How much do you know about the correct method of artificial feeding?

Although breastfeeding is extremely beneficial to the baby's health, for some reason artificial feeding has to be used. The most common method is formula feeding. Under normal circumstances, it should be mixed with 1 part of milk powder to 4 parts of water. Too thick or too thin is not conducive to the healthy growth of the baby. In addition, the bottle and nipple must be sterilized in time before and after feeding.

1. Formula feeding

In the absence of breast milk, formula feeding is a better choice, especially breastmilk-derived formula. There are many types of formula milk on the market today, and you should choose one with guaranteed quality. Some formula milks are fortified with calcium, iron, and vitamin D. When preparing formula milk, be sure to read the instructions carefully and do not mix it at will. Although infants have a certain digestive ability, if the mixture is too concentrated, it will increase their digestive burden, while if the mixture is too dilute, it will affect the infant's growth and development. The correct mixing ratio, by weight, should be 1 part milk powder to 8 parts water. If calculated by volume, the ratio should be 1 part milk powder to 4 parts water. It is more convenient to mix according to this ratio. The scale on the bottle refers to milliliters. For example, if you add milk powder to the 50 ml mark and water to the 200 ml mark, you will get 200 ml of milk, which is also called whole milk. Babies with good digestive ability can also try feeding whole milk. Compared with breastfeeding, preparing milk powder seems a bit troublesome, especially for feeding at night. The hungry baby will cry before the milk is prepared. At this time, the milk prepared in a hurry is very hot and the baby cannot eat it immediately. Formula milk must be properly stored, otherwise its quality will be affected. It should be stored in a dry, ventilated, dark place, and the temperature should not exceed 15 degrees.

2. Milk feeding

Cow's milk contains three times more protein and calcium than breast milk. Although it is nutritious, it is not suitable for the digestion ability of infants, especially newborns. The fat contained in milk is mostly saturated fatty acids, the fat globules are large, and there is no lipase, making it difficult to digest and absorb. Milk contains less lactose, so 5-8% sugar should be added when feeding. It has a high mineral content, which not only reduces stomach acid but also increases the burden on the kidneys, which is not good for newborns, premature infants, and babies with poor renal function. Therefore, milk needs to go through three steps of dilution, boiling and adding sugar to adjust its shortcomings. Newborns 1-2 weeks after birth can be fed 2:1 milk, that is, 2 parts of fresh milk plus 1 part of water. The concentration can be gradually increased. After eating 3:1 to 4:1 fresh milk until one month old, if the child has good digestion ability and normal bowel movements, he can be fed whole milk directly. Calculation of milk quantity: The daily energy requirement of an infant is 100-120kcal/kg and the water requirement is 150ml/kg. 100ml of milk plus 8% sugar can provide 100kcal of energy.

3. Feeding with goat milk

The composition of goat milk is similar to that of cow milk, with slightly more protein and fat, especially albumin, so the clots are fine, the fat globules are small, and it is easy to digest. Because it has low folic acid and vitamin B12 content, children fed with goat milk should supplement folic acid and vitamin B12, otherwise it may cause megaloblastic anemia.

4. Mixed feeding

Feed your baby with breast milk and formula at the same time. This method is mainly chosen when breast milk secretion is insufficient or breastfeeding cannot be fully achieved due to other reasons. Mixed feeding can supplement the insufficient breast milk after each breastfeeding, or it can be fed completely with milk substitute once or several times a day. However, it should be noted that mothers should not give up breastfeeding due to insufficient breast milk. They should at least breastfeed their babies for 6 months before completely using milk substitutes. Mixed feeding is better than simple artificial feeding and is more conducive to the healthy growth of babies. When choosing formula milk, try to choose one that tastes and has nutritional ingredients close to breast milk. Feihe's high-adaptability milk powder is a good choice, such as: Xingfeifan" > Xingfeifan, Super Feifan" > Super Feifan, Feifan" > Feifan.

5. Add cod liver oil

Regardless of whether the child is breastfed or bottle-fed, if vitamin D has not been injected after birth, cod liver oil should be added in time when the child is 3-4 weeks old to prevent the occurrence of rickets. Because food (milk) contains less vitamin D and there is basically no outdoor activities in the neonatal period, children are not exposed to sunlight and are prone to rickets, with symptoms such as crying, sweating, and being easily frightened. There are currently two types of cod liver oil. One is ordinary cod liver oil, which contains 5,000 international units of vitamin D and 50,000 international units of vitamin A per milliliter. Long-term use of this type of cod liver oil can cause vitamin A poisoning, which can cause certain harm to children. The other is a new type of cod liver oil, which reduces the content of vitamin A and reduces the possibility of vitamin A poisoning. No matter which type of cod liver oil is used, it is not suitable for long-term use, because once poisoning occurs, the child has no specific symptoms and cannot be detected early. The safest and most effective way is to let children get more sun exposure and do more outdoor activities.