Artificial feeding
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
Artificial feeding is one of the ways many mothers choose to feed their babies.
Usually, mothers cannot feed their babies for various reasons, so they use animal milk such as cow and sheep milk, or other milk substitutes to feed their babies. This is artificial feeding.
Artificial feeding can help to control the amount of milk fed and also lighten the burden on the mother. However, it is important to note that only a moderate amount should be given as excessive feeding is not conducive to the infant's development.
Human milk feeding is what it refers to. If only breastfeeding is used as the way of feeding babies, then this responsibility can only be entrusted to the mother alone.
However, when it comes to supplementing nutrition for babies through artificial feeding, this task can be shared with fathers, grandparents, uncles, and aunts.
Artificial feeding of babies generally means that when the mother cannot feed the baby for various reasons, animal milk such as cow and sheep milk, or other milk substitutes are used to feed the baby.
There are also a small number of mothers who do not want to breastfeed, so they use artificial feeding for their babies more.
The main benefits of artificial feeding are that it can reduce the fatigue of the mother and allow the baby to have close contact with more family members.
If artificial feeding is adopted, parents can also have a good grasp of the amount of feeding and feed it according to the baby's age and different needs.
If it is breastfeeding, the mother needs to feed at any time according to the baby's needs, which is relatively tiring.
If a certain amount of artificial feeding is taken, mothers can take this opportunity to take a break, and the feeding task is left to other parents.
Parents can then feed the baby according to its needs.
If artificial feeding is adopted, the amount of milk consumed by the baby can be easily determined. The family can also gain a deeper understanding of the baby's diet and absorption.
Artificial feeding requires an appropriate amount; otherwise, it is not conducive to the development of infants.
While this kind of feeding method is very common, parents still need to pay attention to the relevant matters when feeding their baby, so as to better supplement the baby's nutrition.
Artificial feeding is not entirely beneficial for babies, and has certain drawbacks. Parents need to be cautious about it.
The advantages of artificial feeding include: Artificial feeding can free up mothers to some extent, allowing others to take on the responsibility of caring for the baby.
Artificial feeding allows fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, and even caregivers to participate. This not only relieves mothers from the constant need to feed their babies but also allows babies to interact more closely with their family members.
Additionally, the adoption of a formula-feeding method facilitates the control of the amount fed, understanding baby's needs and absorption.
The biggest disadvantage of bottle-feeding is the possibility that improper sterilization may cause infant diarrhea or stomach discomfort.
Artificial feeding, after all, is not economical and safe as breastfeeding, and parents need to purchase many devices and formulas, and master a series of techniques for making milk.
Additionally, some unique nutritional components in breast milk are not present in formula; and while certain nutrients in formula may be excessively supplemented, this can adversely affect the absorption and utilization of calcium by the baby.
When selecting formula for infant feeding, extra care is required.
Babies are still in their stage of physical immunity, if they drink bad milk, it will directly affect the baby's health.
Moms should choose formulas for infants according to their age, as the formulation of formula varies according to different stages of infancy.
What kind of formula milk is suitable for artificial feeding? 1. Milk contains less lactose than human breast milk, but it has higher mineral content. However, it is not suitable for newborns, premature babies, and those with poor kidney function.
In addition, the milk contains less zinc and copper than human milk but its iron content is similar to that of human milk. However, the absorption rate of iron in milk is only 1/5 of that in human milk.
To improve the quality of milk, various dairy products are made from it, such as whole milk powder, evaporated milk, yogurt, infant formula milk with high adaptability, sweet condensed milk.
Among them, the infant high adapt formula milk contains beta-lactose and enhances vitamins, zinc, copper, iron and other strengthened ingredients, which is suitable for infant feeding.
2. Sheep milk has similar components to cow's milk, with slightly more protein and fat, but it contains very low levels of folic acid and vitamin B12. Therefore, those who feed on sheep milk should supplement with folic acid and vitamin B12 to prevent megaloblastic anemia.
3. Dairy substitutes, which use soybean products as a dairy substitute, are nutritionally superior to cereal-based substitutes. However, these dairy substitutes have lower fat and sugar content, resulting in fewer caloric intake and less calcium.
Therefore, in the preparation of artificial feeding milk products, it is necessary to supplement the missing components, which can be used as substitutes for breast milk for infants over 3-4 months old. For infants under 3 months old, due to their indigestibility, soybean-based substitutes should not be used.
Generally speaking, infants should use baby formula at birth and choose fortified milk after 6 months, and then consume whole milk after 9 months.
When choosing, mothers must clearly read the label on the canister or bag to determine which formula is suitable for the baby's stage. Choose products from reputable branded companies.
Methods of artificial feeding infants. Breastfeeding is the best method to give babies the best nutrition, and it is also easier to operate, but in some cases, breastfeeding cannot be done for the baby, so artificial feeding is needed.
Let's take a closer look at the methods for feeding infants with artificial milk.
In principle, how much formula your baby needs to eat and how often it needs to depend on the baby's age, weight, etc.
The actual consumption of more and less depends on the baby's needs. Milk can also be fed in the middle, but milk cannot be used as a staple food.
In addition, you can also make some porridge supplements yourself.
As your child gets older, slowly add new foods, such as juice.
In addition, it is also necessary to see if your baby needs to supplement cod liver oil or calcium tablets based on your baby's actual situation.
Full-term newborns who are completely artificially fed will start feeding some sugar water 4 to 6 hours after birth and start feeding milk 8 to 12 hours.
Before feeding, it is necessary to calculate the amount of milk. According to the needs of calories per day and per kg weight, it should be supplied with 50-100 kcal.
One cup of milk can be divided into 7-8 servings, each about 30 milliliters. Each serving should be added with 15 milliliters of hot water, which means that the child is given approximately 2:1 milk amount of 50 milliliters at a time.
The interval between feeding times is approximately 3 to 4 hours. Water should be offered between the two milk feedings.
You can stop feeding once at night to avoid disturbing the mother and child.
Children's appetite varies, and the amount of milk to feed them also needs to be adjusted according to specific circumstances. Mothers can gradually figure out their baby's pattern of eating by time.
What is the appropriate amount of milk per day for babies fed by artificial means? The standard calculation method for the amount of milk to be given is based on weight. For each kilogram of baby's weight, the baby needs 100-120 milliliters of sugared cow's milk per day. Depending on the age of the baby and the amount consumed each time, the total amount should be divided into 5-6 parts to be fed to the baby.
However, there is now a new saying about the amount of artificially fed milk. Generally, if babies before adding complementary food, as long as the total amount of milk consumed per day does not exceed 1000 ml, then there is no need to excessively limit the amount of milk when feeding the baby each time, so that he is full.
If the baby's daily milk intake is more than 1000 ml, then it means that the baby needs to add some solid food.
Generally, infants fed by artificial means are given milk 6-7 times a day during the neonatal period. For infants under 2 weeks old, the amount fed per feeding is between 50-100 milliliters, and for those over 2 weeks old, the amount fed per feeding is between 70-120 milliliters. From 1 to 3 months, infants receive 6 feedings daily, each approximately 130 milliliters in volume. For infants aged 4 to 6 months, there are 4 to 5 feedings daily, with each feeding being about 150-180 milliliters in volume.
Once the baby starts eating complementary foods, adjust the milk intake according to the amount of complementary food consumed.
The amount of feed should accordingly increase, while the milk intake should be reduced.
At the age of 1, when babies are ready to start eating a variety of complementary foods, they generally only need about 600-700 milliliters of milk daily.
Precautions for artificial feeding: Generally speaking, it is advisable to maintain a consistent pattern with breastfeeding to accommodate the growth and development needs of the baby.
Therefore, it is very necessary to understand the precautions for artificial feeding! Mothers need to know the correct way of artificial feeding in order to ensure that the baby absorbs nutrients to the maximum extent while adopting artificial feeding.
Before feeding with artificial milk, it is essential for mothers and parents to be aware of the following points: 1. The amount of milk required daily by different babies varies from person to person, calculated based on the baby's weight.
Every kg of body weight needs 100 ml of milk. For example, for a baby weighing 6 kg, they need 600 ml of milk per day, which is about 3 bottles of milk. The baby should be fed milk every 3-4 hours.
2. Choose high-quality substitute milk products.
Infants under 4 months of age can choose infant formula with lower protein content, and formulas with higher protein content can be used for 6-8 months of age.
Children who are allergic to dairy proteins can choose formula with soy as the protein.
3. Pay attention to the concentration of milk powder.
The concentration of milk powder should not be too strong or too thin.
Too thick will cause the baby to have indigestion and milk petals in the stool; too thin will cause the baby to be malnourished.
4. Ensure the sterilization of breastfeeding equipment.
After rinsing the milk powder once, please check whether the spoon is correctly placed and disinfect it before each use.
The bottle should be washed and boiled for 15 minutes, and the nipple should be boiled for 5 minutes.
5. Control the temperature of the milk.
Baby's milk powder is suitable for brewing with warm water at 50-60 degrees Celsius. Too hot will destroy the nutritional content of the milk powder, or the temperature indicated by the milk powder you buy.
6. Pay attention to feeding posture and techniques.
Before feeding, drop a few drops of breast milk onto your wrist or hand to check its temperature. It should not be hot enough to burn your hand.
When breastfeeding, the angle of the bottle should be such that the milk is always full of the nipple to avoid the baby inhaling air.
After feeding, it is recommended to hold the baby upright and pat their back.
7. Supplement water in an appropriate amount for infants.
The milk in breast milk is full of water, but the formula is different.
Therefore, babies who are fed breast milk generally do not need to drink water until 6 months old, while infants who are fed artificially must have an appropriate amount of fluid between two feedings.
8. It is advisable to introduce complementary foods early, such as infant rice cereal and wheat flour. These are nutritionally balanced and comprehensive, rich in protein and fat, and also contain a variety of proteins and vitamins. They are easy to digest and absorb, meeting the needs for growth and development of infants.
The medical information provided in this text is for reference only.
If you experience discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately for accurate diagnosis and treatment.