How long should you give formula to your baby? Until what age should children be fed formula? General recommendations. When can you stop night feedings?

During this wonderful time of her pregnancy, almost any expectant mother is confident that she will definitely breastfeed her baby. But, unfortunately, sometimes situations occur in which breastfeeding is impossible for various reasons.

Undoubtedly, a young woman needs to try to preserve her milk and to do this, stimulate its flow by all means, but if she cannot do this, then there is no need to be upset. Many children grew up quite healthy and just need to familiarize themselves with the necessary information in advance and know until what age a child should eat formula.

Benefits of bottle feeding

There is a widespread belief that cow's milk is a product that is best not given to children at a certain age, since it contains much more phosphorus than mother's milk. Therefore, such an excessive concentration of this microelement can have an unnecessary effect on the kidneys, which will subsequently lead to poor absorption of vitamins and calcium by the baby’s body.

For this reason, many are in favor of artificial feeding. Parents who do not want to include animal products in their baby's food in the first years of his life have their own opinion about the age at which to feed their children formula. You can see those using mixtures in the diet who are going to give all the necessary nutrients in this way to their baby until the age of three.

Another advantage of artificial feeding is that the mother knows exactly how much her baby has eaten, unlike someone who is breastfeeding and cannot understand whether her child is getting the right amount of milk. The mother of an artificial baby just needs to know for sure at what age the child should eat formula in order to understand when to correctly include this or that product in his diet.

Flaws

Of course, there is no person who does not understand that dairy products for infants are a necessary measure. There are those whose composition meets all the needs of the baby. But then, until what age should a child be fed with an adapted formula? Many people wonder whether it is worth using it at all, when the baby is already eating everything from the common table? Why, in this case, dilute the mixture from the pack if he can be given real foods?

Therefore, supporters of this theory are confident that they know for sure. Arguments against the use of this complementary food for a child are based on the experience of our grandmothers, since cow's milk, and not formula, has always been considered the food of children over one year of age. After all, even the generation of modern mothers was fed only on natural dairy products and semolina porridge. Therefore, many do not believe in the fact that it can harm the child’s body, but on the contrary, they consider it proper nutrition for their children, as opposed to artificial feeding. But even despite any disadvantages of infant formula, it is better to give preference to them, since they are hypoallergenic, which cannot be said about cow's milk.

How to find the right solution?

There will never be the same opinions, and there will always be those who decide to argue until what age to feed a child with formula. We are looking for a middle ground in this matter. For example, the famous pediatrician Oleg Evgenievich Komarovsky claims that the harm from cow's milk for a baby over one year old has been greatly exaggerated. At the same time, he does not speak out at all against feeding infant formula and believes that it is possible to feed children up to three years of age in this way. Many experts also do not see anything criminal in giving a toddler a dairy product or kefir.

But you need to take into account the baby’s protein tolerance and then make a conclusion about the age at which children should be fed formula and when they can be switched to natural products. Mommy will have to decide this issue herself, of course, with the assistance of a competent pediatrician.

Reviews from doctors

Experts also have their own opinion about the age at which children should be fed formula. Their advice on this issue is as follows: you need to clearly follow the recommendations on the product boxes and carefully monitor the condition of your child (how he reacts to this or that complementary food).

If the mixture is chosen correctly and the baby gains weight, then he can be fed this way until he is about two years old, gradually eliminating night snacks. But you should stick to one chosen brand and not jump from one mixture to another in order to avoid its poor absorption and not cause allergies. Doctors' advice on the age at which children should be fed formula may vary, so you should always monitor your child and never overfeed him.

Nutritionist opinions

If you ask experts about the age at which children should be fed formula, their arguments will be such that if you choose the right product formula, you can give adapted milk formulas until they reach the age of three.

They are simply necessary, according to nutritionists, for the full development of a child, especially for those who live in cold regions of the country. The mixtures can be given either in pure form or added, for example, to tea or porridge. These products create a small load on the child’s body as a whole, so there will be no harm from them, but only benefit.

The World Health Organization has advice on the age at which infants should be fed formula. These experts believe that a low-weight baby who is unable to receive mother's or donor milk should be bottle-fed after discharge from the hospital and until he reaches six months. They also argue that for such babies it is necessary to purchase not a standard formula, but one enriched with nutrients.

Healthy artificial children, according to WHO, can include this product in their diet for up to two years.

Reviews from experienced mothers

On many forums for new parents you can often come across the question: in general, until what age should you give formula? But it is impossible to give a definite answer to this, since each mother proceeds from her own personal experience and is guided by how her baby tolerated this or that mixture.

Many say that this complementary food can be given to children up to three years old, others - that after one and a half years the mixture must be gradually replaced with kefir and natural milk. Therefore, it is better not to rely on the advice of even experienced mothers, but to monitor the well-being of your child and periodically do not forget to consult with specialists in these matters.

When can I stop night feedings?

This question is solved as individually as the one that asks at what age to feed children with formula. Reviews from experts on this matter say that you should not wean your baby off night snacks at any cost. All children are different, and some babies can sleep through the night after six months, while others continue to drink formula until they are three years old.

But no need to worry about this: healthy child will gradually give up night feedings and formulas altogether when his time comes. When the baby switches to four meals a day, then in the dark, dairy products can be replaced simply with water.

How to choose the right mixture?

In order not to be afraid to give your baby such complementary foods and to know exactly at what age to feed infants with formula milk, when purchasing it you need to follow the main recommendations from leading nutritionists and pediatricians.

When purchasing, you must carefully read its composition. It should not contain starch and sucrose. The mandatory components of this product should be Omega-3 and probiotics, which the child needs at an early stage of his development. Therefore, it is recommended by many experts to include mixtures in the diet of children under three years of age.

As a child grows, his need for fluids and various nutrients becomes different, this is the reason why the compositions of the mixtures are different and correspond to a particular age.

What types of baby formulas are there?

Several types of this children's product have been developed, and they all have different purposes:

Standard ones are recommended for babies who do not experience any problems with eating and digesting food.
The lactose-free product is prescribed to children who are lactose intolerant.
Hydrolyzed ones are used to feed a child who is allergic to cow protein.
Probiotic products - for children with impaired intestinal function.
Powder mixtures containing goat milk.
Antireflux - suitable for a child suffering from frequent regurgitation.
Soy products are for children who cannot tolerate animal milk at all.
A product for prematurely born babies, which contains properly balanced components that help to quickly gain weight.

Naturally, nothing can replace mother’s milk, but if circumstances arise in such a way that the child will grow up on artificial complementary foods, then the choice of formula must be approached in a thorough manner.

Cooking rules

Before using this product in your baby’s diet, you must adhere to the following rules:

The temperature of the liquid in the bottle should be approximately +37 degrees Celsius.
It is necessary to carefully adhere to the rules of personal hygiene when diluting the mixture, and also use only boiled filtered water.
Strictly follow the required proportions indicated on the jar, as improper preparation can cause problems with the child’s digestion.
Pay attention to the expiration date after opening the package.
Do not mix mixtures from different manufacturers under any circumstances.
Do not heat the bottle in microwave oven, and after shaking, make sure that no air remains in the form of bubbles, which can lead to colic and belching.
Give your child only recently prepared food.

Myths about bottle feeding

Many people think that if you add more powder to the water when preparing the mixture, then in the end it will turn out to be higher in calories - this is not true. Such food will take longer to digest and will also overload the baby’s kidneys.

All mothers try to give their child as much milk as indicated in the table on the pack, because they are sure that the child should eat exactly this portion - this is a myth. Each baby has individual needs, so the portion should be selected for each baby. If it suddenly seems that your child is not eating enough, you need to consult a pediatrician.

Good for every mother to know

New parents try to listen to the advice of every specialist, but they can be different. Therefore, you just need to know a few generally accepted rules:

You should never force-feed your baby or sleep, as he may swallow too much air, which will subsequently lead to colic.
In the first months of his life, a bottle-fed baby must be fed on demand, just like one who is fed breast milk.
When a baby has a cold or is sick and refuses to eat for these reasons, there is no need to force him. But he must drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
When your baby eats, you should always tilt the bottle correctly, and if he swallows too quickly, buy a smaller pacifier.

There are no clear answers about at what age to stop artificial feeding. Parents just need to listen to the needs of their baby, who will decide for himself when he no longer needs formula. Only one thing is known, that this product, if chosen and used correctly, cannot harm the baby’s body.

All pediatricians agree that children should be on breastfeeding as long as possible - up to one and a half, or better yet, up to two years.

A bunch of scientific research conducted for last years, have proven that there is nothing more beneficial for a child’s development than mother’s milk.

What about those parents whose children must, for one reason or another, eat formula milk? Many parents have questions: do formula-fed infants need additional nutrition, do they get enough nutrients from adapted formulas alone, how long should a child be given formula milk?

We can absolutely say that until the artificial baby reaches 6 months, his diet should consist only of an adapted milk formula (regular or specialized if the child has any health problems).

This is due to the fact that in the first months of a newborn’s life, his stomach is not yet able to process regular food; at this time there are only enough enzymes to digest milk.

Starting from 6 months, all babies can very gradually begin to introduce complementary foods - introducing them to other foods. But formula milk still remains the main “dish”. It makes up 90% of a child’s diet up to one year, while complementary feeding is only 10%.

From one to one and a half years, the ratio of formula and complementary foods should gradually change towards the latter. Now the adapted dry formula will make up approximately 50% of the child’s daily nutrition. From one and a half to two years, children usually switch almost completely to regular food, and formula milk makes up 10-20% of the daily diet.

Whether or not to give a child formula after two years is ultimately decided by the parents.

Manufacturers always label baby formula by age- from birth to 4 years, so that the mother can quickly and correctly choose food for her child.

A properly selected adapted milk formula will provide the baby with everything necessary for his growth and proper development.

Number 1 or letters PRE (PRE) Adapted formulas developed specifically for low birth weight babies or children born prematurely are labeled;
The number 1 marks mixtures intended for healthy children from birth to six months;
The number 2 marks formulas for children from six months to one year;
The number 3 marks mixtures that can be given to children over one year old.

Some manufacturers produce infant formula labeled 4. Such formulas can be given to older children (up to 6 years).

The composition of adapted milk formulas is carefully balanced and almost exactly replicates the composition of natural human milk. It is impossible to completely replace all components of formula milk with regular baby food.

And here Until what age does a child need formula? after 1.5-2 years, parents can decide for themselves, based on the needs of the child and their financial capabilities.
As we have already noted, you can start feeding your child complementary foods from six months. By this time, the digestive system is ready for the gradual introduction of new foods into the diet.
As a rule, children are given vegetable purees first - starting with half a teaspoon before or immediately after the main formula feeding. Then dairy-free porridges and fruit purees are also gradually introduced, and by 7-8 months you can already give the child a taste of meat-based baby food.
When a child reaches one and a half years old, the share of regular baby food in the diet should increase from one teaspoon to a full serving, which means that it’s time for the mother to start preparing her baby delicious and healthy dishes from a variety of products.
Healthy recipes - baby food after formula

Perfect for babies after one year cottage cheese casserole with carrots.
You will need:
Cottage cheese 9% fat (100g).
Small carrots (approximately 50-70g).
One egg.

In a glass or enamel bowl, mix cottage cheese and egg until the consistency of thick semolina porridge.
Grate the carrots on a coarse grater and add to the egg-curd mixture.
Stir.
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees.
Place the mixture into a baking dish.
Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

For children from one to two years old you can cook vegetable puree with chicken broth.
You will need:
Small carrots (50-70g).
Cauliflower (50-70g).
Broccoli (50-70g).
Unsalted chicken broth (about 100g).

In a double boiler or slow cooker (in the “steamer” mode), cook the vegetables.
On a separate plate, dry the vegetables from any condensation and let them cool slightly.
Mash the warm vegetables with a fork and add chicken broth.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly until the consistency of thick sour cream.

Children over two years old can prepare delicious and healthy steamed meatballs.
You will need:
Minced chicken (100g).
Ground beef (100g).
Small onion (about 50g).
Short grain rice (100g).

Rinse the rice with running water twice.
Drain off the last of the water and leave the rice to dry.
Finely chop the pre-peeled onion.
Mix chicken and ground beef with onion and pass through a fine meat grinder.
Mix the resulting mass with rice, squeeze out all the liquid.
Add a pinch of salt and mix well again.
Make small (about 3-4 cm in diameter) meatballs from the resulting mass.
Place them in a steamer bowl and steam for 20-25 minutes.

Proper feeding of a newborn plays an important role in the further development of the baby and in the proper functioning of his body. Until six months of age, a baby needs more breast milk. But since some women have problems with lactation, infant formula comes to the rescue. But you need to know until what age to feed your baby formula. The baby should be switched to regular foods in a timely manner.
There are many opinions about feeding newborns. Some believe that only mother's milk can give the baby what it needs 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 even “artificial” ones grow healthy if the mixture is selected correctly. The advantages of infant formula include:
exact dosage;
balanced composition with elements necessary 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 mixtures do not always use natural products. And mothers should know which products are high quality and which are not.

It is better for the child when he receives milk in the 1st year of life. It is preferable to use cow's milk in addition to mother's milk. But children eat artificial formula with pleasure. You just need to wean the kids off of them in time and switch them to regular food.
Reviews from doctors
Pediatricians' opinion about feeding a child is that it is necessary to breastfeed until 1.5-2 years. Over the centuries, it has been proven that mother's milk contains everything that will help make a child healthy and strong. But women who lack lactation are prescribed adapted formulas for feeding. They must contain milk. Only for six-month-old babies are complementary foods introduced, constituting 10% of the child’s total diet.
The amount of formula is reduced as the baby grows. By the age of one year, only half of the total food remains in the diet. Doctors advise switching to a regular diet with children no older than 2 years. You can leave the dry formula in small quantities, but by the age of 3 you should completely abandon it.
Nutritionist opinions
The advantages of adapted milk formulas include the balance of elements beneficial to the child’s body. If you give cow's milk in the absence of breastfeeding, this will negatively affect the baby's kidney function. A large amount of phosphorus in natural product will cause calcium absorption to occur more slowly. Hence the problems with the development of the infant’s skeletal system.
The mixtures are useful for “artificial” people living in the northern regions. The adapted food product contains as many vitamins and microelements as the child needs.
For each age you need to select your own set of nutrition. Packages of baby food are marked:
1 or PRE - for low birth weight infants;
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 for up to 6 years.
But we must not forget that not only formula should be in the baby’s diet. Don't neglect complementary foods. Products new to the baby include pureed vegetables and fruits, porridge with water. By the 7th month, meat food and boiled fish are introduced into the menu.
Experts from the World Health Organization are positive about the inclusion of mixtures in an infant’s diet:
For a child left without mother's milk, the introduction of adapted formulas into the menu is considered a vital necessity.
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 microelements.
To maintain your child’s health, you should not neglect milk formulas, choosing those that are based on natural products.
It is mandatory to consume meals prepared with infant formula for children up to 2 years of age.

Every parent thinks about when to start and stop milk feeding, after consulting with a pediatrician and nutritionist. Each child has his own taste preferences, so the product is selected taking it into account. Don't forget about allergic reactions to food.
When can I finish?
No one can unequivocally answer the question of when to stop feeding a baby formula. The choice is individual for each parent. In some families, formula milk takes precedence over other products. And they need to be replaced gradually, including natural kefir, fermented baked milk, and milk. The transition is carried out so that the child does not become capricious and does not “go on a hunger strike.”
When a 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. The baby falls asleep better with a bottle. As the baby grows up, he will gradually give up this diet. If four meals a day are enough for him, then at night he will not ask to be fed. Children over 3 years old usually drink boiled water at night.
Cooking rules
You need to prepare your child’s food correctly so that the beneficial elements are absorbed by the child’s body.
Before purchasing, the food pack is carefully inspected to make sure that it contains what the baby needs. Do not forget about the deadlines for selling goods.
How to dilute the powder is suggested by the manufacturer on the packaging. Proportions are strictly observed, because ignoring them will cause digestive problems in the child. He will suffer from colic and increased gas production.
Boiled water, cooled to 37 degrees, is used for preparation.
After filling the powder with water, shake the bottle so that there are no air bubbles left inside. The mass should be homogeneous, without lumps.
Do not forget about the sterility of preparation. A glass bottle requires disinfection with boiling water. Plastic - change often, as the smell of the previous product remains in it, and powder residues on the walls.
Storing baby food in the refrigerator and heating it in the microwave is unacceptable. It is prepared before use, and 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 food on him against his will. When a child does not want to eat or is capricious, it is better to move the lunch time to a later time.

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

Feeding a child is a very responsible process. And it all starts with choosing a mixture. What to feed a newborn or one-month-old baby? For babies in the first half of life, it should be highly adapted, that is, as similar as possible to.
This mixture is called a “starter” and will have a 1 on the packaging. For children over six months of age, “follow-up” formulas are intended, the composition of which meets the needs of the growing body.
They contain more protein, fats and microelements. The packages are marked with the number “2”.
If the child burps frequently and more than expected, an anti-reflux mixture will help. If food digestion is disrupted, fermented milk mixtures and mixtures containing beneficial bacteria will come to the rescue.
When choosing a mixture, it is advisable to consult a doctor. When purchasing a mixture, you need to pay attention to the expiration date and integrity of the packaging.
There are also mixtures that contain special components that have a specific therapeutic effect. So, if someone in the family suffers from allergies, it is advisable to start with a hypoallergenic mixture.
Specially prepared dishes
Bottles used for feeding must be washed with a brush and sterilized in advance. This can be done by boiling them for 5 - 10 minutes or using a special sterilizer. The bottle in which the mixture is diluted must be dry.
The pacifier should be selected with the expectation that the mixture will flow out of it not in a stream, but drop by drop. This will ensure active sucking, and not just swallowing of the pouring mixture. Which is important for the development of the maxillofacial apparatus.
Diet and routine
This is a very important point. The baby receives his food on demand. How many times does a child need to eat on IV? The schedule depends on age. So, a newborn eats 7 - 9 times a day, a child 2 - 5 months old - 6 - 7 times, a six-month-old child needs to eat 5 - 6 times a day.
To do this, you first need to determine daily volume food. How much a baby should eat depends on his weight and age. So, up to two months, a child needs a volume of food in the amount of 1 - 5 of his body weight, at 2 - 4 months - 1 - 6, at 4 - 6 months 1 - 7 of his body weight, over six months - 1 - 8.
For example, a 1 month old baby weighs 4.5 kilograms, then he needs 900 milliliters of formula per day. It must be remembered that this volume should not exceed 1 liter.
To determine the volume of mixture required for one feeding, divide the daily amount by the required number of feedings. This will be 100 - 130 milliliters of the mixture.
It happens that a child eats a little less or more. A slight run-up is possible. Systematic overfeeding or underfeeding should not be allowed. For a child, this is fraught with obesity or...
The volumetric method described above is the simplest and most convenient to use. If necessary or if there are problems with weight, the doctor can calculate the volume of a certain mixture for a particular child using the caloric method and taking into account the age-related needs for proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
How to prepare the mixture?
Only boiled water should be used. The volume of water required for one feeding at a temperature of 50˚C is poured into the bottle and the prescribed amount of mixture is poured (indicated in detail on the packaging). Everything is thoroughly shaken and mixed.
How to feed formula?
How to feed a child correctly? Before feeding, you need to make sure that the prepared mixture is at the optimal temperature. To do this, drop it on your wrist (on the palmar surface). Its temperature should not be felt by the skin.
Wash your hands with soap. Find a comfortable position. Special pillows will help with this, using which you can comfortably position both yourself and the child. In this case, feeding will become a pleasant relaxation for the nursing mother and a source of necessary tactile contact for the baby.
Therefore, it is better to take it in your arms. If your baby is prone to excessive spitting, it is best to hold him upright. In other cases - semi-vertical.
Turn the bottle upside down so that the mixture completely fills the nipple and neck, and the air rushes to the bottom. This will prevent the baby from swallowing air and developing colic.
It is necessary to ensure that the mixture drips from the nipple and does not flow. Over time, nipples wear out and need to be replaced.
If there is any ready-made mixture left
According to the rules, the mixture remaining after feeding must be poured out. But it can still be stored for a little while. For one to two hours and no more than half a day in the refrigerator. Before feeding this mixture, it must be heated to an acceptable temperature.
Additional soldering
The child's artificial nutrition must be supplemented with liquid - water, weak infusions of rose hips and tea (not the regular one that you and I drink every day, but children's herbal tea).
In the heat and in a room with dry air, the amount drunk should be increased by 50 - 100 ml. It is also worth monitoring the child’s health.
Formula-fed babies begin to introduce complementary foods earlier than infants. From 4 - 4.5 months they begin to be given porridge, from 5 months.
How do you know if formula is not suitable for your baby?
Often it is not possible to select a mixture the first time. What will indicate this?
indigestion;

If after eating the child spits up a lot and or diarrhea or constipation begins, the formula is not suitable. When there are violations, but they are minor, it can be left for a week. If nothing changes during this time, the diet needs to be changed;
allergic manifestations.

The very first sign of an allergy is a rash (dermatitis). These can be either individual elements or merging spots throughout the body.
Reactions to formulas based on cow's milk develop more often. They can be replaced with mixtures based on protein hydroisolate and soy isolate or with mixtures prepared on the basis;
deficiency states.

The development of iron deficiency anemia, malnutrition, or another disease in a child associated with a lack of certain substances requires the selection of a special mixture with a therapeutic effect.
Complete and adequate nutrition is the key to the harmonious growth and development of your baby!

Certainly a reliable protector immune system a newborn is considered to be .

It contains a whole complex of vitamins that serve as a shield against diseases for the baby at the initial stage of his life.

However, it often happens that for a number of reasons (the most common problem is the woman’s poor health and the need for her to take medications), milk disappears and/or decreases in quantity.

In this case, in order to avoid starvation of the baby, the young mother is forced to switch to artificial feeding. Read about the advantages and disadvantages of this type of feeding and the age up to which formulas are useful.

Today, the trend towards an increase in the number of newborns raised on artificial feeding is becoming increasingly noticeable.
A young mother’s lack of lactation, the production of breast milk in small quantities, or its “insatiability” are all a number of different factors that ultimately lead to partial or complete loss of milk after a few months.

The list can be supplemented with diseases that occur in a woman, difficult childbirth and other reasons due to which the milk in the mother’s breast disappears and the baby is forced to switch to formula.

What is artificial feeding? Many women are worried when it comes to transitioning their child to formula feeding. And this is no coincidence. Breast milk is rightfully recognized as the best protector of the baby’s body. Each mother has it individually according to the components it contains, which her baby needs specifically. What about formula milk? How will their composition affect a small organism?

There is undoubtedly a risk that a baby will not accept this or that milk, but today’s formula manufacturers are very careful in creating their products.

On the shelves of pharmacies you can find a very wide range of “foods”: based on cow or goat milk, soy (for those babies who suffer from lactose intolerance), hypoallergenic, medicinal, with the addition of cereals, fruits, Omega-3 acids, prebiotics and probiotics , nucleotides, with or without sugar, gluten...

The list continues depending on the age of the child.

Before transferring your baby to artificial feeding, you should consult your pediatrician. Only a doctor, taking into account the characteristics of the child’s body, can prescribe exactly the product that is suitable for the baby and choose the right diet.

So, if artificial feeding cannot be avoided, you should approach it fully prepared. To do this, it is important to know the pros and cons in order to build on them to make the feeding process safe and beneficial for the baby.

A mother can always leave her child with one of her relatives or friends without fear that her baby will go hungry.

This advantage is definitely the most “convenient” plus of artificial feeding.

While the baby is breastfed, the mother is firmly attached to him: she cannot go anywhere alone, she cannot leave the child with her family.

When the newborn is fed formula, the woman can easily leave home, leaving her husband or her mother with a ready-made bottle of food for the baby.

This advantage allows the young mother to go out into public and take a break from everyday life, which only has a positive effect on the woman’s mood.
Confidence that the baby is full.

Today's formulas are formulated in such a way that they fully contain all the components a child needs. Having prepared the required volume, mom will be sure that her baby is full. In addition, children on formula nutrition gain weight faster than their peers on breast milk.

During the first months of life, a baby should eat approximately 800 ml of the mixture per day (in 8-10 approaches). From 3 months the amount of food increases to 900 ml.

The time between meals increases.

Another advantage of formulas is that they are more filling and take longer to digest, which means the baby needs more time to digest the food. The interval between feedings increases. In numbers: children are fed formula once every 3–3.5 hours.

Compare: babies sometimes have to be breastfed almost every hour!

If a child has an allergy, there is no point in the mother revising her diet, as would be the case with breastfeeding. The “artificial” one has one reason for the rashes - a mixture that did not fit. The problem is solved by changing the product that caused the allergy.

With artificial feeding, a woman feels more free.

As mentioned above, those mothers who breastfeed have a very limited diet. Most products are prohibited so as not to cause or. In addition, they should not take medications; you need to abandon laser hair removal and a number of cosmetic procedures. When a child is on formula, all these prohibitions from women are lifted.

You can walk any distance and not be constrained by a certain wardrobe.

A very controversial advantage, but it has its place. In hot weather, you can't go far with formula milk for fear of it going sour (but you can always buy a thermal bag and solve this problem!), but in any other case, feeding in a bottle clearly makes life easier for mothers. There is no need to look for a place to sit and feed the baby without causing displeasure in some particularly sensitive person.

As for the wardrobe, today there are many tops with special pocket slits. Thanks to them, no one will even notice what mommy is doing.

The breasts do not lose their shape.

The most frightening prospect for a woman is to lose the former shape and size of her breasts due to breastfeeding. For this reason, many young mothers refuse to breastfeed, depriving their child of the necessary elements. But the breasts will indeed remain the same if the baby feeds from a bottle.

In addition, a woman forgets what cracked nipples and drying out are. No pain or worry!

Many women who, for one reason or another, were forced to give up breastfeeding often feel guilty about their baby.
Reason: the baby does not receive proper attention from his mother. The problem is solved! During bottle feeding, the baby can be picked up, thereby taking the position in which babies are breastfed.

How can there be no downsides?

In medicine, artificial feeding is called “metabolic stress.” And this is not surprising.

Switching to formula causes a number of unpleasant reactions in almost all babies: allergies, colic, tummy pain, problems with bowel movements, restless behavior...

After a few days, some children get used to the new diet, and for some they have to look for new formulas that are more suitable for them.

Therefore, the disadvantages:

Inappropriate mixtures that cause allergies in children.

Sometimes you have to change more than one trademark before the baby is ready to eat. During this time, the baby will have time to lose his voice more than once and fray the mother’s nerves. But the problem is that after a while, namely from 6 months, the selected mixture will need to be changed, since they are intended for different age groups. This means that you will need to go through all the “circles of hell” again.

The mixture is not for age.

Failure to comply with age restrictions on the use of milk can cause serious problems with the stomach and intestines.

Colic, as well.

Another “sore” inherent in “artificial” babies.

Most often, the cause is a poor-quality nipple that allows excess air to pass through, or an excess of dry base when diluting the required volume.

Sterility.

Bottles require constant monitoring of their sterility. Otherwise, failure to keep them (as well as the pacifiers) clean can lead to dyspeptic disorders in the baby.

Extra movements.

This implies the need to take a larger number of bags with you on a hike, therefore, prepare in advance all these bottles with formula, sterilizers, and additional nipples. In addition, when feeding at night, it is not enough to just get up and take the baby out of the crib; you need to go to the kitchen and prepare food for him.

The mixture can be prepared in advance, but it is important that it is stored in the refrigerator and does not sit for more than a day.

Parents of bottle-fed children need to remember that in the future their children are more susceptible to colds and allergies than their peers raised on natural breast milk. The reason is simple: despite the full complex of all vitamins present in the mixtures, some enzymes are difficult to recreate; they are only found in mother's milk.

Financial expenses.

Good mixtures are not cheap. The price of some can reach 800 rubles per package! But it only lasts about 3-4 days. It turns out that you need about 10 jars for a month... But still, the average price for a jar is 250-300 rubles.

Feed until...

The question that every mother asked: “until what age should I feed my baby formula?”

Most often, the packaging initially contains markings, thanks to which you can navigate what age a particular product is intended for.

The first assumes ages from 0 to 6 months, the next - from 6 to 12 months.

The following question arises: “Is it possible that after a year the need for infant formula disappears?”
Pediatricians look at this problem differently, but ultimately agree that introducing “milk” into a child’s diet before 3 years of age is desirable, since even breastfeeding is better to keep a baby until 2 years of age. But this does not negate the fact that complementary feeding must be provided and the child’s nutrition after the first year of life should be as close as possible to the diet of family members!

There is no consensus regarding the final age for use of infant formula. The decision should be made only by the mother in close cooperation with the pediatrician. Will it be one and a half years or three? It is important to look at the child’s condition and build on his preferences.