Congratulations! You’re baby has arrived, and the fun and work have only just begun. One of the first decisions that you will make as a new mother is whether or not to breastfeed. While it has been well proven that breast milk offers many health advantages to both you and your baby, infant formula is an acceptable and nutritious alternative for those who can’t or don’t want to breastfeed. It is important to weigh the pros and cons to both breast and bottle feeding and choose the right option for you and your baby.
The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages women to breastfeed for at least one year because breast milk provides optimal nourishment and protection against infections. The major ingredients of breast milk are lactose (sugar), proteins (whey and casein), and fat (digestible fatty acids). The balance of these nutrients is perfectly suited for your baby and protects against conditions such as ear infections, allergies, diarrhea, vomiting, bronchiolitis, and meningitis. There are also numerous minerals, vitamins, and enzymes found in breast milk that help the digestive and absorption process. Infant formulas try to approximate the same combination of nutrients but don’t provide the many beneficial enzymes and antibodies.
Beyond the nutritional benefits, there are many practical reasons to breastfeed your baby. The cost of breastfeeding is far less than feeding your baby infant formula. Generally speaking, the costs associated with breastfeeding are only about half of what you will spend on formula. Breast milk also requires no preparation and is instantly available at any time. And, breastfeeding mothers will find it much easier to return to the pre-pregnancy shape by using up about 500 extra calories per day and helping the uterus tighten up and contract back to its normal size. Further, there is growing evidence that breastfeeding is helpful in the prevention of breast cancer.
The psychological benefits of breastfeeding are also quite compelling for both the mother and the child. Nursing provides skin-to-skin contact, promotes bonding, and enables mothers to feel more confident about their own abilities to nurture, protect, and care for their babies.
When breastfeeding is successful, there are simply no disadvantages to a baby. However, certain medical circumstances make it inadvisable for some mothers. For example, if a mother is extremely ill, she may not have the energy or strength to breastfeed without it causing harm to her own recovery. Certain medications are known to pass into breast milk and could be dangerous to an infant. And, mothers will be advised to not breastfeed their babies if they have particular transmissible conditions such as H.I.V. infection
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