Breastfeeding or Bottle Feeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding has become so controversial in this day and age. With modern technology many parents are asking themselves if breastfeeding or formula is the better way to go.

Though I have nothing specific against formula, I did have to ask myself a few questions. Did I want to get up every 4 hours and make a sterilized bottle of formula or wait with a hungry child while the bottle warmed up? I decided against those options.

On the flip side, my breast was ready and the milk was at the right temperature. The only real drawback was that unless I pumped some of the milk, baby could only be fed by me.

For health reasons I chose to breastfeed our children. The first benefit was to me, not my baby. By breastfeeding my body went back to normal a lot faster than had I not breastfed. My stomach shrank. My menstrual cycles stopped (the longer you breastfeed the longer the cycles stop, often up to a year or more.) The next benefit of course was to my baby. Warm milk was ready at a moments notice. Baby didn't have to wait for a full tummy. A close bond develops between mother and child when breastfeeding and baby loves the close contact.

Another added benefit is that baby will get some great anti bodies from mothers milk that are not available in formula's. Less allergies are likely to occur also as baby is building up a stronger immune system. It is also a huge comfort to an ill child or one that perhaps has to undergo a lot of medical issues.

In bottle fed babies often it takes a few different formula's to find one that is suitable for your child. sometimes babies have an allergy to a specific ingredient in the commercial formula's and it can cause anything from mild vomiting and mild rashes to severe vomiting and very fussy babies.