hipp products you are looking for if anyone is interested. ( Note, each country does have it’s own selection of Hipp and Holle products. Let me know what you are in search of, and I can try and find it. I can be emailed at organicbaby10@gmail.com
-
I really appreciate all this info & research! In my journey toward becoming a mom to an adopted infant, I’ve been researching formula options, and getting disheartened at some of the negativity around it. I wish that with the prevalence of adoption these days that there wasn’t such a stigma against formula – sometimes parents are researching to do the right thing for the situation that is a little outside the usual, whether it be adoption or breastfeeding isn’t going as planned for one reason or another (or a few reasons together)! I do feel better after finding this blog though – leave it to Europe to have much better options than the conglomerates here… Thank you!!
-
Thanks, Jen, for sharing your experience!
-
-
Hello,
Is it technically illegal to buy Holle or Hipp from US vendors? I’ve bought them from vendors based in both US and Germany but don’t want to run the risk of getting in trouble
-
Hi Stephanie-
My understanding is that it is legal for you to purchase this formula from a U.S.-based reseller, but you should talk to a lawyer to be sure.
-
-
What about buying directly from the UK? Are there any specific vendors you would recommend? I realize it will take longer to receive and I will have to plan accordingly, but it looks like it would be much cheaper to order in bulk directly from the UK. Has anyone ordered from British Corner Shop? They seem to have good reviews.
-
Hi Ginger-
There is no reason you can’t buy directly from European vendors. That’s what the companies reselling it here are doing!
-
-
Has anyone actually asked your child’s pediatrician about using HiPP/Holle? If so, what was the response? I want to start using one of these for my baby, but my pediatrician has me fill out info about what we’re feeding her at every visit and I just don’t want a lecture about how it isn’t FDA approved.
-
Mine said she can’t really comment on it since it’s not FDA approved but she did say many of her patients (the moms) give Hipp or Holle to their babies and seem happy with it. She said the only thing most are missing is DHA and that she’d advise on using a formula that has that (which Hipp does have I believe) or to incorporate fish in your own diet if you are still nursing too.
-
-
Hello
I am the owner of Udderly Organics. Great article. I saw a few concerns on here about our products, I wanted to let everyone know we sell completely legitimate products and we love what we do!! I have a son who was sick all the time using formulas sold here in the USA and that’s why we chose Holle. We have been selling for almost 3 years now. We welcome any questions and love our customers. Thanks for the great article !!
Louise
-
Thanks for chiming in, Louise. Perhaps we could chat sometime about where you get your formula, etc. Thanks again-
Maia
(Founder of Gimme the Good Stuff)-
Hi Maia! Did you ever chat with Udderly Organics? What’s your opinion of them? I saw an earlier post that commented on the side labeling of the product differing from those of Little World Organics. What was the reason behind this?
-
-
-
Hi Maia,
I thank you for your extremely insightful website and several knowledgeable posts. Being a paranoid parent of a 4 month old, I like to verify things myself. I’m sure you encourage people to do the same. I tried to get in touch with Little World Organics to ask a few things about who they are and where they source the formula from. I understand you’ve validated these facts yourself.
The information I’m looking for is the complete registered name of the company which owns ‘Little World Organics’ (it could just be that, I don’t know), which state is it registered in, what is the verifiable street address and phone number and which vendors do they purchase their product from in Europe. I believe these questions are perfectly legitimate in the spirit of transparency, especially when it comes to the nature of the product they’re selling.
While I believe what you’re saying, like any concerned parent, I would like to augment my trust by vetting these facts myself. Please help me (and possibly others) by working with LWO to do this. This will in fact help build even more trust and assist them in growing their business even further. Thanks for everything.
-
Hi there! Totally understand the urge to fact check yourself! Am I understanding correctly that you reached out to Lacey at LWO and you either didn’t hear back or she declined to provide you with this info? I’m surprised if that’s the case, but let me know!
-
-
Thank you for providing all your info, opinions, and support to help us lead healthier lives.
I will say after reading the posts I’ve become quite concerned with buying from online dealers to get holle formula. I’ve used Tora Foods because LWO is often sold out. I would love if you have knowledge on another company that you have vetted (or can you please vet at least one more) to help with giving options for ordering.
Thank you again!!!!!-
Hi Dene-
At the moment, I do not have another company that I have thoroughly vetted, but certainly others on this thread have had good experiences with companies besides LWO. I will look into some other companies and also speak with Lacey at LWO about increasing her inventory since demand seems to be so high!
-
-
I recently purchased some Holle Lebenswert formula from Udderly Organics but after reading your post I also went ahead and purchased some from LWO. I received the packages from both places in a very timely manner, but I’m having a little hesitation on using the product. The boxes from both places look pretty similar however upon further inspection I noticed that there is a difference on the markings(lables) of the side of the formula. I know I probably sound paranoid, but I’m a first time mom and up until now I have been exclusively breast feeding my 3 month old son, however he is not gaining as much weight as his pediatrician would like him to so they want me to add some formula, and I really just want to give him the best and make sure that its authentic, my son had Trisomy 21 and most babies to trisomy 21 are more susceptible to getting sicky and I don’t want to run the risk of giving him something that is not 100% . Is there any way that you can post a pic of what the sides of the Lebenswert formula should look like?? thank you.
-
Hello Alma,
I also ordered from Udderly Organics recently. Can you tell me what markings were different between the two boxes?
-
Hi Alma! Hmmm…which side of the box she are you talking about? I don’t know why they would be different, as both boxes should be in German. If you email photos to maia@gimmethegoodstuff.org I will try to figure it out!
Maia-
I noticed you said both boxes should be in German. Doesn’t this depend on where the company gets the product? LWO sometimes sends me boxes in German, and sometimes in English. Tora foods sent boxes in English.
-
Yes, Dene, yes you are correct. Lacey at LWO orders from both Germany and the U.K.
-
-
-
-
I recently ordered hipp first infant formula from britishsuperstoresdirect.com and am now worried I made a mistake. I want to be sure this formula is the real deal before I feed it to my baby. Has anyone had any experience with them?
-
Hi Maia,
I recently switched to Holle and first ordered via LWO, however I missed todays order (they filled up fast) but I found another vendor called Udderly Organics. I am wondering if you have heard or them or know anything about them. It seems they started in October of 2013. They are selling both Holle and Hipp Formulas as well a some other items. Love your site!!-
Hi Dawn!
No red flags on Udderly, but I didn’t speak with them personally, so I can’t confirm–and there isn’t really a face to put with the company. But I’ve not heard any bad reports about them! Best of luck:).
-
-
I have recently purchased Holle from Tora Foods and have no complaints, my little one seems to love this formula and is responding well. My pediatrician recommended supplementing formula with breastfeeding because he was not gaining enough weight in correlation to his height. He is now seven weeks old and with the supplementation of Holle he has been gaining the recommended weight and is a much happier baby! I am glad to see that you have taken the time to find a legitimate source for Holle and HiPP, like most mothers at the end of the day all we want is to provide our child with the best nutrition possible. My only question is, what European retailers is LWO purchasing from? I know you mentioned her supply chain was “straightforward” but I was just curious about how she obtains these products with the language barrier issues. I myself am considering switching to LWO for shipping purposes, the 2-4 weeks shipping can be a bit of a headache when ordering internationally. Thanks!
-
Hi Jessica!
LWO orders from retailers in the UK so thankfully language is not an issue:).
-
-
What about purchasing from Formuland? Little World Organics is so hard to order from because they hit their limit so fast and they have been out of what I need with no idea of when it will be in stock. So I found everything on Formuland but I am now worried because they were not on your blog post as safe. They sell numerous formulas and seemed quite legit.
-
Hi Carina!
I know other people who have been very happy with Formulaland. I didn’t review them, but haven’t heard anything to suggest they aren’t legit.
-
-
Thank you for the information! I have been buying HiPP from britishsuperstoresdirect.com and have had only great interactions / experiences with them. I know that they ship from Colorado and that they have free tracked shipping that usually arrives no later than 5 business days later. I was wondering if you’ve heard anything about them and if you asked where their supply comes from? They say on their site that they deal with distributors in Britain to get their supply. They do not seem shady at all and quickly respond to any questions I’ve ever asked. Also, the packages don’t seem shady at all or messed with which is something I didn’t even think about until reading this post! I would recommend them to anyone but was just wondering your take on them if any at all.
-
I do not know anything about that site, Elena, but if you’ve had a good experience, I see no reason to suspect that anything is sketchy:).
-
I just ordered from them and my delivery is suppose to be here monday. Have you been feeding it to your baby? Im nervous too! So I wanted to ask you how your baby is doing on it?
-
-
Maia – I cannot thank you enough for your website and vetting process of LWO!!!!! Due to breast surgery, my supply is very low and I need to supplement. I was sickened by the thought of giving my little guy the mainstream US formula, but I was also really anxious about ordering from another country… It was such a relief to first find Hipp and Holle and then a US supplier that does not take 4 weeks to get it to you. I just ordered Holle today from LWO. I feel like a new person knowing that I am going to be giving my baby something that is not laced with unhealthy ingredients. Thank you x’s million!!!!
-
So glad you’ve found this post useful, Jennifer:). Thanks for letting me know!
-
-
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
-
-
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 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.
-
-
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?
-
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
-
-
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 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!
-
-
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.
-
-
-
-
-
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 🙂
-
-
-
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.
-
-
Leave a Reply