New parents are always worried about their children and what they need to do to meet their baby's needs. After being totally joyous they often become very concerned about their baby's nutrition and wonder whether they are feeding their little one just the right way. The following tips will help determine whether you are doing everything you can to feed your baby correctly, and whether its right or not to give your baby low iron baby formula, or high iron baby formula.
o If you can you want to only breast feed your baby. The AAP recommends that you breast feed for the first six months of your baby's life.
o When you do use a formula you want to try the iron fortified infant formula first as per your doctor's instructions.
Many parents who experience baby stomach problems think that the cause is the formula. They may struggle to find the right formula, but the answer is not to go look for low iron baby formula. A lack of iron can cause many other problems for a baby.
There seems to be an "old wives tale" that goes around that says that iron rich infant formula causes constipation. Mothers assume that because they had such a hard time with the iron supplements, the babies will too. Some paediatricians who don't know what to do with colicky parents fall prey to the low iron formulas.
Research has shown that babies need about 1 mg of iron per every kilogram of weight. When they go on low iron formulas they don't get this needed iron. Babies need iron for brain development, and a lack of iron in developing stages has long lasting effects.
Standard infant formulas have the right amount of iron and not any extra iron. Low iron formula puts babies at risk of having iron deficiency and so parents should stay away from this choice.