In some cases, artificial feeding is more appropriate for the child than breastfeeding, especially if the mother smokes, drinks or takes harmful drugs (certain drugs, alcohol and nicotine can be transferred to the child with the mother’s milk). In addition, bottle-feeding is the only acceptable solution for women living with HIV or suffering from other serious diseases, such as anemia, tuberculosis, or kidney disease. Also, switch to bottle-feeding is recommended for mothers taking certain medications.

Milk for the artificial feeding will provide your child with all necessary vitamins and minerals, and its nutritious properties are close to the properties of breast milk. Typically, milk for replacement feeding is an ordinary cow’s milk, only it has received special treatment and is easy to digest.

However, today one can find an alternative to this milk. For example, soy milk is specially designed for infants who are not carrying lactose, or kids with allergies to milk. However do not get involved in new developments: use a standard milk formula, if the doctor had not recommended otherwise.

When making milk for replacement feeding, it is important to accurately follow the instructions on the package. Feeding from a bottle can cause cramps, if you cook too weak or heavily concentrated milk or feed baby milk, heated to the wrong temperature.

Ready milk packaged in cardboard boxes or bottles will help you on the trip, but it is almost twice the price of conventional milk powder for artificial feeding.

You can keep the milk with a margin of 24 hours, leave it in the refrigerator and use as needed. However, after 24 hours from the time of preparation any unused milk should be discarded. Never reuse the remaining milk – it is popular place for breeding bacteria!

The temperature to which you need to heat the artificial milk to feed baby is individual – some kids love milk, heated to room temperature, and some like warm milk. To warm up the milk put the bottle in a pot with boiling water for a few seconds and then check the readiness of milk for feeding, dropping a few drops on your wrist.

If your baby swallows the milk too quickly, find the dummy smaller, and vice versa – if the child is not in a hurry to swallow, look for big dummy.

Women need to eat 4 – 5 times a day, better at the same hours.

The first half of pregnancy

During the first half of pregnancy the nutrition status of women differs from normal. They need to include all the needed proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals to their daily ratio.

Pregnant women usually have desire to eat something salty, and spicy. During this period, they can satisfy this desire.

The daily ratio should be 2400 – 2700 kcal.

It includes:

• 110 grams of protein
  Food should be rich with valuable proteins. Proteins are the basic building materials for the growing fetus. Meat is the main source of protein. Meat should better be boiled. Rich protein sources are poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds. Every day, pregnant should eat cheese, sour cream, milk. 50% of the total number of proteins must occur in the proteins of animal origin.
  

• 75 g of fat
  Fats also provide a source of energy, furthermore, are involved in the formation of prostaglandins – substances that affect the work of the cardiovascular, digestive system, and affect the generic activity. Most fats are found in vegetable oils. The diet of a pregnant woman should include 40% of fat of a plant origin. From the animal fats the most recommended is the cow’s butter. Do not eat mutton and beef fat, and margarine.

• 350 g of carbohydrate
  Carbohydrates are the main source of body energy, used in metabolism. Carbohydrates are good for the work of nervous system. Youd better get carbohydrates from products rich with fiber: bread, fruits and vegetables. Amount of sugar in the diet should be 40 – 50 g per day.

The second half of pregnancy

In the second half of pregnancy the fetus is growing rapidly, increasing the pressure on all the organs of mother, so the total number of accepted foods should be increased.

During the last 2 months you should not have a salty, spicy, smoked, canned food. Try not to eat food from the semis. Typically, these products contain much calories but contain few nutrients that you and your child need.

The daily ratio should be 2800 – 3000 kcal.

It includes:

• 120 grams of protein
  Every day, you need to eat cheese, sour cream, milk. 50% of the total number of proteins must occur in the proteins of animal origin.
  

• 85 g of fat
  Most fats are found in vegetable oils. The diet of pregnant woman should contain 40% of fat of a plant origin. The cow’s butter is the most recommended animal fat. Do not eat mutton and beef fat, and margarine.
  

• 400 g of carbohydrate
  You’d better get carbohydrates from products rich with fiber: bread, fruits and vegetables. Amount of sugar in the diet should be 40 – 50 g per day.