Right choice and preparing a mixture for feeding the baby - a pledge good health, mood and growth. Choice of products for baby food big. Mixtures are as close as possible to the composition of mother's milk and are safe for children. But babies can eat even the highest quality and most expensive mixture poorly if it is not cooked correctly. Consider how to prepare infant formula so that the baby loves it and benefits health.

Studying the instructions compiled by the manufacturer of food for babies will allow you to mix correctly. What to look for when reading the manual:

1. Is the food suitable for the age and characteristics of the child (allergies, prematurity, etc.).
2. It should be clarified how many grams of the product is needed for a baby at his age.
3. Recommended water temperature.
4. How to store an opened pack, and how long a box can be opened. For control - write on the package when it was opened. This is necessary in case you have to postpone feeding from this container, and then return to it. Many parents, when traveling or moving, leave an opened pack at home, and then cannot remember when they opened it.
5. The proportions of the mixture and water are usually 1 scoop per 30 milliliters.

But still, the first step to proper feeding is the choice of a product. Here is a list of the most popular formulas for babies:

1. Nanny is produced in goat's milk in New Zealand. Goat milk has a number of advantages compared to cow milk, it is suitable for babies with individual taste preferences and is easy to digest.
2. Nutrilak - the product is enriched with valuable substances, amino acids. Used for anemia, accelerates growth and development, suitable for weakened babies.
3. Nan, Nestozhen - Nestle products. They are of high quality, contain prebiotics, Omega 3. They ensure the full development of the child.
4. Nutrilon is a whole group of products for children: premature, with nutritional problems, allergic manifestations and healthy.
5. Baby - mixtures are of low price and excellent quality, loved by many generations of babies and their mothers.

The product is chosen on the advice of a pediatrician, based on the taste of the baby and the capabilities of the parents.

Preparing formula for a newborn

If you want to organize nutrition for a newborn, you need to prepare the product especially carefully. The kid is completely unprepared to meet with an aggressive external environment - you need to observe sterility, carefully monitor the cleanliness of hands, dishes, water.

The main points of preparing the mixture:

1. You need to start preparing milk by washing your hands with soap.
2. Vessels for feeding are sterilized in advance. You should always keep a few clean bottles and nipples in stock, and not sterilize them when the baby is already screaming with hunger.
3. The product should be prepared right before feeding. Pour water heated to the required temperature (36-38 °) into a clean bottle (ideally, you need to warm it up 2-3 ° higher, since the liquid will cool down upon contact with the bottle and powder). You can heat water directly in the feeding container.
4. The measuring spoon should not be wet. We collect a full spoon without a slide and introduce it into the water. Close the nipple and shake thoroughly to ensure that all the powder dissolves.
5. An important point is to check the temperature of the resulting milk before feeding. From the nipple, without touching the hand, drip the mixture on the wrist or at the bend of the elbow. The right mixture leaves a pleasant warmth.

The cooking process will quickly become familiar, and will not cause difficulties. Note that food manufacturers and pediatricians are not advised to do:

1. Pour the powder into very hot water (if not indicated in the instructions), and then cool to the desired parameters. Nutrients in milk are destroyed by the action high temperatures. Moreover, you can not boil the powder.
2. Change proportions. Dilute below the recommended concentration - the baby will be hungry. If there is too much powder, digestive disorders are possible - regurgitation, colic.
3. You should not independently calculate the nutritional norms by age, weight or other indicators. The volumes of mixture necessary for babies are well calculated by pediatricians based on scientific data and many years of practice.
4. Change mixtures frequently. The baby's digestive tract is not yet ready for a regular change of products. To change the diet, if necessary, you need to choose a time when the child is healthy, cheerful and cheerful. You should also consult your doctor to choose the right product. All companies produce a wide range of nutrition that meets different needs and health conditions.

A few more tips to help moms. A good help in preparing and maintaining sterility will be special devices - a sterilizer and a heater. They will make life much easier for mothers, especially if the baby is completely bottle-fed.

Important: strict adherence to the cooking instructions on the package will provide the baby with milk that is as close as possible in composition to the mother's milk, protect against diseases, and ensure growth and development.

How to sterilize a bottle

Before sterilization, all children's dishes must be thoroughly cleaned of milk residues. It is best to do this immediately so that the mixture does not dry out. Wash dishes using special detergents for babies.

Do not wash bottles and nipples with dishwashing detergent. plastic utensils convenient and safe, glass - well washed, durable, easier to sterilize.

Main ways:

1. Boiling water. The bottles are filled with water and put on the stove. Boiling time - 8-10 minutes.
2. Electric sterilizer for children's dishes. A good option for caring mothers who have the means to purchase.
3. Microwave oven with steamer. A convenient option, especially if it is already on the farm.
4. Special means - solutions, tablets. This method is good in the absence of electricity and the possibility of boiling. The agent is dissolved in water and the dishes are immersed for 30-60 minutes.

Parents will have to choose one of the options for the baby to receive food from sterile dishes.

What water is better to dilute the mixture for newborns

Baby food manufacturers have taken care of special water for the preparation of mixtures. It differs from the usual:

• high degree of purification from contaminants and microbes;
• content of minerals, oxygen and other useful components.

Do I need to boil special baby water? Manufacturers claim that this is not necessary. However, folk wisdom and many years of experience advise playing it safe. Most mothers prefer to pass such water through a filter, or even better, boil it.

When using ordinary tap water, it is filtered and then boiled. Long or repeated boiling is not recommended, as water loses all useful substances.

Reference: distilled water is not used for feeding children.

How to feed your baby with a diluted mixture

The mixture is prepared 5-10 minutes before feeding. It should disperse well in the water. It is not worth keeping the finished milk longer. If the bottle is cold, you can hold it in hot water.

The hole in the nipple should let the mixture drip through so that the child does not choke on the jet. The baby is fed, laid on the arm, making sure that the head does not throw back.

The baby must eat the entire recommended portion, a fifth of the norm is allowed. If the baby continues to suck when the mixture is over, it is not necessary that he swallow air. The bottle is taken away, given a dummy, or distracted with a toy.

The remains of the prepared mixture cannot be stored for the next feeding. It is not recommended to keep the milk in the refrigerator and reuse.

How to feed at night

Night feedings need to be properly organized, then mom can have a good rest. Milk mixture in the evening does not need to be prepared.

In a sterile bottle, you need to measure the water and prepare the powder in the required amount.

If there is a heater, water is kept in it. To keep the water warm, you can use a thermos. In the absence of these useful devices, the liquid will have to be heated.

After feeding, it is better to immediately immerse all the dishes in water so that it is easier to wash in the morning.

How to feed while traveling

Most children make their first trips when they are babies. On the road, you need to stock up on the right amount of food, sterile dishes, nipples, so as not to increase the baby's stress from the loss of his native cradle with bad food.

The main rule when feeding is to prepare the mixture before use. Therefore, take water and keep the diluting powder in a clean sealed bag.

You can take a thermos bag on the road, when traveling in a car, use a heater from the cigarette lighter. On the train, you can heat water from titanium. On long journeys, ready-made water for preparing baby food helps many.

To help travelers sell ready-made diluted mixtures in sterile containers. Whether to trust such a product is up to the parents.

How to store for later feeding the baby

Opened packages of baby food are usually stored for a short time - about 3 weeks. In this case, the recommended conditions should be observed - humidity, temperature. Otherwise, the powder will absorb moisture, odors, turn into a lumpy mass.

The prepared milk should be given to the baby within 2 hours. Better - immediately after mixing. It is forbidden to leave the remains of the mixture until the next feeding. You can not make a stock of the product for the baby and store it in the refrigerator, just warming it up as needed.

Breast milk is the best food for babies. But they rarely get by. Most mothers are forced to formula feed their babies. A lot of strong healthy children grew up on baby food. Milk formula is a reliable and proven by many generations way to ensure the baby's full growth and development.

Infant formula will help a mother feed her baby if she does not have enough or no milk. They are closest in composition to breast milk. We will figure out how to dilute infant formula so as not to harm the health of the child.

How to properly dilute infant formula

Before preparing the mixture, prepare all the necessary utensils and appliances. To do this, they must be thoroughly rinsed with warm boiled water, to which baking soda is added. To wash hard-to-reach places well, it is recommended to use special brushes and brushes. Then everything must be boiled. For sterilization, the same saucepan must always be used, which cannot be used for cooking.

Mix infant formula according to the directions on the package.

After processing the dishes, you can start preparing the milk formula. First, fill the bottle with water. At the same time, you need to follow the manufacturer's recommendations on the package - some mixtures can be simply diluted with warm liquid, while others must be poured with boiling water. Then pour the powder into the water with a measuring spoon and shake it well until completely dissolved.

The temperature of the finished mixture must not exceed 36°C. It is not difficult to check this - just drop a couple of drops of the mixture on the back of your hand. If it's not hot, you can feed the baby. A special thermometer will help you most accurately determine the temperature of food prepared for the baby.

What water to dilute infant formula

Previously, boiled water was used to prepare mixtures. But now pediatricians do not recommend using it for feeding children. Regardless of whether it is spring water or tap water, it may contain various substances that are harmful to the baby. And boiling does not eliminate them. In addition, boiled water does not store beneficial features. Therefore, some manufacturers have begun to produce special baby water, which has the following advantages:

• several levels of cleaning;
• compliance with quality and microbial safety standards;
• ideal level of mineralization.

The last item on this list is the most important, since the reduced mineral content makes it possible to balance the ratio of trace elements in the prepared mixture.

In order for your baby to grow up healthy and feel good, it is important not only to choose the right formula, but also to use it correctly. Everything that surrounds the baby from birth should contribute to its development, be as useful and safe as possible. That is why when preparing infant formula, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of hygiene, recommendations for handling the product and take into account storage conditions.

To prepare the mixture, use only boiled water - it must be boiled strongly for at least 5 minutes. Bottled water is not sterile and should also be boiled before use. Do not heat water in the microwave.

Cool the boiled water to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer and dilute the mixture following the instructions. Use only the measuring spoon supplied with the package to measure the mixture. If you dilute the mixture for more than one feeding, it should be stored in the refrigerator at 2-4°C and used within 24 hours. After the start of feeding, a portion of the mixture should be used within an hour, as reconstituted infant formula is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms. After an hour, the rest of the mixture should be poured out. Often a newborn baby can fall asleep right during feeding - do not worry if this happened to your baby. Just lightly pat your baby on the cheek or nose, and if he wakes up, continue feeding.
Note.
Dry infant formula after opening the package are not sterile. Use the product in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the doctor.
When opening a package with dry infant formula containing healthy fats Omega-3, Omega-6, a slight fishy smell is possible - this is normal, because similar fatty acids are also found in fish oil, the benefits of which we have known since childhood. This smell disappears and is not felt in the diluted mixture.
Do not cook or heat the mixture in the microwave. In microwave ovens, food is heated unevenly, so some of the mixture may be too hot for the baby.

What utensils will be needed to prepare the mixture?

Preparing a serving for one meal

1. Wash your hands with soap and dry them with a clean towel. Thoroughly wash the bottle, nipple, cap, measuring spoon and all utensils that will be used to prepare formula. This is best done with special means for children's dishes - it is more gentle. Be careful when washing baby utensils in the dishwasher: due to the narrow neck, the bottle often remains unwashed, despite the fact that bottles from most manufacturers are dishwasher safe. For washing bottles, special brushes are provided, with which you can thoroughly rinse the bottle.

2. Rinse all dishes to remove detergent and boil them for 5 minutes.3. To prepare the mixture, prepare a clean surface.4. Boil water in a separate saucepan at a high boil for 5 minutes. Unless otherwise specified in the instructions, the water should be cooled to at least 70 ° C, for this you should leave the water for no more than 30 minutes after boiling.5. Pour the required amount of warm, pre-boiled water into a sterilized bottle. Remember that you should not mix boiled and unboiled water to achieve the desired temperature.6. Fill the included measuring spoon with the mixture, then remove the excess mixture (“heap”) with the blade of a clean knife.7. Add the mixture to a bottle of water. Usually, 1 scoop should be added for every 30 ml - however, you need to check the instructions, as there are scoops of different sizes. The dry mix should be added to the water bottle, not the other way around.

8. Stir until completely dissolved. For feeding, the mixture must be at human body temperature, that is, 35-37 ° C - check the temperature of the mixture and feed the baby. If the mixture is too hot, you can cool it down quickly by placing the bottle in a bowl of cold water.9. Sit comfortably, hug your baby, and maintain physical and eye contact with your baby while formula feeding. Prepare a napkin in advance in case of excess mixture, and after feeding, scold the baby with a “column” so that he burps the air that has entered the stomach during feeding. Pour out the remains of the mixture left in the bottle that the child has not eaten for an hour.

How do you properly heat formula bottles?

If you have prepared several servings of formula for feeding your baby in advance, and the bottle of formula is just out of the refrigerator, it is important not only to warm the formula, but also to do it right. So here's how to do it:

• Take the bottle of prepared formula out of the refrigerator just before feeding.
• Warm up the mixture by placing the formula bottle in a container of hot water so that the water level is below the rim of the bottle. In order for the mixture to heat up evenly, periodically shake or rotate the bottle, while the warm-up time should not exceed 15 minutes.
• Check the temperature of the mixture by dropping a little on the inside of your wrist. The mixture should not be too hot, it must be cooled to the temperature of the human body - 35-37 ° C.

How to take pre-prepared infant formula with you on trips and walks?

The first step is to cool the prepared mixture. During a trip or a walk, it should be stored in a cold place - this will help prevent the development of pathogenic bacteria.

• Prepare the mixture as you would normally, let it cool and refrigerate (at a temperature not exceeding 5°C, unless otherwise indicated in the instructions).
• Remove the mixture from the refrigerator just before leaving the house and put it in a special cooler bag.
• Once there, you can put the formula bottles back in the fridge or warm them up and use them for feeding.
• Remember that the mixture must be used within 24 hours.

By observing the rules of hygiene and handling of the mixture for your baby, you will provide him with comfortable conditions for healthy growth and development!

Materials used in preparing the article:

1. How to prepare milk formula for bottle feeding at home. World Organization health care, 2007
2. Safe preparation, storage and handling of powdered infant formula - Guidelines. World Health Organization, 2007

Mother's milk is ideal for feeding newborns, but there are a lot of formula-fed babies, so parents will need to know exactly the formula preparation algorithm and work it out “to automatism”.

You need to study the instructions for preparing the product from the manufacturer and clearly remember the ratio of water and dry mixture.

• Wash your hands with soap.
• Pour the right amount of water into a clean bottle (it is desirable to sterilize it).
• Pour one measuring spoon of the dry mixture without a slide into the water (it is removed with the back of the knife).
• Close the bottle and shake the product thoroughly for 30 seconds.
• We check the temperature of the mixture and make sure there are no lumps.

Heat the water to prepare the mixture to 36-37 degrees and it is better not to do this in a microwave oven - disputes about the benefits / harms of this household appliance continue to this day, doctors and scientists have not come to any consensus, but in this case there is no risk costs.

In what proportions to dilute the mixture for newborns

As a rule, the proportions are 1 scoop of the mixture per 30 ml of warm water, but you still need to follow the recommendations from the manufacturer. If the finished product is too “liquid”, then the child will remain hungry, but too saturated a solution can provoke intestinal colic, constipation and metabolic disorders.

Mixing formula for a newborn you need immediately before feeding and immediately in the amount that is required. How to determine this indicator? Many suggest focusing on the age of the baby, but children have different weights and therefore a mistake is possible.

Pediatricians suggest following these guidelines:

• from 10 days to 2 months - 1/5 of the mass of the baby;
• 2 - 4 months - 1/6 of the child's weight;
• 4 - 6 months - 1/7 of the mass;
• 6 - 12 months - 1/8 of the weight.

Note: the indicated proportions refer to the daily amount of the formula for artificial feeding. For example: a child is 3 months old and weighs 6 kg, which means that his daily intake of the mixture should not be more than 1 liter.

The next step: the distribution of the daily norm of the product for several feedings.

To do this, you need to know how many times a day a baby of a certain age eats:

• in the first 3 months of life - 7-8 times a day;
• at the age of 3 - 6 months - 6-7 times a day;
• older than six months - 5 times a day.

It is necessary to calculate a single dose of the mixture for a child under the age of 10 days by multiplying the number of days lived by 10. For example, a newborn is 4 days old, which means that he should receive 40 ml of the finished mixture in one feeding.

All indicated proportions and the amount of mixture for one feeding are calculated for a healthy, full-term newborn.

If the child is born ahead of schedule, has some kind of congenital pathology, then the feeding schedule and the appropriate proportions of the dry product and water should be selected by the pediatrician.

The help of a specialist will be needed if the baby, after consuming the prescribed dose of the mixture, is nervous, crying and requires supplementation.

What water is better to dilute the mixture for newborns

On sale there is a special water for the preparation of baby food - it is a priority when choosing.

There are several explanations for this:

• water undergoes a strict test for the content of salts and minerals;
• special water for feeding newborns has the right amount of oxygen;
• requires the passage of a multi-level cleaning.

Many parents prefer water from a water supply system or a well, having previously boiled it. Pediatricians argue that in this case there is a danger of increasing the content of minerals in the finished mixture, and the oxygen saturation of such water will not be complete. But if it is supposed to prepare the mixture on such boiled water, then you should first send a small portion for a laboratory test and make sure that it is safe for the baby.

It is necessary to prepare a mixture for a newborn 10-15 minutes before feeding him. Some manufacturers claim that you can store the finished product for 2 hours - you should not do this: adapted milk formula is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.

Parents should understand that artificial feeding involves following certain rules of the “procedure”:

• feeding takes place using a bottle and a nipple - the latter should be with a small hole and the lowest possible product flow rate;
• check how the mixture flows from the nipple - this should happen drip;
• during feeding, the bottle should be positioned at such an angle that the nipple is half filled with the mixture - this will prevent swallowing air and subsequent spitting up;
• the head of the newborn should be located on the forearm of the mother, the face turned to the chest;
• do not allow the baby's head to be thrown back during feeding;
• after the end of feeding, the baby needs to be held upright a little - the swallowed air (burp) should come out.

Before you start feeding on a newborn, you need to put on a bib and somehow attract his attention - for example, you can drop the mixture on your lips or just stroke him on the cheek.

Directly during feeding, you should not allow the baby to fall asleep - talk to him, stroke his cheek or head, smile, sing songs.

It is necessary to ensure that the child has eaten the prescribed amount of the mixture, but malnutrition of a maximum of 20 ml of the product is allowed.

Immediately after the end of feeding, you need to pick up the bottle, and if the baby does not want to give it away, then you just need to distract him with a toy or a pacifier.

If a artificial feeding is carried out according to all the rules, then the newborn develops without any deviations, gains weight well and does not remain hungry.

1. Do not heat the mixture in the microwave, as it heats the liquid unevenly.
2. If you are going for a walk or a trip, take warm water in a thermos and separate formula powder and prepare a meal for the baby just before feeding.

Feeding a child is a very responsible process. And it all starts with the choice of mixture. What to feed a newborn month old baby? For babies in the first half of life, it should be highly adapted, that is, as similar as possible to.

This mixture is called "initial", and the packaging will show a unity. For children older than six months, “follow-up” mixtures are intended, the composition of which meets the needs of a grown organism.

They have more protein, fats and trace elements. Packages are marked with the number "2".

If the child spit up often and more than expected, an anti-reflux mixture will help. In case of violation of the digestion of food, they will come to the rescue fermented milk mixtures, mixtures containing beneficial bacteria.

When choosing a mixture, it is advisable to consult a doctor. When buying a mixture, you need to pay attention to the expiration date and integrity of the package.

There are also mixtures that include special components that have a specific healing effect. So, if someone in the family suffers from allergies, it is advisable to start with a hypoallergenic mixture.

Specially prepared dishes

Bottles that are used for feeding must be pre-washed with a brush and sterilized. This can be done by boiling them for 5-10 minutes or using a special sterilizer. The bottle in which the mixture is diluted must be dry.

The nipple should be selected with the expectation that the mixture will flow out of it not in a trickle, but drop by drop. This will ensure active sucking, and not just swallowing the pouring mixture. What is important for the development of the maxillofacial apparatus.

Diet and routine

This is a very important point. The baby gets his food on demand. How many times should a child eat on IV? Schedule depends on age. So, a newborn eats 7-9 times a day, a child of 2-5 months - 6-7 times, a six-month-old child needs to eat 5-6 times a day.

To do this, you first need to determine the daily amount of food. How much a baby should eat depends on its weight and age. So, up to two months, a child needs a volume of food in the amount of 1 ̸ 5 of his weight, at 2 - 4 months - 1 ̸ 6, at 4 - 6 months 1 ̸ 7 of body weight, over six months - 1 ̸ 8.

For example, a child weighs 4.5 kilograms at 1 month, then he needs 900 milliliters of the mixture per day. It must be remembered that this volume should not exceed 1 liter.

To determine the amount of formula needed for one feeding, divide the daily amount by the required number of feedings. This will be 100 - 130 milliliters of the mixture.

It happens that the child eats a little less or more. A small gap is possible. Systematic overfeeding or underfeeding should not be allowed. For a child, this is fraught with obesity or.

The bulk method described above is the simplest and most convenient to use. If necessary, or if there are problems with weight, the doctor can calculate the volume of a certain mixture for a particular child using the calorie method and taking into account the age-related need for proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

How to prepare a mixture?

You only need to use boiled water. The volume of water required for one feeding at a temperature of 50 ° C is poured into the bottle and the prescribed amount of the mixture is poured (details are indicated on the package). Everything is thoroughly shaken and mixed.

How to formula feed?

How to properly feed a child? Before feeding, you need to make sure that the optimal temperature of the prepared mixture. To do this, drop it on your wrist (on the palmar surface). Its temperature should not be felt by the skin.

Wash your hands with soap. Get into a comfortable position. Special pillows will help with this, with the use of which you can comfortably position yourself and your child. In this case, feeding will become a pleasant rest for the nursing person and a source of the necessary tactile contact for the baby.

Therefore, it is better to take it in your hands. If the child is prone to excessive spitting up, it is better to hold him upright. In other cases, it is semi-vertical.

Turn the bottle upside down so that the mixture completely fills the nipple and neck, and the air rushes to the bottom. This will prevent the child from swallowing air and developing colic.

Care must be taken to ensure that the mixture from the nipple drips, and does not pour. Over time, nipples wear out and need to be replaced.

If the mixture remains

According to the rules, the mixture remaining after feeding must be poured out. But it can still be stored for a while. With one - two hours and no more than half a day in the refrigerator. Before you feed this mixture, it must be heated to an acceptable temperature.

Soldering

The artificial nutrition of the child must be supplemented with liquid - water, weak decoctions of wild rose and tea (not the usual one that we drink daily, but children's, herbal).

In the heat and in a room with dry air, the amount drunk should be increased by 50-100 ml. It is also worth monitoring the health of the child.

Formula-fed babies begin to introduce complementary foods earlier than infants. From 4 - 4.5 months they are already beginning to be given, from 5 - porridge.

How do you know if a formula is not suitable for a baby?

Often it is not possible to pick up a mixture the first time. What will testify to this?

• indigestion;

If, after eating, the child spits up a lot and ̸ or diarrhea or constipation begins, the mixture is not suitable. When there are violations, but they are insignificant, it can be left for a week. If during this time nothing changes, the diet must be changed;

• allergic manifestations.

The very first sign of an allergy is a rash (dermatitis). These can be both single elements of it, and merging spots throughout the body.

Reactions to mixtures based on cow's milk develop more often. You can replace them with a mixture based on protein hydroisolate and soy isolate or mixtures that are prepared on the basis of;

• scarce states.

The development in a child of iron deficiency anemia, malnutrition or other disease associated with a lack of certain substances requires the selection of a special mixture with a therapeutic effect.

Complete and adequate nutrition is the key to the harmonious growth and development of your baby!