Breast or Bottle: Making the Right Decision for You

Should you breast feed or formula feed your baby? That's one of the first decisions that a mother makes after her baby is born. It is a decision with which many new mothers wrestle. However, for many women, the decision to breast or formula feed fits outside the boundaries of statistics, studies, and recommendations. Every woman wants to do what's best in the interest of her baby. Therefore, this decision is oftentimes a personal decision based on individual circumstances.

Breast Feeding.

The American Academy of Pediatric (AAP), The Medical Association (AMA), American Diabetic Association (ADA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all recommend breast feeding as best for babies. Not all of the components in breast milk can be replicated by formula makers. They try, and they do a good job, but to date, have been unable to match the correct combination and composition because some of the substances in breast milk are unknown. The AAP recommends that babies be breast fed exclusively for six months and continues up to twelve months if possible.

Antibodies that are passed on to your baby through nursing is shown to help reduce the probability of meningitis, ear infections, diarrhea, and respiratory infections. Studies also show that nutrients in breast milk helps with your child's brain development.

If your baby is premature, breast feeding is especially important because they are protected by your developed immune system. And is easier to digest. Breast feeding may also protect all children against allergies, asthma, diabetes, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome otherwise known as SIDS.

As a whole, breast fed babies reportedly develops fewer infections and requires less hospitalization than formula fed babies.

Benefits of Breast Feeding To Mothers

The baby is not the only one who benefits. Breast feeding reportedly offers nursing mothers protection from breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also burns calories and helps to shrink the uterus. This may allow new moms to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape faster than women who formula feed their babies.

Formula

Breast feeding may not be possible for most women. This decision may be based on a woman's comfort level and her life style. In some cases, a woman's medical condition may require her to take medications that would not be safe to pass on to her baby through her breast milk.

For a woman who is uncomfortable breast feeding, forcing herself may prove frustrating and stressful for her and her baby. Some women because of financial necessity may have to go back to work shortly after giving birth in which case they will be unable to breast feed every 2 to 3 hours that a nursing baby requires. Frequency and time increases as your baby gets older.

It is rgulated by the U.S Food And Drug Administration (FDA) that formula companies provide all the known nutrients such as vitamin D in their formulas to ensure that your child is receiving the nutrition that he or she needs.

Many women feel guilty if they do not want or are not able to breast feed their baby. You shouldn't. It is a personal decision and feeding time, whether it's breast or bottle is a special time to bond with your child.