Milk is an indispensable food in a baby's growth process, but it must be consumed correctly to maximize its effectiveness and support a baby's development. If consumed incorrectly, it can become worthless and add to the baby's physical burden.
1. Don't drink milk heated in a microwave for a long time
Often, new mothers say their babies can't finish a bottle of milk, with 150ml needing to be consumed in several sittings. When this happens, mothers are unsure whether the remaining cold milk is suitable for the baby or not. If it is okay, is it fine to heat it in the microwave before giving it to the baby?
Actually, the principle of microwave heating is simple: it uses microwaves to cause intense vibrations in the water molecules within the milk. The molecules collide with each other due to these vibrations, generating high temperatures and heat, which warms the milk.
In terms of its heating principle, it doesn't cause significant changes to the nutrients. However, it's important to note that the heating time should not be too long. For example, heating 250ml of milk for one minute is sufficient. Prolonged heating can cause the protein in the milk to change from a sol state to a gel state, leading to sedimentation and affecting the milk's quality. At the same time, the longer the milk is heated and the higher the temperature, the more severe the nutritional loss.
Tips: For babies in infancy, milk is the main source of energy. It is recommended that mothers be cautious and try to avoid heating milk in the microwave. Prepare milk according to the baby's appetite, and make a fresh bottle if more is needed. After a few tries, mothers will surely get a good grasp of how much their baby eats.
2. Don't drink overly concentrated milk
The thickness of milk does not directly reflect its quality; one should not think that the thicker the milk, the better it is, and therefore add more powder. Some mothers believe that the more a small baby eats, the healthier they will be, so they increase the amount of formula powder, making the milk's concentration exceed the normal standard.
What they don't realize is that babies who often drink overly concentrated milk may experience diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, or even refuse to eat. Over time, the baby's weight may not increase, and in severe cases, it can lead to acute hemorrhagic enteritis.
Tips: The organs of a baby aged 0-1 are very delicate and cannot handle excessive burden and pressure. If the formula is mixed too thickly, the concentration of nutrients increases, exceeding the maximum limit of what their gastrointestinal tract can absorb. Therefore, mothers are reminded to prepare milk according to the mixing ratio on the milk can, as both too little and too much can have serious effects on the baby's health.
3. Don't drink milk with added fruit juice
Generally, babies can start adding fruit juice at 4 months old. Initially, the amount of juice is very small. So, some mothers add a small amount of juice to the milk and let the baby drink it together. This is not scientific.
80% of the protein in milk is casein. Acidic fruits like oranges and lemons contain fruit acid. Once casein and fruit acid combine, they will coagulate, which affects the digestion and absorption of the milk.
Tips: When adding fruit juice to your baby, mothers, don't be lazy! Feed it to them one small spoonful at a time! This not only exercises the baby's swallowing function but also helps them get used to eating with a spoon early on.
4. Don't drink milk with added calcium powder
Some parents, for the sake of convenience, directly add calcium powder to the milk. It might seem like the baby is drinking milk and getting calcium, but this is not the case. If calcium powder is added to milk, excess calcium ions will combine with casein, causing the milk to curdle. Furthermore, calcium can also combine with other proteins in the milk to form precipitates, a phenomenon that is more pronounced when heated.
Tips: When supplementing your baby with calcium powder, try not to add it to the milk. Generally, the best time to supplement calcium powder is in the afternoon, about an hour before dinner.
5. Don't drink milk with added rice cereal
If a baby likes rice cereal, some mothers mix it with milk in a bottle, so the baby gets both milk and rice cereal. However, this is a very incorrect practice.
Infant formula has its own specific formulation and is best mixed with boiled, plain water. Adding other things like broth or rice cereal will alter its formula and reduce its nutritional value, which is equivalent to reducing the amount of milk. The casein in milk can reduce the baby's absorption rate of protein from eggs and rice cereal. Long-term sucking from a bottle with rice cereal mixed in is also not conducive to training the baby's swallowing function and can lead to eating difficulties later on.
Tips: When preparing formula, mothers should follow the instructions on the can. If you want to add other foods, do so separately, not mixed with the milk. Another point worth noting is that when feeding your baby rice cereal, it's best to use a small spoon. Using a bottle for a long time is not good for training the baby's swallowing function. Although feeding with a spoon is a bit more troublesome and time-consuming, mothers will surely persevere for the sake of their baby's healthy development.
6. Don't drink milk with added medicine
Getting a baby to take medicine is a major headache for parents. Some parents worry that the medicine is too bitter and will be hard for the baby to swallow, so they mix it with some milk to improve the taste, hoping the baby will take it easily. However, this practice is wrong because milk can significantly affect the body's absorption of the medicine.
Milk also contains many ions like calcium and iron, which can form stable complexes or insoluble salts, causing coagulation. This creates a film on the surface of the medicine, making it difficult for the gastrointestinal tract to absorb it. Some medicines can even be destroyed by these ions. If such medicines are taken with milk, it will greatly reduce the concentration of the medicine in the blood, affecting its therapeutic effect.
Tips: When giving medicine to a baby, it's generally best to do so half an hour to an hour before a meal. At this time, the baby's stomach is empty, which is beneficial for drug absorption and prevents vomiting after taking the medicine. However, for medicines that strongly irritate the stomach, it's better to take them an hour after a meal to prevent damage to the stomach lining. As long as you give the baby water immediately after the medicine, the bitter taste will be diluted and gradually disappear, and it also helps the medicine reach the stomach and intestines quickly for early absorption.