How to Choose the Right Infant Formula for Your Baby?

Everyone knows that for a newly born baby there is nothing better than the mother’s breast milk because in this way the connection between mother and baby is established. But most importantly, breast milk contains a lot of essential nutrients that contribute to the proper development of children and strengthen their immune systems. However, for various reasons, not all women are willing and able to breastfeed. The reasons for this may vary: illness, medication, personal beliefs and attitudes, the baby’s rejection of breast milk, allergies to natural milk, and more. That’s when the question of artificial feeding arises.

Benefits of breast milk

Breastfeeding has many advantages over any modern infant formula:

1. Breast milk fully meets your baby’s nutritional and fluid needs for the first six months of life. It contains enough water. Even during very hot weather, breast milk quenches your baby’s thirst.

2. During the first days of life, colostrum is a kind of “first immunization” that protects your baby from illness.

3. Breast milk contains all the necessary vitamins and micronutrients for the balanced development of your baby.

4. Mother’s milk contains antibodies to protect the baby from diseases.

5. Breast milk is food that is always with you and on hand.

6. Breast milk does not disappear because of stress.

7. Even if the mother is not eating enough, she can continue to breastfeed.

8. Breastfeeding is the most hygienically safe way to feed your baby because you don’t have to wash or boil dishes.

9. Physical contact while breastfeeding soothes both baby and mom.

10. You can breastfeed your baby up to 2 years old and longer.

Choosing a baby formula

Young parents in the absence of breast milk will inevitably have to face the problem of choosing a baby formula. After all, what their baby eats in the first months of his life will largely depend on his development and health. Therefore, before you buy any jar of the variety offered by pharmacies and children’s markets, you should thoroughly understand the classification and purpose of baby food.

When choosing an organic baby formula for a newborn baby, you should be guided by the health status of the baby and the pediatrician’s recommendations. Particular attention is paid to lactose intolerance and cow’s milk protein intolerance in newborns, as well as the frequency of regurgitation and susceptibility to food allergies. Lactose-free, hypoallergenic, antireflux, and other formulas are selected for such children.

The purpose of all baby formula is divided into three groups:

• For normalization of digestion;
• For early weight gain in a prematurely born baby;
• For a balanced diet for healthy babies.

Infant formula contains natural additives which promote rapid weight gain. For normalization of the gastrointestinal tract, babies are selected with prebiotics.

Make sure you make the right choice

Prebiotic formulas should not contain any starch or sucrose. But omega-3 and 6, prebiotics, nucleotides, taurine, and selenium are very desirable ingredients for the normal development and growth of a baby. As for the content of palm oil, good or not, the question is ambiguous. It is in most formulas and poses no threat to the health of the child.

There is much debate about the question: which formula is better to give your baby – goat’s milk or cow’s milk? Most believe that goat’s milk is less allergenic. But this is not entirely true.

If the baby grows and puts on weight while using the mixture, has clear skin without rash, no regurgitation or bloating stable mushy stools, and normal sleep, then the mixture is suitable. In all other cases, parents have reason to ask themselves if they have chosen the right formula and why the food is no longer suitable for the baby.

So, the main thing is that the selected formula is suitable for your baby. So always buy baby food wisely. You should think about whether you can afford to buy the formula in the future, whether it is affordable to you and whether it is considered scarce in the nearest stores. Choose high-quality, organic food and grow up healthy!