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The initial period of a person’s life is a very important time – the development of the organism is then extremely fast and each day is of great importance. Modified milk is designed to provide all the ingredients necessary for proper development and is dedicated to babies who cannot be breastfed or for some reason do not want to breastfeed.
Formula milk – how does it work?
The task of the formula for newborns and infants is to provide all the ingredients necessary for growth and development. In addition to the usual mixtures intended for all children, there are also those for children with digestive problems, e.g. diagnosed with lactose intolerance. For a preterm newborn baby, you can also buy a special formula that helps your baby gain weight and provides the elements needed for development in an environment for which the baby was not yet prepared.
Formula milk is typically cow’s milk that has undergone processes that reduce the amount of protein and saturated fatty acids. The composition also includes vitamins, iron and unsaturated fatty acids. Such modified milk often also removes excess lactose, i.e. sugar that causes problems for the baby’s digestive system – there are too few enzymes in the baby’s body to break down milk sugar. This minimizes the risk of abdominal colic. After such treatments, the composition modified milk is very similar to mother’s milk, which, as you know, is the best support in the first months of a newborn’s life.
Formula milk – until when? Dosage
Choosing the best formula for a child can be quite problematic for parents. In addition to a simple, classic mix, there are also other types of product to choose from: premature baby milk, soy-based milk for allergy sufferers, mixtures dedicated to children allergic to soy and cow’s milk. Many parents wonder when they should serve infant formula to their baby. There is no clear answer, because everything depends on the pace at which the toddler’s menu is expanding, so it is an individual matter.
Due to the time of administration, there are two basic types of milk. The first one is the initial milk, usually marked with the symbol 1. It is recommended to give it to children until the age of six months. Milk marked with number 2 is the so-called next milk. Compared to the first milk, it contains a bit more protein, calcium and is more filling.
Regarding the dosage, the nutrition regimen can be checked on the formula milk packaging. But you don’t have to hold on tightly because babies have different needs – some eat less and more often, others prefer to eat more milk, but at longer intervals. After the fourth month, the number of milk portions may decrease, because during this period the baby’s diet may be extended to other meals, such as soups, porridges or boiled fruit.
Most often we hear that modified milk should be given up to 2 or 3 years of age as a support – although the toddler’s diet already contains a whole range of products. The child then eats less than in previous months of life, because he is busy exploring the world.