( 2 reviews )
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Posted: Apr 16 2009
Breast milk has a plethora of advantages over formula. Until recently, one of these advantages was that it contained DHA and ARA, fatty acids that are important components of brain structure. Recently, manufacturers have begun adding DHA and ARA to their infant formula. Some studies have indicated that addition of DHA and ARA to formula provides an advantage of 6-7 IQ points over normal formula, nearly as much as the IQ point advantage of breast fed babies. However, the DHA and ARA added to infant formulas are chemically extracted from certain species of algae and mold using solvents, and are not identical to the DHA and ARA found in breast milk. There have also been reports that the DHA and ARA supplemented formula causes diarrhea in some children. In our daughter, it seemed to cause softer and messier stool, though it wasn't quite diarrhea. Baby's only DHA and ARA is extracted from egg yolks using a water based process, and thus may avoid some small risk associated with the solvent extracted versions. It's mixed into formula that isn't fortified with DHA and ARA or into other foods. We use it with Baby's Only toddler formula, and it does not cause messy stool with our daughter. Breast feeding is still better than any formula, of course - it has other advantages, such as a protective effect against infections that the formula makers haven't figured out yet. However, if you must formula feed for some reason - for us, my wife's pumping at work didn't keep up with the baby's demand, and eventually we also had to stop breast feeding to try to start a second baby - mixing Baby's Only DHA and ARA supplement into a nonsupplemented formula is probably the next best thing.
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Posted: Sep 17 2007
This product is easy to mix into my daughter's milk or yogurt and doesn't seem to upset her stomach. It is a nice alternative to cod liver oil which can really upset a little one's stomach. My only complaint is that when shaking milk to mix it up, it does become quite foamy and takes a while to settle.
