Mother's Intuition 2, Peer Pressure 0

Baby Food Recalled Due to Possible BOTULISM contamination

Go ahead, read that article.

I swear to god, I cannot even begin to enumerate the times I received looks of confusion and listened patiently to words laced with a combination of mockery and disdain whenever I explain why I decided to make Annalise's baby food.

I'm sure it seemed overzealous, I mean...these days, WHO would go through the trouble of steaming and processing fresh vegetables when there are a myriad of pre-packaged ORGANIC ones available? Well, I would. It's not difficult to do and it's a lot better for her. Actually, as a result of my decision to offer her the best food I can, Trendon and I have started eating a lot more healthfully and really reading the ingredient list on pre-packaged food.

Don't even get me started on the scary conditions found in food processing plants.

"Guidelines for facilities that process foods (including baby foods) are strict it's true. However, the (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration responsible for regulating and ensuring safe food, has a threshold level of insect parts, mold and rodent parts that must be reached prior to a food being considered "unsafe" to sell to the public. The US-FDA considers it far better to allow certain levels of these unsavory items in foods than to treat those foods with chemicals. Consider this - It's been estimated by an Ohio University fact sheet that we actually eat 1 to 2 pounds of insects each year, unintentionally. You may view a list of foods and their "allowable defect levels" at US-FDA Defect Action Level Handbook

And regarding pesticide levels, "Baby-food carrots were recalled [by the FDA] because they absorbed lead while growing in an apple orchard, where a lead-based fruit pesticide had years earlier seeped into the soil." LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer article entitled From grocery store to test tube _ monitoring the chemicals we eat - 2003" (wholesomebabyfood.com)

So, all in all, I feel good about my decision to give Annalise the best I can. Has she ever had commercial baby food? Yes. Will she again? Most likely. (Incidentally, I either give her Sprout Organics or Earth's Best).

I'm not hating on moms or dads that go the store bought route. I'm just defending my decision not to.