Novalac

Infant formulae are not sterilized products. Therefore in order to avoid an excessive microbial development, it is inadvisable to prepare the bottles in advance.

If for a special circumstance you can not prepare the bottle at the time of feeding, you may prepare a bottle in advance and keep it in a fridge for a few hours (12 hours maximum).

Be careful, do not keep unfinished bottles : bacteria develop quickly. Don't hesitate to throw away what's left.

Is it necessary to warm up the bottle before baby drinks it?

We advise to give the milk at around 37°C (breast milk and human body temperature). However there is no problem to give it at room temperature.

If you warm it up, be careful not to burn your baby's mouth, mainly if you use the microwaves : the bottle temperature is not even and therefore you need to shake the bottle before giving it to your baby. Moreover, the outside bottle usually stays cold and the inside is really warm, the risk of burning is higher. If you need to warm up the bottle, it would be better to use a different way of heating it than the microwave. Always check the milk on your wrist before giving it to your baby.

My baby has not finished its bottle, they are going to demand some more in a little while. Can I keep the bottle half drunk and give it again later?

Don't do that. Bacteria multiply quickly inside the milk and bottle, don't hesitate to throw away the left over.

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Breast feeding and weaning

I breastfed my baby but it has diarrhea, shall I stop breastfeeding ?

No, there is no reason to do that. There are different reasons why namely: Your baby digestive system accepts breast milk well. During rotavirus diarrhoea, which is the most common, continuing breast feeding helps to slow down the period of diarrhoea due to its ability to aid to fight infections. You can also continue breastfeeding if your baby receives re-hydration solutions because breast milk is low in sodium.

I breastfed my baby but I would like to start infant milk. At what age can I switch? How do I do it?

You can freely but gradually switch from breast milk to infant milk. However when you have started on infant milk, you cannot go back on breast milk. This change will have to be done gradually over a period of 10 to 15 days, knowing that every 2 to 3 days you need to replace a breast feed by a bottle. You should start with lunch time feed. The progressive decrease of the sucking will decrease the milk production.

I stopped breastfeeding but my breast is still producing milk, what should I do?

You should go and see your Doctor, there is medicine to stop the milk production.

I heard that you shouldn't breastfed and bottle-fed at the same time. Why?

Breast feeding and bottle feeding at the same time allows your baby to get all the good nutrients from the breast milk, even if the quantity is not enough to be the only intake. The main problem with using both feeds at the same time is that your baby might have some difficulties in adapting and refuses one of the two types of feed you are giving them. However, once you have started to bottle feed your baby it will be extremely difficult to go back to breast feeding.

Giving both feeds to your baby might slow down their transit and they might even be constipated for a while. Ask for advice from a health professional who will be able to advise you on an adapted formula.

I would like to breastfeed my baby to be, but I'm afraid that I get tired.

Breast feeding and breast milk production requires lots of energy. The body of a woman who breastfeeds requires more vitamins, minerals and proteins. If the food intake does not cover the nutritious requirements, tiredness is increased because the body must use its own reserves to produce the milk. However you will only be tiring during the period of breastfeeding. If you can and want to breastfeed, do not hesitate, you will give your baby what is best.

Can I improve the quality of my milk to be the best possible?

Breast milk is the best nutrient that you can give your baby. In order to be the best possible you need to follow a few simple rules: have good hygiene, be in a quiet environment, do not smoke and do not drink any alcohol. What you eat and drink influences on the quality of your milk: try to have a balanced diet. However some strong flavoured nutrients can modify the taste of your milk: garlic, onions, spices, shallots, cabbage, leeks, celery, endives and asparagus. Your baby's face is very expressive, look at it to know your baby's taste.

Do not forget to tell your doctor that you breastfeed or want to breastfeed. If you need to take some medicines, read the notice. There are some that you cannot take when you are breastfeeding. Do not hesitate to seek medical advice.

How do I know if my milk is nourishing enough, it seems to be really clear?

Do not worry, breast milk is clearer than cow's milk. Furthermore, its composition changes throughout the period of breastfeeding which can explain the different appearance.

My little one is going to be 6 months old, I breastfed and would like to do it as long as possible but can you breastfed and also give your baby solids?

Yes, you can start giving your baby solids without going onto artificial milk. Start with vegetable purées, directly with a spoon or if you are pumping your milk, put it inside the bottle. Still maintain 2 to 3 breastfeeds a day. You need to know more on solids food?

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Different milks

I cannot breastfed, which infant formula is adapted to my baby?

There are a strict regulations on infant food. Novalac 2^nd age milks conform to a really strict compositional and quality standard. They ensure a good nutrition to babies when breastfeeding is not possible or not wished. (only Novalac Diarinova (also called AD) formula, used in case of diarrhea, cannot be used at long term.)

There is a varied range of infant milks available on the market, in big supermarkets or chemists, at different prices. All these products are not the same and it can be difficult to know which milk to choose. Each baby has its own personality and reacts differently to the milk given. Do not hesitate to seek medical advice, health professionals are able to advise you depending on your baby's reactions.

I heard that breast milk is the best for my baby but for health reasons, I cannot breastfeed. Is there any other milk identical to breast milk?

From the beginning of infant milk fabrication, scientist have always tried to formulate a milk close to breast milk., which is known as being the best nutrition for newborn babies. However, breast milk composition changes a lot. It changes from one woman to another, depending on the food intakes. But also depending on baby's age or even during the sucking. Breast milk is so complex that it seems difficult, today, to imagine that one day an infant milk will be able to imitate it perfectly.

I do not breastfeed. When should I switch from 1^st age formula to 2^nd age formula?

1^st step milks or "infant formula" are usually for babies up to 6 months old and 2nd step milks, or "follow-on formula", up to 12 months old. Often you read to switch to a second age milk from 6 months old because iron and vitamins needs increase and Novalac 2^nd age is more suited for these needs.

This change happens approximately at the same time as diversified diet : usually we give 2^nd age milk a few days before starting on solids ; however there is no problem if you wish to start both on the same day. If your baby has accepted without any problem the 1^st age milk, there is no reason why they should not to the same for a 2^nd age milk.

How many bottles a day should my baby drink ? and which amount of milk feed?

Usually during the first month, your baby should have six bottles, then five the second month and four the third month. You always need to adapt your baby's appetite and rhythm. On each box of Novalac Follow-on Formula, you will find an information food table. However adapt it to your child. Each baby has its own rhythm.

Be careful, if your baby is crying at night time, give them a milk bottle, not sugary water which develops cavities.

How will I know if my baby is getting enough milk, how much milk should my baby be drinking?

From 0 to 6 months, your baby's diet exclusively consists of breast-milk or infant formula (if you cannot or do not want to breastfeed). From 6 months old, the milk must remain the main nutrient in baby's diet. It is recommended to give at least half a litre of follow-on milk from 6 to 12 months.

When can I start introducing cow's milk ? why can we not give cow's milk to a newborn baby?

Cow's milk is not at all adapted for a newborn baby, whatever its formula or presentation (pasteurised…). It does not have the nutritional quality of breast milk or artificial milk. It is recommended to introduce cow's milk later on in your baby's diet and anyway not before the age of one year. After a year, there are growth milks more adapted to your child's needs than cow's milk such as Novalac 3 - growing-up formula.

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Zoom on… few nutrients of baby's diet

Vitamins

Vitamins are small molecules necessary in order to help the body to work perfectly ; they are 13 different kind of vitamins each with their own job. They mainly act in the nervous system development, sight, numerous organism reactions, but also in the mineralisation of the bone tissues.

Novalac follow-on formulae contain the 13 vitamins necessary to baby's growth.

Is it essential to give vitamin D to my baby?

Vitamin D is also called "anti-rickets". It allows the calcium to be fixed on the bones and therefore helps the fortification and bone growth. It is essential and compulsory in order to avoid the risk of rickets (the child does not grow). It is important for a newborn baby's growth.

Vitamin D can be produced by the body by being exposed to the sun, that is why you cannot neglect to go for a walk with your baby. However vitamin D can be given in food. For newborn babies, doctors prescribe vitamin D from birth. Do not mix it with the bottle as it is not soluble.

My doctor has advise me to give some fluoride to my child. Why and until what age is it essential?

Fluoride prevents the development of tooth decay. It is then totally normal to give some to children up to a certain age. The need for complementary fluoride is difficult to evaluate the contribution sources are numerous, it mainly depends on the quantity if fluoride in the water that you are using. Remember, as usual, the excess is not wanted : an excess contribution of fluoride can develop to a "fluorosis" which you can detect in its first stage by stains on teeth enamel. Do not hesitate to ask for more information from an health professional.

Can I mix vitamin D drops and/or fluoride to my baby's bottle?

It is not recommended for several reasons : for the fluoride it is established that its absorption is decreased when milk is present, the complementary prescription will then be less efficient if you mix it with the milk in the bottle.

Vitamin D supplements are oily therefore they do not mix well with the bottle milk : vitamins will stay on the bottle and will not be absorbed.

We need to eat spinach for its iron. In which other food can I find iron?

Spinach is not particularly rich in iron, it is a wrong belief. Iron can come from two origins : animal or vegetable. Iron from the animal is really well absorbed by the body (20% to 25% of the iron is absorbed). You can find it in liver, meat, offal, eggs, yolk, muscles. Iron from vegetables is less well absorbed by the body (only 5% of iron is absorbed). You can find it in cacao, lentils, cereals, dry fruits and spinach. To increase its absorption, you need to take some vitamin C, that explains the advice to drink a fruit juice when you eat some cereals.

Novalac 2^nd age formulae (except Novalac AD that is a transient formula) contain all the necessary minerals needed for the growth of your child and can therefore be taken continuously.

What is essential fatty acids?

They are lipids that the body cannot produce and must be brought by food. The main two essential fatty acids are linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Both are important for your child's cerebral development.

Their respective developments are linked and to guarantee a good development, they must be introduce through food with a ratio (linoleic acid: alpha-linolenic acid) between 5 to 15 for an adult and 9 to 11 for a newborn baby : in Novalac product this ratio is close to 10 to guarantee a good growth of your child.

What are maltodextrins, glucose syrup, starch, lactose that we find in the ingredients list?

All these elements are from the carbohydrates family (=sugars).

Lactose is the natural milk sugar (either in breast milk or cow's milk). Infant formulae contain more or less other sugars like glucose, maltodextrins, starch…because they have specific nutritional and physical properties : for example, matodextrins and starch can influence satiety. Lactose enhances mineral absorption. For each child, each situation, scientist try to optimise the carbohydrates profile.

What is lecithin?

Lecithin is a naturally-occurring fat (phospholipids) found in cells. It is a source of choline. It is essential to cell functioning and brain development.

What are Taurine and Carnitine?

Taurine and Carnitine are amino acids (proteins components) that your adult organism can produce. However newborn babies are not able to produce them and they must be introduce through food. They both have an essential role in fat metabolism. (Taurine is for example involved with fat absorption and the Carnitine may facilitates the intracellular long chain fatty acid transport).

What is casein?

There are two kinds of proteins in milk : casein (insoluble) and lactalbumins protein (whey protein). In breast milk there is 40% of caseins and 60% of whey proteins. In cow's milk, this ratio is 80/20. In infant milk it varies because these two kinds of proteins have different physical and nutritional properties, they are more or less important depending on each child needs.

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Feeding security and infant milk

What are the risks of using an infant formula in relation to the mad cow disease?

It is forbidden to give animal product to cows. Since Novalac formulae's creation, none of the cow, which milk has been used for the products fabrication, have been fed with animal products. The farmers who supply the milk must follow really strict regulations regarding cattle feed, sanitary treatments… Do you want to know more on Novalac products fabrication?
Today there is no proof of a cattle spongiform encephalopathie transmission by milk.

Are there any genetically modified ingredients in Novalac products?

The two "risky" ingredients in relation to the Genetically Modified foods are soya and sweet corn.

Soya : Only the lecithin, that you can find in some products comes from soya. But only from a non genetically modified production from South America.

Sweet corn : starch used in some Novalac formulae does not come from genetically modified productions.

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Baby's dietary habits

My baby is always hungry, can I add more milk powder into its bottle?

Your child often wants more food, they are not full when their feeding bottle is finished, they may be greedy? Do not add any more powder to their bottle, always respect the usual esure of a dose for 30 ml of water and always increase 30ml by 30 ml, that way you will avoid preparation mistakes that may cause digestives troubles.

Ask advice from an health professional, there is a Novalac formula for greedy ones "Novalac Satiety follow-up formula"

My baby eats more than what is recommended on the label. What should I do?

There can be several reasons if your baby eats more. Is your child putting on weight a lot ? If it is not the case, their weight is normal, their body only needs more energy. They must be really actif and use lots of energy.

If your child puts on weight, it is possible that over eating is becoming an habit that they cannot stop. This increases the risk of being overweight and all the problems linked to it. In any case speak to your doctor who will help you find a better solution for your child.

My baby eats a lot less than what is recommended on the label. Should I force them? do they eat enough?

Remember that food tables on infant formula boxes are only an indication based on an average o children. What is important to follow carefully is your baby's growth curve. If they put on weight but do not eat a lot, do not worry, they are small eaters and do not need more food for their growth. If baby has a varied diet try to respect their taste but keep it balanced. Remember that up to a year old they must still drink _ of a litre of milk a day. If they do not want the milk, give them another kind of dairy product (yogurt, cheese, butter, cream … depending on their age, following the steps of weaning) and tell your doctor.

If your child refuses to eat and reject the bottle you are given them, do not worry, it is a normal step in the psycho-development of your baby. This refusal can have different causes:

To express an anguish : check that your baby's environment is not stressful, particularly meal times. Moreover, your baby can feel your anguish, do not stressed even if your baby refuses to eat.

To let you know their taste. If your baby does not like a meal do not force them. Try to give them different menus in order to avoid them getting tired of the same food.

It can be a sign of tiredness. Try to change the time of meals.

Do not make meals last more than 20 minutes.

If you have any doubt, go and see your doctor who will check your baby's weight curve. An appetite problem can be a sign of the start of an illness.

Can we add salt to our baby's food?

It is useless and not recommended! We already eat too much salt. This over salt eating can be a danger to our health (mainly as risked increase of heart problems ; Moreover baby has not the same taste as yours, they will appreciate a more insipid meal.

Do not forget that good health habits are learnt from a young age.

What are the infant cereals recommended for and when can I start feeding my child with them?

Infant cereals are a good transition between an exclusive milk-based diet and a diversified diet.
From 4 months onwards, you can introduce a couple of tea spoons of infant cereals to your baby’s feeding bottle (following the indications on the packaging).
It is recommended to begin with specifically hydrolyzed infant cereals such as Novalac Diastased cereal from 4 months onwards, which are easy to digest and gluten free.
After this first step, you can make your baby discover new tastes and new textures introducing different variants of infant cereals such as Novalac Cereals & Fruits (from 4 months onwards) or Novalac Milky Rusks & Fruits (from 6 months onwards).

I've been advised to use gluten free cereals, but what are they?

Gluten means protein contained in wheat, rye, barley and oats and therefore in all their derivatives. The introduction of infant cereals with gluten should be done after 6 months, therefore gluten free cereals should be favoured until 6 months at least.

Which foods contain gluten ? Are there any gluten free foods and where can I find them?

Cereals (wheat, rye, oat and barley), their derivatives (starch, maltodextrins…) and all the food that may contain one of them (bread, biscottes, sugary, salted cakes, food tins, gingerbread, porridge oats, couscous…) may contain gluen. Some foods contain big quantity of gluten (sausages, pates, block pudding, quenelle, breaded fish, ready made sauce, some dairy products or ice cream, instant soup, gratins, sugared almonds, spices…).

The following food and their derivatives are gluten free (rice, sweetcorn, sorghum, "mil", millet, manioc). Always check on the label "gluten free".

Can I add butter or oil in my baby's food?

There is no need. Your child receives enough fat from the milk and its derivatives.From 8 months old you can however add a little bit of butter with their meals but it is better to add a tea spoon of vegetable oils.

I would like to use oil to prepare my baby's meal. Are some oils better than others?

The best way is to alternate vegetable oils (colza, soya, sweetcorn and sunflower, olive oil) or use mixed oil created by the industry.

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Using Novalac follow-on formulae

My baby has gas and flatus ; my chemist gave me Novalac AC2, is it the adapted Novalac formula?

Yes it is. Novalac AC 2 follow-on formula is a special formula to relieve children from wind and being bloated.

I breastfed my baby. They are constipated (they used to have stools 5 or 6 times a day), is it normal?

Breast milk's major advantages is that it is always adapted to baby's need and to its developing digestive system. Therefore one stool every to two three days, around the age of 2/3 months old, with breast milk is totally normal. If the stool consistency is normal, do not worry.

I have been giving Novalac IT2 for the past 3 days and my baby's stools are liquid. What should I do?

Do not worry, this can sometimes happen. Indeed Novalac IT2 is a special formula to solve constipation problems, even more important ones. Therefore if your baby's constipation was moderate, stools can become a bit more liquid with Novalac IT2. You can then alternate Novalac IT2 with a standard Novalac follow-on formula.

Since I have started giving Novalac IT2 to my baby, they eat more that before. Is it normal?

Yes, this situation can be explained by the products composition. Novalac IT2 is rich in lactose, milk sugar, which give a taste that babies love. It is then normal that your baby eats more. However, Novalac IT2 does not contain sucrose (table sugar) which presents lots of problems for your baby's health.

My baby cries a lot and seems to be suffering. I can't manage to calm them down. What should I do?

If the clinical and motor-neuro test is normal, if the weight curve is good, it could be that your baby suffers from colic, sometimes in relation with a food lactose excess. There is a formula specially adapted to your baby : the amount of lactose has been adapted to newborn babies' digestive capacity in order to eliminate the fermentation, which provokes a lack of comfort for your baby. Ask advise from your doctor.

My baby is allergic to the cow milk / cow milk proteins. Can I give them Novalac HA 2?

No, Novalac HA2 is a follow-on formula which prevents from allergies developing and cannot be given to a child allergic to milk proteins. There are special products adapted for this situation, seek advise from your doctor.

My doctor has advised me to use a Novalac follow-on formula. Where can I buy them?

In France, all Novalac formulae are only sold at chemists. If your chemists does not have the one you like, they can order some from their wholesaler and will be delivered rapidly (under 24h usually). For more information in your country, please contact us (contact@novalac.com).

Are there different kinds of Novalac milk packaging?

In France, all Novalac milks, except Novalac AD come in small tins (400g) and big tins (800/900g). (Novalac AD comes in 450 g tins). Novalac AC and standard Novalac also exist in 900g tins. Contact us for specific information in your country. (contact@novalac.com).

What does "follows on food" mean?

"Follow on food" on a Novalac follow-up formula tin means that you can use this milk all the time, till your child's first birthday. Indeed lots of the little digestive problems that new born babies have are chronic. By continued use of Novalac 2^nd age formula after the disappearance of these problems, prevents them from reappearing. Be careful : only Novalac AD cannot be used continuously. You cannot use it for more than fifteen days, in agreement with your doctor.

I use Novalac AD but it has a different appearance than the usual formula, why?

Indeed, if you leave the bottle to rest few, you might see the creation of two distinctive layers. Do not worry, it is totally normal and comes from fruits present in the formula. You just need to shake the bottle before giving it to your child.

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Other little worries

What is eczema?

Eczema is a harmless skin illness which can last a long time and become more important with time. Eczema can be an allergy due to proteins present in cow's milk. It is usually classified with allergies under "atopic dermatitis". Its treatment can consist in rubbing a corticoids cream on the skin. Speak to your doctor.

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