To breast-feed or to bottle-feed, that's the question...

In science class we all learned that breast feeding was always the right way to go. Itcontained the right amount of nutrients  for the baby to develop healthily, it was always at the correct temperature, it was free,  and it was on demand; a hungry baby did not have to wait 5 minutes until a bottle f ormula was made.   The advantages of breast feeding are many, but there over the years I have learnt that are also several drawbacks

Benefits of breast feeding

-Fewer digestive upsets
-Less spitting up
-Less diarrhea
-Less constipation
-Less chance of allergies developing
-Fewer skin rashes
-Fewer weight problems
-Smarter baby
-Convenient for mother
-Closer mom and baby bond
-Cheaper
-Travel is lighter (won't need to pack formula, bottles and water in diaper bag)
-Father doesn't have to get up in the middle of the night
-Mothers uterus returns to normal size a lot faster
-Takes calories to breast feed, which means the mom loses weight quicker.

             Arguments against breast feeding

-Biting
-Lack of privacy in public setting
-Mom has to be careful not to injest certaing fods, drinks and medicines
-Not much alone time for mom; she has to constantly be available for feedings
-Mom will not have a  period but could ovulate and get pregnant
-"Let down reflex" ( milk may be available even when the baby isn’t hungry)

Advantages of bottle feeding formula

-other people can feed the baby
-Easy and less embarrassing to do in public
-Mom can eat what she wants

Disadvantages of bottle feeding formula
-More time consuming (heating and making the bottle
-Expensive
-Mom will miss the special closeness of breastfeeding
-Easier for baby to gain weight-sometimes too much.

Although there are sound arguments for and against both breast feeding and bottle feeding, the “breast is best” (Berger). In countries like Africa where HIV is rampant, or in instances where the mother abuses drugs and alcohol, research has shown that breast feeding is still the best route to go. The risk of the baby catching HIV from the mother’s milk is “less than their risk of dying from infections, diarrhea, or malnutrition as a result of occasional bottle-feeding” (Cohen, 2007).

In those rear cases where the mother is unable to breast feed for whatever reason, the parents should partner closely with a pediatrician for advice on what formula  would meet the baby’s needs at each stage of development, and also any additional supplements that may be needed. As a future advocate in the early childhood field, I have plans to provide parents with the education that they need for proper childcare. I will inform them that, prior to enrolling them in a childcare institution, there are certain important practices that will help guarantee their child’s healthy development. One such practice is breast feeding.

Berger, K. (2005). The Developing Person through Childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY:
Worth.

http://www.infobarrel.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Breastfeeding_and_Formula