How to choose your Baby Formula
Especially when babies are born, they are at a very delicate stage as most of their organs are still developing, therefore, it is essential to choose to feed them the correct amount of nutrients to help them grow.
Doctors agree that the best way to feed your child up to 6 month is purely on breast milk, though this for some moms is not possible, for numerous different reasons. If you cannot feed your baby breastmilk, or need to supplement your breastmilk with formula, it is of great importance to choose a formula that is closest to breastmilk as possible, and that can be a very tough decision to make.
Today at the Organic Baby Food Shop we want to help you make the right decision by taking a look into the different kind of formulas that are available, what to look out for and what to avoid.
It is also extremely important to choose a formula based on your baby’s age, as its nutritional needs vary depending on your baby’s developing stage. These stages are based on your child's age and are usually labeled on the formula boxes as:
- Stage pre: from birth to 6 months
- Stage 1: Birth to 6 months
- Stage 2: 6 to 10 months
- Stage 3: 10 to 14 months
- Stage 4: after 14 months
All of these different stages are designed to have the exact nutrients your baby needs for this stage of its development.
Now let's have a look at the different components of baby formulas, before making a decision to purchase.
The formula you choose should have all of the following components:
Protein Content: Formulas have a different protein content, depending on the stage and age your baby is at. Excessive intake of protein is not ideal.. The right amount of protein for a baby at stage pre or stage 1, should not be more than 10 grams a day. Make sure to look at the formula’s packaging that has the according to protein count per 100 ml.
Fatty acids: The best baby formulas should include two essential fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid). These fatty acids are important as they are also found in breastmilk.
Vitamins, nutrients, and minerals: This is a list of what your formula should include: Carbohydrate, Fiber, Sodium (not more than 0.07 gram per 100 ml fluid) Vitamins: A, D, E, K, C Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamine B 12, Niacin, Folate, Biotin, Pantothenic acid, Natrium, Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Ferric, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Fluoride, Selenium, Iodine, Choline.
All of the above components can vary in quantity depending on the stage your baby is at.
Apart from the importance of the nutrients your baby formula should have, it is almost more important to know what your baby formula should not contain, and it is really shocking that a lot of formulas still contain the following ingredients, as they are not only extremely unhealthy for your baby but can also lead to serious illnesses such as cancer! Always avoid formulas that include ANY of these ingredients:
Carrageenan, Synthetic DHA, and ARA, Sucrose, Soy, Synthetic Nutrients ( such as L-carnitine), Dioxin, GMO, Melamine.
If you want to know more about these highly dangerous ingredients, please check this article.
Choosing a formula can be very overwhelming, there are so many do's and don'ts. That is why we spend a lot of time researching for you and also for our own babies. You can rest assured that all of our Formulas at the Organic Baby Food shop are the best of the best, both in all vital ingredients and nutrients for all different baby stages, but also avoiding at all costs any harmful ingredients and toxins. If you choose to try any of our formulas we can assure you that you are making the safest choice for your baby.
Have questions? Let us know!
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