Until how many months can you formula feed your baby? Pros and cons of artificial feeding - how long to feed the baby with a mixture

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

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Adapted mixtures or milk substitutes are the basis of artificial feeding of a child. Most substitutes are milk formulas made from regular cow's milk. The fact is that such a mixture is almost identical in composition to human milk and corresponds to the substances of babies.

Less adapted casein blends, they are made from whey-free casein. In other respects, they correspond in the same way to women's milk. Such mixtures are usually given to children from 3 months and fed for a short time. Recently, women have been actively using mixtures for older children, whose age starts from six months, because they contain a high content of proteins and calories.

In the very first weeks of your baby's life, it is best to feed with fresh mixtures. The fact is that sour-milk can cause increased regurgitation. Further, it makes sense to add unleavened mixtures to fermented milk, mixing everything in equal proportions. For proper feeding, you need to know that nutrient mixtures are digested in the baby's stomach a little longer than human milk. So no need to overfeed in large portions. Otherwise, everything may increase the risk of loss of appetite, which will be very difficult to restore.

How to feed your baby with adapted formula

It is necessary to feed the baby in the very first months often, about six times a day and every three and a half hours. Formula-fed babies transition earlier to less frequent feeding.

By four months, when your baby's stomach is already strong and the digestive system is working more confidently, you should reduce the intake of mixtures to five times a day.

It is also important to consider that the need for nutrients increases with the growth of the child. Fruit juices and egg yolk should be added to the diet. It is extremely important to strictly observe the regimen and feed the baby by the hour. In no case should you feed the child every time he is naughty.

Otherwise, you run the risk of making the baby upset the digestive system and strike at the gastrointestinal tract.

Remember that artificial feeding does not replace mother's milk, but if you follow all the rules, the child will grow up healthy. The period of such feeding itself lasts up to one and a half years, however, the moment of termination and the transition to another diet should be made only after consultation with a pediatrician. As a rule, by the age of two, the child is already able to eat and refuse mixtures, smoothly switching to baby food.

Proper feeding of a newborn plays an important role in the further development of the baby, in the proper functioning of his body. Up to six months of life, the baby needs more mother's milk. But since some women have problems with lactation, mixtures for babies come to the rescue. But you need to know until what age to feed the baby with a mixture. It is time to transfer the baby to regular food.

There are many opinions about breastfeeding newborns. Some believe that only mother's milk can give the child the necessary for full development. It is clear that up to 6 months milk is needed to strengthen the child's immunity and protect against pathogenic microorganisms.

But the "artificials" grow healthy with the right mixture. The benefits of formula milk include:

• exact dosage;
• balanced composition with the necessary elements for the baby;
• selection of product components in accordance with the age and taste preferences of children.

You need to know that manufacturers of dry mixes do not always use natural products. And mothers should know which products are quality and which are not.

It is better for a child when he receives milk in the 1st year of life. It is preferable to use cow besides the mother. But children are happy to eat artificial mixtures. It is only necessary to wean the kids from them in time, transferring them to ordinary food.

Doctors' reviews

In pediatricians, the opinion about feeding a child boils down to the fact that it is necessary to breastfeed up to 1.5-2 years. For centuries, it has been proven that mother's milk contains everything that will help make a child healthy and strong. But women who do not have lactation are prescribed adapted mixtures for feeding. They must contain milk. Only for six-month-old babies are introduced complementary foods, which make up 10% of the total diet of the child.

The formula is reduced in quantity as the baby grows. By the age of one year, only half of the total mass of nutrition remains in the diet. Doctors advise switching to a regular diet with children no older than 2 years. You can leave the dry mix in a small amount, but by the age of 3 you need to completely abandon it.

Opinions of nutritionists

The advantages of adapted milk formulas include the balance of elements useful for the child's body. If, in the absence of breastfeeding, cow's milk is given, then this will adversely affect the functioning of the baby's kidneys. A large amount of phosphorus in a natural product will cause the absorption of calcium to be slower. Hence the problems with the development of the skeletal system of the baby.

Mixtures are useful for "artists" living in the northern regions. An adapted food product contains as many vitamins and microelements as a child needs.

For each age you need to choose your own set of food. Baby food packages are labeled:

• 1 or PRE - for premature babies with low weight;
• 1 - children under 6 months;
• 2 - babies from six months to 1 year;
• 3 - from 1.5 to 2 years;
• 4 - children aged 3 years.

They produce products that can be included in the diet up to 6 years.

But we must not forget that not only mixtures should be in the diet of the baby. Don't neglect food. New products for the baby include mashed vegetables and fruits, cereals on the water. By the 7th month, meat food, boiled fish are introduced into the menu.

Specialists of the World Health Organization are positive about the inclusion of mixtures in the infant's diet:

1. For a child left without mother's milk, the introduction of adapted mixtures into the menu is considered a vital necessity.
2. Weakened children should include an adapted product in their diet from birth to 6 months of age. But it is better to purchase a special one, rather than a standard one. The mixture should be enriched with vitamins and trace elements.
3. To preserve the health of the child, one must not neglect milk mixtures, choosing those based on natural products.
4. It is obligatory to take meals prepared with infant formula until 2 years of age.

When to start and stop breastfeeding, every parent thinks through, after consulting with a pediatrician and nutritionist. Each child has their own taste preferences, so they select the product taking into account it. Do not forget about allergic reactions to food.

When can you finish

No one can unequivocally answer the question of when to finish feeding the baby with mixtures. For each parent, the choice is individual. In some families, milk formula prevails over other products. And they should be replaced gradually, including natural kefir, fermented baked milk, milk. The transition is carried out in such a way that the child does not act up, does not “go on a hunger strike”.

When the child's immunity is weakened, he often gets sick, then you can leave the product in the diet for up to 2 years or more to give the body time to get stronger.

Mixtures are often used in night feedings. Baby sleeps better with a bottle. When growing up, the baby will gradually refuse such food. If four meals a day are enough for him, then at night he will not ask to be fed. Babies over 3 years old usually drink boiled water at night.

Cooking rules

It is necessary to prepare food for the child correctly so that the useful elements are absorbed by the child's body.

A pack of food is carefully inspected before buying to make sure that it contains what the baby needs. Do not forget about the timing of the sale of goods.

How to dilute the powder is suggested by the manufacturer on the package. Proportions are strictly observed, because ignoring them will cause digestive problems in the child. He will suffer from colic, increased gas formation.

Use for cooking boiled water, cooled to 37 degrees.

Fill the powder with water, shake the bottle so that no air bubbles remain inside. The mass should be homogeneous, without lumps.

Do not forget about the sterility of preparation. For a glass bottle, disinfection with boiling water is required. Plastic - they change often, because the smell of the previous product remains in it, the remnants of the powder on the walls.

Storing baby food in the refrigerator and heating it in the microwave oven is unacceptable. It is prepared before use, the excess is destroyed.

It is advised not to mix products from different manufacturers and choose only high-quality ones purchased in specialized stores.

Feeding hours are set taking into account the baby's daily routine. Don't force him to eat against his will. When a child does not want to eat, is naughty, it is better to postpone lunch time to a later time.

During feeding, do not forget about a calm and friendly environment. The baby will tell by his behavior what he needs. The task of parents is to take into account the needs and desires of the baby, an attentive and caring attitude towards him.

Milk formula is the best substitute for mother's milk. She saves modern parents in a variety of life situations - from a lack of breast milk to the need for an early mother to go to work. However, high-quality milk formula is not a cheap pleasure. And therefore, young parents who are forced to artificially feed a baby often wonder how nutritious and important it is for a growing infant's body.

Compound

Despite the abundance of brands, the composition of infant formula, in terms of quality and safety, is approximately the same. After all, the registration process for infant milk and fermented milk formulas is quite complicated, and the quality criteria are so strict that unscrupulous manufacturers simply do not affect

The composition of the milk mixture:

1. Powdered milk is the basis of the milk mixture. It is made from whole cow or goat milk. Also, there are mixtures based on soy.
2. Vitamins and minerals serve as a mandatory supplement for milk formulas. Their number is strictly controlled at the legislative level.
3. Nucleotides are the building blocks of human cells.
4. Prebiotics help the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut and have a direct effect on the baby's digestion.
5. Probiotics are directly beneficial microbes.
6. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are included in a group of substances that affect the development of the brain, vision and immunity.

Thinking about the age until which you need to feed the child with a mixture, it is worth, first of all, to think about what benefits it can bring to the baby.

Benefit

Strict quality control of mixtures forces manufacturers to bring indicators as close as possible to the composition of mother's milk. However, the same substances found in the mixture and in breast milk are absorbed in the infant's body in different ways. Therefore, it is extremely important, even with minimal production, to fight for the fact that the child receives mother's milk, and not a mixture. But in the absence of such an opportunity, clearly, replacing breast milk with a mixture is the only reasonable way out.

The question of up to what age a child can be fed with a mixture is, rather, something else. Most often, milk formula is used from a bottle. And therefore, many mothers are concerned whether sucking on a pacifier will affect the proper development of the child, changes in bite or speech? Infant formula is a healthy, balanced product, and if you are afraid of bottle feeding your baby for a long time, just let him drink it from a mug.

Can I breastfeed my baby with cow's or goat's milk?

Milk mixtures appeared relatively recently, and, some 100 years ago, no one could have thought of any substitutes, except for cow or goat milk. In this regard, a quite reasonable question arises: until what age should a child be fed formula milk and when can it be replaced with regular milk?

It is strongly not recommended for feeding babies who are not yet a year old. This is due to the fact that the amount of substances such as phosphorus and calcium significantly exceeds the norm contained in breast milk. Immature infant kidneys cannot cope with the removal of excess substances from the body, as a result of which, the baby has various symptoms of intoxication.

For these reasons, formula milk is the only safe substitute for human milk. In exceptional cases, when the mixture cannot be obtained, it is permissible to feed with animal milk, but only in a diluted form.

How to choose the right milk formula?

Since the composition of the mixtures is approximately the same, the choice should be based primarily on financial capabilities. Having decided on the price, pay attention to the labeling. The number "1" indicates that the mixture is adapted for a child under 6 months old. The number "2" marks mixtures for babies from 6 months to a year. Troika says that it can be given to children starting from the second year of life.

The choice of special mixtures should be discussed with the pediatrician who is watching your baby's development.

Until what age should I formula feed my baby?

Since formula serves as a substitute for mother's milk, feeding up to 6 months is not even up for discussion. For feeding a child of this age, any mixture is suitable, including fermented milk, marked with the number "1".

When wondering until what age you need to feed a child with a mixture, you should pay attention to the recommendations of pediatricians regarding natural breastfeeding. And they, therefore, say unequivocally about the occasion: feeding must be continued for up to six months, it is very desirable up to a year, and if possible, preferably up to two. The mixture, although inferior to breast milk in its qualities and composition, is nevertheless a balanced diet that contains everything necessary for the proper growth and development of babies.

What does Dr. Komarovsky say about artificial feeding?

At one of the lessons of the "School" the question was asked, until what age should a child be fed formula? Komarovsky gave detailed explanations.

If the mixture is not an addition to breast milk, but has become the only means of feeding, then it can be replaced with cow's or goat's milk only after the baby is one year old. However, if the material resources of the family allow, then it is highly desirable to give the child exactly the mixture, and not milk, after a year, because the mixture is healthier and certainly safer than milk.

Lure

Starting to feed the baby, some mothers tend to part with expensive mixtures as soon as possible. How important is formula at the time and until what age to feed the child with formula if he receives complete complementary foods?

Complementary foods for babies begin at six months, but up to a year it should remain just complementary foods, that is, an addition to the mixture. Some believe that the mixture is a complete balanced diet, and the introduction of complementary foods in the diet of a child up to a year is not necessary.

However, after six months, the child becomes quite mobile, and for this he needs a lot of energy. No matter how wonderful the composition of infant formula is endowed with, it still remains liquid food, which is not capable of providing the required amount of energy reserves to the baby. Therefore, the introduction of complementary foods at this age is mandatory. Your baby will be full and full of energy, and you will save money by reducing the number of feedings with expensive formula.

After a year, the situation has changed radically. The child should receive good nutrition, and the mixture, in this case, becomes a useful addition to food.

Night feeding

Almost every mother asks quite a reasonable question, until what age should a child be fed with a formula at night? After all, it is night feedings that are associated with inconvenience and discomfort for parents.

Up to 6 months, night feedings are associated, rather, with necessity, therefore, at least six months will have to endure. An older baby can easily sleep through the night, provided that he is properly fed, and he eats up during the day. A hungry child will not let parents sleep peacefully. This should be remembered, especially for those who believe that it is not necessary to give complementary foods for up to a year.

In itself, the fact that there are mixtures labeled "4", intended for feeding children from one and a half years old, suggests that feeding does not end at one and a half years. More precisely, it is desirable to give the mixture, and not whole milk, even after the child reaches one and a half years.

Firstly, as has been repeatedly said, the substances necessary for the growth and development of the child, which cannot be said about milk. Secondly, it is ideal for children prone to allergic reactions, especially if you choose it correctly and take into account all the recommendations of the pediatrician.

By and large, the mixture will not harm and will be useful at any age. Therefore, the question of up to what age to feed a child with a mixture is fundamental only from the point of view of necessity and material possibilities. Since after 3 years the body of any healthy child perfectly absorbs cow's or goat's milk, and the child at this age receives a full-fledged varied diet, the need to buy expensive mixtures disappears by itself.

Despite the fact that the benefits of breastfeeding are well known, sometimes a child has to be switched to formula. Of course, mom needs to try to keep breast milk as long as possible and stimulate its production in every possible way, but if it doesn’t work out, don’t despair. Many children grew up quite healthy and on artificial mixtures.

Unfortunately, no one can give an exact answer. The opinions of doctors and experienced mothers can be diametrically opposed. Some claim that milk and sour-milk products are harmful, and you need to feed your child with mixtures for at least 3 years. Others are sure that there is nothing better than a natural product, and from a year you can give your baby kefir and milk, giving up powder mixtures.

There is an opinion that cow's milk is a product that should not be given to a child until a certain age. The fact is that this product contains a lot of phosphorus. The content of this trace element many times exceeds the amount contained in breast milk.

An excessive concentration of phosphorus creates an unnecessary burden on the kidneys, and can create additional difficulties in the absorption of calcium and vitamin D by the child's body. Difficulties also arise due to the fact that farm animals are fed artificial feed with hormone supplements, which, of course, cannot but affect milk quality.

Read also: Why does the baby spit up after feeding? Causes and Treatments

Therefore, supporters of the rejection of milk believe that it is necessary to feed the child with adapted mixtures for at least three years. Only the mixture must be chosen correctly, focusing on the age indicated by the manufacturer on the product. That is, for babies who have already celebrated their first birthday, you need to select mixtures that indicate that they are intended for children from a year and older.

Of course, a one-year-old baby cannot be fed exclusively with formula milk. By this age, children should receive vegetables, a variety of cereals, meat, sea fish. The mixture is usually given at night, as the last feeding.

At night, it is not necessary to give the mixture, and indeed any other product, to a child older than a year. Moreover, it is even recommended to wean the child from night feedings, so that at 1-1.5 it is already sleeping without an additional portion of food.

Arguments against the use of mixtures

There is hardly a person who would not understand that adapted formulas for an infant are a necessity, since this, although not quite complete, is an alternative to breast milk. But is it worth giving mixtures when the child is already practically transferred to the general table?

Why dilute a powder from a can if a child can be fed with natural products? Proponents of this theory rely on the centuries-old experience of their ancestors, because milk has always been considered exactly “children's” food. They drank it just like that, cooked porridge on it, fermented kefir, etc.

Read also: Why does the fontanel in a child not overgrow? What to look out for

After all, even the generation of current mothers was mainly grown on milk, so not everyone believes in its harm to the child's body. And allergy sufferers in previous generations of children were much less than now.

Looking for the golden mean

As always happens when there are two opposing opinions, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

For example, Dr. Komarovsky believes that the harm of milk for children older than one and a half years is greatly exaggerated. This well-known children's doctor, by no means, does not deny the option of feeding children with mixtures up to 2 or even up to 3 years. But he does not see a particular tragedy in the fact that children of toddler age are given kefir or milk.

If the mother still doubts, then you can give goat's milk to children after a year. Despite the fact that there is also a lot of phosphorus in it, it is much better absorbed by the child's body than cow's.

Children who cannot tolerate milk protein deserve a separate discussion. Some babies cannot drink milk, but they perfectly absorb kefir and cottage cheese. Others simply do not perceive milk protein. In their body there are no enzymes that break down this substance. In this case, it is impossible not only to give milk, but special mixtures should be selected.

After all, most mixtures are made on the basis of cow's milk, just its composition is somewhat modified. And if there is intolerance to milk, it is necessary to select mixtures on a different basis.

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