Important questions about infant formula supplementation. Common reasons for supplementation

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Sometimes there are situations when supplementary feeding with a mixture becomes necessary. Irregular lactation, maternal illness, and insufficient weight gain by the baby are common causes of mixed feeding. Supplementation is the introduction of an artificial mixture into the infant's diet, which should supplement the mother's lactation on a temporary or permanent basis.

When is supplementation needed?

There are a number of reasons that justify mixed feeding. As practice shows, against the background of the modern rhythm of life, there are plenty of them.

Situations when you need to supplement formula while breastfeeding:

• Irregular or disturbed lactation . Sometimes a child simply does not have enough breast milk, which is reflected in his body weight.
• Mom's illness . If a woman is forced to take medications that are not allowed for breastfeeding, pediatricians recommend not breastfeeding and transferring the baby to an adapted milk formula. This step will protect the baby from pathogenic microflora and drug metabolites that penetrate into mother's milk.
• Rhesus conflict . The incompatibility of the blood of the mother and the newborn is an indication for artificial nutrition.
• Time trouble . Not all women manage to stay on maternity leave for several years. Can a breastfed baby be supplemented with formula in this case? Yes, it's better than completely switching to artificial nutrition.

What products are used for supplementary feeding?

The formula for supplementary feeding of newborns should be as close as possible to breast milk in composition. It is not difficult to purchase a product of high quality and adapted to the needs of the baby - on the shelves of stores there is a sufficient assortment of domestic and foreign baby food, which can be offered to the baby from birth.

The milk of domestic animals - cows or goats - is not currently used in pediatrics. These foods have been proven to negatively affect a child's immune system, digestive tract, and kidneys. There is also a risk of infection of the baby with brucella and other pathogenic flora, which can be transmitted from sick animals. Supplementing a newborn with a mixture eliminates this possibility.

Mix volume

If the baby does not have enough milk during breastfeeding, he must be supplemented with artificial formula, the volume of which must be calculated correctly, but how to do this? There are two ways.

To find out how much breast milk a baby receives during the day, it is weighed before and after feeding. On the basis of the obtained difference and the age needs of the child in the volume of food, an appropriate conclusion is made. This method helps to quickly and easily determine whether it is necessary to introduce supplementary feeding and how much formula the child needs.

You can also find out if the mother has a shortage of milk by counting wet diapers. To this end, for one day it is required to abandon disposable diapers and swaddle a newborn in the old fashioned way. On average, a baby urinates 12 times a day. If this happens less often, add 30 ml of formula to each feeding until the number of wet diapers is within the norm.

No need to calculate the required amount of supplementary feeding "by eye". Such actions can lead to digestive problems, an increase in the volume of the stomach and overweight of the child, if you make a mistake and overfeed the baby.

Choosing a mixture

After deciding on the need to introduce supplementary food for the newborn, the young mother faces the task of choosing the right product. Modern adapted formulas are close in composition to mother's milk, so choosing high-quality baby food these days is not difficult at all.

How and what mixture to choose to avoid allergies and digestive problems? A good mixture contains unsaturated fats necessary for the full development of the nervous system and brain. Most products include pro- and prebiotic supplements, which eliminate the possibility of digestive problems in the baby. Nucleotides have a positive effect on the formation of immunity, and lutein is useful for the organs of vision. It is also important that the infant formula includes iodine, taurine and other trace elements.

The age of the child and his well-being also play a role in deciding which mixture is better to feed the newborn. The composition of baby food changes in accordance with the growing needs of the baby, so you need to pay attention to the labeling of the product. Usually, for babies under 6 months old, the mixture is labeled with the number "1", for older children - "2" and "3".

If the child has digestive problems, for example, colic or, it is better to choose a fermented milk mixture. With lactase deficiency, pediatricians advise lactose-free products.

The tendency to spit up frequently can be eliminated by feeding a highly viscous anti-reflux formula. For allergic babies, a hypoallergenic product is better suited, while a nursing mother should not forget about compliance.

Before purchasing the mixture, you need to read the instructions. It is important not only to purchase a quality product, but also to learn how to cook and store it properly. So, what formula to choose for supplementary feeding? It depends on the age and needs of the baby.

How to introduce supplement?

The correct introduction of artificial nutrition into the baby's diet guarantees the success of mixed feeding.

• Breast milk is the only true source of nutrition for a child. . It contains all the necessary list of trace elements, vitamins and salts that the baby needs during the period of growth and development. Therefore, it is possible to supplement with a mixture during breastfeeding only on the condition that the newborn first of all emptied the mammary glands of the mother in full.
• If the child does not finish eating the proposed mixture to the end, you do not need to force him . You can determine the satiety of the baby by his behavior: he does not make sucking movements, turns away from the bottle or pushes it away with his hand. It is necessary to supplement the breastfeeding child with the same amount of the selected mixture, without reducing or increasing this volume, including before bedtime.
• Babies eat better when they are in a good mood. . If the baby is overexcited, cold, or something hurts, constant crying will interfere with normal food intake. Therefore, first, the mother must eliminate all adverse factors, and only when the child calms down, you need to supplement him with a mixture.
• The hole in the bottle should not be too big. . Quick and easy saturation with an artificial mixture leads to the fact that soon the child completely refuses the breast. If possible, it is recommended to replace the bottle with a dessert spoon.
• Temperature the finished mixture should be comfortable for the baby - not higher than 38 ° C.

If you follow these simple rules, supplementary feeding with a mixture while maintaining breastfeeding will avoid a quick transition to artificial feeding of the baby.

What to feed with?

A bottle equipped with a nipple is a familiar attribute for every young mother. But pediatricians advise using it only under extreme circumstances. This method of feeding newborns with formula is a direct threat to lactation.

Long-term observations indicate that children who have tried the nipple for the first time begin to take the breast with reluctance and soon categorically refuse mother's milk.

So, how to properly supplement the mixture of a newborn with the help of simple devices?

A young mother can choose which method is best for her:

• Dessert or teaspoon . This is the easiest way to feed a baby without a threat to lactation. The child is supplemented with a mixture by means of a spoon, subject to a modest amount of food.
• Pipette or syringe . This option is also suitable for supplementary feeding with a small amount of the mixture, that is, you should not feed the baby in this way at night. In addition, the process itself takes a lot of time and effort from both the mother and the child, but does not affect the process of producing breast milk.
• small cup . Another simple, but not very convenient method that allows you to supplement your baby with formula. In the absence of experience and skills, milk can partially spill out of the dishes, so it is quite difficult to determine how much was eaten by the baby and whether he ate. But this method best demonstrates how to properly supplement your baby with formula at night.
• Mom's finger . Feeding in this way is safe for lactation, but it is rarely used due to the length of the process. The finger is best used to awaken the sucking reflex in the baby.

If it becomes necessary to introduce supplementary feeding while breastfeeding, the mother should make as much effort as possible to maintain lactation.

How to return natural feeding?

With mother's milk, the child receives a maximum of useful microelements, hormones, protective antibodies and nutrients. If there is not enough breast milk, you can supplement the baby with a mixture, but at the same time the woman should think about whether she is doing everything to maintain lactation.

Frequent attachment of the baby to the breast, regardless of how full it is, will help solve the problem. In this case, the woman receives stimulation of the mammary glands, and the baby realizes the sucking reflex in full. Limit the time of his stay at the breast should not be. Co-sleeping and breaking the habit of supplementing a baby with formula while breastfeeding can solve the problem of a lack of mother's milk in 7 days.

Additionally, a woman can take herbal and homeopathic remedies aimed at improving lactation. Also, we must not forget about good nutrition, compliance with the drinking regime and the exclusion of stress factors. Sometimes these simple recommendations free a young mother from worries and anxieties about how to feed the baby.

The relevance of the problem of mixed feeding does not lose popularity at any time. It can be solved only through an integrated approach, which necessarily takes into account such indicators as, the state of his health, the presence and number of urination.

How to choose a mixture and introduce it into the child's diet? A product suitable for age and individual needs should be administered carefully, preferably not from a bottle and not exceeding the norm. But even after the introduction of supplementary feeding, a young mother needs to make efforts to eliminate the mistakes made during breastfeeding until lactation is restored.

Helpful video about supplementing your baby with formula

Briefly describe the situation. I have a cousin. He may be a good person (there is both good and bad in him, probably like everyone else), but he is not very constant. Now he is almost 45 and has been shaking him all his life, then everything is fine with him: work, good salary. and all the trappings of a good life, then everything is really bad: there is no job, he lives off his relatives, he is constantly looking for something. These periods are of different duration, but the frequency is such and most importantly extreme. There is no middle.
Married a second time. There is BZ. I have a daughter from my first marriage, she is now 17 years old. In the second marriage, 2 daughters (7 and 5 years old).
At first, after the divorce, he did not pay alimony for his eldest daughter regularly or did not pay at all. Motivating this by the fact that during the divorce (and he was stormy and dramatic), he left money in the amount of 200,000 rubles, and he had no income. BZ is a fighting woman, insisted on paying alimony, he was hiding, traveled around the Russian Federation, tried to earn money (I don’t justify him, I just describe the situation as it is), as a result, he moved to live in another region. He got married there. Mutual passions and claims with BZ they tried to settle in a few years and came to an agreement that he pays 7,000 rubles a month as alimony. It was 7 years ago. He regularly paid this money as alimony. Sometimes this amount was more than 25% of his income, sometimes less. Sometimes, as I wrote above, there was no income at all and the grandmother paid alimony from her pension (I ask you not to comment on this at all, I don’t think that someone thinks this is normal, but alas, it is).
2017-2018 went very well for him. There was a small business that brought a good income. At the beginning of the school year in September, he promised his eldest daughter to pay for the full graduation at school. The amount was discussed from 50,000 to 70,000 rubles. At that time, finances allowed, and he promised. At the end of the year, something went wrong, as a result of debts to suppliers, the business went bankrupt. Now he is a taxi driver, his income is no more than 20,000 rubles, which covers only the mortgage payment. Alimony is again paid by the grandmother from the pension. Now the eldest daughter asks for the first money for graduation.
Now here's the question. Do you think he should pay for graduation since there is no money and there is no where to get it yet. They do not give a loan, as a bad credit history and courts. He approached me with a request to lend, I refused. The first and most important reason is that we ourselves have no money. We pay loans ourselves and it is hard with money. If we strain, of course, we can take this loan for him, but I perfectly understand that we will pay it off and return it to us (if it is not returned soon). Now he goes to relatives and asks for at least 5000 rubles (like from the world on a thread and a naked shirt). And relatives refuse, motivating, among other things, by the fact that parents should pay only those expenses that they can. If he can't pay for graduation, then let him tell his daughter so.
To be honest, I'm thinking. I am inclined to give 5000 realizing that they will not return it, but this is a feasible amount for us and I am ready to give it to graduation just like that. But while we are alone, others simply have a different financial situation, and not everyone can allocate even 5,000.

Olga F

Hello! The situation is this: my husband and I have been together for 8 years, not a single unplanned pregnancy, and then a shock! The son, 6.5 years old, was taken to his grandmother and hung out all night, then at home they “hung out” the result: two strips - shock shock shock. In general, the second did not want. We just exhaled, the son has grown up, he will go to school in September. I gave birth so horribly, 18 hours of hell. Then diapers, teeth, colic .... As I imagine, it throws into the heat. I immediately ran to the doctor, a medical abortion is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The husband said he would support in any case, although in principle he was not against the second, since it happened. We have always been protected. How? How did it happen? Fuck off. I never wanted a second one. I don’t want a baby ((((I don’t want to give birth (((But I’m already suffering for the second day, I don’t, I don’t sleep, maybe it’s fate, it’s not for nothing that it is ... But everything is so smooth with us, the three of us are comfortable .. .. Suddenly I regret that I didn’t have an abortion, suddenly I won’t be able to fall in love with a second one. Again, all over again .... I don’t know what to do, the time is until Monday morning. If my husband and I hadn’t drunk like two idiots, there would have been no pregnancy. ... p.s: we'll pull it financially, I don't work, there is an opportunity to be lazy at home, my own big house, car, but I'm a lazy ass.

basilisk

A fifth-grader from Bolshoy Kamen (Primorsky Krai), over whom adults had previously staged lynching, was accused of bullying the townspeople.

Parents of the boy's classmates claimed that he beat other children and extorted money from them. Even complaints to the police allegedly could not stop him. Parents came to school on February 20, took the boy to the toilet and dipped his head into the toilet. They called their actions punishment for beating a girl who was hospitalized.

The mother of one of the students said that after the incident, the boy “allegedly beaten, on sick leave”, does not go to school, but still walks around the city.
“People wrote to me who saw him throwing bombs at passers-by, he generally throws them into bags for pensioners,” she said.
According to her, the teachers sided with the boy. The woman noted that certificates of injuries allegedly inflicted on other children were called fakes at school, and repeated complaints from parents were ignored.

If you do not try to somehow normalize the situation, then in the end, from his own impunity, that boy, having matured a little, will definitely kill someone.

But there is such a moment. There is simply nothing to influence them. Therefore, I am in favor of organizing boarding schools in the country similar to Makarenko's educational colonies, where they will send such comrades who, from childhood, cause nothing but trouble to others. The work of psychologists, specialists in behavior correction, can somehow change the situation. Noya understands that this is a utopia, there is no money for it, no one will organize such institutions. After all, it is much easier to wait until such a boy kills someone for real, then it will simply be possible to put him in jail and that's it. When he turns 14, not before.

Svetlana

Yesterday I came across an article about the relationship of a psychiatrist, psychotherapist Mikhail Litvak. so in paragraph 10. There must be three children:
There must be children in the family. We must understand that it is impossible to live forever, you will have to die sooner or later. You can save your life only in children. Half of the child consists of me, the other half of my wife. But one child is a genetic dead end. So, I gave my half to the child, he will then marry and give his child half of my wife, and that's it, I'm gone. Two kids are better.

In general, it is believed that three children is the minimum that is needed to save one's life forever. That oligarch who married a young hairdresser has practically sunk into oblivion, because he gave birth to only one child, and it is not known whether this girl will pull him out or not: they have nothing to live on now.

In general, my friend also remembered that she heard somewhere that the third child is a spare, if something happens to the first two .......
what do you think about it?
if interested, then I will publish the rest of the points in another topic

Schwimmmeister

Now my husband has 12-hour shifts, either from morning to evening, or at night. Every second weekend works and holidays almost always, vacation is only 24 days a year. It is very far to go, 2 hours before the start .... of course, he always arrives too late .... but a good salary. There is an option to change jobs, full, 8 hour day, weekends at home, holidays at home and very close to home. But the salary is much less. We both doubt it, since the money is naturally not superfluous, I am still on maternity leave until the end of the year. But on the other hand, the working conditions are much more human .... well, they promise to increase salary over time.
Of course, it is up to us to decide, but the forum often has smart thoughts and gives advice 107

Breast milk is the best food for a baby under one year old. It supplies all the necessary nutrients, provides enzymes and beneficial bacteria for the formation of the digestive system, and also contributes to the formation of immunity in the baby. But not always the mother has the opportunity to breastfeed the child. If for some reason this is not possible, they switch to mixed feeding. In this case, it is believed that the child receives less nutrients. Therefore, the question of when complementary foods are introduced with mixed feeding is very important. There are several different points of view on this problem, so every mother needs to study all of them and be sure to take into account the individual characteristics of the baby.

Mixed-fed baby

When introducing complementary foods, it is better to consult a doctor. After all, it depends on the individual characteristics of the baby, the rate of weight gain and the state of his health. Mixed feeding, in comparison with natural feeding, does not fully provide the child with all the necessary nutrients.

A feature of this type of nutrition is that breast milk makes up at least a fifth of the total volume of food. Moreover, the milk mixture in this case is called "supplementary feeding". Most often adapted mixtures are used. Manufacturers saturate them with vitamins and nutrients, but they are still worse than breast milk. Therefore, supplementary feeding is recommended only after breastfeeding, when the baby suckles more actively. For the same reason, doctors advise supplementing the baby with a spoon, since it is easier to suck from a bottle and the baby may completely refuse to breastfeed.

If, for some reason, the mother cannot breastfeed the baby every time, it is advisable to leave breast milk at least 2-3 times a day, the rest of the time giving the baby a mixture from a bottle. It is important to keep the baby able to receive breast milk for as long as possible, which provides all his needs.

The need for complementary foods

If the baby is mixed-fed, he receives less nutrients. Even the best mixture does not provide all the needs of a growing organism. For this, food is used. This is an additional food in liquid or semi-liquid form. Western doctors consider only solid food, which is given to the baby from a spoon, as complementary foods. Therefore, they introduce it from the age when the child's gastrointestinal tract is ready to absorb it. This happens after about six months.

And when is complementary foods introduced with mixed feeding, according to domestic pediatricians? There is also mixed opinion here. Most Russian doctors consider any food other than milk to be complementary foods. Such food is needed for a child on mixed feeding after 4-5 months. It provides his body with the missing nutrients. But even if the baby has enough of everything, complementary foods must be introduced before the age of seven months. After that, it will be very difficult to accustom him to new food.

When to introduce complementary foods with mixed feeding

Komarovsky, like many foreign doctors, believes that a child who receives breast milk, even in minimal quantities, does not need additional food until six months. In his opinion, it is better to buy a good quality milk formula for a baby than to load his fragile gastrointestinal tract with unfamiliar food. Only by 6 months do enzymes in the body begin to fully function and the intestinal microflora is formed.

And how long does it take to introduce complementary foods on mixed feeding, according to other doctors? Previously, it was generally recommended to do this from the age of one month. But recent studies have shown that up to 4 months, the baby's digestive system is still imperfect and not ready for any food other than milk. Therefore, complementary foods before this age cause intestinal upset, allergic reactions and a greater burden on the kidneys.

But you should not be guided by when other parents introduce complementary foods with mixed feeding. Each child is individual and it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of his development. Some people do not need complementary foods until 6 months, others are better off introducing them at 4 months. And according to the testimony of a doctor, for example, with rickets or anemia, it is possible even earlier.

How to understand that the child is ready for complementary foods

The timing of the introduction of the first complementary foods can vary from 4 to 6 months in different children. It depends on the rate of weight gain, the physical activity of the baby and the readiness of the digestive system to absorb new food. To understand when it is possible to introduce complementary foods on mixed feeding, mothers must consider several factors:

• the child is already teething;
• its weight increased by 2-2.5 times;
• the baby can sit, turn his head;
• he shows interest in adult food;
• he lost the innate reflex of pushing food out with his tongue.

But at the same time, you should not delay too much with the introduction of complementary foods. If the baby does not get acquainted with the new food by 7 months, it will be much more difficult to do this later.

What Not to Do

When complementary foods are introduced with mixed feeding, this is stress for the baby's body. Even a slight change in diet can cause allergic reactions and intestinal upset. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right time for the first complementary foods and follow all the recommendations of the doctor. There are several restrictions that are recommended to consider when feeding a baby:

Where to start feeding

Previously, all doctors recommended feeding children with juices. But now, due to frequent allergic reactions, the approach has changed. It is better to start giving juices not earlier than 8-9 months. Recommended first foods are zucchini, cauliflower or broccoli. This food does not cause allergies, is well digested and contains many nutrients. A little later, you can start giving carrots, pumpkin. Other vegetables - potatoes, cabbage, peas - are best introduced after 8-9 months.

For premature babies, as well as those who are gaining weight very poorly, it is recommended to start complementary foods with porridge. Buckwheat or rice are very satisfying and high-calorie.

There is another opinion about the first feeding. Dr. Komarovsky believes that it is better to use fermented milk products for this. They are closest to formula milk and help to improve the intestinal microflora.

How to properly introduce complementary foods

To make it easier for a child to adapt to new food, one must not only carefully choose what to give him. It is also very important how the food for complementary foods is prepared for the child. In no case can not salt food, add sugar. You can not give the child also fried. All complementary foods are boiled or steamed, and then rubbed through a sieve or crushed in a blender. Such food is more useful than ready-made canned food. The child should be given only freshly prepared meals, so it is better to cook in small portions.

Mothers do not always know how to properly introduce complementary foods on mixed feeding. Because of this, digestive disorders in the child or allergic reactions occur. It is recommended to introduce the baby to new foods gradually. Start with half a teaspoon and slowly increase the amount. You can enter only one product at a time. The new food is given when the child is accustomed to the previous food. This is in about 1-2 weeks. All food should be pureed, and for better absorption, it can be diluted with breast milk or the usual mixture.

Feed the baby should immediately start with a spoon. This will help him better adapt to adult food. When feeding a child on mixed feeding, you need to gradually reduce the amount of formula milk, and try to leave breast milk for as long as possible.

It is also important for mothers to know when it is best to introduce complementary foods with mixed feeding. The ideal time to introduce new foods is in the morning. It is best to do this at the second feeding - at 9-10 o'clock. It is not recommended to introduce a new product in the evening, as it will be difficult to follow the baby's reaction to it.

When to introduce porridge

Now it is not recommended to start feeding the baby with cereals. It is better to accustom a child to such food after 7-8 months, when he is already accustomed to vegetable purees. For the first feeding, cereals on the water are best suited. Start with buckwheat or rice. You can introduce your baby to oatmeal and millet after 8 months.

But there are situations when it is recommended to introduce the first complementary foods with mixed feeding with porridge. This is done if the child is not gaining weight well. After all, cereals are more satisfying and nutritious than milk formulas, they will be able to provide his body with the missing calories and nutrients.

When to introduce meat products

After the child gets used to vegetable purees, cereals and juices, he can begin to give meat. Mothers are often interested in what time to introduce complementary foods on mixed feeding with meat products. It is recommended to do this no earlier than 2 months after he was introduced to other foods. Usually it is 7-8 months. You should also start with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the dosage. The total amount of meat by 9 months should not exceed 50 g. For the first feeding, veal, rabbit or turkey are best suited.

Do not force a child if he does not want to eat any product. You can offer it in a week. In the process of introducing complementary foods, you need to focus only on the reaction of the child himself.

Supplementary food is an additional food that a child of the first year of life receives along with breast milk. Its introduction is due to a lack of breast milk. This may occur due to a prolonged lactation crisis, the inability to breastfeed the baby regularly, or primary hypogalactia.

In the latter case, the problem is detected from the very first days after childbirth. Feeding a newborn in the hospital is a common thing. At children's honey. sisters always have a supply of milk formula in case the baby does not take mother's breast or she does not have enough milk to feed the baby. Although they say that babies always have enough colostrum to get enough, in reality it often turns out that it is necessary to supplement the baby with a mixture. Especially often this problem occurs if the child was born large, 4 kg or more. He needs more food than a three-kilogram baby. If the baby cries often, loses a lot of weight in the first days and does not gain weight by the time of discharge from the hospital, the pediatrician talks about the correct supplementary feeding with the mixture and advises different ways to improve lactation.

The most important thing is do not feed the baby on schedule. Give more breasts. This rule is especially true for children of the first month of life. Supplementation at night with a mixture is not recommended. It is during the night sleep that the baby is better to breastfeed. It is very conducive to lactation. And the lack of nightly breastfeeding, along with mixtures, will very quickly lead to the complete disappearance of milk from the mother.

The best supplement formula for baby

It's good if your doctor recommends it to you. This is especially important for a child with developmental disabilities. For example, if he was born prematurely, underweight, prone to allergies, etc.

But, as a rule, for children of the first year of life they buy milk formulas with the word "comfort" in the title. Necessarily highly adapted (with the number 1), that is, as close as possible in composition to mother's milk. Such mixtures rarely cause colic, stool retention and allergic reactions. Even if it is a one-time formula supplement at night, choose the best artificial feed.

It is desirable that the composition of the diet does not contain starch and sucrose. And there were omega-3 and 6, prebiotics and nucleotides. As for the content of palm oil, whether it is good or not, is a moot point. It is in most mixtures and does not pose a threat to the health of the child.

What mixture is better to give for supplementary feeding - on goat's milk or cow's? Many believe that goat's milk is less allergenic. But it's not. It is important that the mixture chosen is right for your child. Therefore, buy the first can wisely. Immediately think about whether you can overpower the purchase of this mixture in the future, whether it is affordable for you, whether it is scarce in the nearest stores.

What mixture to choose for feeding a newborn and where to buy it should be taken care of if medical nutrition is required. For example, a doctor may recommend an anti-reflux formula (which makes children spit up less) or a low-lactose formula. These may not be in supermarkets and pharmacies in villages and small towns. You will have to order by mail, via the Internet or get out to bigger cities.

Trying to change the mixture to similar ones, but cheaper (although it’s not a matter of price) is not worth it. The child's body gets used to a certain mixture, and its change will necessarily entail at least an intestinal upset in the child.

When should you supplement your newborn with formula?

Only in extreme cases, if the child has a delay in weight gain and growth, or he has been very worried for more than one day, urination is rare. That's when the baby needs to be fed. In other cases, mommy can handle it herself. The female body is a very complex mechanism. And if there were not so many mixtures in stores now, mixed feeding of children would be much less common. If you do not have problems with lactation, you do not need to buy a jar of formula "just in case". Better express and freeze a couple of portions of your milk just in case.

Pediatricians, before prescribing supplementary feeding, pay attention to the following points.

1. Low weight gain. Normally, a child of the first three months of life adds at least 600 grams per month. That is about 20 grams per day. If the baby added not 600, but 500 grams, then, with his good health and development, he is simply watched more carefully. If the increase was 300-400 grams or less, the woman is advised to weigh the baby before and after feeding. And watch how much the baby really sucks out of the chest.
If the sucking is active, but the baby sucks out very little milk, WHO recommends supplementing the baby with artificial formula. If the baby sucks very sluggishly, often falls asleep during feeding, mom should try to breastfeed more often. Everything should be back to normal in 2-3 weeks. In the same case, if by the evening there is very little milk in the chest, the child is hungry and screaming, you can give him a little mixture. But in the future it is desirable to move away from it, gradually reduce it to nothing.

2. Rare urination. Normally, a baby who drinks only mother's milk does not receive water, urinates from 10 times a day. To calculate the number of urination, you will have to stop using diapers for 1-2 days. If urination is more rare, this is already dangerous for the health of the child and requires action.

"Empty breast" is not a sign that she will not give milk. However, in the case of a "lazy sucker", this becomes a problem. But no matter what, you need to give it to suck the child. If there is a lactation crisis, then problems with lactation are temporary and will pass within the next couple of days.

How to properly supplement with formula if there is not enough milk

The approximate amount of formula needed for supplementary feeding will be told by the pediatrician, to whom you will announce the average amount of milk sucked out by the child. The mixture will need to be given after the breast.

When the baby begins to receive formula, there is a risk that lactation will decrease even more. To prevent this from happening, use supplementary feeding systems like Medela. This is a simple device, which is a container with a hollow tube attached to it, of the type that droppers have. From the container, the mixture enters the tube and into the mouth of the child. The tip of the tube fits exactly to the mother's nipple. That is, it turns out that the child sucks the mother's breasts, thereby stimulating lactation, and at the same time receives the mixture through a tube. It is very soft and not felt by the baby.

If you give formula from a bottle, then there is a big risk that the baby will not want to suck on a breast that does not already have too much milk. As a last resort, use a nipple with a very small hole for the bottle, from which the liquid flows out in drops, not a trickle.

If the amount of supplementary food required is not large, for example, 30 grams, then you can give it from a feeding spoon or just a teaspoon.

And one more important rule, how to introduce supplementary feeding with a mixture during breastfeeding - it is better to give supplementary feeding 5 times a day for 30 grams than 1 time for 150 grams, that is, completely replacing one feeding. The breast must be constantly stimulated by the child.

Often there are situations when a young mother cannot fully breastfeed. In such cases, women first of all begin to think about mixed nutrition. But is it always justified, and in what situations is it really necessary to choose supplementary feeding during breastfeeding.

When to Introduce Supplementation

Often at a pediatrician’s appointment, you can hear the following phrase: “I have low-fat milk and my newborn baby is hungry all the time, prescribe complementary foods for us, I will supplement him.” There are a lot of such women who, for some reason, consider their milk inappropriate for the needs of the child. They are trying by all means and methods to increase the amount of milk and give it fat content. When all their attempts do not bring the right results, they come to the conclusion that the child urgently needs to be supplemented. However, breastfeeding experts say that in most cases there is no such need, and mothers simply worry in vain.

The mammary glands are arranged in such a way that the amount of milk secreted corresponds to the volume of the product eaten by the child. This means that if your baby eats 100 ml of milk, about the same amount will be added to the next feeding.

However, women whose baby does not go to bed immediately after a meal, or who needs to breastfeed, in their opinion, too often, begin to introduce complementary foods on their own. Under no circumstances should this be done!

Situations when complementary foods are needed:

1. Mom's illness, accompanied by antibiotics. In this case, supplementary feeding with a mixture is introduced only for the period of treatment. During this period, breastfeeding should be left only in the morning.
2. Absence of mother during the day. If a woman cannot stay at home with a child and leaves the decree ahead of time, you can supplement the newborn during the mother's absence.
3. A serious violation of the immune system in the mother. Weakened immunity can occur in the case of the birth of twins or with a caesarean section. In such situations, the mother may be advised to choose a mixed diet for the baby.
4. Multiple births. If 2 or more children were born, it makes sense to introduce complementary foods so that all the babies are full.

All about colic in newborns

In other cases, problems with a lack of milk are mostly contrived by a caring mother. To understand whether your baby is full, you just need to regularly weigh the child. Weight gain within the normal range indicates that the baby is getting enough milk.

How to introduce supplementary nutrition

If, due to circumstances, your child still needs complementary foods, you should choose the right mixture. The health of the child and his development depends on this. Supplementary feeding in the form of a mixture is introduced only in the first 6 months of a baby's life. Older children can be supplemented with cereals and vegetable purees.

For newborn babies up to six months, pediatricians recommend choosing mixtures for mixed nutrition - hydrolysers.

Their taste is not as pleasant as mother's milk and you can avoid completely breastfeeding.

When introducing a mixed diet, it is very important to follow the feeding schedule. If breastfeeding occurs at the request of the child, then formula feeding should be no more than every 3 hours during the daytime. Also, to calculate the required amount of the mixture, it is necessary to observe the urination of the baby. In the first days, it is necessary to give the child a minimum amount of supplementary feeding with a mixture. If at the same time the baby pees less than 8 times a day, the volume should be increased. All recommendations for the correct introduction of supplementary feeding should be given to you by a pediatrician who can calculate the correct amount of nutrition and the number of feedings with the mixture per day.

If the child has not eaten a single portion of the mixture, pour it out correctly, it is strictly forbidden to re-feed the previously diluted product! It is best to feed the baby with a mixture from a spoon. This is due to the fact that it is much easier for a baby to suckle a bottle, and he may refuse to suckle at the breast.

Choice of additional power supply

When choosing a formula for supplementary feeding, follow three rules:

• Usefulness of the product. The mixture should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
• Hypoallergenic. The mixture should not contain sugar, flavorings and other components that can provoke allergic reactions in the baby. If you are lactose intolerant, choose a formula based on soy protein.
• Quality. The quality of products must be confirmed by certificates and additional clinical studies. When choosing, pay special attention to the expiration date and storage rules of the product.

How to care for your baby immediately after birth and throughout the first year of life

The tricks of mixed nutrition

Despite the fact that experts advise to supplement the child with a spoon, many mothers simply do not find the strength to feed the baby for hours in microscopic doses. After suffering for a day or two, they go to the pharmacy and buy a bottle for the mixture. Mixed nutrition with this approach can provoke a complete rejection of mother's breast in favor of a bottle. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to make it so that the child sucks milk from the bottle as difficult as from the breast. To do this, you need to purchase bottles with a very small hole in the nipple, then sucking will be just as difficult and the child will not feel the difference, which means he will not prefer light formula feeding.

How to return natural feeding

Often, women want to return to breastfeeding and abandon mixed nutrition completely. It's possible. However, simply taking and canceling supplementary feeding will not work. It takes some time for a newborn to fully return to breastfeeding. Today, breastfeeding experts strongly recommend that breastfeeding be reintroduced after the situation that led to supplementation has returned to normal.

The time required to wean from mixed feeding is directly related to the amount of formula the child receives.

If the daily amount of supplementary feeding is less than 100 ml, it can be abandoned within a few days, simply replacing one feeding of formula per day with breastfeeding.

If the child receives more than 100 ml of formula per day, it is necessary to reduce the volume of each feeding in favor of breastfeeding. To do this, before each feeding, give the baby both breasts first. This will allow you to reduce the amount of complementary foods and increase lactation. Further, when you achieve a reduction in the total amount of supplementary feeding by half, you can simply replace supplementary feeding with breastfeeding gradually.

Is it possible to introduce complementary foods at 4 months while breastfeeding

Worries that you have little milk and the baby will remain hungry are groundless in this case.

The more intensively you breastfeed the baby, the more milk will be.

During this period, mom needs to sleep more, eat well and drink plenty of fluids.

Remember that no formula can replace breast milk and the feeling of closeness and love that a baby feels at his mother's breast. The child must eat mother's milk, because this is conceived by nature itself, which does not make mistakes and does not involve mixed nutrition.