COMMON MISTAKES IN FORMULA FEEDING

Mother’s milk is best for your baby. No formula milk(even the most premium ones) is comparable to mother milk. Due to its numerous benefits, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is advised for all babies for the first 6 months of life. But, according to the national health and family survey (NHFS-4), exclusive breastfeeding is done in only 54.9 % of Indian babies. EBF is practiced more in rural areas(56%) than in urban settings (52.1%). The highest percentage of exclusive breastfeeding is seen in Chhattisgarh (77.2%) and the lowest in Meghalaya(35.8%)( report by POSHAN).

globally around 40% of infants are exclusively breastfed for 6 months. the percentage is is highest in Rwanda(86.9%) and lowest in chad(0%).  In China, EBF  is practiced in 21% of infants and in the USA  35% of newborns are exclusively breastfed for 6 months.

 Although formula feeding is very common in our country, most parents don’t know the basics of formula feeding. Here are the common mistakes in feeding with formula milk

1. STARTING A FORMULA– Most babies don’t need formula feed. Yet, many mothers choose formula. Why? Most of them fall under the false assumption that their breast milk is insufficient for babies. If your baby is gaining weight adequately(800-1000gram/month in the first 6 months of life) and passing urine at least 8 times a day he/she is getting sufficient breast milk. Also, CRYING is not always a sign of hunger. Even if your child is not gaining weight adequately, consult your pediatrician to rule out any disease before starting the formula.
2.  CHOOSING THE RIGHT FORMULA– The composition of formula milk is different in different age groups. Also, preterm formula and formula for an infant with low birth weight differ from the formula of a normal newborn. consider these factors( age of infant, birth weight of newborn, gestational age of newborn) before buying a formula.
3. DILUTION– I have seen numerous parents who don’t know the proper dilution of formula. Many parents give overdiluted formula to their babies under the false assumption that diluted milk is digested better. This type of feeding results in poor weight gain in many infants. Kindly follow the instruction given in the box of formula or ask the pharmacy/ Doctor.
4. FREQUENCY AND AMOUNT – If you put your child solely on formula, the ideal interval is 2-3 hours between each feed. Now the question comes about the amount of milk in each feed. This depends on the age and weight of the infant. Calculate how much milk your child will need and divide it into 8-12 feeds(or less after 6 months). MILK/FLUID required according to age-

         150-180ml/kg/day before 1 month

         150ml/kg/day between 1-3 months

         120 ml/kg/day between 3-6 months

         100ml/kg/day between 6-12 months 

      5. OVERFEEDING– It occurs when you don’t know how much milk your baby needs. It can also occur when you do combine feeding of breastfeeding and formula feeding. These babies gain weight adequately, the only problem is vomiting or frequent regurgitation.

     6. CONFUSING FORMULA MILK WITH INSTANT CEREALS– Many parents confuse formula milk(lactogen, NAN, Similac) with instant cereals(for example Cerelac, Nestum). They are prepared differently and fed with different frequencies.

     7. MIXING OF FORMULA MILK WITH INSTANT CEREALS– Some instant cereals can be mixed with milk(for example- Nestum) while preparing. Whereas some instant cereals contain milk(for example- Cerelac), which does not require milk for preparation. Another point- do not mix honey, sugar, or any sweetener with formula milk.