Up to what age to feed a mixture of children? General recommendations

In a wonderful time of her pregnancy, almost every future mother is sure that she will definitely breastfeed her baby. But, unfortunately, sometimes there are situations in which breastfeeding for various reasons is impossible.

Undoubtedly, a young woman needs to try to keep her milk and for this purpose to stimulate its tides by all means, but if it does not work out, then you should not get upset. Many children have grown quite healthy and on artificial feeding. It is just necessary to get familiar with the necessary information in advance and know to what age the child should eat the mixture.

Advantages of artificial feeding

There is a widespread opinion that cow's milk is such a product that it is better for children not to give at a certain age, since it contains much more phosphorus than in the mother's. Therefore such excess concentration of the given microelement can exert an excessive influence on the kidneys, which subsequently leads to poor digestion 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 early years of his life have their own opinion about the age to feed a mixture of children. The use of mixtures in the diet can be seen by those 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 the one who is breastfeeding and can not understand if her child receives the right amount of milk. The mummy of the artificial person should know for certain, up to what age the child should eat a mix to understand, when correctly to include in its ration this or that product.

disadvantages

Of course, there is no such person who does not understand that infant formula for babies is a necessary measure. There are those whose composition meets all the needs of the baby. But then to what age should the child feed the adapted mixture? Many people ask themselves, is it worthwhile to use it at all, when the crumb already eats everything from the general table? Why then in this case to breed the mixture from the pack, if it can be given real products?

Therefore, supporters of this theory are sure that they know exactly how old to feed a mixture of children. Arguments against the use of this complementary food for the child are based on the experience of our grandmothers, since cow milk, and not the mixture, has always been considered the food of children who reached one year of age. After all, even a generation of modern mummies was fed only on natural dairy products and semolina porridge. Therefore, many do not believe in the fact that it can harm a child's body, but on the contrary, consider it to be the right food for their children, in contrast to artificial feeding. But even despite any shortcomings of infant formulas, it is better to give preference to them, since they are hypoallergenic, which can not be said for 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, to what age to feed the child with a mixture. We are looking for a golden mean in this matter. For example, the famous pediatrician Komarovsky Oleg Evgenevich claims that the harm from cow's milk for a baby older than one year is greatly exaggerated. At the same time, he absolutely does not oppose feeding with infant formulas and believes that it is possible to feed children up to three years in this way. Many experts also do not see anything criminal in the fact that if a toddler is given a dairy product or kefir.

But you need to take into account the tolerance of protein to the baby and then you already have to make a conclusion about the age to feed the mixture of children and when they can be translated into natural products. This issue will have to solve the problem of the mother, of course, with the assistance of a competent pediatrician.

Doctor's comments

The experts also have their own opinion on the extent to which the age of feeding a mixture of children. Their advice on this issue is that you need to clearly follow the recommendations on the product boxes and observe carefully the state of your child (how he reacts to a particular lure).

If the mixture is matched correctly and the baby is gaining weight, then in this way it can be fed for about two years, gradually removing night snacks. But you should stick to one chosen brand and do not jump from one mixture to another in order to avoid its poor assimilation and not cause allergies. The advice of doctors about the age to feed a mixture of children may be different, so you should always watch your child and not overfeed him.

Opinions of nutritionists

If you ask specialists about the age to feed a mixture of children, their arguments will be such that when choosing the right formula for the product, you can give adapted milk formulas to children until they reach the age of three.

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

WHO recommendations

The World Health Organization has its own opinion about the age to which the infant formula is fed. These experts believe that a baby with a small weight who is not able to receive maternal or donor milk should be on artificial feeding after discharge from the hospital and until reaching the age of six months. They also argue that for such babies it is necessary to purchase not a standard mixture, but enriched with nutrients.

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

Feedback from experienced moms

At many forums of newly-made parents, one often encounters the question: in general, to what age should the mixture be given? But it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to it, as each mother proceeds from her personal experience and is guided by the way her baby carried this or that mixture.

Many say that this lure can be given to children under three years old, others - that after one and a half years of the mixture should 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 state of health of your child and periodically do not forget to consult with specialists in these matters.

When can I finish the night feeding?

This question is solved as individually, as the one in which it is asked, to what age to feed a mixture of children. Reviews on this subject of specialists say that it is not necessary to disaccustom the baby from night snacks at all costs. All children are different, and some crumbs can sleep through the night after six months, while others continue to consume milk formulas for up to three years.

But you do not have to worry about this: a healthy child will gradually give up night feeding and from mixtures at all, when his time comes. When the crumb goes to four meals a day, 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 child such a lure and know exactly how old to feed the infant formula, when buying it, you need to follow the main recommendation from leading nutritionists and pediatricians.

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

As the child grows, his need for liquid and various nutrients becomes different, which is why the mixes are different and correspond to one or another age.

What are the children's mixtures?

Several types of this child product have been developed, and they all have different purposes:

• Standard are recommended for kids who do not have any problems with taking and digesting food.
• A lactose-free product is prescribed for children who do not tolerate lactose.
• Hydrolyzed are used to feed a child who is allergic to cow protein.
• Probiotic products are for babies with disrupted intestinal work.
• Powder mixtures, which include goat milk.
• Antireflux - suitable for a child suffering from frequent regurgitation.
• Soy products - for children who do not tolerate animal milk at all.
• A product for prematurely born infants, which includes correctly balanced components, helping to quickly gain weight.

Naturally, nothing can replace a mother's milk, but if circumstances developed in such a way that the child will grow on artificial lure, then the choice of a mixture must be approached in a thorough manner.

Cooking rules

Before using this product in a baby's food, you must follow the following rules:

• The temperature of the liquid in the bottle should be about 37 degrees Celsius.
• It is necessary to adhere carefully to the rules of personal hygiene during the dilution of the mixture, and also use only boiled filtered water.
• Clearly observe the necessary proportions, which are indicated on the bank, as improper cooking can cause problems with digestion of the child.
• Pay attention to the expiration date after opening the package.
• Do not mix mixtures from different manufacturers.
• Do not reheat the bottle in the microwave oven, and after shaking, make sure that there is no air in the form of bubbles, which can lead to colic and eructation.
• Give the child only a newly cooked product.

Myths about artificial 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 a calorie - this is not true. Such food will be longer to digest, as well as overload the kidneys of crumbs.

All mums are trying to give their child so much milk, as indicated in the table on the pack, because they are sure that the child should eat just such a portion - it's a myth. Each kid has individual needs, so for each crumb should be selected exactly his portion. If it suddenly seems that the child does not eat enough, you need to go to a consultation with a pediatrician.

It is useful for every mother to know

Newly-made parents try to listen to the advice of each specialist, but they can be different. Therefore, you just need to know some common rules:

• Never need to feed your crumb through power and through sleep, as he can swallow too much air, which will subsequently lead to colic.
• A child who is on artificial feeding in the first months of his life needs to be fed on demand, as well as the one that is fed by breast milk.
• When a baby catches a cold or gets sick and refuses to eat for these reasons, you do not need to force it. But he must drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
• When the baby eats, you should always tilt the bottle correctly, and in case he swallows too quickly, buy a smaller nipple.

There are no unequivocal answers about the age at which to stop artificial feeding. It's just that parents need to listen to the needs of their crumbs, which he himself decides when he does not need the mixture. It is only known that this product, if properly selected and used, can not harm the baby's body.