The best food for babies is mother’s milk. But if for some reason there is too little or no milk at all, you have to switch to artificial feeding. There is no problem with this, just feeding a baby on artificial nutrition will be somewhat different from breastfeeding. It should be remembered that with a sensible approach and compliance with all the rules for artificial feeding, grow up healthy and strong children.
Artificial feeding from the very beginning is not inherent in nature in the development and growth of the child. But modern technology has made it possible to create a wide range of formulas that can be fed to your baby. They will give it all the necessary nutrients and strengthen the body in its development.
If breastfeeding pediatricians are increasingly inclined to a free schedule of feeding the baby (or rather, at the request of a little hungry stomach), the daily schedule of a child on artificial feeding should be observed meticulously – feed your baby about every 2.5 hours, followed by increasing the pauses between meals.
Adjust portions and feeding intervals
An artificially-fed baby’s menu consists of adapted milk formulas. When a baby uses the mother’s milk, overfeeding him in such cases is very difficult – the mother’s body regulates the production and release of milk. But with artificial feeding, overfeeding of portions is possible, which can cause negative consequences, above all this:
- Violation on the part of the extremely sensitive gastrointestinal tract of the child;
- An increase in body weight of the child (up to obesity).
While on artificial nutrition, the child must not only eat a certain amount of food, but also eat on a schedule. The interval between meals per day should be as follows:
- In the 1st month of life – every 2.5 hours;
- In the second month – 8-9 feedings a day;
- On the third – 7-8;
- On the fourth – 6-7;
- On the 5-6th – 5-6,
- 7-12th – 4-6.
Scrupulous compliance with such a schedule of nutrition due to the fact that the adapted mixture is digested by a small stomach is heavier and slower than breast milk. If you do not wait a certain amount of time and hastily offer the baby the next portion, the stomach will accumulate food, because the previous portion has not yet had time to digest. This can cause a child’s stomach discomfort of varying degrees, and provoke a real pain syndrome.
Often, for parents who feed their baby formula, there is quite a logical question: when do babies stop drinking formula?
There is no definite answer. Pediatricians believe that up to the age of 1 year a child just needs to be fed formula, and then it depends on circumstances. If a child continues to eat formula beyond this age, there will be no harm. The main thing is that the formula should be used in reasonable quantities and not interfere with the main diet.
Artificially-fed complementary foods
No matter how well-balanced and calibrated the formula is, over time it becomes insufficient for a fast-developing and developing baby. Therefore, complementary foods are needed.
Both breastfeeding and complementary feeding are introduced gradually, unobtrusively, month after month. The complementary feeding schedule for artificial feeding by month is as follows
- From the 3rd month – introducing fruit juices and purées;
- From the 4th month – vegetable purée;
- From the 5th month – cottage cheese and milk oatmeal;
- From the 6th – egg yolk and mashed meat;
- From the 7th – kefir, and bread;
- From the 8th – fish purée.
As we can see, the first complementary feeding of an infant through artificial feeding is not made before the 3rd month of life. By this period, adapted milk formula completely covers the needs of the small body in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals.
When introducing complementary foods, it is necessary to monitor not only the overall condition of the child but also his stools. So, if you started to enter the child’s diet with fruit purée, and after that in his stool appeared mucus, or the child’s body did not digest it – cancel the “innovation”, wait a few days and try again. If the next attempt is unsuccessful, consult your pediatrician.