Can i put baby food in formula

What to Feed Your Baby: Formula, Breast Milk and Beyond

Introducing a baby to solid food is exciting and scary. Often parents have so many questions: What do you feed them first? When do you start them on solids? How much do you feed them? How often do you feed them? So many questions, particularly when you're sleep-deprived state. To help answer all these questions, here's a baby food guide (with recipes!) for kids 4 months and older.

Note: Babies should NOT have the following until they are 1 year old: cow's milk, honey (can cause botulism), nuts/hard foods, shellfish and unpasteurized cheeses. Their digestive systems are still developing, and certain foods can be obvious choking hazards or cause health issues.

4 to 6 months

Start your baby on solids with simple, basic foods such as puréed fruits and vegetables and iron-fortified baby cereal. Since babies are used to breast milk or formula, mix puréed foods with breast milk or formula to pique their interest. You’ll want the food to be runny for the first few feedings. You can gradually increase the thickness as time goes on and your baby becomes more comfortable with texture. Introduce one new food every three to four days so you can be aware of any allergies that might show up. This chart is a great resource for how much to feed your baby.

Most vegetable/fruit purées follow the same “recipe.” Simply steam or bake a vegetable or fruit until the food is soft. Let cool and place in a food processor or blender to blend with breast milk, formula or water until smooth. An efficient way to make baby food is to make big batches of one vegetable or fruit purée at a time and freeze them in ice cube trays for up to two months. When you are ready to serve, you can defrost a cube of purée. Mix with other cubes for more complex combinations as your child’s diet evolves.

Sweet potatoes or squash make a delightful first food.

Sweet potato purée

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 oz breast milk, formula or water

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spread the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan.

3. Roast for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Blend the sweet potatoes with breast milk, formula or water until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary.

5. Store in airtight container for three days in fridge or one month in freezer.

For a more complex food, combine roasted carrots, baked apples and roasted butternut squash. You’ll want to introduce each of these foods separately but once your baby has done well with them, mix them for a different flavor. Blend with breast milk, formula and water to keep the purée smooth.

Roasted carrot, baked apple and roasted butternut squash purée

Ingredients:

1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup apple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces breast milk, formula or water

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spread the carrots, apples and butternut squash on a sheet pan.

3. Roast for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Blend the roasted carrots, baked apples and roasted butternut squash with breast milk, formula or water until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary.

5. Store in airtight container for three days in fridge or one month in freezer.

6 to 8 months

At this point, your little one is getting a hang of eating and his or her tastebuds are developing. You can start to introduce yogurts, puréed meats and legumes (beans, chickpeas, edamame, etc) to your baby's diet.

Avocados are a favorite first food due to their soft texture and delightful flavor and combined with edamame, they make a tasty treat. Mash avocados with mashed edamame in a blender or by hand for a chunkier texture.

Avocado and edamame purée

Ingredients:

1 avocado
1/2 cup cooked edamame
2-4 ounces breast milk, formula or water

Steps:

1. Blend avocado and cooked edamame with breast milk, formula or water until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary.

2. Store in airtight container for three days in fridge or one month in freezer.

For a heartier meal, steamed spinach, baked apples with cinnamon and peas are a great combination that will please baby’s taste buds.

Spinach, apple and pea purée

Ingredients:

1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup apple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
4 ounces breast milk, formula or water

Steps:

1. Lightly steam spinach in a vegetable steamer until soft.

2. Place apple with cinnamon in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of water and cook until soft.

3. Add peas to the apple and cinnamon mixture and cook until soft.

4. Blend the spinach, apples and peas with breast milk, formula or water until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary.

5. Store in airtight container for three days in fridge or one month in freezer.

8 to 10 months

Baby’s pincer grasp is usually strong by now; you're ready for finger foods. No need to make this phase complicated. Start with softer foods that can be easily mashed by little hands but held steady between tiny fingers. Peas, diced blueberries, bananas, steamed zucchini, baked apples and diced avocado are favorites along with small chunks of cheese, diced chicken and cereal (think Cheerios). Alice and Lois have a great list of baby finger foods and bonus smoothie pop recipes.

10 to 12 months

Babies are eating more combinations at this point; most can eat almost everything you eat. A favorite baby food is hummus. Add some extra ingredients to make it more exciting. Blueberries and zucchini are great additions while broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes can break up basic garbanzo beans and olive oil.

Blueberry, rosemary, zucchini, garbanzo bean hummus

Ingredients:

1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, strained and drained
1/2 cup zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces and lightly steamed
1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

1. Combine blueberries, garbanzo beans, zucchini and rosemary with olive oil in food processor and pulse. Scrape down the sides and blend until you have reached the desired consistency.

2. Serve with pita bread or crackers.

3. Store in airtight container for three days in fridge or one month in freezer.

Toddlers and beyond

Toddlers have usually moved beyond the basic purée but don’t have very well-developed palates. Also, the concern for choking is still big. Suggestion: smoothies. They're a great way to pack in some nutrients. Popsicles can also be made with fresh fruit and yogurt for a refreshing treat.

Strawberry oatmeal smoothie

Ingredients:

1 banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk (cow, almond, soy)
1 teaspoon chia seeds

Steps:

1. Combine banana, frozen strawberries, rolled oats, milk and chia seeds in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Serve immediately.

Introducing Solid Foods - When to Start Baby Food

In her new world of tastes and textures, how can you have a smooth transition?

There will come a point when you know it’s time to start building up your baby’s diet. For some moms who have only breastfed, this might mean incorporating baby formula as a supplementation option. If this is your plan, check out our Supplementing Basics guide.

The bigger change is when you begin introducing solid foods.This is a fun time for you and your baby, as many new tastes, textures, and flavors are now on her menu.The following information may help make the transition to solid foods go as smoothly as possible.

As always, talk to your healthcare professional before you begin any changes in your child’s diet. 

Introducing solids: when and how do you begin?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, solid foods can be introduced when your baby is about 6 months old. This is the age when a baby learns to use her tongue to move food back to her throat and her mouth muscles are developed enough to let her swallow solid foods.  

A helpful idea for making your baby’s first solid-food experience easier is to mix cereal with your breast milk or baby formula. In a bowl or cup, mix 4 to 5 tablespoons of breast milk—or a baby formula like Similac Pro-Advance^®with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a single-grain cereal. You’ll want to warm it up, but always test the temperature before feeding.  

These tips might help, too: 

To first get your baby to start on solid foods, try giving them to her at only one feeding each day. If she is not interested, try it again in a few days until she is. 
Choose a time of day that is the least stressful for you and when your baby isn’t extremely hungry. Many parents find midmorning or midafternoon an ideal time.

Stage 1 solids: baby’s first bites

When first feeding your little one solid foods, take baby steps by offering her only one new food at a time. She will let you know how much she wants to eat and what she likes and dislikes as you go along. It’s best to begin with single-ingredient foods and wait 3 to 5 days before adding each new food. This will help you confirm or dismiss any concern about allergies.

Most pediatricians recommend starting your baby on a single-grain cereal or pureed meat, as they contain important nutrients. Once she’s comfortable with a first food, you can decide when you’re both ready to move on to other single-ingredient foods, such as a stage 1 jarred baby food.

You’ll know baby is ready for single-grain cereals once she’s about 6 months of age and can:

Sit with support 
Hold her head up and turn away when full 
Take food from a spoon and learn to swallow

Start with a small amount of cereal and increase it gradually—even a teaspoonful is enough for some beginners. A good early start plan is 4 to 5 tablespoons of beast milk or  Similac^® formula mixed in a bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice cereal.  

Suggestions for successful cereal feeding:

During the first few feedings, babies usually respond best to a thinner consistency.
Put a small amount of warm cereal on the tip of a rubber-coated spoon and place it in your baby's mouth. Don’t be surprised if at first the food comes right back out. Her instinct is to use the same mouth and tongue movements as she did when nursing or sucking from a bottle. 
As your baby transitions from a totally liquid diet of breast milk or formula, she might not swallow much at first. 
As she gets used to eating from a spoon, you can gradually increase the amount and consistency, offering two or three feedings a day.

Tips for introducing single-ingredient jarred foods to your baby 

When introducing single-ingredient jarred baby foods, here are a few helpful hints to keep in mind:

Introduce one new food at a time over the course of 3 to 5 days to watch out for food allergies 
Start with a small amount of food and increase gradually—even a teaspoonful is enough for some beginners
Do not feed your baby directly from the jar, as bacteria from her saliva will deteriorate the food
Only feed your baby when she’s sitting up

STAGE 2: combination foods add variety to mealtime

Now that your baby is eating single-ingredient foods regularly, she probably wants to try a combination of foods for added variety and flavor. Stage 2 baby foods are made with two or more ingredients and are roughly pureed or blended to be of a thicker consistency than stage 1. While stage 1 is mostly fruits and veggies, stage 2 foods might incorporate meat, grains, or legumes.

You’ll know if she’s ready for combination foods if she’s about 6 months old and:

Sits well without support
Keeps her head upright while sitting 
Eats a wide variety of single-ingredient foods 
Eats solid foods about 3 times a day

Introducing combination foods to your baby 

The first step is to always check the ingredients of any food you seek to introduce. If your baby was sensitive to any single food, make sure it’s not a part of your food combinations. And:

Introduce only one new ingredient at a time. Wait 3 to 5 days before introducing any other new foods to check for allergies. 
Maintain single foods in your baby's diet. Feed her a favorite single-grain cereal from time to time for variety.  
During her first year, include your breast milk or Similac^® formula at each mealtime. It is a vital part of your baby's diet. 
Don’t worry if your baby refuses to eat, is fussy, or turns away. Try again later.

What if your baby seems to dislike some foods?

Your baby may make a face or literally turn her nose up at some foods you offer. This usually doesn’t mean she dislikes the food. She’ll simply need time to adjust to this new taste on her tongue.

To help, use any new food as her first bite of solids for a few days. The first day, she might make a face and spit the food out. The second day, she will usually swallow the first bite, but might refuse the second. Patiently continue this pattern and she’ll most likely develop a taste for any new food, including strong-tasting veggies.

Stage 3 baby food: nutrition by addition

Every baby is different; but, from about the age of 8 months, your baby should be ready for you to keep adding interesting new foods to her diet—foods with more complex tastes and textures. Almost anything goes at this stage as long as the food is in small pieces and/or cooked until very soft to make it easy to chew.

Here are a few basic signs for knowing if your baby is ready for complex tastes:

She can pull up from a sitting to a standing position 
She can walk by holding onto furniture 
She wants to eat with her fingers 
She mashes food well with her gums or teeth 
She enjoys a variety of tastes and textures

Noticing a yellow tinge to your baby's skin?

Sometimes as you introduce colorful new foods to your little one’s diet, you may notice her skin taking on a yellow tinge. Check with your healthcare professional, but usually this is a harmless condition known as carotenemia. As little as 2 tablespoons of pureed carrots every day for 5 to 7 weeks can cause a baby’s skin color to change in this way. It will usually go away if you stop feeding carotene-rich foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and peaches for a few days.  

Keep your nutritional guard up

As your growing baby’s diet continues to become more complex, make sure it’s also staying complete in its nutritional value. Toddler formulas like Go & Grow by Similac^® can help balance your toddler’s diet as you begin to serve her table foods.

See our Balanced Toddler Nutrition page

Feeding your baby solid foods: what are the DOs and DON’Ts?

Talking is still months away, but your baby might be telling you things with her feeding signals. The following DOs and DON’Ts will help clue you in on baby’s mealtime needs and make the transition to solid foods as easy as possible for both of you. 

When getting your baby started with solids… 

DO  remember that breast milk or Similac infant formula is still your baby's main source of nutrition for the first full year.   

DON'T  start solid foods earlier than about 4 months old, unless your healthcare professional tells you otherwise.

For mealtime success with your baby… 

DO  make sure your baby is hungry, but not overly so. A small "appetizer" of breast milk or Similac formula before feeding solids is recommended. Select a time of day that is the least stressful for you, and make sure you have plenty of time.  

DO  keep a sense of humor. Early feedings can be unproductive, challenging, and messy—but also entertaining. 

To recognize signs of hunger and fullness in your baby…

DO  learn your baby's signals. Feed her when you see she eagerly swallows every bite, follows the spoon with her eyes, and becomes impatient for more.  

DON'T  continue feeding your baby if she turns her head away, refuses to open her mouth, or cries when you try feeding her. 

To add new ingredients and foods…

DO wait 3 to 5 days to add each new food to your baby's diet so you can detect any allergic reaction your baby might have to a certain food. If your baby is fussy after eating a specific food, you can find help by troubleshooting the problem with our Tummy Trouble Tool.

DON'T  season your baby’s food. Babies do not need added salt or sugar.

Baby feeding methods…

DO  serve baby food from a small bowl. Feeding directly from a jar can encourage bacteria growth, and your baby's saliva can make the food watery.   

DON'T  put your baby to bed with a bottle. This can promote "baby-bottle mouth," a form of tooth decay.   

DO  gently stir and test the temperature of any food from the microwave before serving. Make sure the temperature is warm, not hot.   

DON'T  feed cereals or other solid foods through a bottle, unless your healthcare professional directs you to do so. Cereal in a bottle might cause your baby to gag or choke.   

DON'T  feed your baby in a reclining position because of the danger of gagging or choking. 

Baby & toddler nutrition recommendations 

Infant		Young Toddlers	Older Toddlers	Preschoolers
0-6 months	6-12 months	1-2 years	2-3 years	3-5 years
Infant formula/breast milk
	Early solid food	Solid foods, milk, water
		Toddler formula
			PediaSure

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proportions, rules for preparing and storing ready meals

To prepare for the use of liquid and powder mixtures, follow the following sequence of actions. The ready-to-use mixture can be poured directly into a sterile bottle without diluting with water (wash the top of the can thoroughly before opening).

Boil tap water or bottled water for five minutes. We do not recommend using distilled water as it deprives the child of valuable minerals. Let the boiled water cool down.

Place six sterile bottles in a row and fill each with the recommended amount of cooled boiled water. Add the recommended amount of wet or dry mix. For example, if you are using liquid concentrate and 240 ml bottles, pour 120 ml of boiled water and 120 ml of liquid concentrate into each.

Put teats and caps on all bottles, then put them in the refrigerator.

It is preferable to use the refrigerated mixture within twenty-four hours, maximum forty-eight hours.

Correct concentration

Never use a mixture with a higher concentration than indicated in the instructions. Always add exactly

Quick and easy sterilization and formula preparation tips

Use disposable plastic bags for feeding, which are fixed in a plastic holder; they are comfortable and minimize the amount of air swallowed as the bag collapses during feeding.

Use dishwasher to sterilize bottles and teats; also use ready-to-use liquid mixtures. No need to boil water, no need to re-sterilize, no need to measure the ingredients.

as much water as recommended by the mix manufacturer. If you add too little water, the mixture will be too thick for the baby's immature intestines and kidneys, and the baby will become dehydrated. Sometimes your doctor may advise you to further dilute the mixture with water if you vomit or have diarrhea. Over-dilute the formula without the recommendation of a pediatrician is not worth more than a couple of days, as too thin formula will not provide your child with enough calories.

Most children prefer the mixture to be slightly warm; hold the bottle for a few minutes under running warm water. Put some on the inside of your wrist to check your temperature.

To help your baby swallow as little air as possible, tilt the bottle so that the entire nipple is filled with milk and the air rises to the bottom of the bottle.

Hold the baby's head straight in relation to the body. If the child drinks with his head turned to the side or with his head thrown back, it will be difficult for him to swallow.

To make your hand less tired and your baby see you from different angles, change your hand at each feeding.

Watch for signs that the opening in the nipple is too large or too small. If the baby suddenly has a full mouthful of milk, chokes and almost chokes while feeding, the milk may be flowing too fast. Turn the full bottle upside down and do not shake. If the milk squirts out instead of dripping, the hole in the nipple is too big; throw that pacifier away. If you see that the baby is trying his best and gets tired of sucking quickly, and his cheeks sink in during sucking movements due to the resulting vacuum, the hole in the nipple may be too small (as mentioned earlier, milk should drip from the nipple as at least one drop per second).

Know when to back off. Children know when they are full. Fight the temptation to finish the bottle. If by the end of the feeding the baby is deeply asleep, but has not finished the bottle, stop. Often, babies fall into a light nap towards the end of the bottle, but continue to suck intermittently. They are full but indulge in a light "dessert" of sucking for pleasure. Remove the bottle and let your baby suck on the tip of your finger for a few minutes.

The requirements for baby food are high, and the difficult task of choosing the right mixtures for babies falls on the shoulders of mothers.

Of course, pediatricians and other specialists help them in this matter, but young mothers still have questions.

Many people share their experiences on the Internet, discuss common problems in specialized forums, and also turn to experts and nutritionists. Consider the most popular issues that concern women with young children in Russia today.

If you dilute the ready-made mixture and it remains in the bottle, you can store it for no more than two hours.
Be sure to put it in the refrigerator, otherwise the product will quickly turn sour.

If diluted product is left in the bottle after feeding, it should be discarded and not left for later. And even if the child asked to eat in an hour, he will be unusable, and you risk poisoning the baby.

When the product is stored at room temperature, active reproduction of bacteria begins, causing intestinal disorders, colic, bloating.

Doctors also forbid heating food in the microwave, which heats the contents unevenly.

Many mothers have a question - what water can be diluted with infant formula? There are several options: someone uses ordinary tap water after boiling, someone buys artesian, someone - baby water, presented in pharmacies and stores.

Special children's water is not the worst option, since it does not differ in taste from ordinary water, but higher requirements are imposed on its quality. Manufacturers are required to reduce the degree of mineralization to a certain level, as well as to pass water through a carbon or quartz filter.

The water is carefully tested before it reaches the stores, so it can be used for breeding baby food.

The question is also popular, is it possible to dilute the mixture with boiling water . When diluting the powder product, the optimum temperature is 37C. Some manufacturers recommend using hotter water, you will read about this on the product packaging.

To achieve the desired temperature, after boiling, add cool water to boiling water, but also pre-boiled.

Experts answer unequivocally - you cannot mix regular formula and breast milk. But you can organize mixed feeding. It is available in two versions:

Give an artificial product after breastfeeding if the baby is restless, reaches for the breast, smacks his lips. This means that he did not have enough breast milk, and he remained hungry.
Alternating formula and breast milk. For example, for the first time the child is provided with natural feeding, and in the second - only artificial.

The first method is recommended if the mother has a slight shortage of milk. In this case, the feeding regimen remains unchanged, namely, at the request of the baby. The only difference is that after breastfeeding, if necessary, the child is given additional artificial nutrition.

The second method is used if lactation is significantly reduced. Then in the morning it is recommended to feed with a mixture, in the afternoon twice - first with a breast, then with a mixture, in the evening with a breast, at night with a mixture, and then in the morning again with a breast.

The amount of artificial product required for supplementary feeding is selected based on the weight and age of the child.

It is also important to remember the rules of mixed feeding:

a bottle with a hard nipple with small holes should be used for supplementary feeding, so that the baby does not refuse the breast at all,
complementary foods should be introduced gradually and observe how the child’s body perceives it,
Complementary foods are allowed to be introduced no earlier than 4-5 months,
should infant formula be diluted with milk - experts answer this question unequivocally - it is impossible, since the mixtures are diluted only with water.

Young mothers face the problem of mixed feeding very often, and due to the lack of specialized literature, they cannot properly organize the child's diet. In such a situation, breastfeeding specialists will come to the rescue.

There is no better nutrition for newborns than mother's milk. However, not always and not all mothers have the opportunity to breastfeed their baby. There are situations when the transfer to artificial feeding is inevitable. Sometimes a woman who has given birth simply does not have breast milk or there is too little of it. Sometimes (for reasons beyond her control) a mother cannot breastfeed her baby. We want to note right away that before transferring a newborn to IV (artificial feeding), consultation with a pediatrician is a prerequisite. IV is a new diet that requires the most serious approach. Today we will try to answer the most pressing questions that parents have when transferring their child to IV.

When a child needs to be artificially fed — who and when decides on the child's IV?

Even the highest quality formulas cannot replace breast milk. Therefore, the transfer to IV must be justified! It is necessary to solve the issue of transferring the child to IV together with the pediatrician.

Pediatricians consider the transfer of a baby to artificial feeding reasonable if:

The birth was very difficult and the mother just needs to regain her lost strength.
The mother has a history of infectious diseases.
A woman in labor is forced to take life-saving drugs.
Presence of chronic diseases.
The mother (for a number of reasons) does not have breast milk or it is not enough, and all attempts to restore or increase lactation have not led to a positive result.
Temporary prolonged absence of the mother. In the absence of it for a short time, breast milk is expressed and stored in the refrigerator.

How to choose infant formula for a newborn?

Wholesome nutrition of a child at an early age is a kind of guarantee of his future health. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the choice of the mixture as responsibly and deliberately as possible. The market for infant formula is quite extensive. To say that any baby food must meet all the requirements of GOST and be tested by the Institute of Nutrition, we think is unnecessary. All mothers understand that not only health, but also the life of their children depends on the quality of baby food. ? This question very often worries parents of children on IV.

Mixtures are usually divided into dry and liquid:

We want to note right away that in our market about 90% of baby food is presented in the form of dry mixes. This is a powdery mixture that requires dilution with boiled water. In the instructions attached to a particular mixture, there is a clear explanation of how to prepare it.
Liquid mixes account for only 10%. Which, in fact, is quite natural. After all, they only last a few days. Liquid mixtures are produced in tetrapack packages. They do not require dilution, they only need to be heated before use. Their shelf life in the refrigerator is a maximum of 24-48 hours.

As a rule, all mixtures are made from cow's or goat's milk. They are usually divided into:

adapted;
partially adapted;
not adapted;
subsequent and specialized.

Adapted mixtures is a food that, in its composition, is as close as possible to mother's milk. These mixtures are intended for newborns. They are easily absorbed by the child's body. They include: demineralized whey, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, nucleotides.

The most popular mixtures in this group include: Nestle NAN, Nutricia Nutrilon, Semper. For kids who cannot tolerate cow protein, the Bibikol Nanny mixture based on goat milk is perfect. Liquid adapted ready-made mixes Agusha, NAN are considered affordable in the price category.

How do I choose the right formula for my baby's age?

Naturally, the composition of baby food directly depends on the age of the baby. The mixture formula number is an indicator that indicates what age category this mixture is designed for.

"0" - a mixture for newborns with small weight and for premature babies.
"1" - for children from 0 to 6 months.
"2" - from 6 months to a year.
"3" - for children older than one year.

Specialty blends are subdivided into:

sour-milk mixtures - for children with digestive problems: Nutrilac and NAN Sour-milk.
iron rich formulas - for children with iron deficiency anemia: Similac Premium.

Also available: hypoallergenic formulas, lactose-free formulas, anti-reflux formulas.

The final choice of mixture should be made only after a detailed consultation with a doctor.

What do I need to buy for the IV?

The following items and accessories will be needed for the IV:

Feeding bottles.
Bottle brush.
Bottle warmer.
Mix container. If you purchase a container with three compartments, then you can take it on trips. Each compartment of the container is designed for one dose of the mixture.
Thermal bag available. Moms praise the Philips AVENT thermal bag, it keeps heat up to 4 hours. It comes with four mixing containers. It is compact and lightweight.
Bottle sterilizer. Some moms use a microwave sterilizer, some use an electric one. Disputes about the dangers of a microwave are ongoing to this day, so maybe it’s not worth the risk ?!

When should the mixture be changed?

An unjustified change of milk formula may cause indigestion in the child. Therefore, the mixture should only be changed on the recommendation of a doctor and under the following circumstances:

If the baby loses weight.
If he shows signs of anemia.
For a long time, the baby has a gastrointestinal disorder.
If the child spit up too much after eating.
For lactase deficiency.
If a child is very tormented by gases, his tummy will often swell.
If the baby refuses to eat.
For allergic reactions to the mixture.
If necessary, the introduction of therapeutic nutrition.
After the child reaches a certain age, a planned change in nutrition is necessary.
The transition to a new mixture must be carried out gradually. The dose of the new mixture gradually increases. Many pediatricians believe that the transition from one mixture to another is a real stress for a child. And to do this simply because you did not find the right mixture in the nearest store is impossible!

How do I prepare formula for my baby?

How to dilute the dry mix is indicated in the instructions. Parents should not try to set proportions on their own. If the baby cannot eat, you should increase the quantitative volume of food, and not the amount of dry mixture in one serving.

Check the expiration date before purchasing the mixture. Wash your hands thoroughly before starting cooking. Always prepare sterile bottles in advance. To do this, it is advisable to purchase a sterilizer. Sterile dishes must be kept covered. You can use a clean towel for this.

How to prepare a mixture: an algorithm of actions

Read the instructions carefully again.
Pour water at the correct temperature into a sterile bottle. Water can be heated directly in the bottle using a device such as a heater.
Use a measuring spoon to measure out the required amount of dry formula and pour it into the bottle. The amount of the mixture in the measuring spoon should be without a "slide".
Close the bottle tightly and shake it for one minute. Check if there are any lumps left in the bottle and if the mixture is at the right temperature.
Strictly follow all manufacturer's instructions, do not do it yourself!

Can the reconstituted mixture be stored?

Mixture already diluted should not be stored, even for 1 hour. The mixture is very nutritious and all kinds of harmful microorganisms reproduce with great pleasure in it.

The mixture must be prepared at one time. If the baby has not eaten the portion offered to him to the end, mommy should pour out the rest without the slightest regret.

Can leftover infant formula be reheated?

Some mothers who are especially frugal try to boil the rest of the mixture and feed it to the baby later. Undoubtedly, harmful bacteria can be killed in this way, but along with them, beneficial ones will also die during boiling. There will be no benefit from such food.

How to store powdered infant formula?

Unopened mixture should be stored between 12 and 24 degrees.
Do not store mixtures in direct sunlight.
Mixtures that have already been started are stored tightly closed in a dry, cool place.
No refrigeration!

Do you need to supplement your child with IV?

A must! Otherwise, constipation cannot be avoided. Pediatricians warn mothers that a child on IV should drink one feeding of water per day.

What kind of water should I use for formula preparation?

Use child-safe water that has been inspected by the health department.
You can sterilize the water yourself. To do this, it must be boiled for at least 10 minutes.
I would like to note that bottled and filtered water is not always of high quality, since filters need to be changed regularly, and this is not always done.
Moms should remember that boiled water can re-emerge after 24 hours. Therefore, it should not be stored for a long time. In addition, with prolonged boiling in water, not only harmful bacteria and microbes die, but also beneficial ones.
So, it is preferable to dilute infant formula with special "baby" bottled water, which is sold in the store. According to experts, baby bottled water "Malyshka" is considered the best brand. In Frutonyan, beloved by many, experts found an increased rate of mercury. And in "Hipp" and "Agusha" there is not enough fluorine.

Constipation in a newborn with artificial feeding: what to do?

The frequency of stools in a newborn baby can reach up to 10-12 times a day. In children who are on IV, constipation can be said if an independent stool has not been observed within 1 day.

Most pediatricians recommend using microenemas in this case. For example: microclyster “Proctum. The composition of microclysters includes a special gel that acts only locally, without any side effects. The child does not experience pain during the introduction of microclysters. But you should not get involved in enemas, as you can disrupt the microflora in the digestive tract.
Also for babies, doctors recommend laxatives: Dufalac or Lactusan. The composition of these drugs includes lactulose syrup.
Some pediatricians prefer to prescribe glycerin rectal suppositories for constipation.

All of the above drugs, suppositories or enemas must be prescribed by a doctor! What can mom do?

Remember to give your baby water between feedings.
Massage his tummy.
Do gymnastic exercises with the baby. For example, "Bicycle".
Place the baby on the tummy more often.

The child is allergic to formula: how to understand and what to do?

As soon as a baby develops a rash on his body, he should be seen by a doctor immediately. The doctor must exclude other possible options for the occurrence of a rash. As medical statistics show, children most often react to the proteins found in cow's milk.

The most common symptoms of an allergic reaction to the formula are:

Frequent loose stools.
Colic and constipation.
Profuse regurgitation.
Vomit.
Shortness of breath.
Rash.

What to do?

Of course, first of all, eliminate the allergen. As we have already said, the allergen, as a rule, becomes cow's milk protein. Therefore, the newborn must be transferred to.
If the allergy is severe, allergists prescribe an elemental mixture of Nutrilon Amino Acids. Transfer to a new mixture must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor!

Manual

Before you mix , prepare the utensils and utensils to be used during the cooking process. These are various, cups, spoons and even small bowls, specially adapted for baby feeding. Wash them thoroughly in boiled warm water, you can use baking soda, as it can destroy harmful bacteria. For cleaning hard-to-reach places, such as the bottom of a bottle, use special brushes.

Next, you need to sterilize the containers intended for feeding the baby. Boil children's utensils: bottles, fasteners, caps, spoons and special syringes. Sterilize containers and accessories in the same container, do not use it for other purposes.

After carefully preparing the container for milk, you can safely proceed to its preparation. Be sure to read the product label about the composition, method of preparation and the proportional amount of the mixture. It is necessary to breed it, strictly observing the instructions of the manufacturer of this product, as well as the rules of hygiene. After all, the health of the baby is above all.

There are mixtures with different cooking modes. Some are simply diluted with warm boiled water, others need to be steamed with boiling water. The optimal milk formula, ready for use, should not exceed the temperature of the human body, that is, 36 degrees. According to the folk method, checking the temperature of any baby food is done in a very simple way - put a few drops on the back of your hand, thereby determining whether it is possible to cool the child with it or to cool it a little more.

Store already diluted mixture if it has not been used in full, but not more than a day. It can still survive and multiply harmful bacteria. At room temperature, experts advise storing the diluted mixture no more than two hours. However, the best option is to dilute the formula immediately before the process of feeding the baby. In this case, you will prevent the growth of bacteria in the diet and protect your baby.

Please note

Carefully study the method of preparation of each individual type of mixture, as it may differ.

Infant formula contains all the necessary ingredients for feeding infants. Most often these are dry powders. Almost all of them are developed on the basis of high-quality cow's milk, which is subjected to special processing methods during the production process, enriched with vitamins, amino acids and microelements. This is done so that the final product is closer in composition to breast milk and corresponds to the peculiarities of the digestion of babies.

Instruction

Feeding formula must be selected strictly according to the age and health of the child. To do this, you need to consult with your pediatrician in advance, he will help you choose the one that is best for your baby.

Can infant formula be mixed? - Children

The answer to the question posed in the title of the article, is it possible to mix baby formulas, any experienced doctor will give an unambiguous answer - mixing in one bottle is unacceptable!

The need to give a child two different adapted formulas during one feeding may only be necessary for a very short period, in the event that a change in the diet of a formula-fed child needs to be made.

For example, for some reason, the Nutrilon milk formula did not fit, caused an allergic reaction or negative symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract, and the pediatrician recommended semper baby food. In this case, it is necessary to carry out the transition from one to the other gradually.

For a child who is bottle-fed, a sharp change in diet and mixing products from different manufacturers is unacceptable. If you immediately and completely replace one brand of nutrition with another, this can cause indigestion or an allergic reaction.

A new mixture in the children's menu must be introduced competently and gradually, starting with a small volume and gradually increasing its amount in the diet.

A new mixture should be introduced little by little, giving it to the child in a separate bottle in a small amount. Gradually, from feeding to feeding, the amount of the new must be increased, and the old must be reduced.

Conversion charts from one adapted blend to another

You can use one of the schemes proposed by doctors for introducing a new adapted mixture into the children's diet.

The first scheme is as follows:

Day 1 - give the child 10 ml of new food once.
Day 2 - give three times, during three feedings to the child, 10 ml each - a total of 30 ml during the day.
Day 3 - give three times, during three feedings to the child, 20 ml each - a total of 60 ml during the day.
Day 4 - give five times, during five feedings to the child, 50 ml each - a total of 250 ml during the day.
Day 5 - give four times, during four feedings to the child, 10 ml each - a total of 400 mm during the day.
Day 6 - give five times, for five feedings of 150 ml - a total of 750 ml per day.
Day 7 - completely switch to a new product.

The second possible scheme for the introduction of new nutrition:

Day 1 - add 5 ml of the new product to 1 feeding in the afternoon.
Day 2 - add 20 ml of the new product to the same feeding in the afternoon.
Day 3 - add 40 ml of the new product to the same feeding in the afternoon.
Day 4 - Replace 40 ml of new mixture with 40 ml of old every second feeding.
Day 5 - Replace 40 ml of old formula with 40 ml of new formula at each feeding.
Day 6 - fully feed the baby with a new product.
In this way, in a week the child will completely switch to a new diet.

The third version of the scheme.

1-2 days - once 10 ml.
Day 3 - three times 30 ml.
Day 4 - 3 times 50 ml.
Day 5 - 3 times 60 ml
Day 6 - 4 times 100 ml
Day 7 - 4 times 150 ml
Day 8 - 5 times 200 ml
Day 9 - complete replacement.

In the process of implementing any of the proposed schemes for the transition to a new diet, it is imperative to prepare the mixture in different bottles. During feeding, first the child is given a new composition, and then the old one, because, having eaten the usual food, he will not be hungry and may refuse a product with an unusual taste for him.