Does baby food replace formula

Formula Feeding FAQs: Starting Solids and Milk (for Parents)

Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.

Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.

When Can My Baby Try Solid Foods?

Doctors recommend waiting until your baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Some babies may be ready for solids sooner than 6 months, but wait until your baby is at least 4 months old.

Babies who are ready to eat solids foods:

are interested in foods (for example, they may watch others eat, reach for food, and open their mouths when food is near)
hold up their heads well, and sit up with little or no help
don't push food of their mouth (which is a natural tongue reflex that disappears when babies are 4–6 months old)
usually weigh twice their birth weight, or close to it

Talk to your doctor about the right time to start solid foods.

How Do I Introduce Solid Foods?

When the time is right, start with a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal. Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water. Feed your baby with a small baby spoon. Don’t add cereal to a baby's bottle unless your doctor recommends it.

When your baby gets the hang of eating the first food, introduce other foods from all food groups, such as puréed meats, fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and yogurt. Wait a few days between introducing new foods to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction.

You can include foods that are more likely to cause allergies — such as peanuts, eggs, cow’s milk, seafood, nuts, wheat, and soy — among the foods you introduce to your infant. Waiting to start these foods does not prevent food allergies.

Talk to your doctor before giving foods that contain peanuts if your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy, as these conditions make an allergy to peanuts more likely. Eating peanut-containing foods early on may lower a child’s chances of developing a peanut allergy. But your doctor will need to decide if you can give peanuts to your baby, and the safest way to do it. Usually, this requires allergy tests.

Should We Avoid Some Foods?

Yes, don’t give your baby:

foods with added sugars or no-calorie sweeteners
high-sodium foods
honey until after the first birthday. It can cause botulism in babies.
unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese
regular cow's milk or soy beverages instead of breast milk or formula before 12 months. It’s OK to offer pasteurized yogurt and cheese.
foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, and nuts

Always supervise your child when eating. Make sure your child is sitting up in high chair or other safe place.

When Can My Baby Have Cow's Milk?

Before their first birthday, babies still need the nutrients in breast milk or formula. But after that, they’re ready to switch to cow's milk.

Most kids under age 2 should drink whole milk. If a toddler is overweight or there is a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart problems, your doctor might recommend switching to reduced fat (2%) milk.

If your child can’t drink cow’s milk, choose an unsweetened soy beverage fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Other milk alternatives, like almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk, have less protein and may not be fortified.

How Do We Switch to Cow’s Milk?

You can switch your baby from formula to whole milk by replace bottles of formula with bottles — or sippy cups — of milk. By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety of solid foods and drinking about 16 to 24 ounces (480–720 milliliters) of milk per day.

When Can I Start Giving My Baby Water and Other Drinks?

In their first 6 months, healthy babies drinking enough formula usually don't need extra water. Once your baby is eating solid foods, you can offer a small amount of water between feedings, up to 4–8 ounces a day.

Water that has fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. If your water does not have fluoride, talk to your doctor or dentist about fluoride drops.

Do not give juice to babies younger than 12 months. After your child’s first birthday, limit 100% fruit juice to no more than 4 ounces a day. Always serve juice in a cup, not in a bottle. Don’t give your child sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, and flavored milks.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: November 2021

Balancing introducing solids with milk feeds

At around 6 months of age babies need to start having solid foods as well as breastmilk or formula. Find out how to get started with solid foods and what are the best foods to start with.

When to introduce solids?

At 6 months, your baby will still be getting most of their nutrition from breast milk or formula.

As you introduce solid foods, continue feeding with breastmilk or formula until at least 12 months of age.

Start to introduce solid foods at around 6 months of age when:

your baby can sit up with support and has good head control
your baby starts to show interest in food such as watching and reaching out when they see food

Even though some babies show these signs from an earlier age, continue to offer your baby breastmilk or formula if they appear hungry. This is usually all they need until around 6 months. It’s recommended that you don’t introduce solids before 4 months.

How to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet

Start feeding your baby solids once a day. Your baby will take only small amounts of solid foods at first. Try one teaspoon at first of pureed vegetable, fruit, or rice cereal in between milk feeds.

From 6 to 9 months continue to give your baby breastmilk or formula first, then try solids after the milk.

From 9 months you can try to give solids first, then breastmilk or formula. This allows for your baby to naturally transition to solids by around 12 months.

At around 8 to 9 months try giving your baby solids as part of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Continue breastmilk or formula through the first year of life while foods are being introduced. From around 6 months you can try small amounts of cooled boiled water out of a sippy cup.

Which foods first?

From 6 months of age baby’s first foods should contain iron. Foods that have iron, include:

iron-fortified baby cereals
meat
poultry
fish
legumes - lentils, beans, or chickpeas

Guidelines recommend that you can introduce foods in any order and at a pace that suits your baby, family, and cultural backgrounds, as long as some foods servings contain iron.

Your baby’s first foods can be smooth, mashed or have soft lumps.

Choose from the 5 food groups.

Vegetables and legumes

Give your baby cooked and pureed:

pumpkin
sweet potato
carrots
potato
peas
broccoli
cauliflower
zucchini

Over time puree them less so the texture gets lumpier.

Then introduce vegetables that are cooked but not pureed.

Fruit

Give your baby stewed and pureed:

apples
pears
peaches
apricots
berries

Your baby might also like to try mashed ripe banana.

Gradually introduce pieces of cooked fruit, banana, peach and grated raw apple.

Avoid larger pieces of raw apple; babies can choke on them.

Grains and cereals

Give your baby fortified infant cereals (e.g. rice cereal) to start.

Move to cooked rolled oats, wholegrain breakfast biscuits (Weetbix, Vita Brits) or thick infant cereals.

Don’t add sugar or honey or offer cereals with chocolate or added sugar.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, tofu

Meat, fish, poultry eggs, legumes, tofu should always be pureed when you start introducing solids.

When your baby accepts this, offer them bite size pieces of:

chicken
minced meat
flaked fresh or canned fish (in spring water)
mashed tofu
mashed legumes
scrambled or mashed boiled eggs

Don’t add salt. Also avoid processed meats as they have a lot of salt.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt

Formula should be used only until your baby is 12 months old. Then small amounts of milk can be added to foods like porridge. Breast feeding is recommended to continue until the age of 2 or longer.

Grated cheese is good in mashed vegetables.

Choose yoghurt without added sugar. Add fruit for extra flavour

What drinks should I be giving my baby?

After 12 months of age breastmilk, water (clean tap water or bottled water) and full fat cow’s milk should be the main drinks you offer your baby.

Keep breastfeeding for as long as you and your baby like.

Switch from formula to full fat ordinary cow’s milk after 12 months. Your child doesn’t need toddler milk products. Offer your baby a cup to drink from rather than a bottle. Your one-year-old should be exclusively drinking from a toddler cup.

From about 12 months, you can try rice milk and oat milk (fortified with at least 100mg calcium/100mL) if you want. But these drinks don’t have enough protein and vitamin B12. Your baby will need to have plenty of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, yoghurt, or cheese to make up for what they’re not getting from cow’s milk.

How much should I feed my baby?

Your baby will grow at different rates at different times. Their appetite can vary, even from day to day.

Babies don’t know what to eat but they know how much. Provide wholesome, healthy unprocessed food choices. Take your cue from your baby. Babies tend to turn away or lose interest when they’ve had enough to eat.

Finger foods and self-feeding

By 9 to 12 months, most babies like finger foods. Finger foods are foods they can hold themselves.

Some also like to hold their own spoon at that age. It will be messy! But learning to feed themselves is important.

By 12 months, your baby can eat the same healthy food you serve your family.

Foods to limit or avoid when introducing solids

There are some foods and drinks you should limit or avoid:

coffee and tea, herbal drinks are not recommended
fruit juice
honey until 12 months (to prevent botulism)
processed foods
raw or runny eggs (bacteria in raw eggs can be harmful to babies)
sugar sweetened drinks
unpasteurised milks

Low-fat milks are not recommended in the first 2 years of life. Goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, soy milk, coconut milk and almond milk should also be avoided before the age of 2 unless your doctor recommends them.

Avoid small hard foods such as whole nuts and uncooked vegetables until 3 years. These can be choking hazards.

If your family doesn’t use animal products, your baby may need a vitamin B12 supplement. Discuss this with your doctor.

Seek help from your health care professional if you are worried about your baby’s eating or development.

Fruit — give your baby stewed and pureed apples, pears, peaches, apricots and berries, or mashed ripe banana. Gradually introduce pieces of cooked fruit, banana, peach and grated raw apple. Avoid larger pieces of raw apple; babies can choke on them.

Grains and cereals — give your baby fortified infant cereals (e.g. rice cereal) to start. Move to cooked rolled oats, wholegrain breakfast biscuits (Weetbix, Vita Brits) or thick infant cereals. Don’t add sugar or honey and don’t use cereals with chocolate or added sugar.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, tofu — make them pureed at the start. When your baby accepts this, offer them pieces of chicken, minced meat, flaked fresh or canned fish (in spring water), mashed tofu, mashed legumes, scrambled or mashed boiled eggs. Don’t add salt and avoid processed meats as they also have a lot of salts.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt — breast milk or formula should be used for up to 12 months, then small amounts of milk can be added to foods like porridge. Grated cheese is good in mashed vegetables. Choose yoghurt without added sugar. Add fruit for extra flavour.

How much?

Babies grow at different rates at different times. Their appetite can vary even from day to day.

Babies don’t know what to eat but they know how much. Take your cue from your baby. Healthy babies turn away or lose interest when they’ve had enough.

Finger foods and self-feeding

By 9 to 12 months, most babies like finger foods.

Some also like their own spoon at that age. It will be messy, but learning to feed themselves is important.

By 12 months, serve the same healthy food you serve your family, but without hot spices.

Encourage infants to feed themselves.

If you have stopped breastfeeding, switch to ordinary cow’s milk after 12 months. Use a cup rather than a bottle. Limit the amount of cow’s milk to around 500ml per day. Under health professional supervision, you can use full fat rice milk or oat milk with at least 100mg calcium per 100mL if you want, as long as other sources of protein are included (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes or nut butters).

Your child doesn’t need toddler milk products.

If your family doesn’t use animal products, your baby may need a vitamin B12 supplement. Discuss this with your doctor.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Infant formula without palm oil | How to choose a blend without palm oil

Formula milk is the best substitute for mother's milk if the mother is unable or unwilling to breastfeed her baby. In the article we will talk about:

what to look for when choosing baby food
how to properly prepare and store formula
what you need to be prepared for when switching to artificial feeding

How to choose infant formula

Baby food up to a year should be recommended by a pediatrician who knows the history of the child and his peculiarities of digestion. Mixes are divided into classic and special. Special ones are prescribed for medical reasons for babies who need a special approach due to early birth or health problems. In our article we will talk about classic and improved mixtures. On the topic of special, look for information dedicated specifically to your task. nine0003

Composition of infant milk formulas

It is important to understand that baby food is subject to mandatory certification. This means that the state monitors the quality of the product and is a guarantee that it is safe for newborns. Why is not every mixture suitable for every child? It's all about some of the ingredients and their quality. Let's figure it out.

All products consist of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and trace elements.

The amount of protein in baby food is an indicator that depends on the type of formula and the age stage. It is not necessary to control it. But you can pay attention to the ratio of whey protein and casein. All manufacturers strive to bring the composition of baby food closer to the composition of mother's milk. Therefore, the ratio of proteins most often corresponds to their ratio in the mature milk of a woman - 60 to 40. The situation is a little more complicated with fats and carbohydrates.

There are three types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch and fiber (prebiotic). The main carbohydrate for babies up to a year old is milk sugar - lactose. In specialized mixtures, lactose can be replaced by other sugar. Babies begin to receive starch later - with the introduction of complementary foods with cereals. A prebiotic is sometimes added to the mixture. These are dietary fibers that are not digested and are a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria. Therefore, mixtures enriched with prebiotics help to normalize digestion in the intestines. nine0003

Babies need different types of fats for development - saturated and unsaturated, which are found in breast milk. Neither animal nor vegetable fats can independently reproduce this composition. Therefore, they are combined in infant formulas. Often, as a vegetable component, there is palm oil, which in its pure form is poorly absorbed by the child's body. Hence, there was an opinion about its harm. However, it is important to know that there is a fraction of palm oil that is highly digestible. It's called palm olein. It is worth paying attention to the form in which palm oil is included in baby food. nine0003

Vitamins and trace elements in baby food - this is how different brands differ from each other. Below are the recommended norms for nutrient intake in the Russian Federation. You can evaluate the selected food for compliance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health.

Substance	Physiological need per day	A comment
Energy nine0036	110-115 kcal/kg body weight	for children under 1 year old
Squirrels	2.2-2.9 g/kg body weight	for children under 1 year old
Fats	5.5-6.5 g/kg body weight	for children under 1 year old
Carbohydrates nine0036	13 g/kg body weight	for children under 1 year old
Cholesterol	no more than 300 mg	for kids
Vitamin C	30 to 90 mg	for kids
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)	for kids
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0. 4 to 1.8 mg	for kids
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)	0.4 to 2.0 mg	for kids
Niacin	5 to 20 mg nine0036	for kids
Vitamin B12	0.3 to 3.0 µg	for kids
Pantothenic acid	1.0 to 5.0 mg	for kids
Biotin	10 to 50 mcg	for kids nine0036
Vitamin A	from 400 to 1000 mcgr. equiv.	for kids
Vitamin E	from 3 to 15 mg current equivalent	for kids
Vitamin D	10 mcg	for kids
Vitamin K	30 to 120 mcg	for kids
Calcium	400 to 1200 mg	for kids
Phosphorus	300 to 1200 mg	for kids
Magnesium nine0036	55 to 400 mg	for kids
Potassium	400 to 2500 mg	for kids
Sodium	200 to 1300 mg	for kids
Chlorine	300 to 2300 mg nine0036	for kids
Iron	4 to 18 mg	for kids
Zinc	3 to 12 mg	for kids
Iodine	60 to 150 mcg	for kids
Copper	0. 5 to 1.0 mg	for kids
Selenium	10 to 50 mcg	for kids
Fluorine	1.0 to 4.0 mg	for kids

Source: Guidelines. 2.3.1.2432-08 "Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation" dated 11.12.2008 nine0003

How to properly prepare infant formula

The ratio of the volume of dry powder and water depends on the type of mixture and the age of the child and is always indicated on the packaging. Recall the general rules that are important to follow:

sterilize the bottle and teat in a sterilizer or boil;
wash your hands with soap;
prepare boiled water with a temperature of 36-38 degrees;
pour water into the bottle and add the required amount of powder; nine0006
close and shake until completely dissolved;
Check your temperature by dropping it on your wrist.

Now you can start feeding.

How to store prepared milk formula

The finished mixture can not be stored for more than two hours. Prepare a fresh batch before each feeding.

Do not heat baby food in the microwave. Use a jet of hot water or a water bath. nine0003

Close the opened package tightly with a lid and store at room temperature. You don't need to put it in the refrigerator. The measuring spoon should not be stored inside the pack.

Until what age is formula given to a child

Mixtures are divided into stages or stages.

Stage 1 - from 0 to 6 months

Stage 2 - from 6 months to 12 months

Stage 3 - from 12 months

Stage 4 (less common) - from 18 months nine0003

Adapted diets are gradually phased out of the diet as they move to solid foods. Parents decide when to stop. It is important to listen to the needs of the child.

Babies over a year old who have already switched to an adult diet are often given formula at night because it is convenient. Or at bedtime, because it is high in calories and helps to sleep until the morning without waking up. Moms sometimes cook porridge for older children with a mixture - it's tasty and healthy.

Classic mixtures and mixtures with improved composition.

Such nutrition is suitable for healthy babies who were born at term.

Materna Gold is closest in composition to breast milk. This is the latest development of Israeli nutritionists - nutrition containing breast milk oligosaccharides, which are involved in the formation of the baby's immunity.

Materna Classic Milk is a traditional dairy food enriched with elements necessary for every age of the child. nine0003

Materna Extra Care is an improved formula of the classic blend. It strengthens the immune system and helps fight colic due to pre- and probiotics in its composition.

Materna Mehadrin - kosher food, similar in composition to the classic. The difference: Materna Mehadrin uses the milk of cows, which are carefully monitored by the Rabbinate of Israel. This food is suitable for kosher fasting families.

Call us at +7 (499) 877-46-49or write
WhatsAp: +7 (925) 732-84-11 to find out which mixture is better
just right for your baby.

Head of children's polyclinic No. 1 believes that breast milk is the best food for a small child

Antonina Ivanovna Ablets, head of children's polyclinic No. 1, believes that breast milk is the best food for a small child. She spoke about this and many other things in an interview with the information weekly "My newspaper". nine0003

Antonina Ivanovna, don't you really need a dairy kitchen?

You know, 20-30 years ago, when we were raising our children, dairy cuisine helped us out: we breastfed our children, and dairy products were additional food for children. And now, and this is very good, we have the opportunity to give children adapted products, which have long been received by the children's population of Europe and America. We, medical workers, constantly have to learn, improve our skills, keep abreast of the latest advances in the field of healthcare, including those related to child nutrition. And we rely not only on the knowledge gained once at the institute. Yes, once upon a time we, future pediatricians, were taught to prepare food for babies, and we, in turn, taught mothers how to breed cow's milk, how to prepare fermented milk mixtures from kefir, because we had to proceed from what we had. And if baby food were in the assortment that we have now, then pediatricians, of course, would recommend just such food for children. nine0003

But in mixtures, as many people think, additives are artificial?

The very first formulas, which are now closest to breast milk, began to be produced in Switzerland by the Nestle company more than a hundred years ago. Adapted mixtures are made from high quality cow's or goat's milk. Adaptation consists in reducing the level of protein by splitting to the level of human milk protein. This is done in order to prevent adverse effects on the baby's digestive tract and immature kidneys. Whey proteins are introduced into the mixture, lactose, and other necessary substances are added. Science does not stand still in matters of baby food. Although not every mixture is good for a child. They have more calcium than breast milk and can cause metabolic disorders. And I am a staunch supporter of natural feeding. Being a natural feeding consultant, having observed children for many years, I am convinced again and again that breast milk is the best and the only food that nature has created for a newborn, it contains the whole range of nutrients a child needs for development and growth. This is a natural defense against an aggressive external environment, for which the baby is not yet ready. nine0003

But some mothers complain that they don't have milk.

What is the main thing here? - the message, the mood of the woman herself to breastfeed the baby.

I was always interested in the question, how did poor women breastfeed during the war, and their milk did not disappear? Yes, because there was nothing to feed and the subconscious worked to produce milk, and only it could save the life of the child. In 2005, I got to an international seminar on natural feeding, which was held in Khabarovsk, and I thought with regret why we were not taught all this at the institute? The fact that a lot depends on the mother, that she must mentally prepare for the appearance of a child, set herself up for what she will breastfeed. That very much depends on the technique of feeding. This should be taught to every expectant mother. If a woman follows a hypoallergenic diet, which we recommend to nursing mothers - we advise which foods to exclude so that the child does not have allergies - then the baby develops well, without causing much concern to the mother herself. And the best prevention of diseases is long-term breastfeeding. But more often moms take the path of least resistance. The child is worried, there is not enough milk - they give semolina. And what have we come to in connection with improper feeding? In our country, 80% of children graduating from school have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). And the main reason is malnutrition, starting from infancy, to which irregular meals are added during school years. nine0003

And yet, what if the mother really does not have milk or her illness does not allow her to breastfeed?

Today, fortunately, this is not a problem. Now there are infant formulas that can be prescribed from the first days of a child's life. Although they do not completely replace natural feeding, they correspond to breast milk by 80-90% in their composition. You just need to choose the appropriate mixture together with the district pediatrician, depending on the state of health of the baby. And we inform parents in which stores they can purchase the necessary product. nine0003

But cow's milk has always been considered good for children. ..

If we compare human and cow's milk, the composition is completely different. Therefore, the digestibility of cow's milk in children under one year is very low. The child is not a calf. Moreover, casein proteins, which are part of cow's milk, cause severe allergization. And in the first half of life, there should be no milk, kefir and cottage cheese in the diet of children at all. Cow's milk can lead to gastrointestinal upset and even cause bleeding. nine0003

How is the health of children?

The incidence of children under one year old remained at the level of 2009. This year there is an increase in viral infections. In our clinic, about 500 children are on dispensary records, of which 360-370 children with gastrointestinal pathology: chronic gastroduodenitis, chronic colitis, there are children with gastric and duodenal ulcers, chronic diseases of the biliary tract. nine0003

Were they born with such pathologies?

No, of course, these are acquired diseases. And malnutrition is one of the main causes of these pathologies. For health reasons, all people, including children, are divided into five groups. The first group is absolutely healthy. So, in 2010, 581 children were born on the site serviced by our clinic, and only one was completely healthy. The bulk of children with the second health group (99.1%), these are children from the risk group who have a predisposition to certain diseases. 3 children were born with the third health group. These are children with chronic diseases; 1 child was born with a congenital malformation. In 2009, there was not a single child with the first health group, in 2008 - 1 child. But what is good about infancy up to a year? If you properly care for the baby, then the risk group may not develop, that is, the child can become completely healthy. But parents need to make an effort and, first of all, pay attention to nutrition, on which the construction of all body cells depends. It is gratifying to note that young fathers are now more actively taking care of their babies: they come to receptions and are interested in many issues of development and feeding; want their child to grow up healthy. nine0003

So infant formulas are healthier than DMK products?

Dairy products are intended for children of the second half of life. Simple milk mixtures are made by adding decoctions of various cereals to cow's milk - rice, buckwheat, oatmeal. But only about 200 people have recently used the services of dairy cuisine in our city. We wrote out prescriptions, but mothers received not kefir and cottage cheese, but a cash subsidy for the purchase of infant formula. Yes, DMK products are cheaper, but no one thought about the quality of milk used to make baby food. And not whole, as many believe, but reconstituted from milk powder. That cottage cheese is prepared as at home - in pots. That used refrigeration equipment of the sixties. Therefore, both the chest department of the children's hospital and the orphanage abandoned DMK products in order to avoid force majeure circumstances. nine0003

I thought it was more advanced technology.

In order to have high technologies, it is necessary to install technological lines, and they are designed for at least 15 thousand servings.