Artificial milk: feeding scheme from 0 to 6 months
How much milk does a formula-fed baby need per day based on age? From birth to weaning and beyond?
We propose below a diagram that represents the indicative doses and NOT the quantities that a child must necessarily take because differences are possible even between children of the same age and the same weight.
How often should he eat and how much?
The baby never takes the same amount of milk at each meal and therefore the number and quantity cannot be rigidly predetermined.
If sometimes he doesn’t finish the predefined dose or if he cries because he seems to want more, you can weigh him every week to check his growth and of course ask your pediatrician for advice.
To check that growth proceeds regularly, in the first months of life it is important to check the weekly weight gain which varies between 125 and 200 grams per week for the first 3 months.
It is necessary to contact the pediatrician when:
- the child grows less than 125 grams per week
- patches appear on the skin
- cries too often
- he suffers from constipation and cannot discharge himself every 3 days
- if you have doubts about the doses and methods of preparing the milk.
The frequency of feedings must take into account the times of digestion of the milk.
A few days old baby needs about 3 and a half hours to digest a bottle of milk. As the weeks go by, as the doses of milk per feed increase, the newborn spontaneously lengthens the time between one feed and the next.
Remember that
- The proportions of powder and water should NEVER be changed for any reason: milk prepared in incorrect proportions can cause health problems for the baby.
- The milk must come out of the bottle drop by drop . If it comes out as a jet, the hole in the teat is too big, if it comes out too slowly, the hole is blocked or too small.
- Artificial milk is a complete food that does not require supplements . On the advice of the pediatrician, granulated biscuits can be added after the fourth month.
- NEVER leave your baby alone with the bottle .
Formulated milk is also the closest food to mother’s milk.
Love and security are also transmitted by bottle-feeding . Even without physical contact with the mother’s breast, the baby still perceives the feeling of refuge and protection. However, some specialists advise giving the bottle undressed for the first few weeks in order to favor contact with the mother’s skin.
To prevent the child from getting nervous during the preparation of the milk (as soon as they wake up, in fact, they would like to eat immediately) try to stay close to him, talk to him, always moving calmly and without anxiety and haste to give the child a sense of serenity .
Once the bottle is ready, make yourself comfortable on the armchair or sofa away from noise and distractions and hold the baby with a firm grip that gives him a sense of containment and security. Position yourself so that you can look the baby in the eyes to convey all your love to him and if you want you can talk to him or sing a song while he eats, cradling him.
Don’t rush him and respect his time.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.