When should a baby stop using a bottle?

From the age of 6 months when the child begins to use a spoon, you can introduce him to use a cup. Specially designed cups can be found in baby stores to start with this transition. It is recommended that babies should no longer be using a bottle around a year in age and no later than 18 months.

We have taken our 15 month old son to the pediatrician who told us that he had a cavity in one of his teeth. Is this possible? What could be the cause? What shall we do to prevent this to happen again?

Cavities are rare in breastfed babies, but can sometime be seen with children misusing their bottle. Nursing bottle cavities, or nursing bottle syndrome can be caused by different circumstances.

They occur when a child is allowed to fall asleep with a bottle in his mouth or feed for long periods of time. If the bottle contains a fermentable carbohydrate (like sugar in infant formula, juice, squash, sugar water or pop) and the liquid is allowed to pool around the teeth, the bacteria that are present will form acid, which will eventually lead to decay.

Nursing bottle cavities usually appear on upper front teeth and back molars first. The lower front teeth are usually protected by the tongue, and decay in this area is usually seen in very advanced cases.

To prevent nursing bottle cavities do not leave a bottle in your child's mouth while he or she is sleeping; begin brushing your child's teeth as soon as they come into the mouth, or clean them by using a wet washcloth. Begin regular dental examinations around the first birthday or earlier if a problem occur.

Is it safe to eat a vegetarian diet during pregnancy?

Healthy eating is important at all stages of life, especially during pregnancy. Your choices of eating and drinking habit at this time can affect your health and the health of your baby for many years to come. Your diet is your breastfed child’s diet. Deficiencies in several of the key vitamins for development are linked to maternal diets.

A well planned vegetarian diet is able to meet nutrition requirements for pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, vegans and some vegetarians can consume lower amounts of vitamin B12, D, calcium, zinc, iron and omega 3s (EPA and DHA). That is why, in some cases, dietary supplement shall be consumed.

In summary I recommend that you take advice from a professional to help you to properly plan your diet.

Dr Martinez, what are exactly prebiotics in infant formulas and do all the formulas on the market contains them?

For years, hardly anyone in the medical profession paid any attention to the role played by the colon in overall health. Over the past 15 years, however, we have discovered that the colon’s bacterias are critical for wellness. The healthy bacterias living in the colon strengthen the bowel wall, improve mineral absorption and help in the regulation of hormone production. Prebiotics fertilize these good bacterias and control the disease-causing one. Prebiotic fiber also help grow beneficial bacteria which combat gut dysbiosis.

All infant formulas found on the market do have the addition of prebiotic as it is not considered as a mandatory ingredient. However, numerous studies have proved its clinical utility. Unarguably infant formulas with prebiotics offer more benefits for the baby. For this reason we have decided to add to the Analac range a combination of fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides that has proven to have positive effect on the regulation of intestinal flora, favoring the development of bifid bacteria as a protective mechanism against gastrointestinal infections. In addition to their dietary fiber's effect, they regulate intestinal peristalsis and increase traffic volume of the fecal mass.

What is the main function of prebiotics in infant formula?

A Prebiotic is a plant fibers that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria present in the large bowel or colon. The body itself does not digest these plant fibers; instead, the fibers act as a fertilizer for the growth of many of the good bacterias in the gut. They provide many digestive and general health benefits. Prebiotics have been proven by numerous independent scientific studies to increase the number of healthy bacteria in the colon, with numeros health benefits such as:

• better growth
• infections prevention (acute diarrea)
• lower frequency of constipation and colic

With its exclusive formula, the Analac Infant powder milk covers all the nutritional needs of your child and also prevents some common health problems.

I'm breast-feeding. If I drink alcohol I improve milk production

Breast-feeding and alcohol don't mix well. There's no level of alcohol in breast milk that's considered safe for a baby to drink. When you drink alcohol, it passes into your breast milk at concentrations similar to those found in your bloodstream. Although a breast-fed baby is exposed to just a fraction of the alcohol his or her mother drinks, a newborn eliminates alcohol from his or her body at only half the rate of an adult.

Research suggests that breast-fed babies who are exposed to one drink a day might have impaired motor development and that alcohol can cause changes in sleep patterns. Also, while folklore says that drinking alcohol improves milk production, studies show that alcohol actually decreases milk production and that the presence of alcohol in breast milk causes babies to drink about 20 percent less.

When my baby starts eating solid foods I can leave the infant formulas.

No. The nutrient content of various baby foods, either commercially prepared or homemade, varies considerably. Additionally, during the period of transition when an infant is gradually increasing both the type and the amount of solids being eaten, the formula still contributes substantially toward meeting the infant's nutrient requirements. During this time, either breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula can most appropriately meet these requirements. The Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that either breastfeeding or iron-fortified infant formula be continued during the first year of life, even after solids have been introduced. Whenever possible, we recommend that you stick with the formula until at least eighteen months and in children with a nutritional risk up to three years with a good quality formula and supplemented as Analac.

Expiration dates are just a reference, but once passed the infant formula can be used a few more weeks.

No. All infant formula containers carry "use by" or "use before" dates to ensure that the consumer receives a wholesome, high-quality product. Formula should not be bought or fed beyond the expiration date. After the expiration date, some vitamin levels decrease and changes in physical properties, such as discoloration and separation of fat, may occur. Infant formula companies have a reimbursement program covering outdated products and company policy encourages stores not to sell outdated products.

The leftover milk formula after baby food can be frozen and continue to be used later.

The use of infant formula after freezing is not recommended. Although freezing does not affect nutritional quality or sterility, physical separation of the product's components may occur.

Companies that manufacture infant formulas are against breastfeeding.

That's not true. Infant formula manufacturers know better than anyone that breastfeeding is the best way to feed your baby and that no product can ever match human milk. In Analac cans recognizes this reality so disclosed markedly well. But we must also be aware that infant formulas are the only valid alternative to breastfeeding for the first months of life of the child. And what is done to make these products is to try to bring the composition of the formulas for the composition of breast milk. It is not intended to replace breastfeeding, what is sought is to offer mothers a safe alternative and to ensure optimal growth and development of your child.

Children should eat to stay satisfied.

It´s only accepted that breast-fed baby for about the first month of life can be fed on demand, ie without a schedule and / or preset amount. For all other cases we must establish a schedule and determine what to eat. The amounts and types of food should be established by the pediatrician by age and weight. There are maximum not exceed recommended for medical reasons, according to the child's age. Families and caregivers should try to detect the first signs of satiety not overfeed.

Child can not chew because no teeth.

From the 6th month your child will begin to make rhythmic movements of chewing, even without teeth. These movements are enough to crush some soft foods. Advantage should be taken now to provide food progressively thicker and varied textures. You can give semi-solid to 9 months and the first solids about the year. We strongly suggest that the gradual disappearance of the bottle must be favored in this period.

The eruption of the first teeth can cause strange sensations for local children. Generally relieved by massaging the gums with your finger, biting, etc., so it is not considered to be painful because we could not touch that area, even rubbing accept bottle or pacifier. It may be a good time to offer some kind of hard food (eg, a peeled carrot) to begin training in chewing while getting relief.

After some time, especially after the year it's much more difficult and costs more effort than just taking the child accepts food crushed solids and semi-solids, so we must seize the most optimal times. The same with new flavors.

From the year my son can eat everything.

The introduction of some foods such as cow's milk, egg, fish and certain fruits for medical reasons to prevent certain diseases (anemia, allergies ...) is usually delayed. From the year is recognized that the child can eat everything slowly; therefore will be able to eat all meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy ... and try new foods.

Today it is considered that it is not necessary to follow a strict order and a rigid scheme for supplementary feeding, but your child's pediatrician is who better can advise on the timing and order in the introduction of new foods, as needs and risks may be different.

In many cases this is understood as an "authorization" to include in your child's diet food high calorie, high glycemic index and high in salt, such as pastries, candy, salty snacks, soft drinks ... These foods are one of the largest food and nutrition problems of childhood. Contain lots of calories, sugars, saturated fat and salt. Besides choking risk appetite and are associated to the development of caries, obesity, allergies and micronutrient deficiency.

Need to delay the introduction of gluten.

For years it had been recommending postpone exposure to gluten for six months or more, but lately this has been delay and how to introduce it in large quantities was related to an increased incidence of celiac disease. Today it is considered more prudent to avoid both gluten introduction early (not before 4 months) and late (no later than 7 months) and especially introducing small amounts to gradually increase them gradually.