Choosing a formula that is easy to digest, are parents forgetting about brain development?

In the first years of a child's life, constipation is one of the most common and common digestive disorders in many children. Many "rumors" that formula milk is the main cause and so, many parents rush to change milk or arbitrarily adjust the dosage of milk when mixed in the hope of increasing the frequency of bowel movements for their children. However, these views are false, can prolong constipation and lose your child's chances for brain development.

Clearing up 2 misconceptions about formula milk of parents when their children are constipated

Milk is rich in nutrients causing constipation

Many parents often pass on word of mouth and believe that nutritious milk is "hot milk", causing constipation. At the same time, milk has less nutritional content than "cool milk", making it easier for children to go out.

In fact, "hot milk", "cool milk" are just oral concepts according to folklore, have no scientific meaning. Milk is fortified with many nutrients without causing negative effects on the digestive system of babies and children. On the contrary, it is a prerequisite for long-term brain development.

Furthermore, before being marketed, infant and young infant formulas must meet strict requirements for nutrient content and composition testing, ensuring no nutrients exceed the threshold. allow. Typically, many manufacturers tend to produce milk formulas with only "just right" quantity of nutrients and the content of each substance is close to the minimum to save costs and make products at competitive prices. than.

As such, no formula is allowed to contain so many nutrients that it is harmful to the child's digestive system. Instead of worrying about choosing nutrient-rich milk that causes constipation, parents need to consider whether the milk they are choosing has enough nutrients for the optimal and comprehensive development of their child or not?

Lightly follow strict dosage compliance when preparing formula

Another common "experience" that parents transmit to each other is that when a child is constipated or slow to pass, parents should dilute the milk more diluted. In fact, diluting milk is not a scientific solution to help your baby improve their bowel delay. Not only that, the diluted drink will cause many negative effects on the health of the child such as lack of nutrition, causing stunting and growth retardation. In addition, adding a lot of water to formula and giving it to your baby will dilute the concentration of sodium and electrolytes in the child's body. For children under 6 months old who are fed formula milk, frequently drinking too thin milk will make the body over-hydrated, even water poisoning.

An understatement of compliance with mixing instructions also leads to another mistake: mixing milk is too thick compared to the standard. With the baby's immature digestive system, milk is too thick, causing the child to be dehydrated, leading to constipation, causing damage to the intestinal lining, causing enteritis and possibly intestinal necrosis.

Therefore, parents need to prepare the formula according to the instructions printed on the box. This will ensure your child's body is able to absorb all the necessary nutrients, including those good for the digestive system, to help improve constipation.

Parents need to remember that the slower bowel movement in the early days of using formula may be due to the fact that the baby's intestinal tract takes time to "get used to" and tolerate the nutrients in the milk. Delayed bowel movement during this period does not mean your baby will be constipated . Through this stage, your baby's frequency of bowel movements will improve. If the baby is in a hurry to change milk or dilute it voluntarily as soon as it shows signs of slowing down, parents will accidentally cause the child's body and digestive system to experience more problems and even affect too much. the brain development of children in the early stages of life.

Parents do not choose "cool milk" according to rumors, but miss the golden stage for brain development 

The first 1,000 days are considered a golden age for each child's brain development. In which, 12 months after birth is considered an important milestone for this period. Clinical studies demonstrate that between 0-12 months of age, a baby's brain produces 15 million nerve cells per minute. At this time, nutrition plays an extremely important role in forming millions of neurological connections in children.

In particular, according to clinical research, the combination of DHA, natural vitamin E and lutein play a key role in creating a series of neurological connections in children thanks to the better protection of DHA. from oxidation. From there, the brain absorbs more DHA. Therefore, not only DHA is enough, but mothers need to choose formulas with these three golden nutrients. In contrast, a deficiency of these important nutrients during the first year of life after birth can lead to irreversible cognitive decline .

Parents need to know: nutrients needed in formula milk help children develop brain and have a healthy digestive system

Nutrients important for brain development

DHA accounts for a high proportion of the gray matter and creates sensitivity for neurons. The more gray matter, the higher the sensitivity, the quicker and more sensitive the child's recognition and information processing is. Without DHA during development, children will not be able to have a high IQ . Although it is an important nutrient for a child's brain development, DHA is easily damaged by free radicals before being absorbed by the child's body. At this time, vitamin E and lutein act as antioxidants to preserve DHA when it is tolerated into the baby's body.

Along with DHA, Vitamin E is naturally found in brain regions involved in children's memory, language and visual development. Vitamin E is one of the best-known dietary antioxidants. Dietary antioxidants are substances found in food that function to limit the adverse effects of harmful "free radicals", while helping to maintain normal physiological functions in cells and cells. tissue throughout the body. Tissues with a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as the brain and retina , can particularly benefit from topical antioxidants to protect and preserve cell membrane integrity.

Vitamin E exists in both natural and synthetic forms. However, natural vitamin E is more bioavailable than synthetic - being the most bioavailable form of one of the best known dietary antioxidants.

Meanwhile, Lutein accounts for 66 to 77% of the carotenoids that form the brain structure. Lutein levels are higher in brain regions of young children involved in learning and memory. This is also a nutrient that plays an active role in determining a child's ability to memorize, develop language , hear and see. Lutein can also act as an antioxidant to protect nerve tissue.

Many clinical studies have also confirmed that the comprehensive combination of DHA, natural vitamin E and lutein can produce 81% more brain binding than the single DHA action.

Nutrients important for a healthy digestive system

Palm oil-free fat system: Parents should prioritize the use of formulas with “active” vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, soybean oil, coconut oil instead of palm oil - a very cheap and very common in formula milk. In palm oil, there is a high content of palmitic acid (a type of saturated fat). When palm oil is digested , palmitic acid combines with calcium to create a difficult-to-dissolve compound called calcium soaps. This compound both makes children persistent constipation and prevents children from absorbing important nutrients like DHA - especially beneficial for brain development.

Soluble fiber FOS : Increases volume and softens stools to make it easier for your baby to pass out.

Nucleotides: Helps strengthen the immune system to reduce the risk of diarrhea or other common digestive disorders in infants and young children

HMO : An extremely important ingredient in a child's healthy digestive system. This nutrient acts as bait, attracting pathogens so that they do not stick to the intestinal mucosa and harm the child's intestinal tract. If you are fully supplemented, the mother will help your baby reduce the risk of respiratory infections by 66%.

Taking care of a child is never easy. When your child has any health problems such as constipation and diarrhea, the desire to help children have a normal frequency of bowel movements is a legitimate thing for any parent. However, parents should not be anxious to want their children to go out more smoothly but easily compromise with the milk that is not conducive to the child's brain development.

Instead, parents should calmly find out the cause and carefully consider the composition and content of nutrients in the type of formula you are using. If you are feeding your baby the milk with all the criteria and ingredients that are beneficial for the brain and digestive system mentioned above, mothers should rest assured and persevere in using. If your baby's milk has palm oil and is low in brain development nutrients, then you should consider changing to a different product.