Breast Feeding vs Formula Essay

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.

However, nothing compares to what breast milk can provide for the baby. Breast-feeding is the absolute best choice as far as nutrition. Whereas, formula feeding offers more convenience, because the mother is not tied down. Ultimately, the decision is a personal one. Which is more important, nutrition or convenience? Breast-feeding not only offers the best nutrition for the baby, but also provides health benefits for the mother. For example, it promotes in returning the uterus to pre-pregnancy size, lowers risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and also helps mothers lose the baby weight. Not to mention, breast milk is free. Having more nutritional benefits, breast-feeding out-weighs the convenience of formula

Another incomparable benefit of breastfeeding is your baby’s intelligence. Studies show that exclusive breastfeeding is directly related to improving cognitive development. That’s right, breast milk can actually make your baby smarter! I’m not saying formula can in any way make your child dumb, I’m just saying if you want to give your child a boost that you are fully capable of doing so. Studies show that breast fed babies

Breastfeeding mothers claim that they are able to form a deeper bond with their baby through breastfeeding. They feel that it is more convenient to breastfeed instead of formula feeding. You don’t have to sterilize and wash a bottle. Plus, it’s free and provides more nutrients.

This paper discusses the benefits breastfeeding has on infants and children. The hypothesis is that feeding breast milk to infants significantly improves their health and cognitive functioning. Research which supports this hypothesis is discussed in this paper. The paper will discuss the methods and results of each study. Two studies are about the positive effects that breast milk has on the brain and cognitive development. Another study is about the positive effects that breast milk has on infants health.

Breastfeeding protects babies against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as sepsis in pre-term babies. Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight off infections like otitis media and respiratory problems like meningitis and bronchitis. It has been found to reduce the incidence and intensity of atopic diseases. Babies who breastfeed tend to suffer from colds less frequently and have fewer incidents of colic. (Davis)

So, we know that breastmilk is best for the infant, what could be in it and what does it do? There are many things to learn about the breast milk. Breastmilk has been proven to provide the best autoimmune defenses and nutrition for the infant because it contains all the essential nutrients, antibodies, and other factors important for growth and development, especially the first moment that a mother breastfeeds. Whatever it contains cannot be replicated in any other way. Some scholars and medical practitioners, however, think formula can be as good as breastmilk. For example, Doctor Nivin Todd says that, “Formula feeding is also a healthy choice for babies. If you use a formula, your baby will get the best possible alternative to breast milk” (WebMD). She said this in comparison to cow milk that other mothers may opt for as an alternative. This should be a relief for those mothers who are forced to choose an alternative method of feeding their infants.

Breastfeeding is a individual women who chose to feeds their baby with milk from the breast there are several reason why women should breast feed. You create this bond between the mother and the baby. It may lower the risk of the baby having an cold or flu (bump2017). It protects the baby from different types of symptoms. Mothers who breastfeed are likely to have a lower risk of breast cancer. When breastfeeding it higher the child IQ.

Breastfeeding provides unique nutrients for the baby, protects from disease, has health benefits for the mother, and provides a unique bond between mother and baby.

Studies have shown that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby, including reducing the risk of common childhood infection such as ear, respiratory and urinary tract infections in infants. The protective antibodies found in breast milk helps to combat common infections that often leads to missed days at work and translates into lost productivity. In addition, breastfeeding has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of obesity in breastfed children verse children that were not breastfed. Breastfeeding also helps to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers and osteoporosis in women that breastfeed. The current recommendation from the American Academy of

Breast feeding has been associated with the neurodevelopment of an infant. According to Stuebe and Schwarz (2011), studies shown that breast-fed and formula fed-infants produced evidence of developmental differences. For example, infants who didn’t exclusively breast feed until 6 months of age crawled later and were less like to walk than the infants were exclusively breast-fed. Also, formula fed-infants had IQ scores that were 7.5 points lower when they were at age 6.5. From this study, only basic information is such as walking and IQ score shown at a grade school age is seen it is hard not to see what the picture would be life if the trend of a slower neurodevelopment continues into the later years of a child. A child who will be lacking in this department can hinder growth in many areas such as motor skills. Showing a decline in IQ scores can also delay a child in succeeding academically future in life. These two factors alone can affect other areas of life. Knowing these facts as a parent would be beneficial. As parents, you would want the best for your child and want to give them the best opportunity possible. The missing link between breast milk and formula milk is long-chain poly unsaturated fatty acids which is said to

There is a wide array of benefits as a result of breastfeeding that specifically help a child survive and develop from the time they are born and throughout all stages of life. The more recognized and examined benefits during infancy and toddlerhood include, but are not limited to, increased intelligence, decreased risk of getting ear infections, lowered risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome, better resistance to common illnesses and allergies (stronger immune system), lower risk for childhood onset diabetes, lower risk for asthma and eczema, increased cognitive development, higher IQ, and increased social maturity.

Nutritionally, breastfeeding provides specific antibodies which help to prevent infant and childhood diseases. Diseases such as RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection) and Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus are serious diseases in infants which can lead to death (Riordan 1997). Breastfeeding is a natural immunization for infants and mothers, decreasing risks such as pneumonia, SIDS, and childhood obesity in infants. Mothers decrease their risk for breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and weight gain (Stuebe 2009). Just as diseases can be immune from breast milk, breastmilk also aids in brain development. In “Breastfeeding benefits babies’ brains”, Stacey states, “babies who had

Researched Evidence that Identifies Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Child, the Mother, and the Entire Family

Research shows that breastfeeding and breast milk unequivocally hold many health advantages for children and mothers. Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties.