Pediatricians believe that every woman can breastfeed, but, if a nursing mother cannot do it for some reason, then bottle feeding becomes a good alternative. However, many parents face issues when selecting the best formula for a baby because there is so much food on the market. The point is that even experienced parents can easily get lost in a huge number of available packages on the shelves. Therefore, let’s find out what to pay attention to while looking for infant formula for your little one.
Formula Stages
The breast milk nutrient changes over time dynamically according to the child’s needs. While the baby’s digestive system undergoes serious changes. It’s a normal process, therefore, the formula is divided into stages:
- 0 or pre-for newborns or premature babies
- 1 – from birth to six months
- 2 – from six months onwards
- 3 – for babies older than one year
As a baby grows, the number of minerals, vitamins, and unadapted proteins increases in content. The caloric content and satiety of formula for children older than six months are significantly higher. However, not all formulas are divided by stages e.g. baby food made in the USA rarely has an age division while all formulas made in the EU must have stages to hit the market. That is why experts advise giving preferences to those brands that separate formulas by age. On the Organic baby formula shop, you can find the best organic formula for all ages made in the EU.
Types of Baby Formula
There are adapted baby formulas based on cow milk in which the protein is subjected to special processing. The fat and carbohydrate components are also adapted. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, certain minerals, and vitamins are added. Thanks to it, the formula is as close to breast milk as possible in terms of the content. It is worth noting that some babies do not tolerate cow milk protein at all. In such cases, the formula is made from goat milk or fully hydrolyzed cow milk protein. The next type is partially adapted infant milk. In the content, there is no demineralized whey, lactose, or sucrose, and in some cases, starch is present. Unadapted baby food contains original casein (cow milk protein).
If a kid faces certain health problems, there is a need to use specialty feeding. For instance, a premature infant should be fed a formula containing more protein and calcium. Usually, such a formula is marked with “0” or “pre”.
If a kid has indigestion then the sour milk formula will be the way out. The anti-reflux formula can help if a child faces frequent excessive regurgitation. If a baby has constipation, you can use food with gum and lactulose in the content. The iron-containing formula is excellent for the prevention of iron deficiency and anemia. Hypoallergenic infant milk is a perfect solution if a newborn is allergic to cow milk protein. A protein in the content of such feeding has been split into peptides and amino acids.
Nutrient Content to Pay Attention to
While choosing the baby formula, be sure that there is the correct amount of protein. Breast milk contains from 0.8 to 1.2 g of protein per 100 g. Some manufacturers believe that the protein content should be slightly higher than in human milk because cow milk protein is less digestible. Other manufacturers add 1.2 g of protein per 100 g to the product, thereby trying to bring this amount as close as possible to the amount in breast milk. However, most still contain 1.4 grams of protein.
The next important thing to take care of is the ratio of whey proteins and casein. In breast milk, the ratio is from 80:20 to 60:40. Talking about other important elements, taurine is worth mentioning. The best organic formula will have this amino acid. It is necessary for the development of vision, and the nervous system, as well as for better assimilation of fats. Its amount is 4-5 g per 100 g.
Such fatty acids as linolenic and linoleic, etc. are necessary for the construction and functioning of cells, the development of the brain, and the retina of the eyes. Lactose improves digestion processes, improves the assimilation of minerals, and promotes the development of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
Prebiotics and probiotics contribute to the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines and help digestion, strengthen immunity, and fight allergies and infections. Nucleotides participate in metabolism, building DNA, and RNA, and strengthening immunity. A larger amount of vitamins and minerals are added to all milk formulas than are present in breast milk, as their assimilation is a little worse.
Remember that baby food must meet certain quality standards and be divided by age. You can always look up the rating of infant milk on the Internet or consult a pediatrician. Even though the selection of food must be made after examination by a doctor, every parent should be familiar with the basic important elements which should be in the content of the formula and which to avoid.
