Showing posts with label Babies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Babies. Show all posts

Which formula milk should I get?
Thursday, May 25, 2017 - Posted by SunnyHealth - 0 comments


There has been some good news for parents and parents-to-be in Singapore. Minister Koh Poh Koon had recently announced that there may be a greater availability of formula milk in Singapore by the end of this year. This will be done by streamlining the import process and removing unnecessary barriers. He also said that all formula milk brands imported into Singapore fulfil minimum nutritional requirements and it is perfectly all right to choose a cheaper brand. To make good his word, a taskforce will be set up to put in place measures to address the rising prices of formula milk in Singapore.

Although breast milk is still the ideal choice for babies, it may not be an available option for certain babies. Some mothers are unable to supply sufficient breast milk and if the baby is not drinking sufficient milk, he or she could get dehydrated. Breastfeeding is also more taxing for mum, and if she is unable to get sufficient rest, or she gets stressed over the need to produce enough milk, she could be more susceptible to post-natal blues. Moreover, depending on the mother’s diet, a small percentage of babies can be allergic to cow’s milk proteins and other food proteins in breast milk. In such cases, the baby may cry a lot after feeding for a long time and keep waking up with signs of discomfort. More serious symptoms include rash, hives, eczema, cold-like symptoms, constipation and diarrhoea. Fortunately, formula milk is and adequate supplement or substitute in Singapore.

With so many brands out there promising different benefits, one can be utterly spoilt for choice. But once new regulations by the AVA take effect, formula milk manufacturers will be prohibited to use nutrition and health claims to promote their products. This may be upsetting for parents who have no qualms spending more on premium formula milk if it does what it promises.

But special ingredients: Are they really important?

Since all reputable formula milk companies are essentially selling the same thing, the only way to beat the competition, apart from brand awareness, is to have value-added ingredients inside the milk to set it apart from others. How necessary are they and do they justify the higher prices?

Probiotics & Prebiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics are naturally found in breast milk, and they help prevent a variety of diseases, hence many manufacturers are trying to replicate it in formula milk. Probiotics are good bacteria that help keep the infant’s digestive system healthy, while prebiotics create a conducive environment for these bacteria to grow. However, the effectiveness varies widely by the strains of bacteria used. The type of strain used is generally not required to be disclosed by the manufacturers, so the true effectiveness of the probiotics in a particular infant formula may not be known.

Gold Infant Formula

These are the ones that promise a good beginning for your infants, usually in terms of brain development / intelligence. They usually have long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids added to them. These are also present in breast milk. However, there has been no scientific evidence to prove whether these added fats work in the same way or can be absorbed as effectively as those in breast milk.

Formula for special needs

Some examples include:
- AR/Thickened Formula: For babies who have a regurgitation problem (frequently vomiting up their feed)
- HA (Hypo-allergic) Partially Hydrolysed Infant Formula: For babies with high risk of allergies, excluding those with allergies to cow’s milk
- Extensively Hydrolysed Formula (EHF) or Amino Acid Formula (AAF): For babies who are allergic to cow’s milk
- Soy formula: Originally for lactose-intolerant babies, but research has indicated that soy formula actually has no recognised benefits, and even has some substances that may be harmful to the baby’s development. It could be helpful for babies with galactosemia or who cannot consume dairy-based products for cultural or religious reasons.
- Lactose-free formula: For lactose-intolerant babies

Babies with health problems may need more than the standard formula milk. While some special needs formula milk may be available for purchase even without a prescription, it is still advisable to get advice from the paediatrician.


Organic formula

Organic formula is made from ingredients that have been farmed organically. But as with most organic products, just because it was grown organically does not mean that no chemicals have been involved in the manufacturing process.

Another thing you may be pleased to note is that you don’t actually have to buy different stages of formula as your baby grows up. The starter formula for babies under six months is adequate for babies from the time of birth until 12 months of age. Just ask your paediatrician if you don’t believe this! Moreover, when they are over one, they would not require formula milk to obtain the necessary nutrition. In fact, weaning them from formula milk early is encouraged to prevent them from becoming fussy eaters as they grow up.

Sources:
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/baby/choosing-baby-formula-5-facts-to-help-decide/
http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/food-sensitivity/
https://babygooroo.com/articles/should-i-choose-an-infant-formula-with-prebiotics
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-formula-milk-options-to-be-made-available-koh-poh-koon-8827050
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/children-over-one-do-not-need-formula-milk-experts-say-8877580


Holding your newborn in the buff is a health booster for all
Thursday, July 07, 2016 - Posted by SunnyHealth - 0 comments



We’re all too accustomed to seeing babies wrapped in the arms of their loving mothers (while dad watches with a blissful expression on his face), so when a photo of a father and his son holding the new babies (twins!) in the family circulates around the internet, everyone understandably goes ‘awwww’. In fact, while mothers are often given a lot of credit where child rearing goes, the presence of fathers in their children’s lives is crucial for the child’s wholesome development.

Fathers too need to hold their babies, and preferably against his naked chest. If the father frequently talks to the baby or mother, the baby can recognise their fathers’ voice. Being in skin-to-skin contact with their father calms the baby down and helps father and child bond.

Popularly termed as Kangaroo care, after the way baby kangaroos share skin contact with their mother until the day they mature, skin-to-skin contact between the parent and newborn is a popular way to help premature babies adapt, and it requires the parents to hold the baby for as long as possible throughout the day, with no clothing as a barrier. Not only will this promote bonding, but it also has a variety of health benefits.

In premature babies, the parent’s body warmth is more effective in regulating the baby’s body than an incubator. It also promotes better breathing and quicker weight gain. Coming into contact with the parents’ bacteria, instead of the other bacteria in the incubating room, also reduces the risk of serious infection.

A Canadian study also revealed that premature babies who underwent Kangaroo care as a treatment had better brain functioning at 15 years old, compared to those who had been placed in incubators. This was due to the baby having a more stabilized heart rate, better oxygenation and improved sleep.

For breastfeeding mothers, the mutual benefits are even more pronounced. Newborns have a heightened sense of smell. When the baby is placed skin-to-skin with Mummy, he or she will have an easier time seeking out the nipple to initiate the breastfeeding process. Milk production is also stimulated to produce more milk when the mother and baby are in contact. While one would obviously not be able go topless in public to breastfeed, perhaps it feels so much more comfortable for both mum and baby to do so at home, not to mention, safer (baby will not be suffocated by the clothes or attempt to damage it), that a study published in Neonatal Network revealed that mothers who practiced kangaroo care were more likely to breastfeed for a longer time, and exclusively instead of resorting to formula milk.

According to The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, skin-to-skin contact could also minimise the risk of depression and maternal anxiety, which in turn reduces the probability of getting post-natal blues.

In administering kangaroo care, more is better. The first two hours after birth is the most crucial as the baby has just arrived and your comfort and cuddles can be a great help to ease him/her into the new environment. Frequent kangaroo care should be given in the first twenty weeks or so. The more the better, but of course, do it only when both baby and parents enjoy it. If the baby starts showing signs of restlessness and wants to get off your chest, then it is obviously a signal for you to stop.