Singapore Mums

For babies that are breastfed, the nutrition in the breast milk changes throughout the nursing experience. Therefore, breastmilk is different when the baby is 6 days old, 6 months old, and 18 months old. These changes usually happen gradually over time. In the same vein, formulas come in different stages in order to address babies' changing nutritional needs as they develop.

Infant formulas are tailor-made to meet the nutritional needs of most infants during the first year. Most kids do better with a drink that isn't quite so rich in the second year.

Toddler formulas usually have most of the same vitamins and minerals in infant formulas. However, the main difference between toddler and infant formulas is that the former contain a greater amount of calcium and phosphorus. These formulas are designed to provide the higher phosphorus and calcium levels needed by kids as they grow, same as the ones found in whole milk.

The benefit of toddler formulas over whole milk is that most of them contain DHA which is an important omega-3 fatty acid that can also be found in breastmilk. One way or another, getting DHA in a baby's diet seems very important in the first two years. If you notice that your child needs formula after the first year, you can switch to a toddler formula to accomplish this as this will provide her with the extra calcium and phosphorus needed.

Also, if you are concerned that your toddler is not eating a proper amount of solids, toddler formula can provide most of her nutritional needs while still experimenting with solid food.

For most kids, it is best not to force them to eat with moving the spoon like an airplane or with music or any sound effects. Kids do have an internal mechanism that tells them how much to eat that you want to keep intact. But if you suspect it is not intact or there are serious food allergies ccompliationz, it is usually best to work with a feeding specialist so as to learn how to encourage feeding while you are still keeping your baby’s motivation strong.

Your kid may be fine with 16 ounces of formula a day now or she may want 24 ounces. But if she consistently takes more or less than that, tell your pediatrician so as to be sure she is getting a good amount for her specific situation. You will get to see on the charts just how she is growing at the one-year physical. And one way or the other, your little one is on the doorstep of toddling into a whole new stage of her life.

It is okay to continue the infant formula, as long as it doesn't contain too many calories for your baby. It is okay for her to eat as much or as little solids as she wants. It will vary day by day.

If you are a parent, then you have already heard the news, breastfeeding is the best option for your baby. But sometimes, it is difficult, or even near impossible, for a woman to breastfeed hundred percent of the time.

Reasons for choosing to supplement breastfeeding with formula are different for each family. It may be a medical or physical reasons that prevents some women from producing an adequate milk supply, some may be returning to work and others may have babies with special dietary needs.

Which ever reason it may be, you have to first discuss it with a pediatrician so as to make sure it really is the best option for baby. However, it should not be an issue that will cause a nursing mother any guilt. The first responsibility of a mother is to make sure her baby is well-fed. In addition, it is also important to know which formula to use when supplementing the breastfed baby.

There are various brands and types of formulas available, so it may seem difficult to a first-time bottle-feeder when faced with different selection. Because all babies are different with unique needs and likes, this is a basic guide to some formula options on the market.

Powdered or Prepared Formula

Before you begin searching for brands, it is vital to know how infant formula is sold, and why it matters.

Baby formula is generally sold in two different types, and these are powdered or liquid. Liquid formula is a pre-prepared kind of formula. It is easy to use, since all you have to do is pour out the exact amount you need without having to mix anything.

Usually, most hospitals prefer this liquid pre-prepared baby formula because it is more sterile. It is purchased in already packaged disposable nurser bottles, which allows for very little risk of contamination.

The biggest advantage of this type of formula is that it is very convenient. There is no need to worry about mixing the wrong amounts and this makes it very friendly for babysitters. Also, It is the safest option when there is no clean water and it can make traveling with baby stress free.

The disadvantage of liquid formula is that after it is opened, it has to be used very quickly. Plus it is more expensive.

Powdered formula is the more affordable option because it costs less per container to buy and it lasts longer after being opened.

It is very important to follow the exact mixing directions listed on the container when using powdered formula. When mixing the bottles, you must use sterile water and wash your hands before preparing the formula. You can pre-mix them and store them in the refrigerator once you know how many bottles your baby will use in a day.

Another type of formula that is less common is the concentrate. This requires mixing like powdered formula, but is in liquid form, which makes it neater than powder. The price is between powdered and liquid formula in most cases.

Mummies! We may have a hard time choosing on which milk formula brand will not only fit our budget, but on the nutrional value it can provide our children. Escpecially now that according to Straits Times, the average price of milk powder cost up by 120% in 10 years. So we decided to do a comparison of the available brands in the market. We hope that this post will guide you on which brand is best for your young ones.

If your child likes the milk brand and their body does not reject it, better stick on it. Remember that the price does not dictate the amount of nutrients a formula can give, some may be cheaper but is better than the pricy ones.

Milk formulas are usually made of cow's milk and they are specially made to meet your baby’s specific nutritional needs. Usually, they come in powdered form, ready to be mixed with boiled water and then given in a bottle to your little one. Also, ready-made babies' formula are available and they can be very useful if you are on the go and also during the night.

Aptamil® Gold+ 4 Junior Nutritional Supplement is a premium supplement for young children from 2 years of age and it is specially designed to help in meeting the dietary needs of fussy or active children whose dietary intake may not be adequate. It is formulated to support growing children when taken as part of a healthy and varied diet and is prepared as directed.

It contains the goodness of cows' milk & sixteen essential vitamins and minerals that will support normal growth and development.

It also contains Zinc which is necessary for normal immune system function and also Calcium and Vitamin D for normal teeth and bone structure.

There is also Omega-3 DHA fatty acid. Two serves per day of Aptamil Gold stage 4 formula provides at least 20-50% of the recommended dietary intake of 16 essential vitamins and minerals.

It contains Sucrose i.e table sugar, with no artificial colours.

There is also a hint of vanilla flavou added to it.

Ingredients:

Milk solids i.e whey protein, skim milk, and lactose, vegetable oils with soy oil, dried omega 3 and omega 6 LCP oils (fish oil [tuna], galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) from milk,arachidonic acid oil, antioxidants [sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, mixed natural tocopherols, dl-alpha-tocopherol]), sodium caseinate, long chain polyfructose, acidity regulator (potassium hydroxide & calcium hydroxide), emulsifier (soy lecithin), choline chloride, corn starch, taurine, probiotic (Bifidobacterium Breve M-16V), carnitine, inositol.

Vitamins: Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, D3, E, K1, folic acid, biotin, beta-carotene.

Minerals: Potassium, calcium, chloride, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, selenium, manganese.

Nucleotides: Uridine 5’-monophosphate, adenosine 5’-monophosphate, cytidine 5’-monophosphate, guanosine 5’-monophosphate, inosine 5’-monophosphate.

Preparation Instructions

Make sure you wash your hands before preparing the formula.

Also, wash and rinse cup and all other utensils thoroughly.

Clean and sterilise all the utensils by submerging teats and bottles in water and then boil for five minutes.

Boil safe drinking water and then allow it to cool until lukewarm. Now measure the required volume of lukewarm water into a feeding bottle that has being sterilized.

Use only the enclosed scoop. Lightly fill the scoop & level off using the built-in leveller. Make sure you avoid compacting powder.

Be sure to always add one level scoop of powder for each 50mL of water.

After this, cap the bottle & shake briskly to as to dissolve the powder.

Test the temperature of the mixture on your wrist before feeding. immediately. It is safer to feed the baby Aptamil® Gold+ Junior Growing Up Formula immediately it is prepared.

Discard unfinished drinks.

Most mums find it rather difficult to change from one milk to another due to fears that their little one will react badly. These fears are mostly brought about by different stories and testimonies from other mums or from different reviews about the product. However, know that babies react to formulas differently. That one baby doesn't like a formula does not mean that it is not good for another baby.

That said, mums should also know how to introduce a new formula to their baby as this will not only be helpful in getting the baby to take it, it will also allow the baby's system to adjust.

Here are a few tips that may help your baby adjust to a new formula smoothly and easily.

Do not do away with the previous formula. Make sure you have enough of your baby's previous formula on hand if possible, approximately 1 weeks’ worth, before you do the transition so that you can make the change to the new formula gradually.

Introduce the new formula gradually to your baby. Avoid changing completely to a new formula within just one day. It can help to offer one bottle of the new formula on the first day of changeover, and then use your baby's previous formula for the remaining feeds.

On the second day, offer two bottles of the new formula and then use the previous formula for the remaining feeds. Keep using this method until your baby has made the full transition to the new formula. Most times, thidcould take up to a week or more.

An alternative method you can use is to mix the two formulas together for several days before introducing the new formula only. It is always after to prepare a separate bottle of each formula (old and new) and then mix the two formulas into another bottle.

Ensure each formula is prepared according to the manufacturers’ instructions on the can.

You should also imbibe the following hygiene habits so as to protect your little one from illnesses like diarrhoea and the likes.

*Always wash your hands you prepare the formula and also wash and rinse cup and all other utensils thoroughly. *Sterilise all the utensils by submerging teats and bottles in water and then boil for five minutes.

*Boil safe drinking water to prepare the formula and then allow it to cool until lukewarm.

Also, ensure that the formula you choose is a suitable and is age appropriate choice for your baby.

For instance, if your baby is under six months old, choose a Stage 1 Infant formula suitable from birth as these tend to be dominantly whey.

For babies six months or older, you may choose either a Stage 2 Follow-on formula suitable from six months or Stage 1 Infant formula suitable from birth. These two choices are appropriate depending on your individual baby.

However, if you become concerned about any aspect of your baby’s health, make sure you contact your baby’s health professional for advice.

Baby formulas are categorised into three stages to match the developmental needs of babies. These are:

Stage 1 fmilk or babies below 12 months.
Stage 2 formulas are given to babies after 6 months. They are also known as follow on formula.
Stage 3 onwards is given to babies from 1-year-old onwards and it is also known as growing up milk or toddler milk formula.

Stage 1 formulas, also known as infant formula from birth
Most infant formulas available are based on cow's milk which has been significantly altered to make it nutritionally suitable for infants. They have been modified in such a way that they closely match the makeup of breast milk, therefore they sometimes referred to as "breastmilk substitutes". Its protein is made up of whey and casein. Infant formulas composes of whey dominantly just like breast milk which has a whey to casein ratio of about 60:40. It is easy to digest, which makes it suitable for babies up to one year old.

Stage 2 formulas

These formulas are for six months and older are called follow-on formulas. They are similar to Stage 1 formulas but they have a higher casein to whey ratio of 80:20. Stage 2 formulas can also contain different levels nutrients compared with stage 1 formulas, so they are e not suitable for babies younger than six months. Stage 2 formulas takes longer to digest, and is therefore suitable for baby’s growing appetite.

However, make sure that you offer your todfler solids from six months onwards, because they will need extra nutrition from food.

Note that you don’t have to change to follow-on at six months if your baby is happy and established on an infant formula, you can just continue using infant formula right up until 12 months

Stage 3 and 4 - Growing up milk

From 12 months onwards, your baby becomes a toddler. They are busy, active and need extra energy and nutrients to play and grow.

Once a child is over a year old, doctors and dietitians agree that a glass or two of fresh cow’s milk a day along with a balanced diet is all that is needed.

Cows’ milk can be your toddler's main milk drink, around 2-3 cups a day is enough for most toddlers. However, toddlers need plenty of iron rich foods in their diet so as to grow up healthy and strong, and also for learning and development. This can be a problem for some parents as their toddler may be struggling to get enough iron, most especially if he is a picky eater, doesn't like to eat meat or have small appetites. In such cases, you can remedy this with lots of patience, attention and love. Consult your doctor so that he can recommend a special growing up milk rich in iron for your child. Also, you can introduce other iron-rich diets to your child. Encourage and reward him when he eats it.

In Singapore, just like other parts of the world, obesity is a growing concern even though the state has been able to reduce the overall proportion of overweight children.

Since obesity in children is largely due to excessive calorie consumption and inadequate physical exercise, It is important that parents help their children develop positive eating habits. Oftentimes, parents lack the necessary nutritional knowledge and are obese themselves.

While we may think that it is healthier for toddlers to be drinking skim or 1% milk instead of growing up milk formula, it may actually prove to be more protective against obesity if they are sipping on a bottle of the higher fat-containing 2%, whole milk or even growing up milk.

Moms should know that formula does not equal a fat baby. Obesity only means your baby wasn't getting the nutrients it needed, therefore once you started giving them, their body played catch up. Also, can also not over feed a baby.

A nutritious and balanced diet is all the more important for toddlers as they do not only need nutrition for day to day activities, but also for development and growth. Like adults, children need to consume a combination of healthy foods, like low-fat dairy products, whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, while keeping fats and sugar to a minimum. But, it is important to allow your toddler small amounts of his favourite foods once or twice a week, so that he doesn't feel deprived.

How to know if your child is growing normally

You, as a mom, can use the weight-for-height or the BMI charts that are available in the child’s Health Booklet to get an idea of your child’s weight relative to the height. This chart is useful for children aged 6 to 18 years of age.

Toddlers whose BMI are between the 5th to 97th percentile are considered within the acceptable weight while those between the 90th to 97th percentile are generally considered to be overweight. Any child above the 97th percentile is severely overweight.

How to help your child eat more healthily

Most children mirror their parents’ behaviour. When you spend time together, especially mealtimes, with your child, it will allow you to monitor the eating habits and also set appropriate examples.

What you can do to prevent obesity in your child

Apart from encouraging physical play and a healthy diet in your child, these are a few things a concerned mom can do:

1. Limit time spent in front of the TV or computer about 2 hours a day

2. Eliminate bad eating habits: do not encourage eating while studying, watching TV, eating to cope with stress or eating between meals.

3. Avoid unhealthy food associations. Art up a reward system that does not depend on food. In place of this, encourage exercise or positive behaviour. For instance, you can reward the child with a new badminton racquet, rollerblades or even give him permission to play longer outdoors.

4. Lastly and most importantly, the family has to make a commitment to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Generally, infant formulas can come in ready-to-use liquid, concentrated liquid, and powdered form. The type of formula milk that will work best for you will depend on how much formula you plan to use, where you plan to use it (ready-to-use is actually more convenient if you are out and about) and how much you have in your budget. Ideally, all forms of formula are the same from a nutritional standpoint.

Powder formula

The concept involved here is that you add powder to a premeasured quantity of water and then shake a lot. Most powdered formula is mixed according to the same recipe which is: 1 scoop of powder to every 2 fluid ounces of water.

Formula in powdered form comes in cans containing enough powder to make between 90 ounces to about 200 ounces of prepared formula. It is the most economical choice and works perfectly well for most babies. For preparation, you can decide to mix it up as you go or prepare a full day’s worth of formula at a time and refrigerate it.

Concentrated liquid formula

This option is the one that requires you to just add water as directed and shake. Mixing and measuring of liquid concentrate formula is as straightforward as powdered formula, because all brands of concentrate formula requires equal amounts of concentrate and water. If you need a total of 4 fluid ounces of prepared formula, all you have to do is mix 2 fluid ounces of the concentrate with 2 fluid ounces of water. Some people may choose to mix a whole can of concentrate with an equal amount of water, resulting in ounces of now-ready-to-feed formula that can be covered and stored in the refrigerator which can be used over the next 48 hours. Although some parents find concentrate to be neater, easier and more convenient than powder, it is usually more expensive than the ones in powdered form.

Ready-to-use formula

This form of baby formula is an option that requires no measuring, no mixing and no mess. It is the most convenient type of formula. It is rich and thick, does not need the addition water to it before feeding. Also, it is less likely to constipate babies than the formula in powdered form. It is usually sold in 2,6 or 8-fluid-ounce containers or 1-quart/ 32 fluid ounce cans or containers. The use of ready-to-feed formula option is usually self-explanatory, that is, what you see is what you give. Although the small “Ready-to-Feed” caption may not be prominently visible on the label, it is difficult to miss the distinguishing price tag. Buying ready-to-feed formula may inevitably cost the most out of all the three options of formula, it however, leaves almost no room for error. It is also the easiest way to limit your baby's exposure to too much fluoride. You can store unopened cans conveniently at room temperature. After opening, unused portions of the formula can be covered and then refrigerated up to 24 hours.

As babies grow, their nutritional needs changes. While most formula milk are tailored to each stage of your baby’s development, it is not always easy to decide when to progress from one formula to the next, even up to stage 3 milk powder. Learn more about when to switch formulas and how each formula is developed specially for your baby’s needs.

Most times, many mums feel unsure about which formula to use and how to move their baby on to the next formula. Apart from when there are certain issues, moving onto the next baby formula should not be done all of a sudden. Your baby will most certainly need about a week to adjust to a new formula, so it is advisable to introduce it gradually. There might be some noticeable differences in their nappies, such as changes in frequency, consistency and color of stool. This is usually because the nutritional content and ingredients of the new formula might be different to the previous milk and their digestive system may need a little time to adjust.

Switching from Special milk

If a special milk has been prescribed for your baby, it is of great import that you ask your doctor for advice first before you move on to any other baby milk.

Switching from comfort milks

Comfort milk are specially made for babies with constipation or colic. If this type of baby formula was suggested to you by your doctor, try and switch to it as soon as you can, so that your baby can benefit from its special formulation instantly.

After changing to comfort milk, you may detect that your baby has more wind, or that your baby's stool is looser and greenish in color. You need not worry about this as it is just a sign that your baby’s digestive system is adapting to the new milk.

However, you may like to move back onto a standard infant formula tailored to their stage once your baby’s digestive system has had a chance to mature. If you are changing to a standard formula, try and do so gradually. Make sure you keep an eye out in case your baby’s constipation or colic symptoms reappear.

Hungry milks

In the first few weeks, all babies, whether they are being bottle-fed or breastfed, tend to need feeding frequently. This is usually because newborns have very tiny tummies, which can easily be filled up. Some mums may mistake this frequent demand for feeding as their baby being unusually hungry which is not so. Mums may consider moving them on to a Hungry milk formula which contains 80% casein. It is this higher casein content that will help your baby feel fuller for longer because it is slower to digest than whey.

Also, hungry milks may help to slow down the early onset of weaning. Babies who are under 6 months of age but are showing early weaning signs can also gain from being moved on to a hungry formula.

Switching to Follow on milk

Follow on baby formulas are suitable from 6 months of age and they are specially formulated to complement weaning. They will provide your growing baby with all the nutrients needed in a smaller volume of formula milk, thereby leaving room in their small tummies for their first weaning foods.

At 6 months, another important change is that the natural iron stores your baby was born with starts to reduce so follow on milks contain more iron than normal first milk. Many mums make the switch so as to help meet their babies’ changing needs.

Just like adults and children, babies and toddlers have different appetites. Some toddlers need only a small amount of toddler milk powder while others may tend to drink large volumes in a day. Also, some babies will stop feeding immediately they are full while others will still continue to suckle the bottle to the point of overfeeding.

Due to these differences, it makes it really difficult for some parents to determine how much toddler formula their toddlers are nutritionally required to consume.

Knowing how much formula your toddler needs may seem very confusing and complicated, however, with the help of the following guide, you, as a parent, should be able to determine if your toddler is getting enough formula or less of what is nutritionally required.

Visit your doctor. Make sure you check with your pediatrician if you are not sure. The best option when you are unsure on how much formula to feed your baby is to visit a pediatrician. The doctor can guide you on how much formula your baby needs for each month, just by assessing your baby’s age, height and weight.

Formula amount by weight

With a simple calculation, you can determine how much formula your baby needs. This can be done by multiplying your baby’s weight by two and then divide it into the number of feedings in a day.

Find out how much toddler formula your baby needs by determining his weight.

For instance: your 9-pound baby would need about 15-20 ounces of formula in 24 hours. If your baby feeds 5 times in 24 hours, you will need to give about 3 to 4 ounces of formula every feeding.

Formula amount by age

Besides the weight, the amount of formula needed by your baby can also be determined by age. Mostly, newborn babies need about an ounce or two during each feeding. Although, this may seem too little, but because these babies feed every few hours, they will still get the necessary amount of formula that they need.

Toddlers or younger babies will often drink less quantity of milk but more frequently.

Toddlers who are 1 to 2 months old usually require about 4 ounces of milk per feeding while those of 2 to 6-month-old generally need about 6 ounces. Old babies above 6 months are usually satisfied after drinking 6-8 ounces of formula.

Although the above-mentioned calculations can give you an idea about how much formula is needed by your baby if you are in doubt, it is wise to also remember that they are not rules set in stoneware. On certain occasions, your baby may need more formula than usual particularly during growth spurts. Don't deprive your baby of more formula if he needs it. If you feel that your toddler still needs more after a feeding, prepare more formula, however, it should be just an ounce or two. All the points listed will help you to know if your baby is satisfied without overfeeding.

When To Switch To Toddler Formulas

Best Formula For Breastfed Babies

Stage 2 Milk Formula Brands Comparison in Singapore

Aptamil Stage 4 Toddler Milk Review

Most Common Problems for Babies Milk Transition

Milk Formula For Babies: Stage 1, 2 And 3

Moms Guides for Avoiding Child Obesity

Powdered Versus Liquid Formula

Mom's Guide for Switching Milk Formula

How Much Milk Does My Toddler Need?

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