Mother's milk is ideal for feeding newborns, but there are a lot of formula-fed babies, so parents will need to know exactly the formula preparation algorithm and work it out “to automatism”.
You need to study the instructions for preparing the product from the manufacturer and clearly remember the ratio of water and dry mixture.
- Wash your hands with soap.
- Pour the right amount of water into a clean bottle (it is desirable to sterilize it).
- Pour one measuring spoon of the dry mixture without a slide into the water (it is removed with the back of the knife).
- Close the bottle and shake the product thoroughly for 30 seconds.
- We check the temperature of the mixture and make sure there are no lumps.
Heat the water to prepare the mixture to 36-37 degrees and it is better not to do this in a microwave oven - disputes about the benefits / harms of this household appliance continue to this day, doctors and scientists have not come to any consensus, but in this case there is no risk costs.
In what proportions to dilute the mixture for newborns
As a rule, the proportions are 1 scoop of the mixture per 30 ml of warm water, but you still need to follow the recommendations from the manufacturer. If the finished product is too “liquid”, then the child will remain hungry, but too saturated a solution can provoke intestinal colic, constipation and metabolic disorders.
Mixing formula for a newborn you need immediately before feeding and immediately in the amount that is required. How to determine this indicator? Many suggest focusing on the age of the baby, but children have different weights and therefore a mistake is possible.
Pediatricians suggest following these guidelines:
- from 10 days to 2 months - 1/5 of the mass of the baby;
- 2 - 4 months - 1/6 of the child's weight;
- 4 - 6 months - 1/7 of the mass;
- 6 - 12 months - 1/8 of the weight.
Note: the indicated proportions refer to the daily amount of the formula for artificial feeding. For example: a child is 3 months old and weighs 6 kg, which means that his daily intake of the mixture should not be more than 1 liter.
The next step: the distribution of the daily norm of the product for several feedings.
To do this, you need to know how many times a day a baby of a certain age eats:
- in the first 3 months of life - 7-8 times a day;
- at the age of 3 - 6 months - 6-7 times a day;
- older than six months - 5 times a day.
It is necessary to calculate a single dose of the mixture for a child under the age of 10 days by multiplying the number of days lived by 10. For example, a newborn is 4 days old, which means that he should receive 40 ml of the finished mixture in one feeding.
All indicated proportions and the amount of mixture for one feeding are calculated for a healthy, full-term newborn.
If the child is born ahead of time, has some kind of congenital pathology, then the feeding schedule and the appropriate proportions of the dry product and water should be selected by the pediatrician.
The help of a specialist will be needed if the baby, after consuming the prescribed dose of the mixture, is nervous, crying and requires supplementation.
What water is better to dilute the mixture for newborns
Specialized water for cooking is available for sale baby food- it is a priority when choosing.
There are several explanations for this:
- water undergoes a strict test for the content of salts and minerals;
- special water for feeding newborns has the right amount of oxygen;
- requires the passage of a multi-level cleaning.
Many parents prefer water from a water supply system or a well, having previously boiled it. Pediatricians argue that in this case there is a danger of increasing the content of minerals in the finished mixture, and the oxygen saturation of such water will not be complete. But if it is supposed to prepare the mixture on such boiled water, then you should first send a small portion for a laboratory test and make sure that it is safe for the baby. 
It is necessary to prepare a mixture for a newborn 10-15 minutes before feeding him. Some manufacturers claim that you can store the finished product for 2 hours - you should not do this: adapted milk formula is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
Parents should understand that artificial feeding involves following certain rules of the “procedure”:
- feeding takes place using a bottle and a nipple - the latter should be with a small hole and the lowest possible product flow rate;
- check how the mixture flows from the nipple - this should happen drip;
- during feeding, the bottle should be positioned at such an angle that the nipple is half filled with the mixture - this will prevent swallowing air and subsequent spitting up;
- the head of the newborn should be located on the forearm of the mother, the face turned to the chest;
- do not allow the baby's head to be thrown back during feeding;
- after the end of feeding, the crumbs need to be held a little in vertical position- Swallowed air should come out (burp).
Before you start feeding on a newborn, you need to put on a bib and somehow attract his attention - for example, you can drop the mixture on your lips or just stroke him on the cheek.
Directly during feeding, you should not allow the baby to fall asleep - talk to him, stroke his cheek or head, smile, sing songs.
It is necessary to ensure that the child has eaten the prescribed amount of the mixture, but malnutrition of a maximum of 20 ml of the product is allowed.
Immediately after the end of feeding, you need to pick up the bottle, and if the baby does not want to give it away, then you just need to distract him with a toy or a pacifier.
If artificial feeding is carried out according to all the rules, then the newborn develops without any deviations, gains weight well and does not remain hungry.
- Do not heat the mixture in the microwave, as it heats the liquid unevenly.
- If you are going for a walk or a trip, take warm water in a thermos and separate formula powder and prepare a meal for the baby just before feeding.
The first months of a baby's life are his adaptation to new conditions, and during this period he needs the most healthy diet. Everyone knows that there is nothing better than mother's milk, but sometimes situations arise when the use of infant formula is unavoidable.
In order for a child to grow up healthy, it is necessary not only to correctly select the product itself, but also to use it correctly. That is why it is important for every mom and dad to know how to prepare a formula for feeding.
How to prepare dishes for preparing infant formula
Adapted mixtures, in which the correct proportions of nutrients are observed, can be fed to a child from birth, but only after consultation with a specialist. This is the basic rule. Before making a mixture, you should choose the appropriate dishes. For this you need to stock up:- bottle,
- pacifier,
- measuring spoon (available in each package of the mixture),
- knife to remove excess mixture from the spoon.
- in a special sterilizer, if any;
- by boiling in a closed saucepan.
Important information on the mixture packaging
Follow the instructions on the infant formula packaging. Whatever the tips read, first of all, you need to study the recommendations from the manufacturer for the preparation of a particular composition. They indicate such important parameters as the temperature of the water for the mixture, the proportions, how the components should be mixed.How to prepare a mixture for newborns: step by step instructions
Before preparing infant formula, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them with a clean towel. After that you need:- sterilize the dishes: thoroughly wash the bottle, the lid with the nipple, the measuring spoon and, in general, all the utensils used to prepare the mixture, special tool, clean the narrow neck with a brush. Rinse the dishes, then boil for 5 minutes or process in a sterilizer if available;
- prepare a clean surface for preparing infant formula;
- take one of the saucepans, boil water in it for 5 minutes. Unless otherwise specified in the instructions, the water should be cooled to 40–50 ˚C. This is easy to do by simply leaving it for half an hour after boiling.
- After that, you need to pour the required amount of boiled warm water into a pre-sterilized dry container. Boiled water should not be mixed with unboiled water in order to cool the liquid and reach its desired temperature. When pouring water, you should be guided by the scale divisions printed on the bottle itself.
- How to dilute infant formula: in a bottle in which water is already poured, add the right amount of powder. Thus, you can easily maintain the necessary proportions. The mixture must be added with a measuring spoon, it must be covered evenly and to the brim, but without a slide.
- If a slide has formed, remove the excess with a pre-prepared clean knife.
- After adding the infant formula powder, close the cap on the bottle and shake it vigorously from side to side for half a minute to obtain a homogeneous suspension. Stir the mixture until it is completely dissolved.
How to reheat a pre-prepared mixture
None of the manufacturers recommends storing mixtures, as there is a risk of developing pathogenic microflora. However, if such a need arose - the mixture for the child was prepared in advance, and the bottle was stored in the refrigerator - it must be properly warmed up before feeding. For this you should:- get the bottle just before feeding, and not in advance;
- warm up the infant formula by placing the bottle in a saucepan or other container with hot water so that it covers it below the edge, that is, the neck;
How to take prepared infant formula on walks and trips
It should be remembered that for long walks or travel, manufacturers offer ready-made mixtures - you should not prepare them yourself in advance. However, if such a need nevertheless arose, it must be prepared according to the instructions, after which it must be cooled. Do not take hot formula with you. It should also be stored in a cold or at least cool place to prevent the growth of unnecessary bacteria. It is best to store the chilled mixture in the refrigerator at a temperature of 5 degrees, although sometimes a different temperature may be specified in the instructions for the product itself, so you should always check with it.Just before going out or traveling, take out a chilled bottle of formula and place it in your cool bag. It should be warmed up immediately before feeding the baby. You can use the finished mixture only for 24 hours, after which it is no longer worth feeding the baby with it. If there is a walk during which it will not work out to keep the mixture chilled, you need to use a freshly prepared product. In this case, it is better to take powdered infant formula in a container that has been previously sterilized and prepare it on the spot according to the instructions.
To prepare for the use of liquid and powder mixtures, follow the following sequence of actions. The ready-to-use mixture can be poured directly into a sterile bottle without diluting with water (wash the top of the can thoroughly before opening).
Boil tap water or bottled water for five minutes. We do not recommend using distilled water as it deprives the child of valuable minerals. Let the boiled water cool down.
Line up six sterile bottles in a row and fill each with the recommended amount of cold boiled water. Add the recommended amount of wet or dry mix. For example, if you are using liquid concentrate and 240 ml bottles, pour 120 ml of boiled water and 120 ml of liquid concentrate into each.
Put nipples and caps on all bottles, then put them in the refrigerator.
It is preferable to use the chilled mixture within twenty-four hours, maximum forty-eight hours.
Proper Concentration
Never prepare a mixture with a higher concentration than indicated in the instructions. Always add exactly
Tips for quick and easy sterilization and formula preparation
Use for feeding disposable plastic bags, which are fixed in a plastic holder; they are comfortable and minimize the amount of air swallowed as the bag collapses during feeding.
Use the dishwasher to sterilize bottles and nipples; also use ready-to-use liquid mixtures. No need to boil water, no need to re-sterilize, no need to measure the ingredients.
as much water as recommended by the manufacturer of the mixture. If you add too little water, the mixture will be too thick for the baby's immature intestines and kidneys, and the baby will become dehydrated. Sometimes your doctor may advise you to further dilute the mixture with water if you vomit or have diarrhea. Over-dilute the formula without the recommendation of a pediatrician is not worth more than a couple of days, as too thin formula will not provide your child with enough calories.
Most children prefer the mixture to be slightly warm; hold the bottle for a few minutes under running warm water. Put some on the inside of your wrist to check your temperature.
In order for the baby to swallow as little air as possible, tilt the bottle so that the entire nipple is filled with milk and the air rises to the bottom of the bottle.
Keep the baby's head straight in relation to the body. If the child drinks with his head turned to the side or with his head thrown back, it will be difficult for him to swallow.
To make your hand less tired, and the child sees you from different angles, change your hand at each feeding.
Watch for signs that the opening in the nipple is too large or too small. If the baby suddenly has a full mouthful of milk, chokes and almost chokes while feeding, the milk may be flowing too fast. Turn the full bottle upside down and do not shake. If the milk squirts out instead of dripping, the hole in the nipple is too big; throw that pacifier away. If you see that the baby is trying his best and gets tired of sucking quickly, and his cheeks sink in during sucking movements due to the resulting vacuum, the hole in the nipple may be too small (as mentioned earlier, milk should drip from the nipple as at least one drop per second).
Know when to back off. Children know when they are full. Fight the temptation to finish the bottle. If by the end of the feeding the baby is deeply asleep, but has not finished the bottle, stop. Often, babies fall into a light nap towards the end of the bottle, but continue to suck intermittently. They are full but indulge in a light "dessert" of sucking for pleasure. Remove the bottle and let your baby suck on the tip of your finger for a few minutes.
Despite the fact that the method of preparation is indicated on each package of baby food, from time to time questions like: “ ". Therefore, we will consider at least in two steps the main points that will help to avoid mistakes.
Before preparing infant formula, you should understand that modern adapted baby food does not need to be boiled. But all the recommendations for cooking indicated on the package must be followed exactly.
How to prepare infant formula:
1. Start by preparing the bottle. It must be thoroughly washed, sterilized and dried. Is there such a thing? Great, then pour warm water into it (temperature between 36-40°C).
2. Using the measuring spoon (usually included with the mixture), measure out and pour exactly the amount of powder indicated in the instructions. Some mothers, wanting to feed the little one better, deliberately increase the amount of the mixture, and then wonder where it comes from excess weight in a child and Remember, these instructions were not just made up and no experiments are needed.
Basically, everything. That's all the recommendations for the proper preparation of infant formula. It remains to feed the baby. But before giving him a bottle, be sure to drip a couple of drops from it on your wrist (where the skin is most sensitive), if the temperature is normal, you can start feeding the hungry baby.
Often, after feeding, at least half remains in the bottle, naturally, the mother may have a question: “ how long does the mixture keep?”, because I don’t really want to cook it again when this one was left .... But laziness in this case is inappropriate, you do not need to store leftover baby food until the next feeding, feel free to pour it out and wash the bottle. And next time, cook fresh, which will give additional confidence in the quality of the baby's nutrition.
Milk formula, even the most adapted and hypoallergenic, will not replace breast milk. Only breast milk provides the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients that are necessary for the full development and growth of the newborn. Therefore, a nursing mother should try to preserve breast milk and breastfeed her baby for as long as possible.
The transition to supplementary feeding or artificial feeding is a forced step when others do not help. In addition, feeding a newborn and older infants with milk mixtures can be caused by a severe illness of the mother and taking medications that are dangerous to the health of the baby.
With artificial feeding, it is important to choose the right infant formula. After all, many children react negatively to the composition of such food. Some people develop colic and stomach pains, others develop gas formation, and others develop rashes and other signs of food allergies. How to choose the right milk formula for a newborn, read more. Of great importance for the health of the child are the rules for the preparation and storage of such food.
How to properly dilute the mixture
To properly prepare the milk mixture, the following factors are taken into account:
- The dosage in which the mixture for the newborn should be diluted;
- The recommended amount of prepared food for a certain age of the child;
- cooking temperature;
- Shelf life of the open mixture.
You need to prepare the mixture immediately before feeding, so prepare sterile bottles in advance, let the finished container always be at hand. According to the instructions, determine how much mixture and water you need to prepare. Water, as a rule, is taken boiled. However, today they also produce special baby water, which is absolutely safe for a newborn. It is enough to heat such water, as it does not need to be boiled.
It is advisable to pour water into the bottle, already heated to the desired temperature. Ideal for newborn and baby indicators of 36-37 degrees are considered. Try not to heat the already diluted milk formula and do not use the microwave for this purpose! In extreme cases, you can use a water bath or ordinary hot water.
Pour the baby formula into the water of the desired temperature with a measuring spoon. Take only a dry spoon! Stir the powder, close the bottle and shake well so that no lumps remain. Throw away leftovers after feeding, don't use them next time!
Follow strictly the instructions and do not increase the dosage of dry milk powder! This can lead to a violation of material metabolism and worsening of the stool, increased colic and other problems in the stomach of the newborn.
How to calculate the amount of the mixture
How to sterilize a bottle
The bottle and pacifier must be sterilized before each feeding! First, rinse the dishes well and completely remove the remnants of the milk mixture. Use child safety detergents to reduce the risk of allergies in the newborn. To rinse the latex nipple, you can use regular salt. Pour salt inside and knead the products well, then rinse thoroughly under water. But this method cannot be used for silicone models!
Do not use scratched or cracked feeding bottles! It should be a sealed container, the cap of which fits snugly to the main vessel and leaves no gaps. When choosing, keep in mind that plastic products are lightweight, do not break and do not take up much weight. They are also safe for babies. Choose dishes for a newborn only from high-quality food-grade plastic!
The most common sterilization method is boiling. And put baby bottles in a separate pan, pour water and boil for several minutes. In addition, sterilization can be carried out in special steam sterilizers, using antiseptic tablets, and even in a microwave oven.
How to store infant formula
Before use, carefully read the instructions on how and how long to store an open package of milk powder. Store the mixture only in a dry place, as the granules easily absorb liquid and quickly deteriorate.
As for prepared food, the diluted mixture is recommended to be eaten immediately. The longer it is stored, the more harmful bacteria appears in the composition. Diluted food is stored for no more than two hours! If the baby has already eaten, the leftovers must be poured out and not taken for the next feeding!
