5 Guidelines In Giving Alternative Nutrition For Your Little One

The most awaited time for Mommy after being pregnant for 9 months old is the time when finally Mommy can hold and embrace the Little One for the first time. Certainly, Mommy will give the best for him/her. For the Little One, especially infant, breast milk is the best source of food. WHO also recommends that the Little One be exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

If the circumstances of Mommy and the Little One are conducive, breast milk can be given until he/sheis 2 years old and interspersed with complementary foods. However, not infrequently, because of certain conditions and constraints, the Little One can not get breast milk. He/she needs an alternative source of nutrients to meet his/her daily nutritional needs. It should be noted by Mommy that the provision of alternative nutrients should be on the recommendation of a doctor accompanied by appropriate product selection.

What to do if doctors recommend providing alternative sources of nutrition? Please check out the following tips:

Pay attention to the Little One’s age

Avoid giving cow's milk recklessly to the Little One under the age of one year. Mommy should consult first to the pediatrician before giving milk to the Little One under the age of 1 year.

Do not Force the Little One

Give milk when the Little One shows hunger signs and stop if he/she is full. Do not force him/her to finish up the milk in the bottle. Generally, the Little Baby will drink about 60ml or 90ml milk every 1 to 3 hours every day.

Pay close attention to the packaging labels

Please make sure that Mommy read carefully the instructions contained on the packaging label for the proper and correct amount of water needed to make the milk. If the making of milk is done with less water, it may have resultin dehydration or diarrhea. Conversely, if the water used is too much then it can result in a reduction or dilutionof the nutritional content’s required levels.

Pay attention to the Cleanliness of the Equipment Used

Please make sure that the bottles and plastic teats are always sterile by boiling in boiling water for 5 minutes. This is for the cleanliness and keeping the Little One out from germs and bacteria. Do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing the milk.

Avoid Microwave Usage for Milk

Never warm the milk bottle in the microwave. Microwave can only heat some part of the milk, creating a lump that can hurt the tongue of the Little One.

Please remember dear Mommy, consult a pediatrician first about the conditions and constraints faced when breastfeeding the Little One. If necessary, the doctor will recommend the provision of nutritional alternatives that have complete content, such as choline, DHA, lactoferrin, alfa-lactalbumin, calcium, and vitamin D. Lactoferrin is useful for fighting infections such as cough and runny nose while alpha-lactalbumin helps brain development, to repait brain tissue, also to improve sleep quality. An alternative nutrient with a complete composition will ensure that the Little One goes through an optimal growth and development process according to Mommy's expectation.