Is whole milk as nutritious as formula?

Milk is one of the main foods in the life of babies. It is an excellent and fairly accessible source of protein, calcium, and vitamins D and A, which are very important for baby’s growth and strengthening his bones for years to come. However, like all good things, feeding your baby milk in excess can cause discomfort.

Switching to milk formula

Despite all the advantages of breastfeeding, it is often necessary to transfer the baby to mixed or formula feeding. However, such transition must be clearly defined and can be carried out only after using all measures aimed at increasing lactation. We must remember that switching to mixed or formula feeding is stressful for the baby (especially the first months of life). It is far from indifferent because it causes changes in digestion, metabolism, gut flora.

Therefore, such a transition should be carried out gradually, carefully, with some caution. In order to carry out mixed and formula feeding, it is necessary to use infant formula and adhere to certain principles. European baby formuladeveloped by scientists is designed for all possible problems that mother and child may have, including meeting the age needs of the baby. It is important to see your doctor before making a final decision about whether or not to breastfeed. In addition, some babies may be allergic to milk or have problems digesting it.

When can babies start drinking milk?

Pediatricians agree on the age at which it is acceptable to include cow’s milk in a baby’s diet – its use is excluded until at least 12 months. After this age, it is allowed to introduce milk as a part of complementary food, but no more than half a glass per day. The whole product prevents the full absorption of iron and can cause iron-deficiency anemia. Are you wondering if whole milk can be as nutritious as organic formulas? Check out Mommyhood101 to learn more about the benefits of using organic infant formulas for your baby’s optimal health and development.

Cow’s milk or formula

The question of what is better – formula or whole milk – has always worried parents of babies.

Allergies to cow’s milk protein are the most common in young children. If it is boiled and then diluted with water, it becomes less allergenic. Most quality baby formula is hypoallergenic.

All of the vitamins in cow’s milk only work when combined with fats. Therefore, milk should not be skimmed. But too much fat content is not good for babies at all. If parents decide to use milk as the main food, they need to be sure that it is safe. Otherwise, there will be more harm than good.

To determine what is best, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each product. Milk certainly has several beneficial properties:

• It contains fats necessary for the human body, saturated with vitamins of groups A and B, valuable minerals.
• Support the nervous system
• Promotes immunity development
• Promotes memory improvement

However, milk is not easy to digest, even for the adult body.

Which milk is best?

Until recently, pediatricians recommended that children from one to two years of age consume whole milk and then switch to skim milk. These recommendations were based on the assumption that fat, which is essential for brain and nervous system development in the second year of life, was not contained in sufficient amounts in skim milk.

However, scientists’ recent studies confirmed no differences in growth and nervous system development between children under the age of five who consumed whole and skim milk.

Choosing which milk to give your child also depends on other factors, such as whether your family has a history of high cholesterol and heart attacks and whether your baby is overweight. Talk to your pediatrician, who can help you choose the best option.

So can I give milk to my newborn instead of formula?

According to pediatricians, babies under 12 months should not be given whole cow’s milk. Cow’s milk does not contain enough vitamin D, which a newborn baby needs. Medical studies have shown that if a baby is given cow’s milk along with this vitamin, he will develop rickets in most cases.

The calcium and phosphorus levels are several times higher than in the mother’s breast milk. However, the baby’s body absorbs calcium only in the necessary amount, and its excess is eliminated from the body. Since a baby’s kidneys are still tiny and cannot function properly, milk can be dangerous for a baby under one year of age.