Skip to main content

Breast Feeding Versus Formula Feeding Part 1


This is a topic that most mothers struggle with...Trust me, I also asked myself a lot of questions related to this topic. As a mum, your greatest joy is being able to give the best to your baby because like it not, these adorable innocent children are given to us to take care of, you get to decide what happens to them; what they eat, what they wear, what school they attend, what they become etc. It's almost like you are given a blank sheet and asked to write whatever you like to on it. 

So the fear of not making the right decisions when it comes to your kids is inevitable. But do not forget, as a human, you may make some mistakes but the most important thing is, first, learn from your mistakes. Secondly, ensure you do some research and ask the right people questions to ensure you do not make such mistakes again, and lastly, forgive yourself. Do not dwell on a mistake for too long, it keeps you trapped. 

Okay so lets move on to the topic here, Are there more benefits of Breast feeding your baby (giving breast milk) than Formula feeding them? Well, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, strongly recommend breastfeeding exclusively (no formula, juice, or water) for 6 months. And breastfeeding for up to a year at least with other foods (e.g. semi solids) from 6 months of age combined with fruits, proteins and vegetables. 

What is contained in your Breast Milk?
Well, Breast milk contains nutrients in the ideal form,  a perfect mix of vitamins, fat and protein...the complete blend of everything your baby needs to grow. It also contains Antibodies that help fight against foreign entities like viruses and bacteria. From research is was discovered that babies that are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, have fewer episodes of ear infections, diarrhea or respiratory illnesses which amounts to fewer trips to the hospitals. Breast milk is also easily digested than formula.

What you stand to benefit as a Breast feeding mother
Okay, this is from my personal experience...it may not be applicable to all other mothers. I discovered that while I breastfed my daughter, I experienced some contractions in my uterus and this helped to shrink my uterus back to what it was pre-pregnancy. Also, I lost a lot of my pregnancy weight in the first 2 months. I am not saying this happens in all cases, but this could be your experience too.

It is known for research that, breastfeeding releases the hormone called oxytocin, which helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and may reduce uterine bleeding after birth. It also lowers your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It may lower your risk of osteoporosis, too.

And finally it saves you money.

continue reading...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Weaning your Child- How old is too old to breastfeed?

"When to wean?" It's a question that's top in the mind of nursing mothers. First, What does it mean to Wean: It means to accustom an infant (or other young mammal) to food other than its mother's milk. Your baby is considered weaned when he stops nursing and gets all his nutrition from sources other than the breast. Although babies are also weaned from the bottle, the term usually refers to when a baby stops breastfeeding. Some moms stop at 6 months, others serve a combination of solids and breast milk till the baby is 1 year old. Its also not surprising to see toddlers who breastfeed up to 2 years old. Ultimately, Weaning is a personal decision and should be based on what's best for your family. Perhaps as a working mom, you need to return to work after your 3 months Maternity leave, you may choose to wean your baby off breast milk at 4-7 months and introduce bottle-feeding. Weaning doesn't necessarily signal the end of the intimate bond you and your...
Post a Comment
Read more

Understanding & Reasoning with Toddlers Part 1

2-year-old Sophie pitched a fit because her mom wouldn't give her a pear. Explaining that there weren't any pears -- offered her a banana, an apple, a kiwi -- but nothing else would appease her: "I want a pear!" If you've ever tried reasoning with a 2-year-old, you know the meaning of futility. Toddlers are wondrously curious and beguiling. They're also irrational, self-centered, and convinced of their own omnipotence. But you can't blame them -- that's just the way their brains are wired. Still in an early stage of cognitive development, toddlers think in fundamentally different ways from older children and adults. Fortunately, understanding how your toddler's mind works can help you to endure, and even to enjoy, the terrible twos. Here, our experts decode some of the more maddening, mystifying toddler tactics -- and offer ways to help you deal. The Drama Queen The scene:  Your toddler pinches her finger in a toy. You rush over to find ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Twin Siblings-Understanding their fights

Twins share a great bond, but when you're a young twin its one thing to share a womb or a birthday but quite another to share a toy. When my friends had children, the first words their kids would say was either mummy or daddy, but for  a mother of twins, when they  start t alking, the first word they would probably say is MINE! Conflict from sibling rivalry occurs as twin children compete for dominance, parental attention and independence. The fight may start over who gets the toy or who gets the best seat in the car but this is often a smoke screen for underlying issues such as feelings of jealousy, anger or insecurity. It can be hard for younger twins to understand these feelings and often the fight becomes a test to see who deserves to be first,  who' s stronger, smarter, better or more loved. Equally, parents find it hard to understand why their twins constantly bicker, tease and provoke each other rather than just get along and be frien...
Post a Comment
Read more