Children's milk formulas: types, description

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Every woman can breastfeed a child. However, unforeseen circumstances often occur in life when the state of he alth does not allow this. Some, due to their personal beliefs, do not want to breastfeed their baby. In this case, milk mixtures come to the rescue. But if earlier parents did not have much choice, now even experienced mothers are sometimes lost. After all, all mixtures differ not only in price, but also in composition, properties and indications. When choosing, you should always get advice from a pediatrician, take into account the age of the baby and his individual developmental characteristics. Do not be very upset if you failed to establish breastfeeding. Of course, such nutrition is considered the best and most natural, but substitutes are produced quite high quality.

Great variety

All baby milk formulas are developed on the basis of the requirements of the RAMS Institute and comply with the accepted GOST. But in a huge variety of multi-colored packages it is very difficult to understand. Therefore, it is important for parents to know what the labels on the packages mean,what are milk formulas for purpose, composition and consistency.

Dry or liquid

On sale you can find a dry powder and a mixture in liquid form. Dry products occupy the lion's share of the market and are the most popular among moms. They are a powder that is packed in a sealed container and requires preliminary dilution with prepared water.

There are liquid varieties of mixtures. They are completely ready and require only warming up. In order for the baby to completely drink the proposed portion, they are packed in small packs - tetrapacks (usually 200 ml). But on the market, these species are presented in rather small quantities.

Dry mixes have more benefits. The main one is the long shelf life of open packaging. But at the same time, they require preliminary preparation. When traveling, it is more convenient to use the liquid version. Often, mothers prefer to take liquid milk formulas with them for a walk or for a visit. However, you can only store an opened package for a couple of hours.

Attention to composition

Many formulas for babies are made with milk. At the same time, there are options where cow is present, goat is offered for allergy sufferers. However, animal milk protein is foreign to the baby's body. Therefore, in the production of baby food, milk is used in a processed form. It is depending on its processing that all mixtures are divided into types.

Customized

Adapted milk formulas are based on the whey of demineralized cow's milk. Suchnutrition is as close as possible to breast milk, so it is usually easily absorbed by the baby's body. This menu is designed for the smallest eaters and can be offered from birth.

In the composition, in addition to whey, there are necessarily vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated fats and nucleotides. Due to the complexity of the manufacturing process, the cost of adapted mixtures is quite high. The products belong to the premium class, but the child does not suffer from allergies, indigestion and is gaining weight well. Milk mixtures from birth must necessarily be adapted. The child's body is not yet perfect, so any experiments with food can lead to diseases.

The Best of Adapted Nutrition

The best premium milk formulas are produced by famous brands such as:

• Nutricia Nutrilon.
• Nestle NAN.
• Semper.

However, these formulas are based on cow's milk. Unfortunately, now many children suffer from its intolerance. In this case, you can switch to food made from goat's milk. The most popular is "Babikol Nenny". Mark is recommended by many parents and pediatricians.

If we consider liquid nutrition, then the Agusha and Nan brands have the best adapted options.

Partly adapted

For the most part, the composition of such food is similar to breast milk. But not onlylactose, but also sucrose. In addition, the mineral-fat composition is not stabilized. Such milk formulas can be recommended for he althy children who do not experience problems with the digestibility of cow protein and do not suffer from dermatitis.

Also on sale there are so-called "follow-up" mixes. They belong to the lowest price category and are produced on the basis of whole cow's milk powder. They contain starch and sucrose, so this food is not recommended for children who have weight problems. There is no whey in such mixtures. Subsequent mixtures are recommended only for children from six months and older. Babies from birth need to choose an adapted option.

Unadapted variants

This food is produced on the basis of casein - cow's milk protein. Further, the composition is almost identical to the adapted samples. However, when choosing, it is necessary to carefully study the components included in the mixture. There are foods that are not enriched with taurine or fatty acids. This significantly affects the quality of the mixture, and the child does not receive the necessary trace elements. However, this fact does not affect digestibility. All casein-based formulas are more difficult to digest, so they are recommended to be offered no earlier than 6 months.

Among the most popular non-adapted mixtures, users distinguish the following:

• Milk formula "Baby".
• "Nestlé Nestozhen".
• "Semper".
• Milk mixture "Bellakt".

Pediatricians confirm that as the baby grows and develops, histhe digestive system is also improved. Therefore, if it is necessary to offer an adapted option to an infant from birth, then from 6 months of age, casein samples can be successfully used.

Food depends on age

All infant formulas are categorized according to the recommended age. It is not for nothing that it is indicated on the packages, because at a certain period of time the baby needs a different percentage of vitamins and minerals. As an infant develops, so do its nutritional needs. This process is completely natural. In addition, breast milk adjusts to the growth of the baby and constantly changes its composition, which has been proven by breastfeeding experts.

To choose the right option, you need to pay attention to the formula number, which is always indicated, and the age marking.

Age gradation of baby food

On each pack with a mixture, the manufacturer must indicate the age range. The following standards have been adopted for this:

• "0" (suffix "pre" on some packs) - formula for newborns who are underweight or born prematurely;
• "1" - nutrition from birth to six months;
• "2" - infant formula for six months to a year;
• "3" - the diet of children older than a year.

The main difference is in the milk component and the percentage of trace elements. Byas the baby grows, the amount of unadapted protein in the mixture increases, and the vitamin and mineral formula also changes. In addition, for children from a year old, food is made more high-calorie and satisfying.

Treatment option

Children's milk formulas can not only saturate the child, but also solve certain problems. If the baby has he alth problems or features of digestion, then there are increased requirements for nutrition. Special medical mixtures will come to the rescue. The entire line is divided into types, depending on the problem it solves.

Sour-milk nutrition

Powdered milk formula may be based on lactic acid bacteria. It is prescribed if the baby has problems with the digestive system, in the treatment of dysbacteriosis and frequent constipation. It is also an indication to take medication. This mixture is dominated by bifidobacteria and lactic acid microorganisms.

Often with regurgitation, colic and diarrhea, a doctor may recommend anti-reflux nutrition. Starch and gum are used here, but they act as thickeners. The most typical representatives of such mixtures are brands:

• "Nutrilak AR".
• "Nutrilon AR".
• "Enfamil AR".

Lactulose, which is enriched in some dry powders, helps a lot with constipation. If there is such a problem, then the following options may be recommended:

• "Semper Bifidus.
• "Detolact Bifidus".

Bas a supplement, you can offer a he althy baby regular fermented milk mixtures. According to experts and parents, the most attractive options are Nutrilak, Nan and Nutrilon.

Mixture against anemia

Sometimes mothers are interested in what kind of milk formula is needed to prevent iron deficiency anemia. If indicated, the pediatrician may recommend a diet with a high iron content. However, such mixtures must be purchased only on the testimony of a specialist, otherwise an excess of the mineral can provoke other problems.

Indication for taking such food is a low level of hemoglobin in the baby's blood. It is worth considering that all such mixtures presented on the Russian market are not medicinal, iron simply predominates in their composition. Therefore, treatment will require the use of special drugs.

The most famous brands are:

• "Similac Premium".
• Enfamil Premium.

Baby food for allergy sufferers

Babies sometimes experience problems with rashes. Such children are shown hypoallergenic mixtures in which the cow protein formula is modified.

Children often react to casein, it is a common allergen. For the production of a therapeutic mixture, animal protein is used hydrolyzed. This means that it has been partially broken down by special enzymes, so digestion is greatly accelerated and the effect on the body is reduced. To navigate the store andto quickly find a similar mixture, you should pay attention to the marking "Na", which marks hypoallergenic samples - "Nan" or "Nutrilon".

Lactose Free Blends

When a baby has a complete indigestion of cow protein, even a hypoallergenic mixture will not save. In this case, the doctor prescribes lactose-free baby food. Such powders are produced on the basis of soy and supplemented with all the necessary components. The most famous are the following types:

• Nan is lactose free.
• "Nutrilon-soy".
• "Similac Isomil".

Advice on choosing a mixture

It is best to choose the mixture together with the pediatrician. Only a doctor can recommend nutrition based on the he alth of the baby, and the mother knows the developmental features of her child. However, there are basic principles that should be followed in any case:

1. In terms of composition, adapted options are closest to breast milk. Therefore, for newborns and weakened children, this option is considered more preferable.
2. It is worth sticking to the age limits. It is necessary to move to another level no earlier than the recommended age.
3. For he alth problems and pathologies of the digestive system, it is required to choose a treatment line. Your doctor may recommend not to use it all the time, but only a couple of times a day.
4. Advertising, of course, is the engine of trade, but you should not blindly follow its advice. It is necessary to carefully study the composition of the mixture you like and givepreference for an option without palm or rapeseed oil.
5. There may be a pack with an expiration date in the store. It is better to refrain from such a mixture.
6. Specialists in baby food are advised to purchase it in pharmacies or large retail chains. In such institutions, there is more control over the quality of products.
7. Even if the mixture is chosen together with the doctor, you must carefully monitor the reaction of the baby.

Reviews of parents and opinion of experts

There are different types of milk formula. Parental reviews and a strictly studied composition help other buyers make their choice. Most mothers are concerned about the safety and digestibility of baby food. Consider the most popular samples.

1. Products from "Nestlé" - "Nestozhen", "Nan". Recognized as completely safe and, according to reviews, is well absorbed by babies.
2. HIPP. According to its indicators, the mixture is safe for consumption. But in reviews, parents often complain about poor digestibility. This is due to the presence of starch in the composition.
3. Domestic samples - milk mixture "Kid" and "Baby". Our grandmothers heard about this baby food. But over time it has only improved. All safety indicators are normal and, despite the rather budget price, milk is well absorbed by babies.
4. FRISCO. When examining this baby food, violations in sanitary standards and an excess of pathogenic microorganisms were revealed. Judging byreviews, children often do not absorb this product well and have digestive problems.
5. Semper. All indicators are normal, but, judging by the reviews, the food is poorly absorbed. Most likely, the matter is the presence of starch.
6. "Nutrilon". Products from Nutricia have good reviews from parents. Babies digest the mixture and feel good. Food is completely safe.
7. "Humana". Not a very common mix. Safety indicators are normal, but digestibility is poor.

Conclusion

Sometimes finding the right blend can be tricky. Often parents change several varieties until they find the most suitable one. If the child is he althy, then such problems may not arise. However, even in this case, it is useful to know some signs that indicate the wrong choice:

• baby's cheeks turn red after feeding;
• there are white blotches in the feces, which indicates that the mixture was not completely digested;
• baby does not maintain the recommended interval between feedings, often cries;
• night sleep is not good;
• poor or overweight.

Only the right mixture guarantees the he alth of the baby and its full development. However, breastfeeding experts urge mothers to establish breastfeeding and switch to artificial nutrition only in emergency cases. In addition to the inconvenience in choosing a mixture, this is also a tangible cost. After all, food for a newborn goes through a complex and multi-stage process.production.