Milk formula for newborns

Milk formulas for newborns can be used as milk substitutes in certain cases. Every mother always wants to give her child the best, so the approach to choosing a formula is very important. There are many different companies and products that differ in price, and in order to choose a quality product for a baby, you need to know some nuances.

Types of infant formula

Breast milk is the most correct nutrition for a child. Women of all ages with small or large breasts can breastfeed their children. Breastfeeding does not spoil a woman's figure. Your milk is the perfect milk for your baby. The human brain must grow very quickly in the first years of life. Breast milk is ideal for stimulating this growth. It provides complete nutrition for your baby during the first 6 months. Such nutrition is very easy to digest, since it contains protein and fat only in an accessible form and in the right quantities. Mother's milk has more lactose (milk sugar), which the baby needs; enough vitamins and iron; enough water for your baby even in extremely hot climates; the right amount of salt, calcium and phosphate and a special enzyme that digests fat. The absorption of zinc and iron from breast milk is undeniable for any other source in early childhood. This protects the child from early zinc deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. In later childhood, the perfect balance of amino acids provided by breast milk adds to the quality of protein in the overall diet, which is often insufficient for other protein sources. This is why breastfeeding is recommended in the second year of your baby’s life. Being a rich source of vitamin A, breast milk reduces the risk of vitamin A deficiency and blindness.

Breastfed babies don’t need multivitamins or vitamin C drops. Your breastfed baby also doesn’t need digestive enzymes, antimicrobial formulas, or fungal water. Your milk already contains all of these. It’s very difficult to find a formula that can completely replace all of these qualities of mother’s milk. Obviously, there are situations in which a mother can’t fully meet the needs, or has no milk at all. If a mother’s milk supply decreases—because you and your baby are separated in the hospital longer than usual, or for some other reason—milk production may be disrupted. Even when everything is going well, some women don’t have enough to meet their baby’s needs. This is most common in mothers who have had breast reduction surgery, and perhaps in women who give birth at a later age.

If your baby is hungry after you breastfeed him, you may have low milk supply. Therefore, in order for the baby to gain enough weight, you need to feed him additionally. All substitutes are not only inferior, but can also be harmful. Therefore, you need to approach the issue of choosing a mixture very responsibly.

According to their properties, infant formulas are divided into two main groups: non-adapted formulas and highly adapted formulas. Non-adapted formulas only provide energy potential (so that the baby is not hungry), but all the vitamins and beneficial properties in such products do not provide the needs of a growing and developing organism.

Highly adapted formulas are the best thing you can give your baby if you don’t have milk. The “adaptation” process itself is when the manufacturer tries to replace each component of breast milk with an analogue and bring the composition of its product as close as possible to mother’s milk. That’s why such products are expensive (after all, everything high-quality is not cheap), and they can also provide maximum benefit for your baby.

Another important issue is the content of palm oil in baby food products. This component is not considered harmful or prohibited. But it is believed that palm oil is one of the saturated fats, which leads to an increased risk of developing vascular pathology, as well as metabolic disorders. There is no data on the direct negative impact of this product, but nevertheless, we would like babies not to receive such harmful products. Milk formulas for newborns without palm oil - these are some manufacturers Similac, Nenni, Nan.

Types of milk formulas

There are several types of these products. First of all, depending on the method of preparation, they can be divided into dry and liquid. Liquid milk formulas for newborns are products that are immediately ready for use. They usually have this appearance due to the fact that the components in the mixture have complete or partial hydrolysis, that is, they are very quickly and easily absorbed. Such mixtures are used for premature babies, which helps them more easily absorb all the elements of the mixture. Therefore, liquid mixtures are produced in small volumes, and they are used only in special cases. In everyday life, mothers only encounter dry mixtures.

Dry milk formulas for newborns are used very often, as the only type of nutrition or in combination with mother's milk. The composition of milk formulas for newborns does not have any special differences, but there are certain elements in different manufacturers. Vitamins are added to the mixture, in particular vitamin D, probiotics and prebiotics, microelements. The entire composition of the mixture is so balanced that it is as close as possible to mother's milk.

Hypoallergenic milk formulas for newborns make up a special group, which are therapeutic formulas. That is, such food is not used only at the mother's request, but must be strictly controlled and prescribed by a doctor. Such formulas are used for children who have manifestations of allergies, as well as for prevention. If there are allergic diseases in the family of parents, but the baby does not yet have any manifestations, then for children on artificial feeding in this case, prophylactic intake of a hypoallergenic formula can be recommended. Such intake lasts four months, with a further transition to regular nutrition with a formula of the same company.

When a baby has allergy symptoms, a hypoallergenic formula is also prescribed for 4 months, but here preference is given to formulas with deeper protein hydrolysis. Such nuances should be decided by a doctor, so it is important to contact a doctor in this matter, and not ask for advice at a pharmacy.

The names of infant formulas are very diverse today. Many manufacturers promise a wide range of formulas and high adaptation to breast milk. The only thing parents should remember is that we do not have many non-adapted formulas. These include the Malutka and Malysh formulas. Other formulas are highly adapted, so here you can judge by the price, since their quality is almost the same.

The names of infant formulas are also very diverse - these are Humana, Similac, Nestozhen, Nan, Nutrilon and many others. Each formula has certain features, but they can all be used with equal benefit.

It is very difficult to compile a rating of infant formulas, since each child is different. Parents themselves can recommend one or another formula, but it is not a fact that a certain one will suit your baby. After all, they can affect the child's stool, gas formation, digestion processes, and regurgitation in different ways. All this must be taken into account, and only parents can find what will suit the child exactly.

The best baby formula, according to pediatricians, is the one that is right for your baby. It is impossible to choose one favorite, since many formulas are highly adapted. Therefore, in this case, mothers have a wide choice of what exactly to feed the baby.

No one can dispute the fact that breast milk is the healthiest and most convenient way to feed a baby. But not all mothers have such a pleasure to feed their baby with their milk. Some mothers must decide on the milk formula, and definitely choose the one that will be most useful for the child and will suit him. After all, you will have to eat this formula for at least a year.