For newborns and infants it is mother's milk. But if there is a lack of breast milk, its absence, or medical contraindications to breastfeeding, it becomes necessary to transfer the baby to mixed or artificial feeding.

The range of dry adapted formulas for feeding children of the first year of life on the Ukrainian market today includes more than 40 items. These are mainly imported mixtures. The three existing baby food factories in Ukraine cannot yet provide the required variety and quantity of adapted infant formulas. The choice of a specific formula for a child should be based, first of all, on an assessment of the baby’s condition and the characteristics of its development. Unfortunately, the financial condition of the parents still plays an important role in the purchase of formulas: highly adapted imported formulas cost from 20 to 60 hryvnia per package (for approximately 10-20 days), and domestic “Baby” costs 5-7 hryvnia. And although many argue that you cannot save on children’s nutrition, this factor should be taken into account when choosing a formula for a baby, since it is necessary to take for a long time the exact formula that suits the baby.

Rules for choosing a mixture:

consult with a pediatrician;

if the baby received in the maternity hospital mixture and feels good, be sure to clarify what kind of mixture he received and continue feeding with this mixture;

consider age child;

choose highly adapted formulas for children in the first half of life and less adapted formulas for children in the second half of life;

evaluate individual tolerance formula by a baby - if there are signs of intolerance (diathesis, abdominal pain, regurgitation, etc.), consult a pediatrician and change the formula. But you can’t “jump” from one mixture to another every 1-2 days. Adaptation to a new type of diet occurs within 3-5 days.

should be carefully studied information on the label: composition of the mixture, quantity of all ingredients, calorie content data;

there should be in the mixture taurine(free amino acid containing sulfur). Taurine is involved in the formation of brain tissue, retina, digestion and absorption of fats, the formation of the body's protective functions in the first months of a newborn's life;

desirable presence in the mixture carnitine. Carnitine is an active biochemical vitamin-like compound that is involved in the metabolism of fats, proteins, vitamins and energy inside the cell;

you need to check whether the mixture contains linoleic acid ( an essential fatty acid necessary for the proper formation of the child’s brain and retina);

in a mixture based on cow's milk should be whey. It is introduced instead of cow's milk casein, which ensures that the amino acid composition of the mixture is closer to the amino acid composition of human milk. Thanks to the presence of whey, a more delicate and easier to digest food clot is formed in the baby’s stomach;

check best before date mixtures;

If the mixture suits the baby, you must be sure that you will be able to you can easily purchase this particular mixture or purchase several packages at once, taking into account the shelf life;

as the baby grows older switch to a mixture from the same manufacturer for children in the second half of life.

Division of adapted formulas according to the degree of approximation of their composition to breast milk:

Highly adapted. These mixtures contain whey and, similar to breast milk, a number of biologically active substances (taurine, choline, lecithin, inositol), which play an important role in the formation of the baby’s body. Used for children from the neonatal period. Number 0 and prefix pre- indicate that the formulas are intended for feeding premature and newborn babies, and the number 1 - from birth to 4-5-6 months.

These include:

• "Nutrilon"
• “Neonatal” (Holland),
• “Nan”, “Alfare” and “Alprem” (Switzerland),
• “Prehipp” and “Hipp-1” (Austria),
• “Puleva-1” (USA),
• Tutelli (“Valio”),
• “Enfamil-1” (Holland/USA),
• “Pre-Heinz” (USA),
• “SMA” (USA),
• “Bona” (Finland),
• “Pikomil” (Slovenia),
• “Samper Baby” (Samper Foods and Co., Sweden),
• “Heinz” (England),
• “Humana” (Germany).

1. Less adapted mixtures. This subgroup includes mixtures (or formulas, as they are also called) containing cow’s milk protein - casein:

   • “Similac”, “Similac with iron” (USA),
   • “Impress” (Germany),
   • “Enfamil”, “Enfamil with iron”, “Enfamil-2” (Holland/USA),
   • "Nutrilon-2".

   Unlike the first type of formula, used from birth to 4-5 months, the second group is recommended for children from 5-6 months of age. Number 2 The name of the mixture suggests that they are intended for babies in the second half of life.

2. Partially adapted mixtures. These products no longer contain biologically active additives such as taurine, choline, and a number of fatty acids. This group of mixtures includes:

   • "Baby"
   • “Baby” (Ukraine, Russia),
   • “Detolakt”, “Solnyshko”, “Vitalakt-DM”, “Vitalakt enriched”, “Vitalakt-M” (Ukraine),
   • “Milumil” (Germany),
   • “Milazan” (Germany).

1. Lactose-free and low-lactose mixtures for children with reduced activity of the lactase enzyme in the intestines, lactose intolerance, a tendency to diarrhea (diarrhea syndrome), acute intestinal infections:

   • Al 110
   • Nutrilon low lactose
   • Similac-isomil
   • Similak Aldolak

2. Adapted dairy-free mixtures, containing soy protein and intended for children with intolerance to cow's milk protein, lactose, and galactosemia:

   • Alsoy
   • Bona Soya
   • Nutri-Soya
   • Peptidi Soy
   • Soya-Samp
   • Tutelli soy
   • Heinz soy mixture
   • Humana LP (therapeutic nutrition) SL
   • Humana-Soya
   • Enfamil Soy

3. Adapted mixtures for whey protein hydrolyzate base for children with severe forms of allergy to cow's milk protein and lactose, with extreme prematurity, cystic fibrosis, impaired intestinal absorption (malabsorption syndrome), in the pre- and postoperative period:

   • Alfare
   • Pepti-Junior
   • Portagen (MilJohnson, USA)
   • Puleva 1 (USA)
   • Humana GA (hypoallergenic) 1 – from newborns
   • Humana GA 2 – from 5 months of life
   • Hipp GA (hypoallergenic) 1 - from birth
   • Hipp GA (hypoallergenic) 2 - from 4 months

4. Adapted milk formulas, fortified with iron:

   • Detolact
   • Nestogen
   • Nutrilon 2
   • Similac with iron
   • SMA with iron
   • Samper Baby 1, Samper Baby 2 (Semper, Sweden)

5. Adapted formulas for feeding children born prematurely with low mass and insufficient weight gain:

   • Alprem
   • NAS pre
   • Neonatal
   • Hipp pre
   • Humana pre
   • Enfalak (USA)

6. Adapted formulas for feeding children with regurgitation syndrome, vomiting:

   • Nutrilon-AR (anti-reflux)
   • Similak Izovok
   • Samper Lemolak (Semper, Sweden)
   • Frisov (Holland)

7. Adapted formulas for children with intestinal dysbiosis:

   • NAS fermented milk (Nestlé)
   • Bifidus (Semper, Sweden)
   • NAS from 6 months with bifidobacteria (Nestlé)

8. Gluten-free formulas for children with celiac disease:

   • Al-110 (Nestlé)
   • Soya-Samp
   • Hipp 1
   • Humana HN
   • Humana HN with MCT (medium chain triglyceride nutritional therapy)

9. Formulas without phenylalanine for children with phenylketonuria:

   • Milupa
   • Phenyl Free
   • Similac - Lofenolac

The child’s good health, his proper physical and mental development will be the criterion that you have chosen the right formula for your baby. When artificially feeding children with highly adapted formulas, it should be taken into account that they contain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D. Therefore, the prevention of rickets is not carried out for such children. All questions and problems regarding children's nutrition should be resolved with a pediatrician, pediatric gastroenterologist and pediatric nutritionist. You need to purchase formulas in specialized departments of supermarkets, pharmacies or baby food stores.

There is no better nutrition for newborn babies than mother's milk. Life is also much easier for mom when there is no need to go shopping, the child does not have to cook or heat anything, or wash dishes after feeding. Unfortunately, not all nursing mothers have enough milk to feed their baby for up to a year. It also sometimes happens that a mother gets sick with a disease that is incompatible with breastfeeding, and breastfeeding has to be stopped, or she is forced to take potent drugs that penetrate into the milk. In such situations, the question arises of wholly or partially artificial nutrition, and the best alternative to mother's milk for infants is an adapted mixture of dairy products.

The adapted formula is so far the best breast milk substitute for young children

What is the composition of infant formula?

Infant formulas are called adapted because their composition is very similar to that of human breast milk. They contain an optimal content of whey proteins, which are easily processed by the baby’s digestive organs. Made specifically for the baby's digestive system, infant formulas are rich in phosphorus, potassium and calcium in the right proportions. They are necessary for the infant's body for normal growth and development of the skeleton and teeth.

Cow's milk contains lower levels of carbohydrates and vitamins, and higher levels of minerals and proteins than human milk. Manufacturers of all adapted milk formulas try to create a food product with a composition as similar as possible to human breast milk.

Special substances - nucleotides, which are included in many modern adapted mixtures, are necessary for newborn babies from the first days of life. With their help, the baby’s immune system fully develops. All of his developing organs and tissues urgently need them: blood cells, skin, intestinal mucous membranes.

Nucleotides serve as building materials for DNA. Thanks to them, the natural microflora of the newborn’s stomach and intestines is formed. There are much more nucleotides in a woman's milk than in the milk of a cow or goat.

Adapted milk formulas for babies in the first 5-6 months of life also contain the amino acid taurine. It is especially important for premature babies to receive it, since the acid is extremely important for the proper formation of the visual analyzer and nervous system of newborns, and it also takes part in the production of bile acids.

Infant formulas contain 45-50 g/l taurine. The body of a newborn baby up to 1 month is not able to synthesize this substance on its own, so he needs to get it from food. All adapted milk formulas are divided into highly adapted, less adapted and partially adapted.

Highly adapted infant formulas

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Adapted milk formula of this type is closest in composition to human milk. It is intended for the youngest - from birth to six months. Despite the fact that these “initial formula” products are intended for a very young age, they can be fed to children up to almost a year. The main disadvantage of this type of food is its rather high cost.

Below is a list of the most commonly used dry products of this type for artificial nutrition:

• “Baby-1” – Nutricia, Russia (more details in the article:);
• “Nan-1” (Nan-1) – Nestle, Switzerland (we recommend reading:);
• “Hipp PRE” (Hipp PRE) – Hipp, Austria;
• “Humana PRE” (Humana PR) and “Humana-1” (Humana-1) – Humana, Germany;
• "Friso PRE" (Friso PRE) - Friesland Campina, Holland;
• “Hipp 1” (Hipp 1) – Hipp, Austria;
• “Frisolac-1 Gold” (Frisolac-1 Gold) and “Frisolac-1” (Frisolak-1) – Friesland Campina, Holland;
• “Nutrilon-1” (Nutrilon-1) – Nutricia, Holland (we recommend reading:);
• “Semper Baby-1” (Semper Baby-1) – Semper, Sweden;
• "Lasana PRE" (Lazana PR) and "Lasana-1" (Lazana-1) - Humana, Germany.

Less adapted mixtures

Baby food of this type is already somewhat different in composition from mother's milk. Less adapted milk formulas contain all the vitamins, minerals and microelements a baby needs in the second half of life.

“Follow-up formula” products, unlike highly adapted ones, contain more iron. This is due to the fact that the child’s body in the first months of life contains a sufficient amount of iron, which was still inherited from the mother during intrauterine life. After the child reaches the age of 5-6 months, iron reserves need to be replenished.

An excellent source of iron, as well as zinc, calcium and copper, are the following mixtures:

• “Ialutka-2” – Nutricia, Russia;
• "Detolact" - Ukraine;
• “Semper Baby-2” (Semper Baby-2) – Semper, Sweden;
• “Nan-2” (Nan-2) – Nestle, Switzerland;
• “Humana-2” (Humana-2) and “Humana-3” (Humana-3) – Humana, Germany (we recommend reading:);
• "Hipp-2" (Hipp-2) and "Hipp-3" (Hipp-3) - Hipp, Austria;
• "Frisolac-2 Gold" (Frisolac-2 Gold) and "Frisolac-2" (Frisolak-2) - Friesland Campina, Holland;
• "Nutrilon-2" (Nutrilon-2) - Nutricia, Holland.

Partially adapted formulas for children

These are adapted infant formulas of the so-called “casein formula”, which have a thicker consistency. They are recommended for children from 5-6 months, especially those who have difficulty holding food and often burp immediately after eating. Partially adapted milk formula of this type is the most affordable. This carbohydrate product contains, in addition to lactose, sucrose and starch.

The most common mixtures of this type are:

• “Nestogen” (nestozhen) – Nestle, Switzerland (we recommend reading:);
• “Solnyshko” – Nutritek, Russia;
• “Similac” (similak) - Abbott Laboratories, USA (we recommend reading:);
• “Malyutka-1 plus” – Nutricia, Russia;
• “Baby” and “Baby” – Ukraine.

Liquid adapted mixtures "Agusha"

Many parents believe that completely ready-to-use liquid formulas are better absorbed by the baby’s body than dry formulas, which still need to be diluted. Liquid adapted infant formula of the Agusha brand, produced in Russia, created for feeding babies up to one year old, has gained great popularity among mothers. "Agusha-1" and "Agusha-2" are produced. The number 1 in the name means that the mixture is recommended for children from birth to six months, and the number 2 - from six months and older. Agusha mixtures for each age differ in the color of the packaging. In turn, each of them comes in two types: sterilized and fermented milk.

Mothers respond differently to these species. Some children prefer sterilized Agusha, while others prefer fermented milk. There is no particular difference in their composition. The only difference is that sterilized products must be consumed immediately after opening the package, while fermented milk “Agusha” can be stored in an open package for up to 12 hours.

Unadapted milk formulas

These products are made from whole animal milk and are not subject to specific processing. They absolutely cannot be fed to babies in the first six months of life, because they bear very little resemblance to breast milk.

If it is absolutely impossible to purchase expensive adapted milk formula for your baby, then it is better to order him food from the children's dairy kitchen on the direction of the pediatrician. Children's kefir or milk prepared in a dairy kitchen using a special technology will bring more benefits than unadapted mixtures. In this situation, it is necessary to introduce complementary foods to the child a little earlier than required by age.

Adapted fermented milk products are designed specifically for feeding babies from birth to the first year of life.

Their composition is as close as possible to mother's milk, all the benefits of fermented milk products are preserved.

Let's learn more about such a product as the adapted fermented milk mixture Agusha 1 and 2 for children from 0 to 6 months and older: how to properly introduce it into the diet of a newborn, how much to give in milligrams, what are the consumer reviews.

Product description and features

Baby food is released:

• medicinal;
• adapted;
• preventive.

Baby food replaces breast milk from birth and is intended for daily long-term use.

Usually Agusha is prescribed in the following cases:

Nutrition has both a therapeutic and preventive effect.: promotes the growth of healthy flora, prevents the increase in the number of opportunistic bacteria.

It is customary to mark the packaging with 1 or 2. The number indicates the degree of adaptation. For example, an adapted formula marked “1” is suitable for feeding a newborn.

If we talk about Agusha products, in addition to data on the degree of adaptation, The child's age is indicated in the upper left corner of the package, from which it can be consumed. For example, “from 0 months”.

The manufacturer took into account the 6 most important aspects in baby food: correct growth, strong immunity, development of vision organs, brain, comfortable digestion, absence of allergies.

The packaging shows a ball divided into separate sectors. Each of them provides information about the benefits of the product.

Available in convenient, quick-to-use packages starting from 0.2 liters. Shelf life is up to 10 days at temperatures from 2 to 6 °C.

Among the advantages:

• ease of use (warm before use);
• no errors during breeding;
• nutrient molecules are preserved.

Composition, age range and average price

Included in adapted fermented milk products Agusha for babies aged from birth to 6 months, in addition to water, includes:

• lactose;
• vegetable oils: rapeseed, coconut, soybean, palm, sunflower;
• vitamins, minerals: potassium, iron, calcium, iodine;
• cream;
• whey protein (concentrate);
• bifidoacidolphilic starter;
• nucleotides.

Products for feeding children over 6 months additionally saturated:

• corn oil;
• fructose.

Some mothers are confused by the presence of palm oil in the composition, but its content is low and does not cause harm.

The oil is a source of palmitic acid, which is present in small quantities in breast milk. The acid helps soften the stool.

Fermented milk foods contain:

• carnitine is a substance that promotes the absorption of fat and protects nerve cells from the effects of toxins;
• taurine is an amino acid necessary for the development of the brain and vision organs. The first six months of life may not be enough for the growth of the body;
• Inositol is a B vitamin. Protects cell membranes.

Agusha has a probiotic effect– this product contains bacteria beneficial to the child’s body. All these components are necessary for the development of the baby.

The product has a quality certificate. The cost is 28-35 rubles per unit of goods, if we are talking about a liquid mixture, and 300 rubles, if we are talking about a dry regular mixture of Agusha.

How to feed

Agusha is convenient because it does not need to be diluted, the product is sold ready to eat.

Like any new food, introduce it gradually, adhering to the following rules:

• Before feeding, the baby is given no more than 10 ml of fermented milk product. After 20-25 minutes, feed him with his usual mixture;
• on the first day of introducing the formula, the remaining feedings are carried out as usual;
• on the second day of feeding, give 20 ml of the mixture;
• on the third day, the daily dose of Agushi is increased to 60 ml;
• on the fourth - replace 2 feedings during the day. The rest of the time the baby receives his usual food.

Important to consider:

• the adaptation period lasts 5 days. Typically, fermented milk mixture is introduced into the child’s diet 2-3 days in advance;
• In case of allergic reactions or rashes, fermented milk foods should be discontinued.

If the child feels well and develops in accordance with age, which means parents found the right one for him nutrition.

Is it possible to combine

It is desirable that these are products from the same manufacturer. For example, the same manufacturer has dry milk products Agusha - ORIGINAL or GOLD.

How to dilute the mixture:

• prepare a sterilized bottle;
• boil water, cool it to a temperature of 38-39 °C. To prepare the mixture, use special water for children;
• fill the bottle a third with water, pour in the required dose of the mixture. If there is too much powder, the product will be oversaturated with nutrients, the use of which can cause regurgitation. It is important to follow the proportions recommended by the manufacturer;
• close the bottle and shake until completely dissolved.

The finished product can be stored in the refrigerator, but it is better to dilute the mixture each time before feeding.

Understand, Is the fermented milk product Agusha suitable for the child?, it is possible according to the following signs.

Normal stool. If, when introducing a new food, the child begins to have diarrhea (bowel movements more than 3 times a day) or, there is no need to immediately refuse the product.

Perhaps this is just an adaptation period. It is necessary to observe the baby for 2-3 days.

No allergic reactions. Food should not cause any skin rashes or similar negative effects.

No weight problems. If the diet is composed correctly, then weight gain occurs in accordance with age.

General condition of the child. When introducing a new product into the diet, parents should be wary of both the depressed and overly active state of the baby.

If the child behaves as usual, then the mixture is suitable for him.

So, Breast milk remains the best baby food, but on the recommendation of the pediatrician, the baby is sometimes supplemented with an adapted fermented milk formula.

Agusha is designed specifically for baby food and is intended for children from birth. This is a product rich in vitamins and beneficial microorganisms. It is sold in ready-to-eat form.

Fermented milk mixtures for children are mixtures with a probiotic effect, which, due to the content of beneficial microorganisms in them, can positively influence the child’s health by normalizing the intestinal microflora.

How to give fermented milk mixture

The fermented milk mixture must be introduced gradually.

Disadvantages of fermented milk mixtures

1. You should not use fermented milk mixtures if your child has symptoms, as regurgitation may increase due to the acidic environment of the stomach.
2. The mixtures have a sour taste, which the child may not like and may lead to refusal to feed.
3. The food is not hypoallergenic, so in children prone to allergic reactions, urticaria and atopic dermatitis are possible.
4. The process of processing and assimilation of fermented milk mixtures increases the load on the body's metabolic systems (increasing the amount of ammonia and salts excreted in the urine).
5. The load on the body associated with the neutralization of acid radicals.

Important! Adapted fermented milk formulas, contrary to popular belief, do not cause acidosis (blood acidification), which in some cases can occur when non-adapted fermented milk formulas are consumed in the first months of life.

Logically, the child should receive a product whose properties will be as close as possible to human milk. Such products are produced in sufficient quantities (thousands of items and variants) and go on sale under the general name “adapted milk formulas”. You should know that the creators of any milk formula are trying, more or less successfully, to solve the main problem: to bring its composition (the mixture) as close as possible to breast milk.

Depending on how successfully this problem is solved, all produced mixtures are divided into three main categories: highly adapted, less adapted and partially adapted.

It would be completely wrong to conclude that a highly adapted mixture is always better than a partially or less adapted one. We have already mentioned that the composition of breast milk changes over time, ideally matching the needs of the child at a certain age. By changing the adaptability of mixtures, manufacturers try to follow Nature as best they can, changing the composition of food products in a certain way. Thus, highly adapted formulas are ideal for feeding children from birth to six months, while less adapted formulas are intended, as a rule, for children in the second half of life.

You should also know that there are special mixtures for special situations. Special situations are disorders in the child’s health that require the mixture to be given certain properties. Such mixtures are prescribed only by doctors - for example, for feeding premature babies or children with low birth weight, for children with allergies, for children with a tendency to regurgitate, for feeding children with certain inborn errors of metabolism, etc.

The tactics and principles for choosing formula milk are as follows:

• A child, as we have emphasized more than once, has an amazing ability to adapt to everything. In this sense, nutrition is no exception, and the main troubles - abdominal pain, diarrhea, allergic reactions, etc. - usually arise when switching from one type of food to another or when adding a new product to food. Based on this, you and I and the child are not at all interested in changing formula frequently.

That's why There are two optimal options:

1) adapted milk formula, the packaging of which says: “Designed for feeding children from birth to 12 months”;

2) the option is even more preferable when one mixture is a logical continuation of the other and both mixtures have similar production conditions. For example, specific companies produce highly adapted mixtures “Nutrilon”, “Hipp”, “Nan” and the same companies They produce less adapted mixtures, they are also called “subsequent formulas” - “Nutrilon-2”, “Hipp-2”, “Nan-2”. It is obvious that the composition of mixtures with the number 2 in terms of the number of main components (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, acids, mineral salts, vitamins) corresponds precisely to the needs of the child starting from the age of five to six months.

• THE MAIN CONCLUSION: THEY DO NOT SEEK GOOD FROM GOOD. The child is healthy, developing normally, gaining weight. Well, you don’t need to change anything just because your neighbor buys something different for her every week and one box is more beautiful than the other.

How to give formula milk?

First of all, strictly follow the instructions regarding storage and dilution.

With mixed feeding, two options are possible:

Breast first and only then supplement with formula;

Completely replace one of the feedings with the mixture.

You need to choose the option in which the formula is consumed in smaller quantities (mother’s milk, respectively, in larger quantities).

The optimal temperature of the mixture should be equal to the child's body temperature.

The essence of the word “adapted” is adapted, corresponding to the needs of the child.

In order to avoid unnecessary maternal hysterics, I inform you that intolerance to cow's milk is not a tragedy, but a nuisance. Formulas have been developed that do not contain cow's milk proteins (soy, almond milk).

A typical example. Mixtures “Malyutka” and “Baby” can be produced: MKK Khorol, Ukraine; MCC Istra, Russia, MCC Vyyakovysk, Belarus.

However, there is a possibility that the reader of this book lives in isolation from civilization, having a cow, but not having a store selling adapted milk formula. Taking this into account, cow's milk can be used as follows: 120 ml of milk (boiled!) + 80 ml of boiled water + 1.5 teaspoons of sugar. For a month, the child can be fed diluted cow's milk without any fear for his health. But it is very advisable to try to make contact with civilization during this month and still buy an adapted milk formula. I emphasize once again: any dry formula is better than cow’s milk - cleaner, stable in composition, contains vitamins.