Formula Feeding

Formula feeding is becoming popular increasingly today and since babies are the sweetest gift from god, they deserve the best of everything that can be proffered to them. First year in a baby’s life is the most critical especially from a nutritional point of view for amazing changes take place in its body throughout the year and it experiences the speediest growth and development period in its lifetime. These changes are not only external but internal within its vital organs like brain, heart, kidneys, digestive system etc. And that is why, it becomes exceedingly important for parents to understand the unique nutritional requirements of infants to keep them healthy, after all it is their first and foremost responsibility.

Commonly, a baby receives all nutrients from a single food source or a limited number of sources and, since its nutritional needs are unique and different, careful selection of baby formula is extremely important and it is essential that the balanced and proper nutrients at the right levels are present in that source or sources.

Deciding on a method for feeding a baby is ultimately the parent's decision, nonetheless, in making this decision, parents should rely on the advice of the health professionals like physicians and nutritionists as they are extensively trained and can provide sound counseling matching their unique physiologic and metabolic demands of a baby.

Breastfeeding is certainly a preferred and suggested method of nourishing a baby as it endows it with proper and balanced nutrients required for growth and development; it does not strain a baby's developing digestive system, kidneys, heart & brain; it’s free from germs & microbes and therefore, keeps baby unaffected; and it involves emotional growth of child as well. However, at the same time, the diet of a breastfeeding mother affects not only her own health and well-being, but that of her child, and therefore she should be healthy and should eat an adequate and nutritious diet to ensure the quality and quantity of her milk supply. Strict dieting, indulging in sweets and any consumption of alcoholic beverages are all prohibited for breastfeeding women as a breast-fed baby receive a portion of everything consumed by the mother.

With the advancement in the ingredients of baby formula, the parents can very easily supplement the breastfeeding with it.

Baby formula is certainly a good supplement to breastfeeding provided it has proper amount of iron, protein and carbohydrates. Iron is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in babies. Requirement of protein can be met with cow's milk or soy. Both these sources support infant growth and development. Please note that the most of baby formula contain lactose as the carbohydrate source though it is not very much desirable as it is probable that some children recovering from gastroenteritis temporarily cannot tolerate the sugar lactose. Therefore, the babies should not consume lactose.

Submitted on January 16, 2014