For mothers who choose to give their babies formula milk, it is not always easy to find their way around! Here are a few notions that may be useful.
STANDARD INFANT FORMULAS (FIRST AGE)
=> From birth to 4-6 months
These milks are made from cow's milk and are subject to very strict regulations governed by the European Commission's directive of 22 December 2006.
They have a formula very similar to that of breast milk, with an enrichment in vitamin D which is mandatory.
FOLLOW-ON MILKS (SECOND AGE)
=> From 5-6 months to 1 year
These milks are also subject to specific regulations and have a different composition from infant formulas according to their new needs:
- More calcium and phosphorus,
- A little more protein,
- And more iron (about twice as much as infant formula).
GROWING-UP MILKS
=> From 1 to 3 years
These milks were designed to combat the nutritional deficiencies found in children aged 1 to 3 years, with a significant iron deficiency in particular (due to the early switch to cow's milk).
They contain less protein than cow's milk and above all 20 to 30 times more iron than cow's milk! This enables them to cover 90% of a child's daily iron requirements. So don't be quick to switch to cow's milk, which may be cheaper, but is far less good for your child.
SPECIFIC MILKS
=> First and second ages
Not all "classic" milks are suitable for all babies. You will need to find the best milk for your baby's needs.
Hypoallergenic milks (HA milks)
They are prescribed to prevent a risk of allergy, especially when there is a family history of allergy(but beware, they are contraindicated in cases of proven allergy to cow's milk proteins!).
These milks contain cow's milk proteins that have been treated to make them less allergenic.
Anti-reflux and regurgitation milks
In order to fight against gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), these milks have been supplemented with a thickener that will make the texture denser and more viscous so that it adheres better to the baby's oesophagus and avoids "rising to the surface"...
Fermented (or acidified) milks
They are recommended in case of bloating or painful colic (yes, the famous ones that make baby suffer so much).
The treatment they have undergone allows them to facilitate the digestion of lactose and proteins, to favour the development of the intestinal flora... They have a tangy taste which is quite characteristic.
Anti-diarrhoeal milks
They contain little or no lactose. Lactose increases the water content of the stool and can therefore aggravate diarrhoea by increasing inflammation of the intestinal mucosa.
Milks for cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI)
These are known as milk substitutes or protein hydrolysates . Cow's milk proteins have been fractionated to allow better absorption of nutrients and to relieve the body's enzymatic activity. They do not contain lactose or sucrose.
Milks for premature or low birth weight infants
To give your baby all the strength and nutrients he needs, these milks have been enriched with proteins, taurine, carnitine, minerals, vitamins... In short, a great cocktail for your baby to develop perfectly!
Every baby has unique needs, so talk to your paediatrician who will help you choose the most suitable milk for your child's development.
4 Comments. Write a new one
My daughter has had constipation problems since she was 3 months old. Now she is 13 months old I don't know what kind of growth milk I should take for this problem. Thank you for your answer.
Hello,
First of all, you should talk to your paediatrician so that he can find the cause of the constipation. He will probably advise you to increase your baby's hydration with water rich in magnesium, or to give him food rich in fibre. There are no specific growing-up milks for constipation, it is generally necessary to act on the diet. Your doctor will give you all the information you need.
Hello, thank you for these articles which are very enlightening.
My baby is 1 year old, I have been giving him formula milk since almost the beginning because he regurgitates a lot. To switch to the 3rd age milk, do I really need to continue this formula? (he no longer has reflux problems). Thank you
Hello, thank you for your kind message!
If he no longer has reflux problems, you should be able to try a regular growth milk. But ask your paediatrician's advice anyway.
Have a nice day 😉