| Breastfeeding is better for your baby | Argumentative Essay | | |
Islas, R.
Argumentative essay
Among the many decision a woman faces when she is pregnant, is whether or not she will breastfeed her child. In our society and in this day and age, this has become a matter of choice as opposed to long ago where formula was nonexistent and the only means of nurturing your baby was to breastfeed. Many women are oblivious to the health risks their baby may endure having not being breastfed. Research and studies show that babies who are breastfed have better health among other things if they are breastfed. To add to that, formula companies tend to obscure the truth and bribe the doctors in to promoting their product. This
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Because of this, many doctors have received a cut for promoting formula from these major manufacturers. While the new mother who has just given birth to her baby feels that formula feeding is better since the doctor recommended it, little does she know that the doctor is doing what he was endorsed to do. Could this mean that many doctors are withholding the truth for money? It may very well be and I will further discuss this issue. According to studies done in the US, fewer than half of the babies are exclusively breastfed during their first two days in the hospital. “By the time they are six months old, only 19 percent of US babies receive any breast milk” (Coburn, 2000, 1). This is in large part due to the doctor’s orders. Little do these mothers know that the doctors are pushing formula products on these new mothers because they are obliged to do so under a contract. Coburn also states “To promote artificial feeding, formula manufacturers spend millions of dollars securing exclusive distribution deals for formula samples, at a yearly average of $6,000 to $8,000 per doctor” (p.2). Many formula companies distribute their products to hospitals to advertize their formula. It is a form of bribery, because if you give the doctors and physicians money they will without a doubt encourage the recommendation of that
Positive messages about breastfeeding should be evident in the midwife’s practice room (Ewles and Simnett, 2003). Literature and posters that promote breastfeeding can be prominently displayed. All magazines and literature in the waiting room can be examined to ensure that there are no unwanted advertisements or promotions of formula.
The audience intended for this paper are mothers that have a desire to breastfeed, employers, clinicians, breastfeeding advocacy groups and federal and state legislators involved in policy change.
One of the things fueling the force against breastfeeding in public is that not a lot of people know how beneficial breastfeeding over formula feeding is for the child. According to The Economic Benefits of Breastfeeding: A Review and Analysis Written by Jon p. Weimer, the majority of the American infants were breastfed up until around 1950. In the last 50 years alone, breastfeeding has changed significantly with the creation of synthetic formula, causing the number of infants being breastfed to dwindle off. Between 1946 and 1956, the number of infants being breastfed fell by half, and by 1967 only 25% of America’s infant population was being breastfed at the time of hospital discharge. The numbers proceeded to increase and decrease in the
Kids are important to life and its existence, it is a natural thing. Our world must face all the moral that comes with it. This involve mothers to feed their babies through breastfeeding at any given time and at any place. The moment woman has a baby, she is faced with many decisions. One of the significant decision is whether to breastfeed her child. Almost everyone will suggest that breastfeeding has many benefits. These benefits are for the breastfeeding mothers, the babies, and for the economy.
As you get ready to welcome your baby and introduce her to this world, you are flooded with thoughts of how to take care of your little one in the best possible way. You find that motherhood is not only about loving and caring, it is also about making a few conscious decisions to help your child grow in a healthy manner. One such decision is whether to breastfeed your baby or to offer her formula nutrition.
Very few experts disagree with the fact that breastfeeding is the optimal choice for the infant. However, decreasing breastfeeding rates raise many questions as to why mothers are not choosing the best nutritional choice for their children. Despite breast milk being the obvious choice for infant feeding due to the health, psychological, and economic benefits, many mothers still decide to feed their infants formula due to lack of knowledge and support, difficulties with breastfeeding, and social embarrassment. Changes need to be made with formula companies, medical professionals, and the public opinion of breastfeeding in order to give nursing mothers the support they deserve.
“When breastfeeding is not exclusively practiced, infant formulas are generally used. The World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk that parents be fully informed about the health hazards of unnecessary or improper use of infant formula”(2).
In fact, it’s free. Components such as nursing pads, nursing bras, and breast pumps are not necessities and are completely optional. Therefore, no materials are required. Moms who choose not to obtain these particular items will save hundreds, (even thousands) of dollars each year. Nevertheless, formula feeding is highway robbery. Formula feeding requires materials such as bottles, nipples, and sterilizing bags which are fundamental in order to ensure that such materials are aseptic for the baby. KidsHealth voices that, “During the first year of life, the cost of basic formula can run about $1,500.00,” depending on the brand of formula (KidsHealth). Who wouldn’t mind having an extra $1,500.00 in their bank account? If that wasn’t enough, the United States Department of Agriculture states that “A minimum of $3.6 billion would be saved if breastfeeding were increased from current levels (64 percent in-hospital, 29 percent at 6 months) to those recommended by the U.S. Surgeon General (75 and 50 percent)” (USDA). Aware that breastfed infants are collecting antibodies and other healthy nutrients so they are less likely to become sick, formula fed infants are at jeopardy for developing illnesses. Frequent cases of illnesses can lead to recurring doctor visits. Moreover, [recurring doctor visits can lead to an abundance of co-pays and prescriptions] (KidsHealth). As a result, moms pay more when they formula feed.
Some of the advantages of formular fed babies are: the baby can be fed by anyone like the father, relations or caregiver, it allows enough time for mother to rest and sleep, helps her to loose weight and the uterus returns to its pregravid state, mother can go to work without thinking on pumping breastmilk at work, no thought of breastfeeding in the public, mother who gives formular can take any medication or eat any food, and at times. She should be informed of the disadvantages of breastfeeding and formula. Disadvantages of breastfeeding are all the advantages of formular, why disadvantages of formula are almost the advantages of
When you think of feeding your baby, you have two options: breast milk or formula. I’m sure when you think of breastfeeding, you think it’s hard and painful, but in
Whether to breastfeed or to formula feed is one of the many decisions parents have to make when caring for a newborn baby. The decision may seem simple in which parents base there decision on comfort, convenience and finance but little do most parents know the decision being made can have damaging long term effects than that of the present. There is plenty of research that state the significance of breastfeeding that go far beyond the extent of bonding between mother and newborn. Although, that too is important. Breast milk is known to contain antibodies which can help the newborn in developing a strong immune system which influence all the body systems. Research has shown that breast-milk can help prevent long term diseases such as
My reactions to Chapter 6 is that Breastfeeding is more beneficial to the infant than formulas. I support Breastfeeding because breastfed babies are likely to have fewer infections and hospitalizations than formula-fed infants. Formulas are more likely to cause health problems for the child because they don’t have antibiotics. This is something that the company Nestle didn’t mention in their advertisement. If an infant is fed formulas, they can suffer from nutritional deficiencies and constipation due to a foreign content such as cow milk. It seems more natural for a mother to feed the child from her own body because her child was in the womb for 9 months. I don’t see what’s wrong with a mother breastfeeding? The infant is receiving nutrients
From the moment that a child is born, the parents need to make difficult decisions, but the one choice that should be clear is to breastfeed. The controversy issue between breastfeeding and formula feeding is causing parents to question themselves and really have to decide what the best choice is for the child. Breastfeeding has been shown to be superior over formula feeding for many reasons. Breastfeeding is the preferred choice physically, nutritionally and economically for the mother and child.
Times. http://www.nytimes.com.2008/02/19/world /americas/19iht-princeton.1.10175351.html Fitzsimmons, W. 2014. Time out or Burn out for the Next Generation. Retrieved from
There are many misconceptions today about feeding formula to babies and it being equal to breastfeeding. Breast milk is complex and species-specific; it targets growth and development of infants and provides disease protection. Both breast milk and formulas contain similar nutrients, but formulas are not an exact copy of breast milk. Formula may maintain growth and development, but it doesn’t contain hormones, live cells, immunologic agents, or enzymes, all of which are contained in breast milk. Breast milk contains four-hundred nutrients that cannot be recreated in a laboratory. Formula compositions don’t change to meet the infant’s changing needs. Although many formulas are similar to breast milk, they have drastic differences in