Artificial feeding is surrounded by many myths, sometimes creating unnecessary psychological tension, first of all for the mother and, through her, for the baby.
But, on the other hand, artificial feeding does have its pitfalls, which are not easy to consider. Let’s get to the bottom of the major myths, truths and half-truths about artificial feeding.
Artificial feeding is not a sentence
Table of Contents
Mother’s milk is the best food for the baby. This is confirmed by scientific studies, according to the WHO guidelines. You have tried all the methods and are forced to switch to artificial feeding? Give up the guilt, it is not constructive. In addition, the baby feels your anxiety and is sure to respond to it with abdominal pain, increased clamour, and even serious health problems.
Exclude from their reality, which scares young mothers.
1. MYTH – babies have immune problems
Women’s breast milk does contain antibodies that help the baby fight off viruses and bacteria. And an artificially-fed baby has a harder time with this. But if your baby was placed on the breast in the labor room and received the first drops of colostrum and then received breast milk for some time, you can safely divide your immunity worries by at least two. The first drops of colostrum are the ‘key’ by which your baby’s immune system kicks in. And you have most likely set it off correctly.
2. MYTH – the lack of breastfeeding affects your baby’s nervous system
The process of sucking for the baby – is not only a way to get nutrition, but also a secret, intimate communication with his mother, restoring unity with her. And babies breastfeeding can indeed show signs of increased anxiety by not satisfying their sucking reflex. There are two ways out of this situation. Firstly, try to provide your baby with skin-to-skin contact as often as possible. Shared naps, the kangaroo method will compensate for the baby’s lack of attachment to the breast. And secondly, if your baby’s unmet need for sucking is obvious, use a quality dummy.
3. MYTH – The baby is not getting enough nutrients.
Lactation is a truly unique system, fine-tuned by Mother Nature so that at any age, your baby receives breastmilk in the exact composition that he needs. In particular, the baby’s need for protein in the first weeks of life is the highest, and then it decreases. And the process of milk production in the woman’s body is changing, adjusting sensitively to the baby’s needs. That is why milk formula manufacturers pay so much attention to the composition of their products and always indicate for what age and baby needs a particular milk formula is intended.
Therefore, when selecting food for your baby, always take into account his or her age and the individual recommendations of your pediatrician. To understand the difference between stage 1 vs stage 2 baby food and switch to the right one at the right time.
4. MYTH – Being overweight is a real problem for formula-fed babies
But the problem of an overweight baby fed artificially should be taken seriously: this danger does exist and should not be neglected in any way. The fact is that breast milk is absorbed in 40-50 minutes, but formula takes an average of 70 minutes. Therefore a 3-hour interval between feedings should be observed.
5. MYTH – Infants lag in overall development
This is an outright myth. Infants are not inferior in their development to infants fed on their Mother’s milk. Provided, of course, they received an adapted formula, best suited to their needs; do not lack physical contact with their mother and, like breastfed children, are surrounded by age-appropriate toys, listen to their mother’s songs and nursery rhymes, read books and develop their fine motor skills.
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