Organic baby products

Organic baby products are commerically produced infant formulas and baby foods that have obtained organic certification. They are often recommended as substitutes for conventionally marketed baby foods in order to reduce the amount of chemical exposure for rapidly developing infants. Since babies' bodies are smaller and their brains grow faster, they are more vulnerable to environmental toxins as they absorb more pesticides per pound of body weight than adults.^[40]
In many countries mothers who are not breastfeeding can find organic versions of infant formulas and baby foods using various substances (e.g. soy, dairy milk, wheat) through various channels (e.g. hospitals, grocery stores, mail order). However the marketing of organic baby products for newborns and infants under six months of age, just like the marketing of other breastmilk substitutes, has met with increasing skepticism and controversy (see International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes). The World Health Organization, UNICEF and many national health departments recommend that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal health, growth and development.^[41]
Organic baby products are becoming a big part of the organic movement, marketed by advocacy groups such as the Organic Consumers Association. A 2007 European Union study confirmed that organic fruit and vegetables may have up to 40 percent more antioxidants than non-organically grown produce.^[42] Many factors are causing the accelerated growth of the organic baby product market. These include: increased frequency of baby product recalls for lead and other contaminants, more scientific studies finding toxic ingredients in baby care products, increased media exposure for the green and organic movement, the acknowledgment of the benefits of organics by some medical practitioners, and increased information sharing of the benefits in online mediums.[