 |
To choose the right formula for your baby, talk with your pediatrician. Once you’ve made that selection, you’ll choose the form that works best for you: powder, concentrated liquid, or ready-to-feed. And as long as you’re feeding your baby the same formula, you can combine formula varieties — powder for everyday use, for example, and ready-to-feed for convenience when you’re traveling with baby.
Watered-Down Formula Not Recommended for Baby's Health
In order for a child to receive appropriate nutrition for normal growth and development, proper formula preparation and feeding is very important. Adding too much water to formula can significantly impact a child's nutrition because it dilutes essential nutrients in the formula. The results can be serious. For more information, read the recent statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. When preparing formula, please follow the exact directions found on the packaging.
Powdered Formula: 1 unpacked level scoop of formula per 2 fl oz of water.
Concentrated Formula: 1 fl oz of formula per 1 fl oz of water.
Ready-To-Feed Formula: Do not add water.
Formula prep is simple. Just be sure you always follow these simple rules before you begin:
- Never feed your baby formula that has expired, or use formula if the container is dented.
- Clean the lids of formula cans to remove any dust or soil.
- When using Ready to Feed or concentrate, shake formula containers before opening.
- If formula is in a can, be sure your can opener is clean.
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
To find out more, select the formula variety from the list above.
Brain Development
How will your little one behave when she's older? Will she be extroverted? Reserved? Intuitive? Resourceful? A problem solver? A lot depends on how she's hardwired genetically. But some of the answers also depend, in large part, on what happens during her first three years.
Here's what you can do to help ensure she gets a strong start.
Why are the first three years critical in brain development?
During your baby's first three years, her brain will grow dramatically, producing billions of cells and hundreds of trillions of connections between those cells. Amazingly, by age 3, her brain will have grown to about 80% of adult size.
top of section
What can you do to stimulate brain development?
Stimulating your baby's brain is as simple as talking, cooing, cuddling, and making those funny noises only you and she understand. These simple, day-to-day interactions help her brain develop.
top of section
Colors, sounds, and movement also stimulate her brain. Simple infant toys, such as crib mobiles, are ideal for brain development. And when she's older, her brain will be stimulated by toys and activities that are colorful, have texture, and make sounds, including balls, blocks, and books. Goodnight Moon, anyone?
top of section
What role does nutrition play in brain development?
Whether you breastfeed or formula feed your baby, you'll want to provide her the nutrients she needs for brain development. Breast milk has two key ingredients — DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid) — that support IQ, vocabulary development, and visual acuity.
These same ingredients also are available in most formulas. Similac®* formulas have DHA and ARA, ingredients shown to help baby's brain and eyes develop.
If you choose to supplement her nutrition, you can trust the Similac brand to provide a formula to meet your baby's nutritional needs.
top of section
Healthy Bones
It'll be awhile before "drink your milk!" becomes one of the many ways you encourage your little one to get his nutrients. So what about infants? How can you be sure yours is getting the nourishment he needs for a healthy start right from the beginning? Find out how his bones grow, and how you can be sure he's getting what he needs for optimal bone health.
How do bones grow in babies?
When your little one is born, he'll have about 300 bones in his tiny body. They'll be soft and flexible. With proper nutrition, they will get longer and harden, and some will grow together. Your child's bones will continue to develop until he's 25 years old. By that time he'll have 206 bones to support his frame.
This 25-year period of development occurs naturally when bones are properly nourished. From your baby's very first day, he needs to receive the proper amounts of key bone nutrients, including the two most important, Calcium and Vitamin D.
top of section
How can you be sure your baby develops strong bones?
Experts agree that breast milk is the best feeding choice for your baby's first year of life. If you are breastfeeding, talk with your baby's doctor about any necessary vitamin and mineral supplements that may be needed. These same nutrients also can be found in Similac®* infant formulas.
top of section
Immune System
From the start, you want your baby to have a strong immune system and learning about prebiotics, nucleotides and antioxidants can help.
A Strong Immune System Means Good Health for Your Baby
Infants are born with an immune system that develops rapidly during the first two years of life. That's why it's important to make sure your baby is getting all the support they need to help build a strong immune system for good health.
Similac Advance EarlyShield™* is designed to be more like breast milk. It's the first and only infant formula that has a unique blend of prebiotics, nucleotides and antioxidants to support your baby's developing immune system.
top of section
Prebiotics and Your Baby's Immune System
Because about 70% of the immune system is found in the digestive tract, developing a strong immune system from birth begins with creating a healthy digestive system. Your baby relies on millions of "good" bacteria in the digestive tract to support immune system development. Special carbohydrates (prebiotics) found in breast milk and Similac Advance Earlyshield help stimulate the growth of this beneficial bacteria which helps support your baby's developing immune system.
top of section
Prebiotics and Probiotics Are Not the Same
- Prebiotics stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria, which helps support your baby's developing immune system.
- Probiotics are live bacteria that are added to various foods, such as yogurt. Remember, the "e" is the key.
top of section
Nucleotides and Your Baby's Immune System
Nucleotides are immune building nutrients that help increase your baby's ability to make important antibodies. The nucleotide blend and level in Similac Advance EarlyShield is designed to match the nucleotides in breast milk.
top of section
Antioxidants and Your Baby's Immune System
Antioxidants play important roles in the body. Similac Advance EarlyShield has a unique blend of antioxidants, including lutein (found in spinach), lycopene (found in tomatoes), and beta-carotene (found in carrots), which are three antioxidants found in breast milk. These antioxidants can help protect certain cells in the body, such as the eyes and skin.
top of section
Powder Formula
Preparing Similac® powdered formula is easy. You’ll find directions on each container.
Boiling Water
Ask your baby's doctor about the need to use cooled, boiled water for mixing and the need to boil clean utensils, bottles and nipples in water before use. If you choose to boil the water, follow these steps:
- Bring cold water to a rolling boil, and then turn off the heat. Any longer and you’ll actually increase the concentration of impurities.
- Let the water cool to room temperature before adding to formula. Making formula with boiling water can cause clumping and hurt the nutritional value.
- Once mixed, sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot (or cold).
Note: Bottled or filtered water is not a suitable replacement for water that has been boiled. But it may be a better alternative to tap water in some areas. If you're concerned about lead or other harmful substances in your water, talk to your health care professional before making formula with tap water.
top of section
Mixing
For proper mixing, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- Fill the bottle with water in the specified amount.
- Add powder in specified amount.
- Return dry scoop to the can.
- Put the cap on the bottle and shake, shake, shake. (Tip: moving your wrist in a twisting motion helps powder formula mix more quickly and more thoroughly).
top of section
Heating
Formula doesn't need to be heated. If you choose to feed warmed formula, don't microwave it. It can cause “hot spots” that could burn your baby. Instead, heat the water in the microwave or on the stove, and then place the bottle of formula in the hot water until it’s warm. Sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot (or cold).
top of section
Storing
Store powdered formula containers, covered, in a cool, dry place, not in the refrigerator. Use contents within one month.
Once mixed, feed immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container and use within 24 hours. See the label for specific instructions.
Don’t leave prepared formula at room temperature. And don’t freeze, because doing so can cause the fat to separate.
top of section
Reusing
If your baby doesn’t finish a bottle of formula within one hour, toss the leftover. Don’t save it for later. During a feeding, your baby's saliva can contaminate the formula in the bottle. Once this occurs, reheating or refrigerating won’t kill the bacteria.
If you heat the formula, and your baby decides not to take it, don’t refrigerate it and reheat it again later. Throw it out instead.
top of section
Concentrated Liquid Formula
Preparing Similac® concentrated liquid formula is easy. Directions are on each container.
Boiling Water
Ask your baby's doctor about the need to use cooled, boiled water for mixing and the need to boil clean utensils, bottles and nipples in water before use.
If you choose to boil the water, follow these steps:
- Bring cold water to a rolling boil, and then turn off the heat. Any longer and you'll actually increase the concentration of impurities.
- Let the water cool to room temperature before adding to formula. Making formula with boiling water can hurt the nutritional value.
- Once mixed, sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it's not too hot (or cold).
Note: Bottled or filtered water is not a suitable replacement for water that has been boiled. But it may be a better alternative to tap water in some areas. If you're concerned about lead or other harmful substances in your water, talk to your health care professional before making formula with tap water.
top of section
Mixing
For proper mixing, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- Fill the bottle with water in the specified amount.
- Clean the lid of the container, and shake well before opening.
- Add concentrated formula in the specified amount.
- Put the cap on the bottle and shake, shake, shake.
top of section
Heating
Formula doesn't need to be heated. If you choose to feed warmed formula, don't microwave it. It can cause "hot spots" that could burn your baby. Instead, heat the water in the microwave or on the stove, and then place the bottle of formula in the hot water until it's warm. Sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it's not too hot (or cold).
top of section
Storing
You can store opened containers of concentrated liquid formula in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Be sure to cover the can with a tight-fitting lid or foil.
Once mixed, feed immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container and use within 48 hours. See the label for specific instructions.
Don't leave prepared formula at room temperature. And don't freeze it, because doing so could cause the formula to separate.
top of section
Reusing
If your baby doesn't finish a bottle of formula within one hour, toss the leftover. Don't save it for later. During a feeding, your baby's saliva can contaminate the formula in the bottle. Once this occurs, reheating or refrigerating won't kill the bacteria.
If you heat the formula, and your baby decides not to take it, don't refrigerate it and reheat it again later. Throw it out instead.
top of section
Ready to Feed Formula
Preparing Similac® Ready to Feed formula is easy. Just twist off the cap — no mixing or measuring — and the formula is ready for your baby.
Heating
Formula doesn't need to be heated. If you choose to feed warmed formula, don't microwave it. It can cause "hot spots" that could burn your baby. Instead, heat the water in the microwave or on the stove, and then place the bottle of formula in the hot water until it's warm. Sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it's not too hot (or cold).
top of section
Storing
If your baby does not drink directly from a nipple-ready bottle, you can store the opened container of ready-to-feed formula in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. See the label for specific instructions. (Be sure to twist the cap back on.)
top of section
Reusing
If your baby doesn't finish a bottle of formula within one hour, toss the leftover. Don't save it for later. During a feeding, your baby's saliva can contaminate the formula in the bottle. Once this occurs, reheating or refrigerating won't kill the bacteria.
If you heat the formula, and your baby decides not to take it, don't refrigerate it and reheat it again later. Throw it out instead.
top of section
|
|
