Mixed feeding is correct. How to properly mix breastfeeding

Despite the fact that mother's milk is considered the optimal nutrition for an infant, not everyone has the opportunity to constantly breastfeed their children. Then mixed feeding of newborns comes to the rescue, in which the child eats both breast milk and an artificial mixture. The amount of milk replacer in a child's diet should not exceed 50%. If its volume is more than half of the diet, then this is artificial feeding.

The main reasons for switching to mixed feeding

1. Reduced lactation in the mother and lack of breast milk.
2. Domestic and social reasons, such as the need to go to work or study.
3. Women's health problems: diseases of the kidneys, respiratory organs, cardiovascular diseases. As well as the defective composition of breast milk of a nursing mother.
4. Mixed feeding of newborns can begin from the first day of life: after a caesarean section, when they are born, and also when several babies are born at once.

Possible ways to organize feeding

1. During one meal, the baby is breastfed first and then formula fed. This has its advantages: breastfeeding several times a day stimulates milk production, which means it helps to maintain breastfeeding. Therefore, this option is considered the best.
2. The child is fed, alternating natural feeding and feeding with a mixture, that is, at one meal the baby receives only mother's milk, and at the other - only a mixture. Working mothers often have to resort to this method. But it is considered less preferable, as it negatively affects lactation.

If you have to alternate between breastfeeding and formula feeding, try to breastfeed at least 3 times a day to conserve milk. It is better to choose night and morning feedings when a woman has more milk.

Diet

In the process of switching to mixed or artificial feeding, some cannot properly organize nutrition and overfeed their children. Too frequent meals can disrupt the intestines, as artificial products are digested more slowly than natural milk. Therefore, it is worth adhering to a certain frequency of feedings: on average, a child needs 8-10 feedings per day in the first 10-14 days of life, babies up to six months are fed 6-7 times, and children over six months old need 5 feedings.

In the first 2 weeks, the daily food intake is at least 2% of the weight multiplied by the number of days the child lives. After two weeks of age and up to 2 months, the volume of food should be 1/5 of the weight of the child, from 2 to 4 months - 1/6 of the part, from 4 to 6 months - 1/7, from six months - 1/8-1/9 . To determine the serving size for one feeding, simply divide the recommended daily amount of food by the number of feedings.

If possible, add the mixture to the diet gradually. It is better to start with 10-20 ml. If the baby tolerated the “acquaintance” with the new food normally, gradually increase its amount until you reach the required volume. Do not feed the baby at the same time with different mixtures. The child's body is not yet developed enough, so it does not immediately get used to new products. For the same reason, it is not recommended to change mixtures too often.

If after the introduction of the mixture the baby has serious digestive problems or allergies, consult a specialist. He will explain the rules of mixed feeding, and also tell you which mixture is right for you.

How to properly feed a child?

It is impossible to say unequivocally what portion of the mixture a child will need. It is necessary to control the volume of milk, and compensate for the missing amount with supplementary feeding. It is recommended to offer the mixture to the baby only after you have attached the baby to each breast. If the baby refuses to eat, do not try to force-feed him the contents of the bottle. Better offer him the mixture a little later.

If there are much more crumbs of breast milk in the diet than mixtures, then it is better to give him complementary foods from a spoon. The bubble can be given preference with a large amount of supplementary feeding. During feeding, hold the vial so that the neck is completely filled with liquid. Otherwise, along with food, the child will swallow air, which can lead to discomfort and pain in the tummy. The sucking process should not be too easy for the baby, otherwise he will begin to refuse the breast. Pay attention to the size of the holes on the nipple: the mixture should not flow freely through them in large jets.

Mixture containers must be sterile. It is better to prepare the product immediately before use. In exceptional cases, you can prepare the mixture for several feedings. Ready-made food is stored in the refrigerator, it must be used within 24 hours. The optimal temperature of the mixture for feeding is 37-38 degrees.

What mixture to choose?

Artificial mixtures are made using cow's milk, which has undergone special processing. Each of them has both pluses and minuses. Many modern manufacturers are trying to bring the composition of the mixtures as close as possible to human milk. Baby food is classified according to the level of adaptation to natural breast milk. This indicator is worth focusing on.

The maximum level of adaptation is distinguished by adapted mixtures, which can be liquid and dry, fresh and sour-milk. They contain in their composition substances that correspond to the components of breast milk: whey proteins, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates in the form of lactose, etc. If the baby is mixed-fed from the hospital, for the first couple of weeks it is better not to include fermented milk mixtures in his diet, which can cause or increase regurgitation.

The second degree of adaptation is an adapted casein-based diet with little or no whey protein. As a rule, they are bought for babies prone to frequent spitting up. Transition formulas are suitable for babies 6 months and older. Products such as whole milk, cow's milk kefir and bio-kefir are not adapted. Therefore, they can be added to the children's menu only after 6 months.

Separately, it should be said about therapeutic mixtures. Usually they are introduced into the diet of premature babies, children with underweight and a tendency to allergies, as well as those suffering from frequent tummy pains, constipation and other digestive problems. Nutrition for medical purposes is introduced into the diet according to a certain scheme, which should be compiled by a specialist. Uncontrolled intake of such mixtures without consulting a pediatrician will not only not help eliminate the problem, but can also harm the health of the baby.

Cons of mixed feeding

• Formula feeding can provoke an allergic reaction to dairy products.
• Another disadvantage is constipation, which often occurs in mixed-fed infants.
• Even if you follow all the rules of mixed feeding, breast milk substitute can cause dysbacteriosis, accompanied by stool disorders and abdominal pain.
• Infants on natural and mixed feeding have different intestinal flora. Even a small amount of supplementary feeding can lead to negative changes in the microflora.
• Some components from the mixture are absorbed much worse than from human milk. Therefore, artificial baby food will not replace the beneficial substances contained in mother's milk for the baby.

Breast milk is the healthiest food for a baby, and the higher the percentage in the diet, the better. If you are lactating well and formula feeding is not a necessity, you should not switch to them too soon. But mixed feeding has more than just disadvantages.

The advantages of mixed feeding

• Despite the fact that the diet contains a mixture, the child still receives the necessary nutrients contained in milk.
• Mom has the opportunity to leave the baby with relatives, and herself to take a short break. For many, mixed feeding makes it possible to continue working or studying.
• At the same time, important bodily contact is maintained between mother and baby, which appears during breastfeeding.

If it is not possible to organize feeding exclusively with breast milk, then often you have to choose which is better: mixed feeding or artificial. The mixed one has obvious advantages, therefore, if the mother has at least a minimum amount of milk, it is better to apply the baby to the breast in order to prolong lactation.

Not always mixed feeding leads to the transition to artificial. In many cases, switching to mixed feeding can be a temporary measure. By eliminating the causes that led to this, if you wish, you can return to full breastfeeding again.

1. Supplementary feeding (artificial mixture) should be given only after the child is attached to the mammary glands and after their complete emptying, even with a minimum amount of milk. This is done due to the fact that at the beginning of feeding, the child has the most pronounced appetite and he actively sucks at the breast. If you give an artificial formula first, then, firstly, you don’t know how much to give it, and secondly, after satisfying the appetite, the child will not want to suckle, since it is much more difficult than eating from a bottle.
   In the case of social conditions, when the mother is forced to be absent for a certain amount of time or in the treatment of certain diseases, the mother can resort to the following method of feeding. The child during the day receives an artificial mixture 2-3 times, and the rest of the feeding is breast milk;
2. Supplementary feeding is better to give from a spoon (if its volume is not very large), since an easier intake of the mixture from a bottle can help the child refuse gud. With a large amount of supplementary feeding, as a rule, a bottle is used. The bottle should have a sufficiently elastic nipple with small holes (so that the child makes an effort while sucking);
3. Diet. The most optimal is the free mode of feeding. But you can also feed the baby on a schedule, in which case the frequency of feeding can be reduced by one feeding compared to natural feeding;
4. Mixture, bottles, nipples must be sterile. The temperature of the finished mixture is 37-38 degrees;
5. Complementary foods with mixed feeding are introduced 2-3 weeks earlier than with natural feeding.

To calculate the child's needs for food ingredients, the following are taken into account: the age of the child, what type of feeding the food is close to (artificial or natural), the type of mixture used (adapted, non-adapted).

Daily requirement of children for the main ingredients

Example: Baby is 3 weeks old. Birth weight 3000 g, currently 3100 g. Mom worries that the baby often cries, wakes up after feeding after 1-1.5 hours, calms down if he sucks at the breast. The child is outwardly healthy, stool 1-2 times a day, dense feces. Feeds 7 times a day.

• Due body weight 3000 g + 400 \u003d 3400 g;
• Body weight deficit 3400 - 3100 \u003d 300 g (8%);
• Daily amount of food needed = 3100:5 = 620 ml;
• Volume per feeding = 620:7 = 88.5 (90) ml.

During the control weighing, it was found that for each feeding the child sucks out 30-40 ml of milk. During the day, he receives 35 * 7 = 245 ml of milk. When comparing the required amount of food (620 ml) and the milk received (245 ml), it can be seen that the mother has hypogalactia. Supplementary feeding is required (transfer to mixed feeding).

Feeding calculation: for one feeding, the mother has about 35 ml of milk, and 90 ml is needed. In the form of supplementary feeding there will be a mixture of "Detolact" in the amount of = 90-35 \u003d 55 ml (each feeding give breast milk -35 ml, a mixture of "Detolact" -55 ml)

Calculation of the child's need for ingredients:

• proteins - 3.0 g * 3.1 kg \u003d 9.3 grams;
• fats - 6.5 * 3.1 \u003d 20.1 grams;
• carbohydrates - 14 * 3.1 \u003d 43.4 grams.

The number of ingredients received by the child:

• proteins - from breast milk (V = 245 ml) - 2.45 * 1.5 = 3.6 g;
• from the mixture "Detolact" (V=385 ml) 3.85*1.8=6.9;
• fats - from breast milk - 2.45 * 3.5 \u003d 8.5 g; from a mixture -3.85 * 3.7 \u003d 14.2 grams;
• carbohydrates - from breast milk 2.45 * 7.0 \u003d 17.1 g; from the mixture - 3.85 * 7.3 \u003d 28.1 grams.

Conclusion: with this feeding, the needs of the child are fully satisfied.

Breastfeeding and artificial feeding, carried out at the same time, is called mixed. Of course, women who feed children in this way do not mix their milk and formula in one bottle. Ideally, the breast is given separately and then, at each feeding or at certain ones, the baby is also offered a mixture in a certain amount. What is the difference between mixed and artificial feeding of newborns, what is their difference? With mixed formula, the baby receives more than half of his nutrition in the form of breast milk. For example, 70% breast milk and 30% formula. And if the amount of the mixture exceeds 50%, then they are talking about already artificial feeding.

The transition from breastfeeding to mixed should be clearly calibrated. Mom should understand that very often feeding a baby with a mixture leads to a complete transfer to artificial nutrition. There are two reasons for that:
1. when feeding from a bottle, it is easy for a baby to get food and he refuses to suckle;
2. The less the mother's breast is stimulated, the less milk becomes in her.
And less stimulation is almost guaranteed, as the formula is digested more slowly than breast milk, and the baby will ask for the breast much less often, even if he does not refuse to suck completely.

Mixed feeding how to organize

First you need to make sure that supplementary feeding with a mixture is generally necessary. If the mother thinks that she does not have enough milk, then the so-called wet diaper test must be performed. One day to hold the child without "diapers" and count the number of urination. If there are 8 or less of them, the child definitely does not have enough milk. If 9 - then you need to repeat the test. And 10 or more urinations indicate that the child has enough food. Just remember that in order for the test to show the correct result, you need not to give the child more water that day.

If there were more than 10 urinations, you need to look for other reasons for his anxiety. And the mother’s soft breasts and her rare fullness (according to subjective sensations) are not a reason for reflection - what kind of mixed or breastfeeding should be left. There is no need for supplementation.

Another clear reason for supplementation is the very low weight gain of the baby. For example, if the baby added 100 grams in the first month, instead of the minimum 500-600. And the trend towards low weight gain continues. In such a situation, and urination, for sure, will be rare.

If the child has gained 450-500 grams per month and at the same time often and for a long time sucks the breast, you should not rush to buy a mixture for mixed feeding. A lactating woman periodically experiences lactation crises. This is when the amount of milk production for some reason decreases. But this is a temporary phenomenon. If the child stimulates his mother's nipples well and does not start feeding, then in 3-7 days lactation will completely normalize.

If there are electronic scales at home, and the mother is ready to be patient and weigh the child every day before and after feeding, you can find out exactly how much milk the baby sucks and compare with the amount that "should" suck. Depending on the result obtained, decide on the need for supplementary feeding.

Mixed feeding rules

1. Mixture selection. If the child is healthy and not prone to allergic reactions (the mother eats a variety of foods, that is, there are potential allergens in her breast milk), almost any adapted mixture will suit him. You need to focus on your financial capabilities. Or ask your doctor to write you a prescription for free formula and supplement it. If she does not like it, then there is the option of reselling it to another mother at a price lower than the retail price and buying another mixture with these funds. By the way, such resale of mixtures is now a very common practice. In groups on social networks, on Avito there are many offers of infant formula at competitive prices. True, buying from the hands is a risky business. It is not known under what conditions the mixture was stored in the seller's house ... Even if it has a normal expiration date and the packaging has not been opened.

If a child has allergic reactions, then he needs a mixture of premium, hypoallergenic. It costs from 400 rubles per jar on average.
Allergic children are often offered mixtures not with cow's milk, but with goat's milk, as it is believed that it is less allergenic. This is not entirely true. However, goat milk mixtures are no worse and can also be considered as an option.

For children with lactase deficiency, lactose-free formulas are sold. For those suffering from irregular stools - fermented milk. Cal in newborns with mixed feeding usually becomes rarer. If during breastfeeding children empty their intestines in the first months of life up to 7 times, then with mixed 1-2. If constipation occurs in newborns on mixed feeding, then they are given a sour-milk mixture as a supplement. Usually very soon with its help the chair becomes regular again.

In general, the baby food market in Russia is quite developed. But if you bought a certain mixture, then try not to change it for no reason, as the child will again adapt to the new mixture. It's hard for a small body.

2. What to supplement with. Usually parents choose a bottle. This is the simplest. It is important that the nipple of the bottle has a very small hole, the so-called slow flow. For the child to make efforts, extracting food from the bottle. Otherwise, he will soon refuse to suckle at all, especially half-empty, as happens with irregular feedings.
If you have the opportunity and patience, supplement your child with a soft-coated spoon (sold specifically for complementary foods), a syringe without a needle (the one that comes with antipyretic syrups like Nurofen is ideal).

The best option is to supplement the child with a special system. It is an inverted small container into which the mixture is poured. A thin tube extends from this container. Its tip is attached to the nipple. The mother gives her nipple to the child, he grabs it along with the tip of the tube and sucks the mixture and breast milk at the same time. It is not dangerous for his digestive system. And it is very useful for stimulating lactation. Of course, it is better to first let the baby just suck on the breast, and if the baby starts to get nervous, there is a feeling that he is not sucking milk, the supplementary feeding system joins.

3. The correct diet for mixed feeding. Of course, most mothers try to feed their children according to the regimen, once every 3 hours. And at night they do not feed at all. But it's not right. Especially when milk is already scarce. The mixture should be given according to the schedule, but the chest - at any time. And especially often at night, so that the hormone prolactin is better produced.
The mixture is always given only after the breast.

4. Offer additional liquid. Should I give water to newborns with mixed feeding or not? Definitely need to offer. Especially if the house is dry and too warm. Recall that the ideal climate for a child is a temperature of 18-22 degrees and a humidity of 50-70%. In this case, the baby will not be thirsty too often. And it is quite possible that he does not want to drink water. And in the heat, everyone wants to drink often. Including children. You need to supplement the child with clean water without gas. From a bottle, from a spoon, after 6 months it is possible from a drinker.

5. The introduction of complementary foods. Contrary to popular belief, mixed feeding is introduced when the baby is 6 months old. As required by the WHO. Not earlier. Mom can start giving vegetables or cereals. There is no fundamental difference where to start. The main thing is not with meat. And Dr. Komarovsky tells about mixed feeding that kefir or cottage cheese is quite suitable as a first complementary food. The main thing is that it is fresh. Ideal if from a dairy kitchen.

Porridge is well sated. Vegetables contribute to the normalization of the stool, however, as well as dairy products.

There are different pros and cons of mixed feeding. But, of course, if possible, you need to switch back to exclusive breastfeeding. This will require some effort and patience (it is unlikely that the child will like that he has to work hard to get food), but as a result you will get comfort, convenience and material benefits. And for children, mother's milk is more useful than artificial.

For many years, pediatricians around the world have been saying that for a baby, especially in the first six months of life, there is nothing better than mother's milk.

However, sometimes it happens that lactation is disturbed and then mixed nutrition of the newborn comes to the rescue - how to feed the child in this case and what indications exist for switching to this type of feeding? We will talk about this and much more in our article today, and also decide whether this way of feeding is normal or should be avoided.

In order for a newborn to actively develop and grow, he must eat a certain amount of breast milk daily. Its volume depends on the age of the baby and its individual characteristics.

On average, children in the first six months of life eat from 400 milliliters of mother's milk (in 1 month) to 1 liter (in 5-6 months).

If the baby receives such a volume of mother's milk, then he feels good, looks healthy and happy, actively gains weight and has strong immunity. Otherwise, the baby has insufficient growth, he becomes irritable and nervous, and his development slows down.

If the pediatrician diagnoses such manifestations in a child, then he first makes recommendations to the mother to stimulate the production of more milk. In the event that this does not help, the doctor decides to switch to a mixed diet.

It is worth remembering that partial or complete artificial feeding is always stressful for the baby. Breast milk is not only a set of vitamins and minerals, it is also a powerful supplement for the complex development of the baby. It strengthens the child's immune system, forms the intestinal microflora and much more. Therefore, the most important task of every young mother is to put the baby to the breast even if there is very little milk produced.

Switching to a mixed diet for a newborn

Now let's figure out how you can make the transition to this feeding regimen. Here, as in the case of determining the need for mixed feeding, the pediatrician has the last word. It is he who sets the required amount of supplementary feeding, and also gives recommendations on what mixture should be given to the baby.

The transition itself is carried out very slowly so that the baby can get used to the new food for himself. This is also done in order to prevent the occurrence of strong negative reactions.

If the baby, even at the first stage of introducing the mixture, begins to feel bad, for example, he has an allergic reaction, digestive problems, constipation, colic, and he behaves restlessly. Then you will have to refuse such a mixture and consult a pediatrician about its possible replacement.

For the first time, the baby is given only about 15-20 ml of the finished mixture per day and his reaction is closely monitored.

If everything goes smoothly, then this volume is slightly increased and so gradually adjusted to the daily amount established by the pediatrician.

They feed the baby approximately once every 3-4 hours with a break for a night's sleep (at this time it is better for the baby to just apply to the breast), while not forgetting about breastfeeding. First, the breast is given, then, when the baby has emptied both breasts, the mixture is offered to him.

How to feed your newborn a mixed diet

• The main thing to remember is that using a mixed diet, we do not replace breastfeeding, but supplement it. If you treat formula as your baby's main source of nutrition, you risk losing your breast milk.
• In the event that a woman has a relatively large amount of breast milk and supplementation occurs with a very small amount of the mixture, then it can be given with a syringe without a needle or with a teaspoon.
  If the mixture makes up the majority of the baby's diet, then a special bottle should be used. In this case, special attention should be paid to the nipple - liquid should not pour out of it too easily, only if the baby makes an effort when sucking, he will be able to eat the breast.
• First of all, we give breasts (we do this at every meal, skipping even one feeding can affect lactation). After the baby sucked everything he could, we supplement with milk formula.
• If the mother does not have enough milk, then for feeding you need to use not one breast, but both. So the baby will eat more healthy mother's milk, and stimulation of lactation will occur immediately in both breasts.
• When you notice that there is more breast milk, gradually reduce the amount of formula in order to transfer the baby to completely natural feeding in the future. Before doing this, consult a pediatrician and carry out a control weighing before and after feeding to determine the amount of milk eaten by the baby.

Varieties of mixtures and their choice

Although the responsibility for formula selection primarily rests with the pediatrician, every nursing mother using a mixed diet needs to be aware of the varieties of such products.

• For children who are prone to allergic reactions, special hypoallergenic mixtures are produced in which milk protein is replaced by its purified variety.
• Each mixture is suitable only for a certain age of the baby. There are 4 age groups: premature babies, children under six months, after six months and after 1 year.
• There are fresh and fermented milk mixtures. The transition from the first to the second occurs gradually, by mixing them. So, in the first month of life, the child is given only an unleavened mixture, then, up to six months, they are mixed in equal proportions. After the baby is 6 months old, he can be given pure fermented milk mixtures.
• In the event that a child suffers from frequent regurgitation, a special adapted mixture is recommended to him, which reduces the likelihood of this.

Calculation of the amount of the mixture for mixed nutrition of the baby

Usually, the amount of milk formula is calculated based on how much mother's milk the baby drinks daily.

To determine this, the child is weighed before feeding and immediately after it. Then multiply the resulting difference by the number of feedings and get some specific figure.

The next step is to determine the required amount of milk formula for the baby, if he were completely bottle-fed.

• To do this, determine the volume of the mixture, the calorie content of which is 1 kcal, then this figure is multiplied by 550 (daily calorie intake for a child up to 4 months old), or by 800 (from 4 months to a year).
• From the resulting volume, subtract the amount that the child receives per day with breast milk.
• This figure should be divided by the number of feedings, and so we get the volume of the mixture for one meal.

Signs that mixed nutrition is organized correctly

Determining that you have correctly organized mixed feeding is quite simple. There are several main indicators of this:

• The weight gain of the child meets the norms or even slightly exceeds them (too much gain is an indication for a revision of nutrition).
• The child looks cheerful and cheerful.
• The baby does not have any allergic reactions.
• There are no violations of the structure of the baby's stool, he does not suffer from constipation, colic or diarrhea.
• The baby does not vomit.

If all these signs are present in your baby, then this is an indicator that you have correctly built a mixed diet for a newborn. The pediatrician decides how to feed him further, usually, if the amount of milk in the mother has increased, the ratio of feeding and natural nutrition is changed towards the latter until the baby completely switches to mother's milk.

For a child of the first year of life, and even more so for a newborn, there is nothing better than breastfeeding (HB). But for various reasons, it also happens that exclusive breastfeeding is not possible, and a mixture comes to the aid of mother and baby. Mixed feeding of the baby - experts and mothers of "Littlevan" tell how to feed correctly.

Reference

Artificial feeding is a complete replacement of HB with artificial mixtures. Mixed feeding is a partial replacement when the proportion of the substitute in the diet is at least 1/5.

Mixed feeding of newborns: how to feed correctly (chart)

If a mother really cannot produce enough milk (a very low percentage of all women), it is almost always possible to establish a mixed diet.

Mode and volume of feeding

It is customary to feed children on artificial feeding according to the schedule: up to 1 month - on demand, but not more than 10 times a day; 1–3 months - about 7 times; 3-4 months - about 6 times; from 4 months to a year - about 5 times a day.

If you have a mixed diet, replace breastfeeding with formula in this scheme only when you really do not have enough milk. For example, up to three months it is recommended to feed every three hours, give replacement of breastfeeding only when the breast is empty at the right time.

Reference

Some pediatricians take a different view. They advise from birth to choose the minimum time between feedings - 2.5 hours. What are their recommendations based on? Food entering the child's stomach undergoes fermentation, after which the entire volume from the stomach moves further into the intestine, where the digestion stage is completed (with the help of bacteria). Now imagine: the first portion of food is almost digested, the stomach is ready to send it further, and then a new portion arrives. What will the stomach do? It will correctly send “further” everything that is in it, both overcooked and fresh. After that, “sour” milk, ready for absorption, will be absorbed, and “fresh” milk will begin to ferment in the intestines with the formation of a large amount of gases (hello).

The required daily volume of the formula for artificial feeding (one of the generally accepted options):

• up to 2 months - 1/5 of body weight - 700–750 ml (100 ml per feeding);
• 2-4 months - 1/6 of body weight - 750–800 ml (140 ml per feeding);
• 4-6 months - 1/7 of body weight - 800-900 ml (170 ml per feeding);
• more than 6 months - 1/8-1/9 body weight - 1000-1100 ml (200 ml per feeding).

How to keep breastfeeding with a mixed diet:

1. Feed your baby in your arms face to face.

Despite mixed feeding, always hold the baby in your arms during feeding. Avoid feeding supplements to an infant in a crib or stroller. Do not deprive your baby of contact and communication with you, your warmth, the feel of your skin, the sound of your heart and voice, no matter what. The importance of your closeness, tenderness, and love cannot be overstated for emotional, neurological, and social health.

2. Do not believe that artificial feeding is better than mixed, even a little breast milk is already good!

There is a deliberately erroneous opinion that completely artificial feeding is better than mixed. Allegedly due to the fact that the child's digestive system is "confused" and suffers from it. In fact, even a small amount of breast milk in the diet is an invaluable contribution to health!

3. Donor milk is the supplement of choice.

Important: in accordance with WHO data, the “highest grade” supplementary feeding is the expressed milk of the mother. Further, the choice should be for donor milk - i.e. breast milk from another woman. It is human milk, not formula, that is the supplement of choice for infants. Now donor milk banks have begun to appear in Russia (in Europe and the USA this has been a common practice for more than a decade). And you can always contact the volunteer service that coordinates the gratuitous exchange.

4. Don't cook at home.

No matter how committed to a healthy lifestyle, organic nutrition and “homemade” products you may be, when feeding a newborn (and children under 2 years old) between animal milk and an adapted formula, make a choice in favor of the mixture.

5. Hydrolyzed formulas for sensitive babies.

Conventional mixtures contain protein molecules that are too large, difficult to digest. If you notice that a supplement is not suitable for your baby, discuss feeding with hydrolysed formula with your pediatrician. In hydrolysates, the protein is broken down into smaller parts that are tolerable for the baby's body. The taste of such supplements is different from the usual, be prepared for the fact that the child will need some time to get used to them.

6. Choose composition carefully.

Pay attention to the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and ARA), DNA and RNA nucleotides, acidophilic and bifidum bacteria.

Reference

However, there are two “buts”: at the moment, it has not been possible to adapt the mixtures in terms of the quantity and quality of protein (in breast milk it contains 0.8-1.2 g / l, and in mixtures at least 2 g / l). An excess of proteins is an increased burden on the digestive tract, kidneys and immune system. And the proteins of alien milk themselves are intended for other purposes (why, for example, a calf needs to be smart, it needs to be strong = have a large muscle mass, therefore, among the proteins of cow's milk, there is more casein, and not A-globulin, and there are no proteins responsible for local immunity at all) . And the second "but" is the fats of breast milk, which are replaced by vegetable (mainly palm) for the simple reason that they are "unique" and it is not possible to synthesize them artificially. Otherwise, modern mixtures are not much different from each other.

7. Non-bottle supplements.

Highly recommended if you want to switch to exclusive breastfeeding. Mixed feeding will also last longer with this method of supplementation, because. the risk of the baby not breastfeeding will be minimal. A nipple on a bottle and a pacifier (no matter how “friendly” they are positioned by the manufacturer and no matter what form they are) often provoke the child’s unwillingness to suckle, pain in the mother’s nipples, crying during feeding and reduce the time spent by the baby at the breast. This is due to purely mechanical reasons due to the confusion of sucking methods and the constant flow from the bottle, instead of varying strength from the breast. And for psychological reasons - the baby eventually agrees to suck on the persistently offered substitutes and starts with resentment and negativity towards his mother's breast. If you have absolutely no choice but to leave the child with a person who is categorically ready to feed only from a bottle, take care of the most suitable one, in your opinion, and talk about the importance of feeding the child in your arms.