NEWBORNS

For the first four months of life, newborns depend on milk for their dietary needs, whether it be through breastfeeding or formula. Though some parents choose to combine both, the healthiest and most well-rounded option for your newborn is complete breastfeeding.

Breast milk is an excellent choice, its only fault being the lack of two essential nutrients: iron, essential to healthy brain development, and vitamin D, for strong bones. For this reason most pediatricians recommend all breastfed babies get 400 IU a day in the form of supplements for vitamin D and a 1 mg iron supplement. If your newborn has trouble with the supplement, many pharmacies provide a liquid form that can be mixed with the breast milk.

On the other hand, formula is fortified with all the necessary nutrients. Babies need 32 ounces of formula to satisfy their dietary needs. While this seems like a better option now, in the long run it can make things a little more difficult. When your child begins to wane off the milk and start solids, it is much more difficult to measure and assure that your child is getting all the essential nutrients.