Consequences of artificial feeding for the health of the child. Artificial feeding: how to properly formula feed a newborn

04.08.2019

Choosing a formula-fed diet for your baby is not just about choosing your favorite brand of infant formula. From the frequency of feeding to the color of the contents of their diaper, things are different for bottle-fed babies. What do young parents need to know in order to correctly formulate a formula-fed child's regimen?

Formula-fed baby's regimen differs from infant's regimen
on breastfeeding. Strictly speaking, the everyday life of an "artist" is more
degrees are subject to an hourly schedule, while the days of the true
babies are formed more at the behest of his instincts and natural
his mother's desire to put the baby to her breast ...

Babies digest breast milk and formula differently

Differences in the regimen of artificial babies and breastfed infants are primarily due to how newborns and older babies absorb breast milk and formula.

A question that young mothers often ask when planning their formula-fed baby's regimen is: Is it true that infants who are used to infant formula can be fed less often than breastfed babies. The short and to the point answer is yes.

If a suspected formula allergy is confirmed, your doctor may recommend a soy-based formula. Alternatively, switching to an extra-hydrolyzed blend, in which the casein protein is broken down into a more digestible form, may be the solution.

Another major "problem" is infantile colic. They happen in children on the artificial feeding regime at least as often, and perhaps even more often, than in those children who are breastfed. Of course, the constant crying of a child does not mean that he has colic - any experienced parent will confirm this to you. But if you see that the child constantly feels discomfort after feeding, it is likely that the cause lies precisely in colic.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, but by changing in any way the mode of the child on artificial feeding, you are unlikely to get rid of painful childhood colic. This "scourge" you just need to survive - in most cases, infantile colic disappears on its own at the age of 3-4 months of the baby.

Some babies eat more, others less.

One day, while visiting your friend, you suddenly notice that her child, who is also on artificial feeding, barely drinks 100 milliliters of milk formula at a time. And your baby in the same time may well cope with a double serving. Is there a glutton in your family?

Not at all. Children's diet is a purely individual matter. Different infants who are on a formula-feeding regimen need a different amount of calories, and if one baby is enough for 100 milliliters of milk formula, the other will remain hungry in this case.

In the artificial feeding mode, there is one unconditional advantage -
take full care of a newborn baby
Not only mom, but dad too...

In addition, formula consumption may vary from one meal to the next. Just like you: in the morning you can eat a vegetable salad, and in the afternoon you want something more serious. In general, do not be surprised if your child eats 120 milliliters of formula, and after three hours - already 200.

General rules for the mode of the child on artificial feeding

How much food should be? In the general case, “artificial” children who are not yet receiving their first complementary foods should eat approximately 150-155 milliliters of the finished mixture per kilogram of weight during the day. So if your baby weighs, say, 3.7 kilograms, count on about 550 milliliters of artificial nutrition. If the child weighs 6 kg, he should be given up to 900 milliliters of the mixture per day.

Feeding frequency. The frequency of meals, as well as the amount of food, changes as your baby grows. After the first few days, the newborn will eat 60 to 90 milliliters of formula per serving. However, the frequency of meals can also vary, but on average, newborns eat every three to four hours during the first few weeks. It is believed that if during the first month your baby sleeps for more than four to five hours, starting to skip feeding, you should wake him up (but very gently, gently and delicately!) And offer a bottle of milk formula.

By the end of the first month, the child is ready to eat up to 120 milliliters per dose. By this time, the meal schedule is usually already stabilized, the baby eats on average every four hours.

All families are individual, and all the children in them are, too. Often, the parental regime of the day is subject to the mode of life of a newborn baby no less than the mode of the child is subject to your lifestyle. And regardless of what type of food the baby is on.

And even if you feed your baby with formula milk, the regimen of a child on artificial nutrition is by no means a strict medical regulation - it is not so important how strictly you adhere to the hourly nutrition schedule. It is much more important that both you and your baby feel harmoniously together, so that the moments of feeding bring not only physiological satiety, but also the joy of joint emotional communication.

Artificial feeding can be used if the mother has no milk at all or the child for some reason cannot or does not want to drink mother's milk.

A woman who does not have milk for her child should not feel guilty. Unfortunately, modern women live in such difficult environmental conditions that there are more and more cases of a complete lack of breast milk. Sometimes milk does not appear at all at the first birth (especially if they occur at a very young age), but comes, at the second birth.

In such a situation, it would be preferable to feed the child with donor milk for at least 3 months, but why donor milk is in most cases unavailable and unacceptable.

In this case, it is more useful and reliable to feed a child with a high-quality mixture. The main condition for artificial feeding: the mixtures that you will use should be as close as possible in composition to mother's milk (adapted mixtures up to six months).

When breastfeeding is suddenly stopped, most infants transition to formula milk relatively easily. Sometimes indigestion appears first, in this case, consult a pediatrician. The advantage of artificial feeding is, without a doubt, that both parents can feed the baby alternately. This eases the burden on the mother, especially in the postpartum period. Body contact with the baby is also not affected: just like when breastfeeding, you can pull the baby to you and give him a beneficial feeling of closeness. If, in addition, you take care of eye contact with the baby, then your relationship with him will only benefit.

Now it's up to you or your partner to prepare milk formulas. Perhaps you, like many mothers, are wondering if you are feeding your baby according to his needs. Remember that your baby is very good at letting you know when he is hungry and when he is full.

Rules for artificial feeding of a child

Remember that the daily amount of food for artificial feeding should be the same as for natural feeding, but the feeding regimen in this case is different. Milk formulas are absorbed more slowly than mother's milk, so the intervals between feedings should be increased (approximately 3.5 hours).

It is not necessary to give the child more food than he should receive in accordance with age and body weight. So at 2 months, the volume of the mixture you drink should average about 850 ml (for some children - 650-700 ml, for others - a whole liter), gradually increase the volume of food to 1 liter.

While most babies are on about 1 liter of formula by the time they are introduced to complementary foods (4.5-5 months), some are doing well with less food. Here, as with breastfeeding, the main indicator is not the amount eaten per day, but the well-being of the child, his weight gain.

A bottle-fed baby is especially vulnerable to diseases such as obesity and metabolic disorders, so overfeeding is a real threat to his health. If the baby eats too much, then try to make the hole in the nipple smaller - perhaps the baby empties the bottle too quickly and cannot feel full during this time.

An “artificial” child must be supplemented with water or decoctions of fruits, since with artificial feeding the need for additional liquid increases.

The extra fluid helps your baby absorb formula better and relieves some intestinal problems. For example, bottle-fed babies often suffer from constipation. Especially often this happens at first when switching from breast milk to formula. Babies who have been formula fed from the very beginning absorb formula better.

Switching to complementary foods (in the form of vegetable puree or cereals) for "artificial" children should be earlier than for "naturalists", but there is also no need to rush too much. For a baby’s digestive system that has not been fully formed, especially growing on mixtures, early complementary foods can do a lot of harm. If the child normally eats the mixture and gains weight well, has a normal level of hemoglobin in the blood and does not suffer from rickets, there is no need to rush with complementary foods for up to four and a half months or even up to five.

If your baby has a poor appetite, start introducing complementary foods as early as four months of age. You can give him, for example, buckwheat porridge cooked according to this recipe: first prepare a decoction of apples (without salt and sugar) and cook very thin (liquid sour cream consistency or even thinner) porridge from ground cereals (which should be ground almost to flour). You can cook such a porridge on a vegetable broth, and on a diluted mixture. Cow's milk should not be given to a child for at least 10 months (after that, special "baby" milk can be given), but it is better to "hold on" without cow's milk for up to 1-1.5 years, especially if the child is allergic.

IN DISCUSSION OF FORTUNE FEEDING, we will touch on three main questions.

How to understand the desires of the child in order to best fulfill their duties in feeding.
What to put in a bottle.
Ways to keep inventory clean and in working order.

The way a newborn is fed is as important as the quality of his food. Tune in to what the baby tells you, understand what he wants, and then the baby will eat well, develop properly and have a positive attitude towards himself and the world around him. If your baby is bottle-fed, use a special formula for newborns. Newborns are very sensitive to nutrition, so food should be completely suitable for them. Choose formula that digests well, meets all of your baby's nutritional needs, and doesn't disturb the delicate balance in his body.

Breast milk and standard formulas adequately meet these conditions. Other artificial formulas, such as partially fermented and preterm formulas, are specialized to meet the needs of infants requiring extra care.

Although modern formula feeding is convenient and safe, the formula technique is not to be sloppy. Water must be clean and disinfected, equipment must meet sanitary standards and be convenient for both the child and the one who feeds. Needless to say, the mixture should be prepared in strict accordance with the instructions for use.

You can better meet your child's needs if you are attentive to your own needs. You need frequent and regular visits to the doctor and an experienced teacher or assistant to help you find situational and moral support. You have a lot to adjust to, both emotionally and physically. You will have a lot to learn, and more than once you will feel puzzled and confused. Theoretical knowledge and practice are two different things. You will be anxious, but this is normal: in this state, we perceive information better. However, if you are too worried, your studies will be difficult. Ask for help, accept help and support if they are offered, and then parenting will be easy and joyful.

Child's nutritional relationships

Love and respect for the child are important components of the feeding process. And for him to be successful, you must know your baby and do what he needs. Your baby's relationship with you and the world around him, as well as his development, depends to a large extent on what happens during feeding. This process gives you the opportunity to get to know your baby better during the first months of his life. By your actions, you tell the baby that he is a significant person, that you respect him and are ready for anything to please him. Feeding also satisfies you, because it is very important for you to know that you can meet the needs of the child and make him happy.

During infancy, establishing a positive nutritional relationship with the child depends on the sharing of responsibility:

you are responsible for what you offer your child as food;
he is responsible for how much to eat.

Thus, for artificial feeding to be effective, you must first choose the right formula. In choosing, focus on the needs of your child, after which you just have to follow his desires. He knows how much to eat and how often. Moreover, the child himself determines the speed and duration of feeding. Early on, your job as a parent is to understand what your baby is telling you. Give the baby food as soon as he asks (it was at this moment that the baby is fully awake, but not overexcited), feed him smoothly and continuously, paying attention to his signals about the speed, pace and duration of feeding. In other words, do everything to make the baby happy.

Artificial nutrition: overeating in children

Unlike breastfed babies, formula-fed babies often face the problem of overeating in the early days. With some babies, this is because they drink their bottle so quickly that their natural sucking instinct is not satisfied and they cry when the bottle is taken from them. Mothers often take this to mean the baby is still hungry and give them more food. Thus, the habit of overeating quickly sets in, and the child gains a lot of weight every week. If this continues, the child quickly comes to the conclusion that there is not enough milk to satisfy the appetite. However, he is still too young to be given solid food (less than six months old).

It is normal for some babies to need an extra 30 ml of milk at some feeds. However, special attention should be paid if the child requires more than 150 ml extra every day and regularly gains more than 240 g per week. When my formula-fed babies start sucking too much, I use cool boiled water and pacifiers between feeds to satisfy their need to suck.

If you suspect that your child may be overeating, discuss the problem with your counselor or therapist.

Don't let

excessive dilution of the formula for feeding;
poor hygiene of the bottle leading to gastroenteritis;
malnutrition due to recurrent infections;
deficiency of iron and vitamins.

The choice of milk for artificial feeding

You can use cow or buffalo milk. Dry milk mixtures are acceptable for baby food, but this is too expensive an undertaking. Currently, milk marketed under the control of government agricultural agencies is either cow's milk or modified buffalo milk.

Preparation of liquid mixtures

There is no need to dilute fresh cow's milk to feed your baby. Some pediatricians for the first 2-3 months of feeding a newborn suggest preparing the following mixture: dilute 2 parts of milk with 1 part of water and add 1 tsp to 100 ml of the resulting solution. Sahara. If using powdered formulas available on the market (Lactogen, Milkcare, etc.), then you should opt for a well-known brand and you should strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions for preparing this product.

Milk volume required by a child per day is about 150 ml / kg of body weight and about 30 ml / kg per feeding. Of course, the number of feedings and the amount of milk consumed for different children may vary.

Feeding bottle handling

Buy at least three bottles. After each feeding, thoroughly wash the bottle and its removable parts with soap and water, using a bottle brush and a nipple brush.

After you have washed the soap bottles, take a sterilization container that can hold 3 - 4 bottles, fill it with water; put the bottles, plastic rims and nipple caps in this sterilizer, put it on the fire and bring the water to a boil. Let the sterilizer boil for 10 minutes, then put the nipples in it and let it boil for another 5 minutes. Now take it off the heat and close the lid. When the water in it has cooled, you can take out the bottle with a clean hand. Recycled bottles do not need to be washed again before use. When all three bottles have been used, the described sterilization process can be repeated. Never leave a bottle without a nipple cap.

Do not feed from a pacifier to a sleeping or lying baby.

If you put baby milk in a bottle, you must use it within 45 minutes.

Never reuse leftover milk - it's a favorite breeding ground for bacteria!

A baby is usually bottle fed six to eight times a day. If someone in the family suffers from allergies, then it is advisable to use hypoallergenic baby food. This significantly reduces the risk of developing allergies in the baby. In addition, you should opt for infant formulas (formula 1), which are closest in composition to mother's milk and do not contain additional carbohydrates in the form of sugar or starch. Initial mixtures, like breastfeeding, can be fed on demand.

From subsequent mixtures (formula 2 and 3) it is best to completely refuse. And not only because their improper preparation can cause serious health problems in a child. These milk powders contain so much extra sugar and starch that it can easily lead to overfeeding. In the body of a child, long-term fat deposits are laid, which can sometimes be very difficult for him to get rid of.

Required accessories

For formula feeding, you will need the following supplies:

6 bottles;
6 nipples with small holes;
steam sterilizer or tall pot for boiling bottles, caps and nipples;
bottle brush;
6 clean, ironed kitchen towels (ironing reduces bacteria)
a thermos for boiled water so that you can prepare bottles for feeding on the road;
bottle warmer;
8 gauze pads to protect your clothes.

During feeding, the child, along with the food, receives a portion of your love, attention and bodily warmth.

Formula preparation

The use of baby food in accordance with the instructions on the package does not cause any difficulties. It is only important to prepare feeding bottles immediately before feeding, use the reconstituted formula within an hour and do not store leftovers. So you can prevent the emergence of microorganisms dangerous to the child in the diet. In addition, bottles and nipples must be sterilized before use. To dilute the mixture, always take boiled water. Before giving a bottle to a child, check the temperature of the milk mixture - it should be approximately body temperature. By putting one drop on the inside of your wrist, you will immediately notice if the milk is too hot. In order not to heat the water every time before feeding, it is recommended to store a supply of boiled water in a clean thermos. This is practical, especially for night feedings.

When you return home, you continue to give the baby the same formula that was fed to him in the maternity hospital. If after a few days you notice that your baby is not absorbing it well, contact your pediatrician who will recommend a different milk formula.

Dry and liquid mixes. There are milk mixtures in liquid form; they do not require preparation: it is enough to pour them into a sterilized bottle. However, this product is more expensive than the powdered mix.

Heating the mixture. You can warm the mixture in a water bath, in a special bottle warmer, and even in a microwave oven - this is not dangerous, but not always convenient: it can overheat there. Always check the temperature of the formula by placing a few drops on the back of your hand before giving it to your child to avoid burning them.

Dilute the mixture before use. Infant formula cannot be prepared for the future; it must be diluted immediately before use, otherwise it becomes a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria. When going for a walk or preparing for the night, pour warm water into a sterile bottle, and add the powder to it at the last moment.

Is sterilization necessary? It is not necessary to sterilize the bottles. It is important to wash your hands before preparing formula, and after feeding, wash the bottle and nipple and dry them immediately.

Average rate: 6 bottles per day. Never force a child to drink the contents of the bottle if he does not want to: if he refuses, then he is full. Typically, a 1 month old baby eats about 6 meals a day and sometimes once at night. Different types of mixture are not always drunk in the same amount and are distributed differently throughout the day. If your baby asks for a bottle at night, it means that his body does not yet have enough reserve that would allow him to do without night feeding. As a rule, if he does not finish the contents of the bottle to the end, then the portion is large for him; if he drinks every last drop, then you can give him some more milk formula. In principle, it is better to offer more than less than what is needed. The nightly demand for a bottle will gradually shift in time and eventually move into the morning.

Bloating

To better dilute the powder with water, you often have to shake the bottle vigorously. As a result, many air bubbles form in the milk formula, which enter the baby's tummy and cause bloating. If, after shaking, let the bottle stand for a couple of minutes, then most of the bubbles will come out. After each feeding, the baby should burp. To do this, give the baby an upright position, attach it to your shoulder and lightly pat it on the back. The swallowed air will exit through the mouth and will no longer cause painful bloating or colic.

After every feeding...

After feeding, hold your baby upright to burp. If it doesn't, give him a light pat on the back. If he moves restlessly while feeding, he may feel the need to burp. Once he does this, he will feel better and continue to drink. Don't worry if a little mixture comes out when you spit up, it means he drank too much and too fast.

Attention!

Never give your child the rest of the formula that has not been drunk before.

Also remember that before the age of one year, the child should not be left alone with the bottle: he gnaws at choking.

Artificial feeding of newborns is recommended if a woman does not have breast milk or if natural feeding is impossible. How to organize it correctly in order to minimize the risks for the baby's body? What to feed and how much? How to establish psychological contact with the baby? Answers in the recommendations of pediatricians and lactation consultants.

In modern society, the question of how to feed a child is decided by a clear choice in favor of breastfeeding. Natural feeding up to two years is recommended by the World Health Organization as the only type of food that is one hundred percent consistent with the needs of the child's body.

Numerous studies have confirmed that only breast milk does not burden the digestive system and does not cause malfunctions in its work. Its composition is ideally balanced for a particular child with his individual characteristics. It satisfies not only the need for nutrients, but additionally supplies the body with immune factors, hormones, enzymes that cannot be obtained artificially and “sharpened” into the most perfect mixture.

And finally, breast milk and the process of sucking it become for the baby both a way of feeding, and a way to get rid of fear and pain, the opportunity for the closest and necessary contact with his mother.

But there are situations when breastfeeding failed. This is facilitated by objective and subjective reasons.

Why is there no milk

The complete absence of breast milk, in which artificial feeding is necessarily introduced, is called agalactia. Contrary to popular belief that many women suffer from agalactia, breastfeeding consultants say that this is not the case. Experts from the international organization La Leche League state that true agalactia is observed in no more than 1-2% of young mothers. The reason for it are serious hormonal disorders in the body of a woman.

In other cases, the reason for the impossibility of organizing breastfeeding is completely different.

Separate stay of mother and child. The lack of free access of the baby to the breast after birth excludes the correct formation of lactation. If a woman did not express her breasts, the arrival of milk in a natural time and in sufficient volume becomes impossible.
Medical advice. In some cases, the mother is forbidden to breastfeed. Often, such recommendations are given to women with metabolic disorders, diseases of the heart, liver, and other pathologies of internal organs. According to WHO, these conditions are not absolute contraindications to breastfeeding. There are only two true reasons why a woman cannot feed naturally: HIV infection and an open form of tuberculosis, in which the health of the mother is a danger to the health of the baby. In other cases, when a woman is ill or taking medication, she may arrange to breastfeed after recovery.
Mom's unwillingness It may be associated with personal negative experience, "good" advice from older relatives. The decision is often influenced by the media promoting formula as a more convenient alternative to breastfeeding.

Women who do not want to breastfeed should take into account that no artificial formula will create such a powerful foundation for good health and the full development of the child as breast milk. In addition, natural feeding is much simpler from a practical point of view and much cheaper than feeding with quality mixtures.

Blend selection

If all the pros and cons are weighed and artificial feeding of the child is inevitable, it is necessary to organize it according to the rules. There are three of them:

mix selection;
determination of the feeding regimen and volume;
organization of feeding.

The main criterion for choosing a product for feeding should be the recommendations of a pediatrician. There are mixtures that are suitable for healthy babies and children with digestive disorders, allergic diathesis, premature babies.

Adapted Blends

Produced from cow's milk, in which the excess protein content for the child's body is reduced by the introduction of a whey component. For babies of the first days of life, mixtures of the primary or initial formula are intended. They are indicated by the number 1 in the name, for example, "Nutrilon 1" or "Baby 1".

They contain important components: amino acids, taurine, polyunsaturated acids. Manufacturers enrich them with a large "set" of vitamins and microelements, as well as carbohydrates in the form of easily digestible sugar: lactose or sucrose.

When the baby is six months old, his diet should include an adapted mixture labeled "2" or with a "subsequent formula". The amount of protein in it is higher than in the primary, and there are more carbohydrates to meet the energy needs of a grown-up baby.

Manufacturers also offer universal adapted formulas for children from zero to twelve months. Their "average" composition is dominated by casein protein or whey proteins.

Adapted fermented milk mixtures

What distinguishes them from adapted milk formulas is the quality of the protein. It is subjected to bacterial fermentation. Sour-milk formula is closer to breast milk than milk formula, since the protein is in a curdled state.

Thanks to this processing, it loads the immature stomach of the crumbs to a lesser extent and is more quickly absorbed in the intestines. The curd component helps the formation of the correct intestinal microflora, as it is saturated with lactic acid bacteria.

Pediatricians recommend the introduction of adapted fermented milk mixtures for babies with manifestations of dysbacteriosis, stool disorders, and allergic diathesis. You can use them as a permanent food for weakened, premature babies. And for periodic in order to prevent dysbacteriosis in children receiving an adapted milk formula.

Non-adapted milk formulas

For the preparation of these mixtures, fresh and powdered animal milk is used. The amount of protein in its composition is many times higher than in breast milk. It is represented by casein, which is alien to the child's body, which the baby's digestive system cannot digest due to the lack of appropriate enzymes. As a result, dangerous situations arise: from persistent dysbacteriosis with constant indigestion to insufficient weight gain in the baby and its developmental lag.

Pediatricians do not recommend the use of non-adapted milk formulas in the diet of a child of the first year of life. They do not meet the needs of the child's body and pose a threat to his health. It is unacceptable to use dry or fresh cow's, goat's milk for the preparation of mixtures, cereals.

When choosing a formula for a baby, consider the following nuances.

A quality product cannot be cheap. Adapted milk and fermented milk mixtures are the result of serious scientific research. Their components are expensive, so the finished product is expensive. Unfortunately, this often makes them inaccessible to families with low and medium incomes. But it is categorically impossible to save on the purchase of a mixture. This excludes the possibility of healthy growth and development of your child.
A reputable manufacturer values its reputation. When choosing a mixture, pay attention to well-known brands. The risk of buying a low-quality product in this case is lower.
The universal mixture is absorbed worse. More preferable for a child of the first months of life is a “starting” formula adapted to his needs.
The mixture is not durable. Make sure the product has an adequate shelf life. An open jar can be stored in a dry and dark place for no more than three weeks. Do not put a dry product in the refrigerator, as it will become damp.

The principle "the more expensive the better" in the choice of mixtures for artificial feeding works to the fullest. The most expensive samples contain not only the "standard set" of components, but also additional ingredients, such as linoleic acid for the development of the baby's brain or carnitine, which promotes the absorption of fats.

Artificial feeding technique

The question of how to feed a newborn with a mixture is determined by the reviews, recommendations of pediatricians. It is not advisable to resort to the technique of free feeding, as in the example of breastfeeding "on demand".

The ingredients of the products are drastically different. And if breast milk does not create a burden on the digestive system, even with its frequent consumption, the mixture is not as "light" as well. After eating, the baby's body needs time to digest food.

Mode

Stick to a feeding schedule for bottle-fed babies.

Since birth. Every 3 hours during the day with a six-hour break at night. The number of feedings per day will reach seven.
From three months. Every 3.5 hours during the day with a six-hour break at night. Thus, six feedings will be required during the day.
From six months. Modern pediatrics does not recommend shifting the timing of the introduction of complementary foods in artificial babies. Just like with babies, it is necessary to start introducing the first products of the child at the age of six months. Gradually, one feeding will replace porridge or vegetable puree. And the number of feedings per day will be five every four hours with an eight-hour sleep break.

Mixture preparation

It is necessary to prepare the mixture for use in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Dry foods require boiling or introducing warm water and stirring until dissolved. Ready-to-use liquid mixtures are also presented, which are enough to warm up in a water bath.

Rules for artificial feeding for babies in the first year of life.

The temperature of the product should be 37-38 ° FROM. If the mixture was previously boiled, it must be cooled to a suitable temperature. Prepare food for the child in advance to feed him on time.
Pour food into sterilized dishes. The presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the bottle can provoke a malfunction of the child's gastrointestinal tract.
The hole in the nipple should not be large. The mixture should not freely pour out of it, but stand out in drops. It is ideal to use a pacifier with a hole adapted to the age of the baby. These can be purchased at pharmacies.
Position the bottle at an angle when feeding. This will eliminate the possibility of the child swallowing air, which leads to spitting up and vomiting.
The mixture can be stored for 2 hours at room temperature and 24 hours in the refrigerator. In artificial nutrition, there are no components that inhibit the growth of pathogenic microflora, which are rich in breast milk. Therefore, its storage period is limited.

If there is food left in the bottle, it cannot be used for the next feeding. Rinse the bottle, sterilize it and the nipple.

Contact with mother

It seems that artificial babies need much less maternal care than babies. Indeed, any member of the family can feed them, and when the baby is ill, the nipple will be a consolation to him.

Psychologists warn that this approach is dangerous. A bottle with a nipple can replace the mother's breast, but not the mother herself. Otherwise, when the child grows up, he will not reach out to you for support, help, but will seek solace "on the side." The close psychological connection experienced by a mother and a baby who is regularly applied to the breast is also possible when paired with a bottle-fed baby.

“Ensure close skin-to-skin contact,” advises breastfeeding consultant Maria Gudanova. - The baby should feel your warmth, hear sounds familiar to him from the period of intrauterine development. Carry it in your arms more often, sleep together, cuddle the naked baby to your chest, take a bath together.

A good solution would be baby massage, which mom can master herself. The child should not be left alone when he is awake. This is the time for your close communication and walks. This approach will help the baby understand that his joys, a sense of security, safety, and warmth are connected with his mother.

“The pacifier should not be perceived by the child as an independent object,” continues AKEV expert Maria Gudanova. “She should only be associated with her mother.” Therefore, adhere to the following rules when feeding and organizing a crumb regimen.

Only mother feeds. Do not entrust feeding to other relatives. The more people who take part in this, the lower the level of trust the baby has in you.
Mom offers a pacifier. Don't leave your baby alone with the pacifier. He should suck only on your hands, turning his face to you.
The baby falls asleep in his arms. After feeding, offer the baby a pacifier and wait until he falls asleep. Remove the pacifier from his mouth and put it in the crib.

Even if there is no milk in your breast, the baby can suck on it. Experts from the international breastfeeding organization suggest combining artificial feeding of newborns with the SNS system. It is a soft bottle designed to be filled with a mixture. A tube is attached to the bottle, the tip of which is fixed on the mother's nipple.

The process of feeding with a mixture is completely close to natural feeding. The baby is in her arms, in close contact with her mother, sucking her breasts, while receiving the mixture. Using the SNS system provides another great opportunity - the chance to establish full breastfeeding.

When the breast is stimulated for several months after childbirth, the process of relactation starts, that is, the restoration of lactation. It will allow you to transfer the baby to mixed feeding. And then completely or largely replace the artificial mixture with your breast milk, which is invaluable for the health of your baby.

Manufacturers of milk formulas for children assure: all these mixtures are perfectly balanced and adapted for babies. If a mother has to artificially feed a baby due to health problems - yes, you can’t do without milk substitutes. However, pediatricians note that it is not uncommon for women, without good reason, not to want to breastfeed a child for a long time or are not going to do it at all, relying on formula milk. Common reasons for such a decision are the desire to quickly get to work, the unwillingness to lose the shape of the breast, the belief that lactation is already very weak, so there is no point in tormenting it.

Source: depositphotos.com

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends adhering to breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life, and then introducing complementary foods while maintaining access to breast milk until 2 years of age. The information below may help you decide how to feed.

Immunity, allergies and respiratory diseases

The main problem of "artificial" children is reduced immunity. Thus, with the introduction of vaccines, the immune response is achieved faster in children who are breastfed. The study was conducted by comparing the results of an immunological examination in children aged 1, 3, 6 months and a year. Conclusion - breastfeeding, unlike artificial, supports the immune system and prevents the development of allergic diseases.

With allergies or, even worse, asthma, the “artists” are not doing well, and in all countries of the world. In Finland, studies have confirmed that children fed milk substitutes are much more likely to develop eczema, atopic reactions, food and respiratory allergies. In Brazil, the incidence of pneumonia in artificial babies is 16.7 times higher than in breastfed babies. More than 1000 children were studied in the USA, trying to establish a link between the type of feeding and recurrent bronchial obstruction, and the incidence of the disease in "artificial" was 3 times higher. More than 2,000 children were examined at a hospital in Toronto, and according to doctors, the risks of asthma and recurrent bronchial obstruction in "artificial" children are 50% higher. In Western Australia, the results are similar: the risks are 40% higher.

In general, the analysis of statistics showed that in developed countries, where children are fed more often with milk substitutes, they are more susceptible to respiratory diseases.

Digestion

Digestive problems are very often accompanied by artificial feeding. Researchers attribute this to the fact that breast milk has a significant protective effect against inflammatory bowel disease. So, Canadian scientists, examining a group of children, found that those who were breastfed had intestinal infections almost half as often.

Cases of diarrhea also occur in artificers at least 2 times more often.

Cardiovascular diseases

Formula feeding during childhood can have a direct impact on adult health. This is due, firstly, to the fact that the blood pressure of "artificial" is higher, and secondly, to the fact that breastfeeding reduces the level of cholesterol and lipoproteins. Thus, there is every reason to believe that full breastfeeding provides a low level of cholesterol in the future and is the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

diabetes and obesity

Another unpleasant conclusion that scientists have come to in several countries at once: "artists" more often develop diabetes of the 1st and 2nd types. But breastfeeding for at least the first 5 months of life is an excellent prevention of this disease.

As for obesity, children who were fed with mother's milk substitutes are much more susceptible to it. Scientists attribute this to the presence in it of a number of hormones that are absent in mixtures. It should be borne in mind that obesity may not occur immediately - already at school age. But if you breastfeed at least up to 6 months, then for a child the risk of obesity is reduced by 60%.

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Mental development

Here, scientists also observe a clear correlation: breastfeeding has a much better effect on the intelligence and cognitive abilities of children. One hypothesis links this to the effect of breast milk on brain growth, especially white matter.

Children who were artificially fed showed lower results in all tests in terms of intelligence, motor skills, and speech.

As well as…

Breastfeeding reduces the incidence of cancer and multiple sclerosis. Some studies reveal a very specific link between artificial nutrition and the incidence of autism. "Artists" are also more likely to suffer from otitis media and decreased visual acuity. Finally, neonatal mortality among “artists” is higher than among children who received a breast in the first day of life. The same applies to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Against the background of such disappointing facts, the risk of malocclusion in children fed with a mixture from a bottle looks already quite insignificant.

Scientists around the world point out that the occurrence of various diseases in children and artificial feeding are directly related. Therefore, if your baby is an "artificial" involuntarily, pay maximum attention to his health. If you are in doubt about whether to spend a year of your life breastfeeding, we hope that you will come to the conclusion that for the health of your baby, breast milk is the most important thing that cannot be replaced.

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Comments on the material (38):

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Oksana, think with your head before wishing others your problems. What you have sick children says about a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle. Well, and on such people who wish evil to others, misadventures usually pour in. I quote Oksana:

everything will appear later, do not think that all the sores will come out in a child in 1-2 years.

Quoting Alina:

It's complete nonsense. My daughter is one and a half years old. Since the first day of her life she has been artificially fed. This is a completely healthy baby. We have never had any digestive problems or allergic reactions to anything during this time (we eat absolutely all vegetables and fruits, including strawberries and citrus fruits). We got sick only 2 times during the period of viral epidemics without any complications. The child easily shows almost all letters, animals, distinguishes all colors, knows the purpose of absolutely all things in the house. I think that a child gets health after all from his parents, just like the ability to think. And there is no mixture here.

Now you don't even know what your baby could be like if you were breastfeeding him. God bless him. The article only says that breastfeeding is much better for the baby than artificial feeding. If a woman does not have milk, this is another matter, but when it’s just laziness or pity for boobs or some other stupid reason, well, it’s just out of the way.

Quoting Shark:

My husband has one of the highest intellects in the world, several master's degrees and a Ph.D. Artist since birth. My cousin was an excellent student and graduated from Moscow State University with honors. He has a business in Moscow. Artificer.
I think if they were breastfed, they would probably be geniuses in general and could levitate themselves with the power of thought ... Damn.

Is there a reason why formula fed women always react so strongly to any articles and studies about the benefits of breastfeeding? Weird..
You see, if everything was obvious about the mixture and breastfeeding, then there would be no talk and no one would feed the mixture. After all, no one wants to eat a semi-finished product when there is a natural one. But there is no such regularity in nature like an artificial man - it means a fool and a loser, on GV - it means a genius and healthy for life. That doesn't happen. What is absolutism? We are people, and besides the type of feeding, we are influenced by many other (most often social) factors, favorable living conditions, etc. GV provides basic benefits, lays the foundation. Studies say that "the risks of asthma and recurrent bronchial obstruction in "artists" are 50% higher." What does it mean? It’s not at all that every artificial worker will get sick with this, but the GVshniks will never get sick, do you agree? Too many factors other than GW influence.
The child who was breastfed also gets sick, but not like the artificial one.
Man is a strong being, and who has insurance in the form of a favorable heredity, can cope on his own, without the help of breast milk. But does it hurt all of us, each of us, health, given for free, with love by our mother? maybe this will not save our life, but it will make it better, at least from the point of view of health ....

Quoting Irina:

The advantages of mixtures are obvious: the child eats less often than on the breast (we sucked the breast every hour for up to 3 months, up to 6 every 2 hours, then with difficulty it lasted up to 3 hours and at night the same way!), Mom gets enough sleep, which is very important! And physical and intellectual development ... So I’ll think about how to do a mixed diet with the second baby ... feed a mixture at night or something :) so that you can sleep well and well :)

Yes, feed him doshirak, it will be digested for a week, - treat him! Didn't you know?! Artificial in all ages, academics, athletes and champions, and gonery infants from childhood, if not diarrhea, so scrofula! They would have a mixture ...
Dear commentators, what progressive artificers you are, your comments speak for you. Those who really need to feed powders such funny nonsense will not write.

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Breast milk is the optimal nutrition for a one-month-old baby and older. Together with this product, the baby can receive the most important and useful substances, as well as the initial communication skills and, of course, motherly love.

However, due to certain circumstances, some mothers cannot breastfeed, and the newborn is transferred to an alternative diet.

Artificial feeding of a baby poses many problems for a new mother: what mixture to choose, how to prepare and give it, how much a baby should eat in the first month of life.

Artificial feeding should not be introduced just like that, at the request of a nursing mother. Not a single high-quality mixture is able to transfer to a newborn child all the necessary substances that breast milk provides.

Experts have identified several weighty reasons when adapted nutrition for newborns is necessary and even desirable.

First of all, breast milk should be restored with the help of folk remedies and medicines that increase lactation.

Adaptive nutrition of newborns is carried out only if such drugs have not brought the required results.

Experts do not advise completely switching to artificial feeding if a woman has breast milk, even in a minimal amount. A few drops of a natural product will bring invaluable benefits to a baby.

Before switching to artificial feeding of newborns, every mother needs to know all the advantages and disadvantages of an adapted diet.

Quite often, new parents switch to mixtures due to some far-fetched principles, thereby depriving children of important vitamins and minerals.

The advantages of IW are as follows:

The newborn can be fed by the father and other close relatives. A woman is freed from every minute being next to the child and is now able to leave for quite a long time, without worrying that the baby will remain hungry (it is better, of course, not to linger for a long time).
When breastfeeding, the mother cannot always control the amount of portions, so the child sometimes remains hungry or, on the contrary, overeats, and then burps. In addition, bottle feeding allows you to track the deterioration of health, manifested by a decrease in appetite (you can see this by the volume of the remaining formula).

If an allergic reaction begins in infants who eat mixtures, the mother always has a specific “suspect”. In the case of breastfeeding, a woman will have to seriously revise her diet and give up many foods.
Artificial nutrition is digested for a long time (much longer than breast milk), which is why the number of meals a child can have can be reduced.

These are the advantages of adapted feeding, however, in the opinion of many experts, the disadvantages of artificial feeding are much more significant and serious.

Children on IV are more likely to have colds, infectious diseases, and allergic reactions during the first month of life and in early childhood. Doctors explain this phenomenon by the fact that the mixtures lack the most important antibodies that the mother should pass on to the baby along with the milk.
The use of containers for feeding requires their regular washing and even sterilization. If such conditions are not observed, the newborn may develop an intestinal disorder or other dyspeptic factor.
It is quite difficult for a baby on IV to digest a product that is not characteristic of his gastrointestinal tract. This is why artisans often suffer from colic due to swallowing air.
On long trips with a baby, a mother needs to prepare and take with her a large number of things, including the dry formula itself, clean bottles, and a suitable sterilizing device. That is, you have to collect a whole bag and cook food somewhere else.
It is not always possible to immediately find the perfect formula for newborns, so new mothers are often forced to change different types of nutrition in order to choose the most suitable for a particular child.
Adapted nutrition of children requires a certain amount of money from the mother. A balanced and complete product cannot be cheap, especially since a growing baby will need a much larger amount of formula.

Thus, there are still advantages from artificial feeding, but there are more disadvantages to such a diet. That is why it is extremely undesirable to refuse breastfeeding for the sake of one's own principles, the opinion of the media and the desire to feel "freedom" in the first months of a child's life.

Pediatrician Komarovsky, who is an indisputable authority among many mothers, is convinced that breast milk is an indispensable product, despite the latest scientific and technological advances.

Breast milk contains so many essential components (antibodies, hormonal substances, digestive enzymes) that its composition cannot be surpassed for a long time. Komarovsky never tires of repeating that under any circumstances, breast milk is preferable to formula.

Artificial feeding of a child is a problem that worries many young mothers who, due to various circumstances, are not able to breastfeed their newborn.

Komarovsky suggests focusing on 2 most important axioms:

No mixture, even adapted, can completely replace breast milk.
Cow's or goat's milk is not as good a product for an infant as a balanced formula.

Komarovsky notes a curious pattern: over the past three decades, the number of cases of food allergies or intestinal disorders in children of the first month has decreased many times (by a thousand or more times) as mothers switched from animal milk to industrial formulas.

Dr. Komarovsky convinces new mothers who cannot breastfeed that feeding their babies with diluted or whole cow or goat milk is a huge mistake. And do not listen to grandmothers who call mixtures a set of chemical reagents.

Komarovsky cites data that newborns under one year old should not be fed cow's or goat's milk. After 12 months and up to three years, the volume of this product should be minimal, and from preschool age, the child can consume such milk in reasonable quantities.

Such restrictions are associated with an increased content of phosphorus and calcium compounds in animal milk. Such an excess of the norm of these minerals is fraught with kidney diseases and the pathological development of the musculoskeletal system.

So, you weighed all the pros and cons and decided that the baby needs artificial feeding. It is important to observe certain principles and take into account certain conditions. Among them:

choice of adapted food;
feeding regimen and portion size;
baby feeding technique.

To choose high-quality products for children, you need to follow the advice of an experienced doctor. Parents are offered mixtures for complete feeding of healthy newborns, babies with digestive disorders, allergies and premature newborns. Let's consider them in more detail.

Adapted Blends

These products are made from cow's milk, but the volume of protein components in it is significantly reduced by the introduction of demineralized whey.

For children of the first month, you need to purchase products with primary or initial formulas. On the box with the mixture, this is indicated by the number 1, for example, "Nutrilak 1".

By 6 months, the baby should be given products with the so-called follow-up formula. They are also called less adapted mixtures. They contain more milk proteins and carbohydrate components to meet the increased energy requirements.

They differ from the previous product not in quantity, but in the quality of protein elements.

Milk protein is subjected to a special enzymatic effect, which implies bringing it to a curdled state. As a result, the mixture is close in composition to breast milk.

Due to this technological process, the mixture is better digested in the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn and is more quickly absorbed. Curd ingredients form the optimal intestinal microflora, adding beneficial bacteria to the body.

Such products are indicated for feeding newborns with dysbacteriosis, stool disorder, predisposition to allergies.

Also, such artificial feeding is prescribed for a weak and premature infant.

Non-adapted mixtures

They are made from fresh or dried animal milk. The volume of protein components in their composition is significantly higher than in women's milk.

Since the main element of such products is casein, which is unnatural for newborn babies, some unsafe conditions may develop:

violation of the intestinal microflora;
digestive disorders;
small weight gain in an infant;
delayed development.

IW experts do not advise giving this product to an infant under 12 months of age. It does not meet the needs of babies and even threatens his well-being. Also, experts do not allow the use of cow or goat milk for cooking porridge.

Selection rules

If you are unable to breastfeed and it is time for an alternative product, it is best to consult a specialist for formula selection. The pediatrician, knowing the characteristics of the child's body, will recommend the most gentle nutrition.

To select the optimal product, it is necessary to take into account certain nuances and the most important criteria.

When a child first meets a dairy product, you need to constantly monitor his reactions and behavior: look at how alert he is, track the color of his skin, the frequency and nature of feces.

It should be understood that regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or formula-fed your baby, you need to properly serve the “dish”.

Before manufacturing, be sure to study the packaging in order to understand how to prepare the purchased mixture. The standard requirements for the preparation of a dry dairy product are as follows:

In some situations, you can cook several servings at once. So that the mixture does not disappear, it should be placed in the refrigerator (for a day) or in a special thermos (for up to 4 hours). Of course, if you have stored the product in the refrigerator, the mixture must be warmed up before feeding the child.

Special heaters are sold in stores; hot water (or tap water) is also suitable for heating. Heating in the microwave is not recommended, as the product heats up too unevenly, which means that the child may be burned.

Experts distinguish two main ways to feed a newborn who is on artificial feeding: the regime by the clock and free feeding.

Clock mode

Artificial feeding must be precise. Experts often advise new mothers to adhere to the regimen, maintaining certain intervals between feedings and observing the norms in dosage.

How many times should I formula feed newborns? The number of meals per month looks like this:

From 0 to 3 months. You cook and feed the baby every 3 hours, at night the break is 6 hours. There are about 7 feedings per day.
From 3 to 6 months. After 3.5 hours during the day, at night you break for about 6 hours. That is, during the day, the baby will need to be fed 6 times.
From half a year. By 6 months, the artificial baby begins to be introduced to complementary feeding. At about the same age, complementary foods are also introduced to children who are breastfed. For a grown-up baby, one feeding should be changed to porridge or mashed vegetables. Now the number of meals is 5 in 4 hours, night sleep is about 8 hours.

free feeding

Human milk and artificial formula differ in composition. If a natural product does not lead to heaviness even with frequent application to the breast, then diluted milk powder is not considered a "light" dish.

However, other experts suggest the use of partially free feeding, a method characterized by a specific feeding time. The volume of the mixture in this case depends on the desire of the child, but is within specific limits.

You prepare and pour the mixture into a container about 25 milliliters larger, but food should be given at a strictly fixed time. This will allow you to more accurately determine the optimal portion size needed by the child. If he leaves the milk in the bottle, you can’t force feed.

Breastfeeding a baby is not so easy, let alone an artificial baby. In some situations, the child is not gaining weight well, in others they talk about overfeeding. That is why the mother should follow certain rules of artificial feeding.

It should not be thought that an artificial man needs less mother care than a naturalist. It seems that a father or other relative can give him a bottle, and a nipple can console him. However, experts recommend that mothers ensure the closest contact with the baby, hugging him to her, laying next to her.

Ideally, only the mother should feed a one-month-old baby. You should not entrust artificial feeding to the rest of the family. Let him suck the bottle only in his mother's arms, turning to face her. As soon as he falls asleep, the pacifier is removed from his mouth and put to bed.

How much formula does a newborn eat?

In a simplified scheme, the nutritional norms of an artificial person are as follows:

in the first 10 days, the daily volume of the mixture can be calculated based on the number of days of a child's life multiplied by 70 or 80 (depending on body weight, 80 if birth weight is more than 3200 g);
from 10 days to 60 days - the child eats up to 800 milliliters of adapted food for 7 or 8 times;
from 2 to 4 months - the maximum volume of milk increases to 900 milliliters (or a sixth of the baby's weight).

When should the mixture be changed?

Feeding must correspond to the characteristics of the crumbs. However, not all artificial products are suitable for children, so each mixture is given at first in a small volume and not for very long, carefully monitoring any reaction.

Experts advise changing the product in the following situations:

the child does not tolerate the mixture, there is a rash, redness, regurgitation, constipation or diarrhea;
the baby has reached certain age limits when it is required to switch to a less adapted mixture (in this case, it is advised to change the product to gruel of the same brand);
there is a need to switch to a special medical diet (an allergic reaction, for example), and then go back to the usual product.

The transition should be sequential, observing some nuances. First, a new product is introduced, mixing it with the old one (two thirds of the old mixture and one third of the introduced one). Then proportionality begins to be observed, by the end of the week the child completely switches to a previously unfamiliar product.

If the mother will feed the child with a mixture, then the pediatrician can tell her everything about artificial feeding. Specialist advice is especially valuable when choosing the first product and when replacing adaptive nutrition. Although the mixture is not able to become an absolute copy of breast milk, if all the basic rules are observed, the artificial child will definitely grow up strong and healthy.

Hello, I'm Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully studied at SUSU as a special psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and advising parents on the upbringing of children. I apply the experience gained, among other things, in the creation of psychological articles. Of course, in no case do I pretend to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.