Breastfeeding has become an issue of such importance there are organisations and numerous studies devoted to the topic. It has caused controversy in some quarters, and there continues to be debate as which is best – breastfeeding or formula. Most medical professionals recommend that healthy women should breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of life.
Some women are however unable to breastfeed their newborn for a number of reasons. These include illnesses such as HIV or an inability to produce enough milk. Some medications have also been known to pass from mother to infant through breast milk making breastfeeding ill-advised. Sometimes this can have an adverse effect on the baby’s health. Others may opt for bottle feeding or formula in an effort to retain the firmness of the breasts. While this may be criticised by some, it is important to remember that it is a personal decision whether to breastfeed or bottle feed. Since breast milk can be expressed and fed to the baby with a bottle, in the context of this article ‘bottle feeding’ refers to the use of infant formula.
The Advantages of Breastfeeding
- It helps protect the baby from a number of ailments including diarrhea, ear infections and respiratory problems
- It helps to strengthen the immune systems of premature babies
- Breast milk is easy for the baby to digest
- It introduces the baby to different tastes as the baby will detect the flavor of the foods the mother eats
- Breastfeeding allows for greater bonding between mother and child
- It helps the nursing mother to shed weight
- It enhances the mother’s feeling of confidence in her ability to care for her baby
- It is free
- It is usually easy and convenient
The Disadvantages of Breastfeeding
- Initially some moms have great difficulty getting the baby to latch on
- It can be quite painful especially for new moms, and in may cases the nipples may crack and bleed
- Frequency of feeding can be tough, especially for working moms
- In a few cases breastfeeding may require a change in diet for the new mom
The Advantages of Bottle Feeding
- Anyone can feed the baby which can be helpful to a tired or sick mom
- Babies don’t need to be fed as often since formula is digested slower than breast milk
- It allows for a more flexible schedule especially for working mothers
- Fathers can get a chance to bond with babies during feeding
- The mother won’t need to adjust her diet
The Disadvantages of Bottle Feeding
- The time involved in preparing the formula and ensuring that the bottle is properly cleaned
- The bottles can be breeding grounds for bacteria
- Formula has none of the essential antibodies found in breast milk
- It is more likely to make the baby gassy
- It is less easy to digest
- Some brands of formula are expensive
- Ounce for ounce it has less nutritional value than breast milk
As can be seen, breastfeeding holds more advantages than disadvantages, and it poses more benefits to both mother and newborn than formula does. Of course some women pump their breast milk and refrigerate it so the baby can have it at any time. Great strides have been made in the production of infant formulas, so they are much healthier for the baby than they used to be. If for any reason a woman is unable to breastfeed, she should not feel guilty. Infant formulas do offer a viable alternative to breast milk.
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