The ideal thing to offer the baby exclusively up to six months is always breast milk instead of artificial milk. But if for some reason it cannot be done, it is good to identify the formula that best suits the needs of your little one. These are the most frequent doubts of mothers and the advice of the pediatrician to choose infant formula.
Formulas for babies under one year of age are divided according to two age ranges. those of start, for babies up to six months. and those of continuation, up to twelve months. Depending on the characteristics of each child, the expert can guide parents on an artificial milk that aims to prevent overweight and obesity or that contains substances capable of modulating the intestinal flora, with a beneficial effect on the body. There are also formulas for children with specific health needs: for premature babies, for those allergic to cow's milk proteins, anti-regurgitation and anti-colic products.
Is formula milk safe?
To be marketed under the name 'baby food', formulas must comply with strict directives of the European Union which, in turn, are also based on the indications of a pediatric nutrition scientific committee. They must therefore exceed, strict food safety controls and contain levels of macro and micronutrients within precise minimum and maximum ranges”. Although practically all the member countries of the EU have implemented these indications, the infant formulas that are marketed today present a certain diversity in terms of aspects that are not rigidly established by legislation.
What should be looked at when choosing the formula?
What makes the difference are the 'options'. Inspired by the functional effects of maternal nutrition, the optional factors are represented by an even more consistent cut of protein, supplementation with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-Pufa), nucleotides, beta-palmitate, prebiotics and probiotics.
Proteins
Formulas containing less protein are generally preferable because they are closer to the amount that the breastfed and allow to reduce the risk of developing overweight and obesity.
Omega 3 and 6
It is good, then, to pay attention to the participation of LC-Pufa. All formulas must have in their composition the essential fatty acids of the Omega 3 and Omega 6 series.substances that the body cannot synthesize. However, only some contain derivatives, and in particular DHA., docosahexaenoic acid, a long chain omega 3 particularly important for the development of the central nervous system, visual functions and the brain.
Nucleotides
Another element is represented by the nucleotides, precursors of nucleic acids, contained in breast milk in doses much higher than those of cow's milk. According to some studies, reduce the number of episodes of diarrhea to which formula-fed infants are exposed.
beta palmitate
beta-palmitate, for its part, is a triglyceride in which palmitic acid is in the beta position, as in breast milk. Some formulas use blends of vegetable oils rich in beta-palmitate, which allows better absorption of fats and helps the baby's stools to be softer than milk where palmitic acid is in position 1 or 3.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Finally, some milk is added with probiotics, bacterial strains (such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) that are supposed to have a protective effect on the body and that aim to rebalance the intestinal bacterial floraAnd with prebiotics, substances that selectively favor the proliferation of “good” bacteria at the expense of the "bad" ones. However, it is the sole responsibility of the pediatrician, based on the assessment of the child's specific needs, to indicate the formula that has the most appropriate composition to promote harmonious growth and prevent alterations.
Premature babies: what to do if there is no breast milk?
In the growth of the premature baby, born with a weight of less than 1500 grams or even less than 1000, nutrition plays a fundamental role. Their nutritional needs are very different from those of a healthy newborn.
Their need for protein, energy, vitamins and mineral salts is much greater. In fact, the supply of nutrients must tend to guarantee the same speed of growth that it would have had in the maternal womb.
The baby is generally given artificial milk, specific formulas for premature babies based on cow's milk suitably enriched in protein, as well as minerals and vitamins. For the fortifications of human milk there are specific products that increase the concentration of proteins and energy and enrich it with minerals. It is also possible to extract proteins and fats from donated human milk to fortify breast milk, but they are expensive operations that few premature baby centers can afford. Once out of the hospital, supplements to lactation can be recommended with one or two feedings a day of specific artificial milk for premature infants.
What to do if you are allergic to milk proteins?
For children with a documented allergy to cow's milk proteins, the first therapy, when possible, is always breastfeeding. However, the mother is asked to follow a diet free of milk and milk products.
In the absence of breast milk, the indicated formulas are hydrolyzed. Hydrolysis is an industrial process to which milk proteins are subjected to adapt it to the needs of the baby. Up to six months of age, duly treated cow's milk proteins or rice milk are used.
Subsequently, in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, preparations can also be used soy based. The donkey milk theoretically it could represent an alternative because it has fewer protein parts "shared" with cow's milk (and therefore reduces the phenomenon of cross-allergy): to date, however, there are no formulas derived from the proteins of this food adapted to the specific needs of newborns and children under one year of age.
When to opt for anti-gurgitation formulas?
regurgitations and frequent vomiting are physiological phenomena that affect about 70% of children under six months. They do not cause any particular problems and do not interfere with your weight gain. Another thing is gastroesophageal reflux disease in newborns, which can manifest with various symptoms that affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, and can also lead to weight loss.
In this sense, there are anti-regurgitation formulas on the market with a thicker than normal consistency. These are slightly thickened with carob flour or corn starch, which may limit the number of episodes. However, its use can be considered taking into account that in the case of gastroesophageal reflux the child does not really suffer from any pathology. While in the case of gastroesophageal reflux disease these milks can only reduce the extent of the disorder but do not solve the problem without pharmacological intervention.
In addition, it is advisable rule out that the reflux is induced by an allergy to cow's milk proteins. In this case, the indicated formula is hydrolyzed.
He has colic with gas, are there specific formulas?
There are various anti-colic formulas in the market. However, there is no scientific evidence to support it. To date, actually there is no true therapy against this newborn disorder. There are only drugs that involve the use of dimethicone, a substance capable of absorbing air, and therefore reducing its volume, which dilates the intestine. But it doesn't always work.
In recent years, the efficacy of lactobacillus reuterii has been underlined by several studies, a probiotic that, if taken in drops at the onset of colic, can reduce its intensity. According to some research, a daily supplementation with this lactobacillus also limits its extent and frequency in advance.