Mixed feeding: pros and cons, basic rules for introducing formula supplementation

Almost no young mother doubts the importance and significance of breastfeeding for a child. However, a woman who has given birth and is deciding whether to breastfeed or give preference to artificial feeding must understand that she will have to face a certain exit from her “comfort zone” and change her habits when putting her baby to the breast. In this review, we will take a detailed look at all the existing pros and cons of breastfeeding, pitfalls, and what a nursing mother will have to sacrifice.

Mixed feeding: what is it?

Mixed feeding is the organization of a newborn’s diet, which combines breast and artificial feeding. The mother feeds the baby both breast and formula. With the correct introduction of supplementary feeding, the baby gains weight well and receives all the necessary minerals and vitamins for normal development.

The reasons for introducing mixed feeding may vary. But basically, this is a lack of mother's milk. How can you tell if a child is malnourished? On the Internet you can find a lot of recommendations on this matter - for example, assessing the color of your baby’s urine. But in this matter it is better to trust your pediatrician! Only a doctor, taking into account the child’s weight gain and his behavior, will be able to draw the right conclusions. And if necessary, he will recommend that the mother introduce supplementary feeding into the newborn’s diet. The fact is that the reasons for poor weight gain in babies are different, it’s not just a lack of breast milk.

Among the other most common reasons for introducing mixed feeding are periodic absences of the mother. If a woman cannot breastfeed her baby, this feeding is replaced with formula.

Sometimes a sufficient reason for introducing an artificial formula into the diet of a newborn is the baby's frequent regurgitation, constipation and colic. But in most cases, all this is “treated” with probiotics for the child and a diet for the mother. In this case, breastfeeding is still quite possible to fight for.

There is an opinion that the introduction of supplementary feeding has a negative impact on the development of the child’s immunity and the functioning of his digestive system. This is actually a myth. Yes, there is nothing healthier than breast milk for a newborn. But a good, correctly selected mixture will definitely not make him any worse.

On the contrary, mixed feeding allows the mother to maintain lactation at the proper level and does not give cause for concern that the baby is not receiving vital nutrients.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

The most important advantage of breastfeeding follows from the name of the type of classification of the animal world to which humans belong - mammals. That is, feeding on mother’s milk for children is a natural process that has been enshrined in our genes for many millennia.

Therefore, the benefits of breast milk for a baby are undeniable. Milk contains everything a child needs: a variety of vitamins, microelements, enzymes, hormones, antibodies and other biologically active substances. They not only fulfill all the baby’s needs, without which normal growth and development is impossible, but also protect him from infections for which immunity has not yet developed.

In addition, breast milk tends to change its composition depending on the needs of the child (fat content, density, consistency, etc.). And this applies not only to the transition of more saturated and nutritious colostrum into milk, the composition can change at any phase of lactation depending on a number of hormonal and other external factors.

Research by scientists has clearly proven that a child receives a lot of positive emotions, a sense of security, pleasure and comfort from the very fact of sucking the breast.

These are the main benefits for the baby, but for the mother, the benefits of breastfeeding are also undeniable. These include:

Simplifying your life in terms of feeding your baby. Artificial feeding involves many different chores and procedures: preparing formula, preparing dishes, heating the bottle and many others. Breastfeeding is much easier, because it is a natural process - the breast is always nearby, and milk is ready.
It is believed that breastfeeding is beneficial for a nursing woman in terms of balancing hormonal levels and restoring the body as a whole. According to official studies, women who breastfed are half as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding is a fairly energy-intensive process. To produce one portion of milk, a mother spends about 80 kilocalories of energy. Therefore, women who have problems with weight or have simply gained extra pounds during pregnancy will find it much easier to get in shape through breastfeeding.
Economic feasibility, which is especially important recently, when due to currency exchange rate fluctuations, imported mixtures have risen in price by two or even four times. In turn, breastfeeding will significantly save the family budget.

How to organize mixed feeding

Supplementing your baby with formula is done in several ways:

the mother gives the baby a little mixture after breastfeeding;
the mother completely replaces one or more breastfeedings with formula.

Doctors recommend this option of mixed feeding, when the mixture is only an addition to mother's milk, and not a complete replacement for one of the feedings for the baby. But the decision, of course, will depend on how well the newborn is gaining weight. It is quite possible that he does not need formula at all, and the mother should try to put the baby to the breast more often to stimulate lactation.

What rules should be followed when introducing supplementary feeding in the form of mixtures into a baby’s diet?

A balanced decision on the introduction of formulas into baby food

Many mothers introduce artificial formulas into their baby’s diet while still in the maternity hospital. This is sometimes recommended by doctors, since women have “unstable” lactation in the first days and even weeks after the birth of a child. There is a risk that the baby will lose weight. And mom is in a panic stocking up on boxes of formula. Take your time.

In fact, a slight loss of weight in a baby immediately after birth is a normal situation. Next week he will definitely make up for the “deficit” of grams. In the first days after birth, it is important to put the baby to the breast more often in order to establish lactation. You may not need the mixture at all.

But it is possible to draw any conclusions about the lack of mother’s milk only a few weeks after the birth of the child. But by this time, children are usually already actively gaining weight - of course, in the absence of digestive problems, such as lactase deficiency. This is why you need to consult a pediatrician - diseases whose symptoms include “underweight” should be excluded.

Smooth introduction of artificial mixtures

If the doctor recommends switching the baby to mixed feeding, the mixture should be introduced gradually. Not a full bottle at once, but a very small amount. It is important to make sure that the child “accepts” the new product well - without stomach cramps or allergies.

In general, this is a standard rule for mothers, which should be used in the future when introducing complementary foods in the form of cereals and vegetables. First, small portions of the new product, and then gradually increasing them.

Formula only after breast milk

If mixed feeding is not the goal of a complete transition to formula, it is extremely important to try to maintain lactation. To do this, doctors recommend first placing the newborn on both breasts, and only then giving him formula.

In the case of infants, supplementary feeding is administered through a bottle with a nipple. It is convenient if the mixture makes up about 40-50% of the daily diet. Older children (3-4 months) can be given supplementary feeding from a spoon - but it will only work if the proportion of the formula in the baby’s diet is small.

Breastfeeding is convenient!

Unlike formula, which must be somehow prepared and stored in the refrigerator, breast milk is always with you in unlimited quantities. If the baby wants to eat or drink outside the home, then you can breastfeed him immediately and continue on the road. How many times has this saved me on walks, while the mothers of our artificially-trained friends had to rush home amid the child’s tantrums... Therefore, it’s easy to travel with babies. And most importantly: you don’t have to get up at night and prepare the mixture! Personally, for me, waking up at night is like death, so I am incredibly glad to be able to just put my breast on a half-asleep baby and continue to sleep. One of the biggest benefits of breastfeeding for moms is the ability to get enough sleep.

As you can see, I found as many as 6 compelling arguments in favor of breastfeeding. I hope that now my readers will not have a question about why breastfeeding is so important. It's no wonder why so many moms struggle desperately with this process! So, if you have the opportunity, breastfeed for your health.

Ekaterina Ulyanova

Mother of two wonderful daughters and author of the blog blogomamochka.ru

Correct supplementation regimen

There is no clear regimen for introducing supplementary feeding - everything is individual. The amount of diluted formula will depend on many nuances - the child’s weight and appetite, the presence/absence of diseases of the digestive system, the nutritional value of mother’s milk.

In general, when it comes to mixed feeding, a universal rule applies - breastfeeding is done on demand, and formula is given according to the established schedule (but no more than 5 times a day and only during the day). However, there may be “deviations” here too - it all depends on what type of mixed feeding the mother chose. How does she supplement the baby's feeding? Does she replace a full meal with formula or feed only after breastfeeding? Consult with your pediatrician on what schedule to introduce supplementary feeding.

The amount of supplementary feeding introduced will depend on the infant’s daily food needs. First, we calculate exactly how much milk your baby needs per day - it depends on his weight and age. And then we divide this number by the number of feedings per day.

This way we get the approximate volume of milk that the child needs “in one go” to be full. We proceed as follows - as much as the baby lacks mother’s milk, we offer as much formula to him after applying to the breast. Or we dilute the mixture for full feeding.

There are quite a few formulas for calculating a baby’s total food needs. We offer one of the variations:

Age 1-10 days. If the child weighs less than 3.2 kg, multiply the age in days by 70. If the baby weighs more than 3.2 kg, multiply the age by 80.
Age from 10 days to 2 months. Food requirement is 20% of the baby’s weight.
Age 2-4 months. Food requirement is 1/6 of the baby’s weight.
Age 4-6 months. Food requirement is 1/7 of the baby’s weight.
Age 6-12 months. Food requirement is 1/8-1/9 of the baby’s weight.

To properly organize mixed feeding, you will have to weigh the baby periodically. And also know how much breast milk he consumes at one time - pumping will help with this.

Benefits for the baby

The benefits of breastfeeding for a child lie not only in fully satisfying the body’s needs for macro- and microelements. It also consists of protecting against a number of diseases and increasing the body’s protective function. Breast milk contains antibodies that protect the baby's body from bacteria and viruses. Colostrum contains immunoglobulin A, which protects the nasopharynx and oropharynx from the invasion of viruses.

Children who are not breastfed are more susceptible to respiratory and intestinal infections. In addition, breastfed children have a reduced risk of developing:

otitis;
pneumonia;
pharyngitis or laryngitis;
atopic dermatitis;
asthma;
eczema.

Premature babies have a high risk of developing necrotizing colitis; breastfeeding reduces this risk by 60%. It should also be noted that sudden death syndrome and celiac disease develop less frequently. Children who are breastfed are 30% less likely to develop type 1 diabetes than those who are formula fed.

Breast milk promotes healthy weight gain while preventing the development of obesity. It is important to observe the duration - to prevent this pathology you need at least a month.

There are several opinions about feeding after a year. Some experts are of the opinion that milk no longer contains useful substances and this is impractical. Others believe that even in the second year of feeding, the child receives the necessary microelements and vitamins.

Which formula to choose for introducing supplementary feeding during mixed feeding?

The selection of baby formulas is huge. On a dairy and dairy-free basis, with and without additionally introduced beneficial components, medicinal and conventional. The specific choice of formula depends on the baby’s age and health characteristics. Check with your pediatrician.

When choosing a mixture, we first decide on its base. It can be cow's or goat's milk. Both types of product are approved for supplementary feeding of small children. The difference is in the nutrient content and “closeness” to the composition of breast milk. It is believed that it is mixtures based on goat’s milk that are ideal for infants - they “repeat” the composition of the mother’s milk as much as possible. Found the perfect option? Then we look at the packaging - there is a marking here that tells you what age the product is intended for. This is important - mixtures vary in composition. The product for a six-month-old child is definitely not suitable for a newborn.

Do not forget that even the highest quality formula may not be suitable for a child. Most often, the selection of a specific brand is carried out by trial and error. If a baby takes a specific product without any negative reactions from the body, there is no need to change its brand in the future, even “as an experiment” or because “a friend recommended it.”

What are the benefits of breast milk? The benefits of breastfeeding

In general, breast milk is a real panacea and a storehouse of substances specially created by nature that are suitable specifically for your baby. It provides the child with everything necessary at the beginning of life, carefully taking care of his health.

Promotes the formation of strong immunity.

Breast milk contains a large number of minerals, macroelements, enzymes, vitamins, microelements that take care of the baby’s health and preserve it, form infant immunity, and protect against pathogenic bacteria.

Therefore, those mothers who are afraid of losing the beautiful shape of their breasts due to feeding or those who, because of the desire to spend time with friends or go on a trip for work, immediately switch their child to formula, are making a huge mistake. The baby loses an important stage in the formation of the body and its components, increasing weight gain, often excessive.

That is, for the first four to six months of life, breast milk completely replaces any other food for the baby; nothing is required to protect the baby from infections, allergies and chronic diseases.

Particularly valuable is the milk that is produced on the first day of a baby’s life. It is very thick and viscous. It is usually called colostrum - it contains a huge portion of protein and antibodies for the structure and strengthening of bones and muscles, for the formation of mucous membranes. Antibodies are the most complex and unique part of colostrum, as well as subsequently breast milk. It’s just that each antibody is produced by the mother’s body for a specific child. Even if the mother gives birth again, the composition of antibodies in her milk will change.

Breast milk is easily digested and absorbed, unlike artificial formulas, causing less constipation, belching, and diarrhea. The digestive process is easy, without bloating, pain, or colic. And the excrement, which can later be seen on the diaper, clearly has a less pungent odor.

Babies and their mothers who breastfeed them know what stomach, intestinal, and ear infections are much less often than “artificial babies.” That is, stomach upsets and otitis media, due to the development of local immunity, are extremely rare in those children who were fed not from a bottle, but from mother’s milk.

Another interesting fact is that breast milk also contains long-chain fatty acids, which contribute to better mental development of the baby. This fact was discovered not long ago by English scientists. Such an enzyme also cannot be reproduced in the laboratory in order to add it to the baby food formulas that feed those babies deprived of their mother's breast.
Human milk is a hypoallergenic product. Infants in the future and even at an older age are much less at risk of developing allergic reactions (even if there is an allergy sufferer in the family), diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. In infants, diathesis and other manifestations of allergic reactions of the body practically do not occur.
Positive effect on the child's nervous system. The process of breastfeeding itself becomes an important stage in the development of the psychological relationship with the mother. The child quickly gets used to you and your importance in his life, you more easily develop love for your child and the notorious maternal instinct. When breastfeeding your baby, you establish a psychophysiological connection with him, study his habits, and can even judge the traits of his developing character. And in general, when feeding you enjoy the peaceful state of your baby, you are touched by his strength of life, his miniatureness. And your child feels protected near his mother, then the place now becomes his place of safety and peace. He feels coziness, comfort, relaxation, even at such a tiny age. Therefore, in the future, even just next to the mother, feeling her scent, the child will calm down and stop crying or getting scared.
Surprisingly, breastfeeding actually helps many mothers lose weight. It's quite simple: fat reserves that are deposited during pregnancy become the source that the body spends on milk production, so you lose weight. In addition, during this process the body is saturated with the hormone oxytocin, which causes frequent contractions of the uterus, which also has the effect of reducing abdominal volume by strengthening the lower abdominal muscles.
In the future, a mother who breastfed her child has virtually no risk of developing breast cancer. Already at a more mature age, a woman will not face the problem and threat of a femoral neck fracture in a fall or during an unsuccessful turn.
Significant savings on the family budget. Formulas and baby food cost a lot of money, which puts a significant strain on the family budget. Breast milk is a free gift from nature, the main thing is to feed the mother well.

Nature took good care of her, literally conjuring the composition of a woman’s breast milk. It is not always the same in composition, and may even change depending on the time of day or what the weather is like outside the window. At night and in winter, the mother’s body produces fatty and nutritious milk, suggesting that the child needs additional nutritional support from freezing and for good sleep, but during the day the milk has a lower percentage of fat content so that the child can actively move and play; in hot weather, the milk becomes extremely liquid and Fills with water to protect the child from heat and dehydration.

Benefits for mom

There are benefits to breastfeeding for moms too. This is convenient because... You always have milk with you, you don’t need to heat it up. The cost of such food is several times less than the mixture. The cost of medicines is lower - children on breastfeeding get sick less often than those who are breast-fed.

Another plus is that babies try new tastes through their mother’s milk.

This makes it easier for a woman to introduce her child to solid food. There are also more serious benefits of breastfeeding for the mother:

disease prevention;
skin-to-skin contact with the child;
regaining the previous physical form.

Reducing the risk of disease

American scientists have discovered a relationship between breastfeeding and the number of female diseases. Plus breastfeeding – reducing the risk of the following pathologies:

ovarian or uterine cancer;
problems with the heart, blood vessels;
type 2 diabetes;
increased blood pressure;
breast tumors;
brittle bones or osteoporosis.

Emotional connection with a child

Before childbirth, the female body begins to produce oxytocin. This substance has an analgesic effect and stimulates active contractions of the uterus. Oxytocin is also produced during breastfeeding. It makes mom calmer and strengthens her nervous system.

All this strengthens the emotional connection with the baby during skin-to-skin contact during feeding.

Close relatives can also give expressed milk to a baby. Such actions bind all family members with a sense of responsibility. If a woman has become a mother for the first time, established breastfeeding will give her confidence in her abilities.

Fast form return

The advantage of breastfeeding is that this method of nutrition increases the quality and quantity of sleep. During rest, a young mother not only gains strength, but also returns to her previous physical shape faster.

Scientists have proven that breastfeeding women lose extra pounds faster than mothers with artificial feeding.

This is due to the fact that during breast stimulation the same oxytocin is produced. It helps reduce the size of the uterus and normalize metabolism.

Types of breast milk

There are three types of breast milk - colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk. They differ in their quality characteristics.

Colostrum

This is a substance that begins to be produced by the female body immediately after childbirth. It has a yellow tint and is viscous. Its use by a newborn baby is mandatory.

Colostrum contains a large amount of fats, antibodies and valuable microelements. It protects the child from the adverse effects of the environment, and helps the newborn to adapt most comfortably to the new environment.

Transition milk

It replaces colostrum 4-5 days after birth. The concentration of fats in it becomes less, but the nutritional value does not change.

Mature milk

2 weeks after birth, the female body begins to produce mature milk. It contains a large amount of water and a concentration of nutrients necessary for the further full development and growth of the child.

Disadvantages of Breastfeeding

In contrast to the advantages, almost all of the disadvantages of breastfeeding are associated with discomfort for the woman, not for the child. Therefore, if a woman is worried about her comfort, she can still weigh the decision, but if she thinks about the well-being of the baby, the scales will definitely tip towards breastfeeding.

So, first of all, let’s look at the disadvantage to which women undeservedly attach the greatest importance - the loss of breast shape after breastfeeding. This is a rather dubious minus, since, firstly, there is no official confirmation on this matter (it all depends on the individual characteristics of each woman’s breasts), and secondly, any change in breast shape can be successfully corrected by wearing underwear or exercising in the gym.

Vitamins and minerals

Also, a significant hindrance during lactation is considered to be a lack of vitamins and microelements in the mother’s body, which manifests itself in hair loss, brittle nails and teeth, and joint pain. Nature has arranged a woman in such a way that during lactation the rule “first to the child, then to the mother” applies in the body.

This problem can be easily eliminated by deliberately and simultaneously taking special vitamin-mineral complexes rich in calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. A nutritious and varied diet for the young mother also plays an important role.

Lifestyle restrictions

A significant problem for many women is giving up many habits and lifestyles that can harm the child, in particular: drinking alcohol, smoking, eating without restrictions. It is no secret that often during lactation the range of products for the daily diet is quite limited due to the allergenicity and harmfulness of many substances. Here you have to choose what is more important - your habits or the well-being of the baby.

No less important is the factor of being together. When breastfeeding, the mother will not be able to be away from the baby for a long time (work, study, etc.), since breaks in feeding to maintain lactation should not exceed a couple of hours. For many women, such a “hand and foot” connection is critical, and they switch to artificial feeding.

If a mother gets sick while breastfeeding, there will be significant discomfort with the choice of medications for treatment, since most medications are prohibited during lactation. This also includes various symptomatic drugs for relieving headaches, correcting blood pressure, and the like. Nursing mothers have to be content with herbs and traditional medicine.

Chest pain when skipping feedings

If a young mother works or is away from home, she periodically experiences a feeling of fullness in the mammary glands. This is due to missing the next feeding. The situation can be corrected by pumping. The process is carried out manually or using an electric breast pump.

The big minus is that for the first 3-6 weeks you may experience pain in the nipples when feeding.

Delicate skin cracks and becomes rough. If discomfort lasts more than 1-2 minutes, then this may indicate improper attachment to the breast, infection or stagnation of milk. This condition causes the mother physical suffering and uncertainty about the need to breastfeed.

Cracked nipples and strict hygiene

Often, while breastfeeding, the baby injures the mother's nipples. This is fraught with the formation of cracks, wounds and other problems associated with unpleasant sensations. However, it should be noted that there are now many good creams and ointments to combat these problems. In addition, the nipple may become rough and lose sensitivity over time, which will further reduce the quality of intimate relationships. However, this process is temporary and subject to quick correction.

With intensive lactation, problems with milk leaking through underwear in crowded places are also possible. The problem can be solved through proper hygiene and the use of special pads and underwear.

To summarize, we can say that almost all the disadvantages of breastfeeding in modern society are easily neutralized, and almost all of them are temporary. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether it is worth abandoning such a beneficial process for the child, or allowing yourself to enjoy motherhood to the fullest.