Which is better:Breastfeeding or Bottle?

Question

What are the good things about breast milk?

Answer 1

Breast feeding is better

Answer 2

"What are the good things about breast milk?"

1. It is the normal way babies are meant to be fed. Every mammal species on the planet feeds the young by nursing. Feeding formula is an acceptable alternative when breastmilk is not available, but it carries certain risks.

2. It contains substances that cannot be duplicated by any artificial baby formula. These include living cells from the mother that fight disease in the baby and help the baby's immune system. The composition changes to meet your baby's individual needs, mothers of preemies produce milk higher in fat for instance.

3. It is always ready, clean, and at the perfect temperature. There is no need to scrub out bottles, mix powder, or heat. You can't ever accidentally leave the house without bringing the baby's food! When the baby wakes at night, you don't have to fumble around in a sleepy daze trying to get stuff ready.

4. It works great for treating pinkeye, ear infection, skin irritation/diaper rash. A few drops of breastmilk on the problem area go a long way! (Source: I have been told this by many other breastfeeding mothers, by a medical doctor, and experienced it myself firsthand) Did you know when cancer patients can't keep anything else down due to their cancer treatment, they will often be able to tolerate drinking breastmilk?

5. Did you know breastfeeding decreases your risk of breast and ovarian cancer? Not only is your baby statistically likely to be healthier by breastfeeding, YOU stand to benefit too!

6. Breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day, helping you to get back in shape after pregnancy.

Answer 3

Breast feeding is the best choice. Your breast milk has natural immunities that your baby will benifit from, and the best part is, it actually changes as your baby grows to include what he will need at every stage of infant developement. So, a breast fed baby will probably not be sick as often or at all during the time when they are being breast fed. Also there is a decreased chance of SIDS in breast fed babies. It's also easier to digest, so there is less spitting up, and no allergic reactions. Of course the stuff nature gives us is the best choice. But that doesn't mean bottle fed babies are unhealthy, or that you're a bad mom if you bottle feed. Breast feeding can be hard, it takes a lot of dedication to keep that up for a year. It's hard on you physically, it can be embarassing (you might leak in public), and it kinda gets in the way of your sex life (and you already had something getting in the way for those last few months). I breast fed my first baby, but quite honestly after I had my second one, I just wanted my body back. So I bottle feed my son, and he's just fine. And FYI I was bottle fed, too, and I'm quite fine as well.

Answer 4

Breast milk is meant for babies, it is convenient and always ready. But breast feeding is an art, the lucky ones who get it right are set until it is time to disconnect, but the unlucky ones struggle and end up with sore nipples and mastitis. This can ultimately affect your relationship with bub so if this happens don't feel like a failure, let it go and bottle feed. It is your relationship with bub that matters most of all. Billions of babies have been bottle fed and have survived to become healthy well adjusted adults. It is your relationship with bub that will forge bubs placement in life. Do what you feel is right because there is no wrong answer here.

Answer 5

Breast is best. The biological makeup is exactly what the baby needs. The only thing that should ever be in a bottle is breastmilk. The people who say bottle is better are masquerading the fact that they opted for convienence and not the health of their baby. It is nothing but selfish. The UN and WHO along w/ the American Pediatrics Assoc. have all said to breast feed for at least 1 yr. Not to mention that formula is not regulated by the FDA or any other objective 3rd party. Formula along w/ vaccinations are the biggest experiment ever perpetrated on the american public.

Answer 6

breast feeding is so much better for you and the baby! Breast milk is more nutritious for the baby, and is always the right temperature. Also, when the baby wakes up, you don't have to heat a bottle, and mix formula, its always ready, and convient. You don't have to wash and sterilize bottles either! If you have to leave the baby with someone, and go out you can always pump some milk. Also, a big advantage for both of you, is when the baby is crying and tired, its so easy for them to fall asleep while your feeding them, and then just carry them into bed. It also slims your stomach faster, and you burn more calories! It also creates a great bond with you and your baby. You decide, and good luck what ever you do!

Answer 7

Either is fine depends on you and your baby. I bottled fed all my kids, none of them had ear aches and they are all very intelligent (so that BS that breastfed babies are smarter is BS). I am due here soon and bottle feeding again. I have nothing against those who breastfeed but it is my personal choice and if God felt that formula was bad for babies he would have never created man to create formula. Me being a full time stay at home mom and military wife breastfeeding is NOT an option for me and I like the fact that my husband can bond with the baby as well since he is in the army and deploys alot.

I say whatever you feel fits your lifestyle then go for it. Whatever you choose to do there is no right or wrong in your decision.

Answer 8

I have 7 children and babysat for 8 years.

I breastfed all my babies. The first child I did the combo of bottle and breast.

For some reason, the bottle fed babies I took care of (as well as my first son), were fat little babies. They walked later rather than sooner due to their heavy weight and they continued to eat quite a lot when they went on to other foods.

The opposite was true for my breastfed babies. The babies were lean, walked sooner and were not fixiated on food.

The health benefits for breastfeeding way outweigh the bottle.

IMO, breastfeed and if you can't, don't get too upset.

Answer 9

I'm a guy so take this with a grain of salt but my wife and I did a lot of research on this topic though the final decision was hers. Which is better is mainly personal preference. My wife said when we have our next child she will breastfeed and that is what she did with our daughter.

Breastfeeding is not healthier as far as I know. Formula has come a long way and is very similar. Formula takes less interaction for the mother (assuming there is a husband he can feed the child). This is beneficial for him as he has some alone time.

Breastfeeding is convenient because you do not have to lug bottles around assuming you feel comfortable enough to feed in public (using common sense of course). It also helped my wife. She was nervous having a baby and when my daughter was born she was happy but the breastfeeding really let her connect with my daughter because you can't get much closer.

Breastmilk is also always the right temp. No checking the temp because it is ready.

The one main difference is that breastmilk comes in stages. The first stage is more water which quenches the babies thirst, the second "let down" is thicker and fills the baby for the long term. Generally feedings will take longer. Formula feedings can take less time because they are usual more like the milk after "let down".

Answer 10

Short answer: breastfeeding is hundreds of times better and healthier for a baby than formula could *ever* be. No matter what bottle-feeders tell you, formula is *not* as natural as breastmilk. The only way a baby should have to have formula is if the mother absolutely cannot, no way in he11, ever be able to breastfeed her baby.

Feeding a baby formula increases the risk of the child having allergies, respiratory infections, SIDS, obesity in childhood as well as later, and general illnesses that they come in contact with throughout their life. Formula-fed babies have ear infections, colds, flu, and so on *far* more often than breastfed babies.

Breastfeeding increases chances of the child being healthier all its life, not having ear infections, are better able to guage their fullness and hunger when they get older, and have a higher IQ (which is *not* ********- it is scientific fact proven with decades of research), and general enhanced development of their brain. They have a far smaller chance of having GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), don't spit up nearly as often after being fed, and smell much nicer (go smell a formula-fed baby, then snuggle up to a breastfed one- I promise, you can tell the difference!). Plus, it can help the mother lose their pregnancy-gained weight (because of the energy that the body uses to produce the milk), releases hormones that make the uterus shrink back to its normal shape and size, and lessens the risks for breast cancer. There *are no* drawbacks to feeding your child breastmilk. :)

If the father wants to bond with the baby through feeding (but come on, there are hundreds of things to do with your baby to bond with it- sticking a bottle in its mouth isn't required for that), you can pump breastmilk for him to feed the baby. Just be aware that if a bottle is used in the first few months that the baby is being breastfed, nipple confusion can result, and the baby will be reluctant to eat from breast or bottle either.

Answer 11

Breastfeeding is best. There is no medical question that under normal conditions, breast milk is the perfect source of nutrition for the baby.

Breastfed babies have less incidents of SIDS, asthma, ear infections, and obesity later in life. Studies have also shown that breastfed babies scored slightly higher on IQ tests....breastfed babies have better immune systems.

There is also the mother/child bond....but to be honest, I think babies bond with their mommies no matter what.

This is for healthy, non-smoking, non-drug taking, negative HIV/AIDs, mothers who really want to breastfeed.

Breastfeeding is hard and whoever tells you it isn't either got very lucky or lied.......It was the HARDEST thing I ever did and the only thing that got me through it was that it was the best thing for my child and I had to tell myself that every day.

My mother-in-law gave me the best advice....she said..."It will get easier every week." I clug to that and she was right. It did hurt a little in the beginning (even though he was attached right).

It is a great and wonderful thing, the healthiest for your child, but you have to really want it and be committed. I also had the support of my husband who attended the breastfeeding class with me (I recommend them highly) and really encouraged me. He knew how important it was to me and did not let me quit.....(I never REALLY wanted to, I was just frustrated).

All that said, they have some great formulas out there....my son has asthma and got an ear infection while I was nursing. You are not a terrible mother if you decide not to. If it will make you crazy and resentful, you shouldn't do it.

I highly suggest you try!!!!!!!! Women who think they'll hate it love it...I thought I'd love it, and I didn't.....I did it anyway, but I thought it was kind of a pain....worth it, but a pain.......