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Will My 6-week-old Baby's Overall Development Be Affected Due To Consumption Of Formula Milk?
Question: Hi Doctor,
My baby is 6 weeks old and its late preterm (35.5 weeks). I have low milk supply, so we are feeding both BM and Formula milk (pre nan). My concern is whether my baby overall development be affected due to consumption of formula milk. He is more dependent on Formula milk. I try to feed him BM as much as possible but its too less, so I don't have an option to feed him formula milk too.
Which is good formula milk for my baby's development?
Regards,
XXXX
My baby is 6 weeks old and its late preterm (35.5 weeks). I have low milk supply, so we are feeding both BM and Formula milk (pre nan). My concern is whether my baby overall development be affected due to consumption of formula milk. He is more dependent on Formula milk. I try to feed him BM as much as possible but its too less, so I don't have an option to feed him formula milk too.
Which is good formula milk for my baby's development?
Regards,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Formula milk is not good for a baby's development
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Formula milk is no comparison to breast milk and no formula milk is good for a baby's development. Formula milk is cow milk based. Cow milk is meant for calves which have a rapid growth rate. That is not the case for humans who grow rather slowly. Therefore it is quite unsuitable for human babies. There can be no alternative to breastmilk. 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. Breast milk also takes care of immunity against common ailments like cough and cold, and diarrhea. So, automatically your worries would be reduced.
I would insist on refraining from formula entirely. You need not bother about whether the child is getting enough feeds. The mother's milk is produced on demand. If the child is hungry, it will suck more and more milk will be produced. On the contrary, if you give formula to boost the child, the hunger will be reduced and the child will suck less and will get less than adequate feeds. So, giving formula will have a disruptive effect.
Feel free to write back.
Regards
Formula milk is not good for a baby's development
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Formula milk is no comparison to breast milk and no formula milk is good for a baby's development. Formula milk is cow milk based. Cow milk is meant for calves which have a rapid growth rate. That is not the case for humans who grow rather slowly. Therefore it is quite unsuitable for human babies. There can be no alternative to breastmilk. 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. Breast milk also takes care of immunity against common ailments like cough and cold, and diarrhea. So, automatically your worries would be reduced.
I would insist on refraining from formula entirely. You need not bother about whether the child is getting enough feeds. The mother's milk is produced on demand. If the child is hungry, it will suck more and more milk will be produced. On the contrary, if you give formula to boost the child, the hunger will be reduced and the child will suck less and will get less than adequate feeds. So, giving formula will have a disruptive effect.
Feel free to write back.
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. Yogesh D
Answered by
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