Bottle feeding your baby is a common decision for most moms. It is a decision that may be pondered over for long periods of time as you want to make the right choice as to why you want to bottle feed rather than breastfeed. If you decide to bottle feed, your next dilemma will be what kind of formula is best for your baby.
The most common baby formula to use is the ready-made type. It is the most convenient as you can feed your baby its contents as soon as you open it. The downside is that you are paying for the convenience since ready-made formula is the most expensive type to buy. You can save money by using powdered formula. The great thing about powdered formula is that it is the easiest to store in its dry state as it doesn't require refrigeration. Once you have mixed it with water, it will need to be refrigerated.
Your next decision is whether to choose formula made from cow's milk or soy. Formula from cow's milk is the most popular choice. However, if your baby is lactose intolerant this is not the right option. In the case of lactose intolerance, you can try soy based formula. Soy in general has received bad publicity and is still controversial when it comes to long term consumption. Goat's milk is also another option for lactose intolerant babies. It contains lower levels of lactose and may be a good option if you are concerned about soy's effects. If goat's milk or soy based formulas still don't appeal to you, there are also cow's milk formulas that are lactose free.
Newer formulas now have DHA and ARA added to them. Both are found in breast milk and formulas containing them can be a plus for mother's who are concerned about baby formula benefits. Always consult with your pediatrician if you are unsure about which baby formula to give your baby. You can find out how each type may benefit or which ingredients may not be as important.
Another major concern about bottle feeding is how to handle it while traveling out of town. You will have to take into consideration whether your destination will have a refrigerator, a way to plug in necessities like a bottle sterilizer, as well as a way to have boiled water if you use powdered formula. These types of concerns will become second nature once you get used to the routine of bottle feeding.
One thing to also remember is that baby formula (particularly the ready-made type) can be rather expensive. Even if you choose to use powdered formula, traveling may require the need for keeping ready-made formula handy for times when you don't have access to boil water. You will need to keep a good supply of baby formula on hand at all times and this can put a huge dent into your budget. There are ways to save on formula by shopping for it in bulk or by using coupons for specific brands like Enfamil or Carnation.
Baby formula is a nutritionally balanced substitute for a mother's breast milk. Most baby formula is made with a combination of ingredients, primarily either soy or cow's milk. It is manufactured under dozens of name brands and sold in powder, liquid, and concentrate forms. Besides breast milk, baby formula is the only recommended infant milk recommended by medical experts - and that recommendation come with severe qualifications.
In recent times, as medical research has shown the benefits of breastfeeding, the use of baby formula has declined dramatically in many nations. Nevertheless, doctors will still recommend baby formula over breastfeeding in some special rare cases.
Early History
The earliest baby formulas were homemade and meant to provide a means for mothers to feed their children without breastfeeding or use of a wet nurse. These early formulas were usually made from animal milk or what was available to their economic means. As food manufacturing and technology advanced, commercially produced baby formula became a staple of baby nutrition.
By the 1920s evaporated milk formula was readily available through much of the United States, and breastfeeding diminished as mothers increased formula use. In the 1950s, agressive marketing of Similac and Enfamil provoked a shift away from evaporated milk formula to formulas that chemically approximated real mother's breast milk. These campaigns were so successful that by the 1970s more than 75% of American babies were fed on baby formulas.
The success was short-lived. With increased women's liberation and a publicly fostered return to breastfeeding, the use of commercial baby formula quickly diminished. At the same time, medical research began to show breastfeeding offered vastly superior health benefits to babies over commercially produced formula, including the prevention of ear infections, asthma, and many other disorders.
Baby Formula Ingredients All baby formula manufacturers are required by law to meet nutritional guidelines supplied by the Food and Drug Administration. These guidelines are taken from recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics' committee on nutrition.
Baby formula must contain protein, niacin, folic acid, vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B6 and B12. There should also be minimum percentages of calcium, iodine, and iron.
The recipes for baby formula vary according to each manufacturer, with each one advertising they have the most healthy ingredients or the most recommended by pediatricians. The choice of baby formula for each child is then left to the parent or family doctor. Overall, however, any store bought baby formula brand will at least satisfy your baby's most basic nutritional requirements.
Baby Formula & Breastfeeding Pediatricians warn against the use of baby formula as even a supplement to breast milk, for fear the mother's lactation will slow due to decreased demand. Recent studies attempting to bolster baby formula's public image have also been of mixed success, with little conclusive results.
Corner Stork Baby Gifts offers a complete selection of unique baby gifts, baby shower gifts, baby shower favors, as well as diaper cakes and hundreds of lovely baby gift items. Visit http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com to visit their online catalog and browse our complete selection.
Both Chris H. & Chris Horton Horton are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Chris H. has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Home and Family. Save on by searching for