First age milk: what is it exactly?
Breastfeeding is always the best choice. We remind you: the World Health Organization (WHO) and almost all pediatric doctors strongly recommend breastfeeding during the first months of a child's life – this is the milk most suitable for growth and development of the baby.
But when breastfeeding is not possible (for example: for medical reasons) or is not desired by the mother, parents turn to industrial infant formulas.
First age milk: from and until what age? Infant milk is therefore intended for babies from the time of leaving the maternity hospital until the age of 6 months.
"It is also possible to switch to second age milk from the age of 4 months to accompany the onset of food diversification : on the other hand, before the age of 4 months and in the absence of breastfeeding, the child must consume early milk"says Dr. Solange Moore, pediatrician at the Polyclinique du Parc Saint-Saulve.
To know. In some cases, infant milk can be made from goat milk: it is the parents' choice, and medical advice is still recommended before changing infant milk!
And also… The composition of first age and second age milk is subject to strict regulations. There are "anti-reflux" or "anti-colic" first age milks; there are also specific milks for premature babies – do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician for advice.
Infant milk: what does it contain?
Early industrial milk is made from cow's milk and designed to be as close as possible to breast milk:
- Less protein. Early life milk is poor in protein (and in particular: casein) since small calves need much more protein to develop than small humans!
- Less salt. Cow's milk is saltier than breast milk: early-age milk is therefore low in salt, in particular to protect the kidneys of the child.
- More than zinc and more iron. Infant milk is enriched with zinc and iron, two trace elements that help build the child's immune system, protect their body against infections, but also their cognitive and cerebral development.
- More vitamins. Infant milk is particularly enriched with vitamins A, D, E and C to support the baby's good growth.
- More "good" fats. Infant milk is supplemented with "good" unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) which help the development of the child's brain.
To know. It should be noted that early childhood milk contains lactose, a natural sugar that does not help develop a taste for sugar in young children.
First age milk: how to choose?
Unsurprisingly, there are many references of infant milks in supermarkets and pharmacies … How to choose? Dr. Solange Moore recommends that we carefully examine the composition of the first age milks that we select:
- The proteins. Early milk generally contains between 1.2 grams and 1.7 g per 100 mL of protein. The pediatrician advises us to opt for infant milk that contains less than 1.3 g of protein per 100 mL.
- The "good" fatty acids. Omega-6s are not compulsory in infant milks, but it is preferable to opt for infant milk which contains them since these "good" fats participate in the baby's brain development. On the label, it is the words "ARA".
- Salt. It is preferable to opt for an infant milk that contains a sodium level less than 24 milligrams (mg) per 100 mL.
Early life milk: where to buy it? Infant milk can be bought at the supermarket or in pharmacies. Advantage of the pharmacy: you can sometimes ask the pharmacist for advice. Milks of the same brands sold in pharmacies or supermarkets are identical.
To know. It is the pediatrician who prescribes the quantity of infant milk to be given to Baby: this is not linked to the child's age but to his weight. For most infant milk powder, the basic measure is to mix 1 scoop of powder with 30 mL of water.
Thanks to Dr. Solange Moore, pediatrician at the Polyclinique du Parc Saint-Saulve (ELSAN group).
Source: Raising your child – Pr. Marcel Rufo and Christine Schilte, eds. Hachette Family.
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