Infant formula
There's no doubt about it: breast milk is the ideal food for every infant. But please don't put your baby under pressure, don't stress and above all don't panic if breastfeeding doesn't work or doesn't always work.
Breast milk is a real magic potion:
It reduces the risk of developing allergies.
It reduces the risk of developing obesity later in life.
It strengthens the immune defence.
It ensures that the transition to complementary foods is often more successful.
It is therefore not unimportant that breastfeeding is successful. Midwives, breastfeeding counsellors, paediatricians and their male colleagues are happy to help if not everything goes smoothly. BUT: The world doesn't fall apart if breastfeeding doesn't work for whatever reason. The most important thing is to stay calm! Experience has shown that the more stress and pressure mums and those around them put on themselves, the less likely it is to work.
The "Gesund ins Leben" network provides an overview of the benefits of breast milk and suitable measures to promote breastfeeding: www.gesund-ins-leben.de/inhalt/stillfoerderung-geht-alle-an-31353.html.
Very good, high-quality ready-made foods are available as an alternative. These are all subject to strict legal requirements regarding their composition. Very, very many things are precisely specified, for example the composition of fats and proteins. All the more reason for manufacturers to use the few remaining freedoms they have to show off in terms of marketing. Suddenly there is talk of adding prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics and HMOs (human milk oligosaccharides). Don't let this confuse or impress you. There is no need for us to discuss all these supplements here. Only one thing is important for you: everything on the market is okay.
But you can still pay attention to this:
When it comes to protein content, you should tend to stay in the lower range of the prescribed standard (EXCEPT: always consult your paediatrician for premature babies)
If there is a family history of allergies, so-called HA foods (hypoallergenic) are available.
In terms of fat composition, care should be taken to ensure that polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are added.
It is also important to ensure that the recommended mixing ratio of water to powder is always observed when producing ready-made milk; water should be boiled and cooled to below 40 degrees Celsius. Under normal circumstances, tap water can be used, unless there is known to be a very high level of nitrate or lead contamination locally.
Information from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment: www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/empfehlungen-zur-hygienischen-zubereitung-von-pulverfoermiger-saeuglingsnahrung.pdf.
Special foods for increased reflux or severe colic should always be discussed with the paediatrician. The same applies to special therapeutic foods, e.g. cow's milk allergy or metabolic problems.
Further interesting tips
Drowning
Anyone who knows me from practical experience knows that I am usually very relaxed and not very anxious when it comes to parenting and development issues and often advise people not to take a too tense view of things. But when it comes to today's topic, there is simply zero room for compromise. It's one of the most important issues in paediatrics: the risk of children drowning.
The task of the environment
"The task of the environment is not to mould the child, but to allow it to reveal itself." So what does that mean? It means that we parents often have to think and feel what makes our child tick.
Sauna with a child?
From a medical point of view, there is no question that going to the sauna is a healthy thing to do. Regular sauna sessions strengthen the immune system and do something good for the cardiovascular system. But is it also good for children? And if so, from what age?