The Breastfeeding It is the best food for the baby and that is why the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends it exclusively until 6 months of age.
However, there are times when it is not possible to follow this recommendation due to a health problem of the baby or the mother. It may also be due to a personal decision of the mother, for returning to work or for the reason it deems appropriate. Every family adapt the feeding At your own pace.
In these cases, an ideal solution may be the mixed breastfeeding, that is, to combine breastfeeding with formula milk.
Mixed breastfeeding can be done simultaneously or alternately. If done simultaneously, the baby's breast should always be offered first and if, after finishing both breasts, she continues hungry, the bottle is offered with the formula milk. It is most recommended for babies who have trouble gaining weight.
In alternating mixed breastfeeding, the shots are alternated, that is, one shot is made with breastfeeding and the next one with formula milk. This option can be of great help to mothers who should stay away from their babies for short periods of time, such as when working.
In this way, the baby can continue to get the best of his mother thanks to breastfeeding and in turn, formula milk can help solve these situations.
3 keys so that the baby does not reject breast milk
One of the main concerns when deciding on mixed breastfeeding is that the baby comes to reject the breast. However, there are some tips that we can put into practice to prevent this from happening:
- Always offer the breast before the infant formula.
- Breastfeed as often as possible.
- Be careful with the chosen milk, because the formulas are usually sweeter than breast milk because it contains added sugars and this can cause the baby to like it more.
What formula milk is best for mixed breastfeeding?
When the mixed breastfeeding There is a very important decision to make and it is what milk, after breast milk, is the best for our baby. Formula milks are adapted milks since they are obtained from another mammal and are adapted in their composition so that it resembles as much as possible to breast milk. There are multiple options in the market and, although all formulas are regulated and try to imitate breast milk, you have to know how to choose well.
Normally infant formulas are made from cow's milk but there are also Goat milk based formulas.
Goat milk has certain characteristics that are more similar to breast milk, so it will be necessary to make less adaptations such as formula milk and therefore will be less processed.
At the cellular level, goat milk is secreted in a similar way to breast milk, conserving more natural cellular components, such as nucleotides and free amino acids.
As an example of infant formula based on goat milk in the market we find Capricare. Studies conducted with Capricare show that the feces of infants fed with this formula are similar in consistency to that of babies fed with breast milk and that the number of bowel movements is more frequent and without discomfort.
Therefore, infant formulas based on goat milk are a more than valuable alternative in mixed breastfeeding.
