Baby milk how to choose according to your age
Baby milk: how to choose according to their age?
What infant milk should you choose for your newborn? Infant or second-age milk, organic baby milk, anti-regurgitation or lactose-free milk... Our advice is to find out which one corresponds to your needs and age.
Photo Tatiana Syrikova in Pexels
With the many breast milk recalls, parents often worry when it comes to choosing a brand of breast milk. What infant milk should I choose based on my age?
Is the milk really hypoallergenic for my baby? It is not always easy to find your way among the 160 baby milks available on the market...
Of course, follow your pediatrician's prescription, but keep in mind that "all standard infant milks for 1st and 2nd ages are the same". " as explained by Professor Patrick Tounian, pediatrician and nutritionist.
What are the differences between infant formulas?
What about more specific milks? The doctor tempers "there are milks that have evidence of effectiveness in certain situations. In any case, don't hesitate to ask your pediatrician for advice.
To help you find your way around, Professor Patrick Tounian has made a list of these milks:
- HA milks (hypoallergenic): in particular two of them, Nidal HA and Enfamil HA, are the only ones that have been studied and prescribed to children with a family history of allergy, in the prevention of the appearance of allergies. However, in his last report, Anses specifies that "hypoallergenic" preparations are not suitable for children allergic to cow's milk proteins.
- AR (Anti-Regurgitation) Milks: recommended for children who regurgitate often.
- Push Hydrolysates: recommended for children allergic to milk proteins.
- Lactose-free milks: these are milks indicated in cases of severe acute diarrhea (which represents less than 5% of diarrhea).
- Milk replacements based on free amino acids: indicated for the rare children allergic to advanced hydrolysates.
- Milks with pre and probiotics: some are effective in preventing gastroenteritis, in cases of constipation and in accelerating the acquisition of tolerance to cow's milk proteins in children allergic to these same proteins (most children acquire this tolerance between 1 and 3 years of age).
"All other milks contain claims that are not scientifically validated but are not necessarily false," says the pediatrician.
DHA enriched milks
Since February 2020, European regulations have imposed new standards on infant formula.
From now on, all infant milks, regardless of age and formula, should be fortified with DHA at higher levels than those found in breast milk.
This fatty acid is essential for eye development, especially in babies.
Hypoallergenic infant formula: what should we think?
Some doctors recommend hypoallergenic milks to reduce the risk of allergies in babies who are not exclusively breastfed.
These baby formulas contain partially hydrolyzed proteins (broken down into small pieces) and are supposed to "protect" babies.
However, based on the results of the ELFE study and the follow-up of 15,000 children for two years, INRA and Inserm conclude that these infant formulas are ineffective.
"The consumption of hypoallergenic infant formulas is not associated with a lower risk of allergies in children," says Inserm.
According to the survey published in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, these baby milks may even have the opposite effect by increasing the risk of developing certain allergies.
Furthermore, no protective effect against possible allergic manifestations has been observed in comparison with traditional infant formulas.
"In contrast, the use of hypoallergenic formulas at two months of age in children without signs of allergy at that age was associated in subsequent years with an increased risk of wheezing and food allergies," the study authors said.
The results of this epidemiological study provide arguments in favour of a new European regulation that will come into force in 2021.
Clinical studies of these hypoallergenic infant milks will be necessary before they can promote a protective effect against the development of allergies, the researchers specify.
What kind of baby milk according to age?
This is a question that raises many questions for mothers who don't always know when to change their milk. Professor Patrick Tounian reminds us:
- "Infant milk should be continued until one of the baby's four meals is fully diversified, that is, around 6 months of age. If it's later, you can continue. "
- Second-age milk should continue until the child's first birthday. These are follow-up preparations.
- "Milk production should continue until the child consumes 100 grams of meat per day, which is about 3 years of age. You can continue until the child is 4-6 years old, if not. "
From birth to 6 months | Infant formulas: i.e. infant formulas or milks |
From 4-6 months to 12 months | Second-age milk or follow-up formula |
From 10 to 12 months to 3 years | Growth milks or preparations for young children |
Organic baby milk: is it better?
Parents, always concerned about the well-being of their children, are often tempted to opt for organic baby milk. But is it necessarily better?
"In terms of health, it is doubly wrong to think that organic milk is better because, on the one hand, organic has never been proven to have any effect on human health.
On the other hand, the legislation regarding baby food is almost the same for organic milk as for standard milk. "explains Professor Patrick Tounian.
For its part, Anses recommends avoiding soy protein-based formulas for infants under 6 months, and not substituting vegetable drinks called "vegetable milks" for infant formulas and follow-on formulas for children under 1 year old.
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