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Suggest Alternative Supplements For Breast Milk
Question: Hi doctor i am a mother of 4 month old baby boy... As i am weaned of breast milk i am trying to give lactogen...as he is not habituated most of the mix is being discarded... How long can i actually keep the mixed preparation in bottle?? And one more thing....can i give both formula milk and breastfeed simultaneously??
Brief Answer:
There can be no alternatives for breast milk.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. Let me emphasize on the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milks are cow milk based and hence difficult to digest and therefore acceptance may be poor. Moreover they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
In case you still want to give formula feeds, you can go ahead with Lactogen 1. Formula may be prepared ahead of time (for up to 24 hours) if you store it in the refrigerator to prevent the formation of bacteria. It should not be kept outside for long. You can give breastfeed and formula simultaneously. However, giving formula will automatically reduce your breast milk production and I would seriously discourage that. I would insist you to give exclusive breast feeding and nothing else for upto 6 months of age.
Let me know if I could help further.
Regards
There can be no alternatives for breast milk.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. Let me emphasize on the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milks are cow milk based and hence difficult to digest and therefore acceptance may be poor. Moreover they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
In case you still want to give formula feeds, you can go ahead with Lactogen 1. Formula may be prepared ahead of time (for up to 24 hours) if you store it in the refrigerator to prevent the formation of bacteria. It should not be kept outside for long. You can give breastfeed and formula simultaneously. However, giving formula will automatically reduce your breast milk production and I would seriously discourage that. I would insist you to give exclusive breast feeding and nothing else for upto 6 months of age.
Let me know if I could help further.
Regards
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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