Breast is Best

Breast feeding is controversial today. Many people are given mixed information and depending on the generation in which you or your parents were raised will decide what kind of advice you are given. There are a few facts that every new parent should know. Breast is the best, even formula companies will admit that; however your parents or in-laws may not be so willing to agree. There are many advantages to breast feeding, just as there are many reasons why some parents choose to formula feed.

The pros of breast feeding may not seem obvious to everyone, so let us go over them. Breast feeding allows your baby to get immunity protection from his or her mother. Breast feeding can help to prevent obesity in children and help the mother to lose her pregnancy weight. Breast feeding also reduces the risk of the mother developing breast cancer.

Aside from the health benefits, there are also some other pros. Breast milk is always the right temperature; you always have food for your baby. The best part is it is the perfect food for your baby, it changes to meet your baby’s needs and it is free. There is no cost to breast feeding. If the idea of breast feeding is unappealing to you, you can pump and bottle feed. Breast feeding also allows a new mom time to bond with her baby, this is a time that you will come to cherish, a time when you can stare at your baby and admire your handy work.

I also understand that there are some perceived negatives to breast feeding. Breast feeding may make you uncomfortable in public, if you are not completely comfortable with it. I would also like to point out that there are very stylish cover ups for breast feeding as well as some specially designed shirts that make it very easy to be modest. Some people do not like the idea of nursing a baby. In most circumstances, this is because they are thinking of breasts in a sexual way, your baby thinks of your breasts in terms of survival. Your breasts are a source of food and comfort, there is nothing sexual about it. Some people also believe that breast feeding ties you to your baby; I personally do not think that it is a bad thing to be with your baby. For people who do not wish to stay home with their children, pumping is an option.

I do understand that we live in a society where convenience reins supreme and for this reason formula was created. There are a few instances when it is impossible to avoid the use of formula, such as when a mother’s milk supply dries up prematurely or when a mother cannot make enough milk. Formula gives you the benefit of being able to leave your baby at daycare or with a sitter without planning ahead. I am not saying that this is a good reason to formula feed your baby you can do the same thing while breast feeding if you plan ahead.

Although formula is thought to be more convenient, there are some cons to using it. One con is that it is easier to over feed your baby. Formula feed babies tend to get sick more easily because they are not getting their mother’s immunities. Formula stains clothes and formula poop smells much worse than breast milk. Formula is also made from milk byproducts, in other words it is made from whatever is left after all the useful parts of milk have been used. I have never found the idea that the only reason we use formula is because when it was invented, it didn’t kill the babies and they seemed to be capable of digesting it.

I know that whether a parent chooses to breast feed or formula feed is a personal decision. Each family needs to do what is right for their situation and their goals in life. Give your baby the best possible start you can, they deserve it.