One of the biggest decisions new moms need to make is whether to feed their baby with formula or breasts milk. There isn’t an absolute answer to this question. Some pediatricians think that formula contains even more nutrients than a newborn needs. Others believe that the old-fashioned way is the best. After all, feeding your baby breast milk is something that comes natural.
So, what is better? We’re going to let you decide. In order to help you out in making the right decision, we’re going to present you all the pros and cons of both breastfeeding and formula feeding.
Pros of Breastfeeding
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, human breast milk is the best choice for feeding infants. In fact, for the first half a year of baby’s life, you should not feed him/her with anything other than mother’s milk. You can even continue doing it after other types of food are introduced into your baby’s diet.
The best way to decide how long your baby is going to be fed breast milk exclusively is to listen to your body. If your body is able to produce milk without any problems, there’s no need for stopping breastfeeding. The same goes if your baby is willing to continue with this type of food. Usually, both mother and the infant will feel that it’s been enough with breastfeeding some 12 months after the baby’s birth.
So, why does the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding rather than formula feeding? It’s because the breast milk contains all the nutrients your baby needs, but also gastrointestinal bacteria. Through breast milk, you are giving your baby the bacteria that will enable digesting other foods later on.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for the Mother
Apart from being great for the baby, breastfeeding is also beneficial for the health of the mother. A number of different studies have proved that women who have breastfed their children usually have fewer health problems.
In fact, this especially goes for issues like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, and so on. Still, the number one reason why most moms decide on breastfeeding is that it creates a powerful mother-child bond.
Pros of Formula Feeding
Women, who, for some reason, can’t breastfeed their babies, don’t have to worry, as formula feeding seems as an equally good solution. The science is so advanced today that you can find formulas that contain even more nutrients that the breast milk. In fact, almost every formula available on the market comes with at least an equal amount of essential nutrients.
Many kinds of research have been conducted in order to find how healthy formula feeding is for the baby. They all found that there’s no difference in child’s development between those who were fed with breast milk and those who had the formula instead. What this means is that you should not worry about your baby’s health and development, as formula has everything your baby needs.
Another reason why the formula is becoming more and more popular is the fact that it is very convenient. It takes only a few moments to make it ready, so you can feed your baby whenever she feels hungry. This also means that the mother is not the only person who can help with feeding. In fact, formula feeding is something that anyone can do!
On top of everything, using the formula to feed your baby means that you don’t have to pay too much attention to your diet. If you were breastfeeding, you would need to stay away from certain foods, not to mention alcohol. With formula feeding, you are allowed to do anything you want!
