Contents:
- Medical Video: Breast to Bottle: Tips to Help The Transition
- How much formula for baby?
- Newborn baby
- Babies around 2 months old
- 4 month old baby
- 6 month old baby
- Baby's weight also has an effect
- How do you find out if the baby is suckling enough or not?
- 1. Weigh babies every month
- 2. Frequency of bowel movements
- 3. Other marks
- Does my baby drink too much formula milk?
- Prevent obesity in formula-fed infants
Medical Video: Breast to Bottle: Tips to Help The Transition
There are many reasons why a mother decides to give formula milk to her baby. Either because of problems with ASI production, on maternal health conditions, or on babies. However, you must pay more attention to presenting formula milk to your baby. Wrong and wrong, formula milk may cause your baby to get sick, like diarrhea. In addition, you also have to pay attention to the amount of formula milk given to your baby, whether it is sufficient, or perhaps less, or even too much? How much formula milk should be given?
How much formula for baby?
When a baby cries, you usually interpret the cry as a sign of hunger. So, you immediately give formula milk so the baby is full. When the baby is full, he no longer wants to be given a milk bottle and then you will pull the milk bottle from your baby's mouth. That's how you usually give formula milk to babies, which is in accordance with the wishes of the baby.
It is true that you should give formula milk to your baby's desires, whenever you feel your baby is hungry. However, give baby formula milk in stages, with the rules below.
Newborn baby
Usually it requires 45-90 ml of formula milk every 2-3 hours. A newborn still has a small stomach size, so it needs less milk, but it can be more frequent. This amount can increase with the baby's growth, and if your baby is also able to spend more each time he feeds. Do not force the baby to spend his milk if he is unable to suckle more.
Babies around 2 months old
Usually you can spend as much as 120-150 ml of formula milk every time you suckle. The baby's stomach size is bigger than when he was born. Babies may suckle every 3-4 hours.
4 month old baby
You can spend 120-180 ml each, depending on the frequency of feeding (every hour he needs milk) and body size. Usually babies who have larger bodies can spend more milk. If the baby has reached a weight of 5.4 kg, maybe he does not need to drink milk at midnight because usually he has suckled more during the day.
6 month old baby
Usually you can suckle 180-230 ml every 4-5 hours. If you have introduced babies with solid food, maybe this amount can adjust. You may need to reduce the amount of formula milk to your baby if you have given him solid food.
READ ALSO: Rules for Giving Formula Milk to Newborn Babies
Baby's weight also has an effect
Don't give your baby more than 960 ml of formula a day. Usually babies need 150 ml to 200 ml of formula milk per kilogram of body weight in a day. For example, your baby's weight is 3.5 kg, which means he might need 525 ml to 700 ml of formula per day.
However, this need can be different between babies because babies have a varied appetite every day. Sometimes on this day the baby can suckle more and the next day he can only spend less milk. If the baby is still nervous and easily disturbed during breastfeeding, maybe he is already full. If the baby still sucks the milk bottle in his mouth, maybe he is still hungry.
Initially, you should give formula milk to the baby following the baby's wishes, every time he is hungry. Over time, babies may be able to develop their own milk drinking schedule regularly. Over time the schedule of drinking milk will be formed by itself. Breastfeeding habits of babies can vary between babies, including in terms of the amount and frequency of feeding. Recognize your own baby's breastfeeding habits and nutritional needs.
How do you find out if the baby is suckling enough or not?
Every baby has its own development and has different nutritional needs. To find out if your baby is sufficiently breastfed or not, you can pay attention to the following:
1. Weigh babies every month
Your baby's weight can show whether the baby has enough nutrients he needs. If your baby's weight rises every month, that means your baby has enough nutrients. If your baby is having problems gaining weight, you should not wait for your baby to show signs of being hungry to give him formula milk. In fact, if necessary you have to wake the baby from sleep to be given milk. Especially during the first 1 month of a baby's life, if your baby sleeps longer than 4-5 hours and skips the feeding time, it doesn't matter if you wake the baby to drink milk.
2. Frequency of bowel movements
See how many times your baby defecates and urinates in a day. Babies who get enough nutrition will at least defecate 4 times a day and urinate 6 times a day.
3. Other marks
Another sign, which is usually the baby looks not satisfied after he suckles.
READ ALSO: Here's How to Safely Present Formula Milk for Babies
Does my baby drink too much formula milk?
Sometimes, because you follow the baby's wishes for formula milk, you become unaware that you have given too much formula milk. Giving formula milk to babies is also not good because this can encourage the baby to be overweight.
The following are signs that your baby is getting too much formula:
- Lots of saliva. Babies who get too much formula can get more saliva.
- Increase excess weight. If the baby's weight increases too quickly and is not followed by the addition of his height, maybe he gets excess formula milk.
Prevent obesity in formula-fed infants
If your baby shows signs of too much formula milk as described above, you can do the things below to minimize the risk of obesity in your baby.
- Give baby formula milk only when he is hungry, not because of other things (such as a baby bored or uncomfortable with the surrounding environment).
- Offer a pacifier when the baby wants to suck and is not hungry.
- Make sure you present formula milk in the right amount. Too little water added to formula can increase the number of calories contained in formula milk. Meanwhile, too much water that you add to dissolve formula milk can actually cause an imbalance of sodium in milk.
READ ALSO: How to Choose the Right Formula Milk for Children
