There are many important questions a mom has about feeding her newborn. Enfamil® has compiled a baby feeding guide including formula feeding, DHA benefits, and the basic nutrition requirements for newborns.
A: Formula not only meets your baby's basic nutrition requirements, it also provides the nutrients your baby needs for his growth and development. Formula-feeding also allows Dad and other family members or friends to feed and bond with your baby, and for Mom to have a little break. And some parents just feel more comfortable with formula-feeding.
A: The maker of Enfamil realizes that every little digestive system is different. What makes one baby smile might make another one cry. That's why Enfamil has developed an entire Enfamil Family of Formulas™
Talk to your baby's doctor or visit our product section for more information on the one that fits your baby—and look for formulas with balanced nutrition and DHA and ARA, two important fatty acids that support your baby's brain and eye development.
A: Enfamil PREMIUM® Newborn formula is specifically tailored to newborns through 3 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all infants get 400 IU per day of vitamin D. Enfamil PREMIUM Newborn has 400 IU of vitamin D in 27 fl oz to help support your newborn's vital growth and development. It also has DHA for brain and eye development, and Natural Defense™ Dual Prebiotics designed to help support babies' own defenses.
It's part of Enfamil Staged Nutrition, along with Enfamil PREMIUM® Infant and Enfagrow® PREMIUM™ Toddler.
A: Vitamin D is needed to help your baby develop strong bones. Sunlight is the usual source of vitamin D production in the skin. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies under 6 months avoid direct exposure to the sun, and that they instead receive vitamin D either through formula or, if they are breastfed, through vitamin supplements.
New Enfamil PREMIUM® Newborn delivers 400 IU of vitamin D in 27 fl oz, so you can feel confident that your newborn is getting the nutrients he needs for healthy growth and development.
A: Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system—where about 70% of your baby's immune system is located. These beneficial bacteria help to fight off bad bacteria, and emerging science suggests prebiotics may support your baby's developing immune system. Prebiotics are found in breast milk, and in some infant formulas like Enfamil PREMIUM® Newborn's dual prebiotic blend.
A: Certain fatty acids, like DHA and ARA, are building blocks for your baby's brain and eyes, before and after birth. Because a baby's brain develops quickly in the early months of life, many experts believe that it can be beneficial for babies to get DHA and ARA during that time.
You can pass DHA and ARA to your baby through breast milk. Or he can get these same great nutrients through infant formula like Enfamil® PREMIUM™ Newborn. Enfamil has our blend of DHA and ARA, important nutrients that promote brain and eye development. In fact, Enfamil PREMIUM is our closest formula to breast milk.
A: Choline is another nutrient found in breast milk that helps support a baby's brain development. The body uses it in cell membranes, and to help some cells communicate with each other. Choline also helps the body use fat, and control its muscles.
In 2005, Enfamil LIPIL became the first infant formula in the U.S. to increase its choline level to that of breast milk as calculated from the mean choline content of human milk as determined by the Institute of Medicine.
A: DHA is the scientific shorthand for docosahexaenoic acid. ARA stands for arachidonic acid. Both DHA and ARA benefits serve as building blocks for your baby's brain and eyes. Enfamil has our blend of DHA and ARA, important nutrients also found in breast milk that promote brain and eye development.
Your baby gets DHA and ARA in utero from you. After birth, DHA and ARA are found in breast milk and in infant formula like Enfamil formulas. Enfamil has a blend of DHA and ARA fatty acids, important nutrients that support brain and eye development.
A: Learning to feed a baby just takes a little time and practice. Start by making yourself calm and comfortable. Hold your baby on your lap with his head resting in the bend of your arm. Keep him in a semi-seated position, with his head slightly higher than his tummy. Tilt the bottle so that the nipple stays full. That way, your baby won't swallow air. Stroke the nipple against his lower lip or cheek. That should make him open his mouth. And remember to give your baby a chance to burp during and right after his feeding.
A: There are three good ways to burp your baby. Hold him upright against your chest with his head over your shoulder, or sit him on your lap. Then pat or rub his back gently. It also works to lay him down with his tummy against your lap, supporting his head so it's higher than his chest, and patting his back.
Burp a breastfed baby each time he switches breasts. Burp a bottle-fed baby after every 2-3 fluid ounces of formula. If your baby is fussy because he swallowed air, stop the feeding to burp him. The more he fusses, the more air he'll swallow and the more uncomfortable he'll be. So take a minute to calm him down, and let him burp before resuming the feeding. By the way, newborns don't necessarily have to burp after every feeding.
A: In the first few weeks, your baby may drink anywhere from 2-3 fluid ounces of formula about every three hours. In general, your baby will take in what he needs to meet his body's demands. So don't be too concerned about fixed amounts. Instead, feed him when he's hungry. He'll let you know when he's finished. If he drinks a bottle and still acts hungry, he probably is. Offer him an extra ounce.
Most babies do fine with 3-4 fluid ounces per feeding during the first couple months. Increase by about 1 ounce a month until he is drinking up to about 6-8 fluid ounces at 6 months of age.
A: Once mixed, the powdered Enfamil formulas are white in color and thinner in consistency, while the liquid formulas are slightly darker (beige or off-white) and thicker. This difference is a result of the way liquids and powders are manufactured. The cause is heat. Specifically, how it's applied to the liquids during manufacturing as part of the sterilization process.
For premature infants or infants with immune problems, ready-to-use infant formulas should be used over powdered ones because liquid varieties can be made commercially sterile. All forms of our formulas offer the same nutrition for your baby.
A: Once prepared, Enfamil powder formulas can be kept in the refrigerator (35-40°F or 2-4°C), covered, for up to 24 hours and Enfamil liquid formulas up to 48 hours. A prepared bottle can be kept at room temperature for up to a total of two hours. If you choose to warm the bottle, warming time should be less than 15 minutes and the bottle should be fed to your baby within one hour. Once your baby begins feeding from the bottle, discard any formula left in the bottle within one hour.
A: Mix our concentrated liquid or powder formula with cool water (35-75° F); it should feel cool on your wrist. If you prefer, you may mix with warm water but only if you plan to feed or refrigerate the formula immediately. Warm water is about 100° F or body temperature; it should feel neutral (neither warm nor cool) on your wrist.
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A: If you want to warm a bottle that has been in the refrigerator, run warm tap water over the bottle or place the bottle in a pan of hot (not boiling) water. Do not submerge the bottle nipple or collar in the water. Shake bottle occasionally while warming. Warming time should be less than 15 minutes. Test the formula temperature before feeding; it should not feel warm or cold when dropped on your wrist - neutral is close to body temperature.
Once a bottle has been warmed, keep it for no more than one hour. Then discard it.
Don't warm Enfamil formula in a microwave. A microwave can overheat the product or cause hot spots and result in serious burns to your baby. In addition, microwave use may cause your baby's bottles and/or plastic liners to explode or burst during heating or after they are removed from the microwave.
Do not re-warm prepared formula (warming it more than once), even if the bottle has not been fed to the baby. Re-warming formula increases the possibility of bacterial growth in the formula as it cools off after heating. Bacteria can be present in powder, in bottles, on your hands, or introduced in other ways during formula preparation.
A: Many Enfamil formulas come in ready-to-use liquid, concentrated liquid, and powder. It's always best to follow the directions on the package. They're the most accurate for the product you're using. But here are a few general tips.
A: Enfamil gives you lots of great feeding options for when you're on the go with your baby:
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