Breast milk is the perfect food for a child naturally. But if you can not breastfeed, or choose not to do so for some reason, your choice - milk mixture. Scientists and doctors have spent years developing high-quality artificial nutrition that will provide the child an excellent saturation, vitamins, trace elements it needs. When you think about what mixture is suitable for your baby, you should take into account several factors. Think about his health and nutritional needs, keep in mind the age.

There are three main types of infant formula:

• based on cows' milk;
• based on hydrolysed protein
• soy milk

In general it is recommended to use a mixture of cow's milk, but there are occasions when it is contraindicated. Then we must resort to alternatives.

Infant formula based on cow's milk

Most types of infant formula manufactured on the basis of cow milk, because it is similar in composition to breast milk. Manufacturers adapted cow's milk for babies, by adjusting the content of carbohydrates, protein and fat by adding vitamins and minerals. There are also special types of mixtures that are made for premature babies.

The protein in the milk can be separated into the casein and whey protein. Casein protein ratio may vary depending on the type of infant formula. Separate the two main types.

Two stages

• Mixtures of the first stage. These consist of a mixture of casein and whey in a ratio of about 40:60, which is approximately the same proportions as in human milk. They are suitable for child nutrition from birth to one year, and it is believed that they are more easily absorbed by his body.
• Mixtures of the second stage. These mixtures are composed mostly of casein, is now in a ratio of 80:20 with serum. They take longer to digest and longer hold the child a feeling of satiety.

From a nutritional point of view, the child is generally required in the mixture of the first stage, although you may decide to transfer the child to a mixture of the second stage as its growth and development.

Be careful when changing the formula milk for the baby. If the transition from the first to the second stage occurred too early, it can lead to constipation. While many manufacturers sell the mixture composition for the second stage, claiming that they are suitable for use from birth, it is better to wait until the baby grows up to four weeks. If you think that a child is not enough mixture, which you feed him, talk to your pediatrician, refrain from independent decisions on how to change the formula.

When a child is a year old, you can change the power by going to the first or second stage to cow's milk. Cow's milk is not recommended as a basic food for children aged up to one year, because there was little iron and vitamin Vitamins for everyone   C, which are so necessary in this period. But you can use it in small quantities later, when the child goes to solid food. and you can give him a dry breakfast cereals, porridge.

Dairy-based mixture of hydrolysed protein

This infant formula specially designed for children with allergies or intolerance to cow's milk. If your child has a milk intolerance, its protein will cause an allergic reaction. It may also be intolerant of cow's milk sugar.

The infant formula based on hydrolyzed protein has the same nutritional value as the standard milk formula but hydrolysed protein, which means that the risk of allergy is minimal. This milk also has no lactose, so in children with cow's milk intolerance is rarely a negative reaction to such mixtures.

If you think your child has a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, consult a doctor. Your doctor can prescribe the right formula based on hydrolyzed protein, or any other.
  The infant formula based on soy

In these mixtures, using soybean soybean. The mixture is enriched with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, which makes it suitable for feeding children.

Giving your child a mixture of soy-based only on preliminary recommendations pediatrician. Although soy infant formula manufacturers claim absolute safety, and according to them they are suitable for children from birth, doctors do not recommend to give their children up to six months.

Also it is not recommended to give a mixture of soy milk for children allergic to cow's milk, because these kinds of intolerance often go together.

Safety measures

There is no evidence that switching to soy food can help soothe colic or other digestive problems. The child may be colic due to lactose intolerance, then a mixture of lactose-free formula will fit best. In any case, the advice is to consult a doctor if you suspect an allergy or intolerance to cow's milk.

In soybean mixtures no special health benefits in comparison with other compounds. In fact, mixtures with soy may even damage teeth child if taken for a long time, because they contain glucose. If you give your child soy mixture, you have to take care of teeth.

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