2006-12-13 01:23:19 · 21 answers · asked by Yahoo! 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
breast is best but it doesn't work for everyone. maybe she could try it for a few days and see how she gets on. if it doesn't work bottle feed and she shouldn't be made to feel bad if she gives the baby a bottle there is to much pressure on women to breast feed nowadays!! i breast feed until around 6-8 weeks but it can be very draining
good luck and congrats
2006-12-13 01:26:29 · answer #1 · answered by mum_2_many 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Breast is best, as everyone says. There are pro's and con's for each, of course, and it truly depends on what is best for your family. People say that breastfeeding is time-consuming and 'traps' you with your baby. It's not necessarily true. Breastfeeding is a natural way to care and bond with your baby. Not only does it feed your baby the right ratio of carbs/fats, it also helps get mommy back into shape because of the calories it takes to create the milk.
To be successful, find a support group now. Plan on nursing for at least six weeks, because it takes that long for the milk to regulate (although scientists have shown that any amount is beneficial) It can be difficult to get started, but once the baby's natural routine appears, then it's easier because you know that you'll get a break every two hours (or so) to just sit and bond with your baby. You know that you can leave baby with daddy for half an hour to go to Starbucks :-)
Even if mommy works, it's fairly simple to breastfeed, I've known store clerks, office workers, police officers, doctors who have all pumped to feed their baby while at a caregivers (or with daddy) and then nursed at night to build up a better relationship.
Bottlefeeding is appropriate if that is the only thing that works, but there are definitely cons to it...such as expense (when they turn six months and are consuming a can a day, at $20 a can!), cleaning up all that souring milk (and it does smell awful fresh! and worse by the end of the day) and finding the just right nipple that your baby will take...plus concerns that the baby will use the bottle to suckle for nurturing, gaining unneeded weight, and then you're pushing to find a pacifier, then later trying to wean from both bottle and pacifier, it's not pretty.
I've done both, and definitely would pick nursing over bottle any day. She will definitely need your support and understanding, and any help you can bring. Caring for a baby is a full time job, and dads should understand and respect that the work it takes is time-consuming, will decrease the amount of housework and cooking she will be able to do, so if she's moving from working to being home full time, don't expect her to take over all the chores. Even if she's currently fulltime at home, don't expect her to do as much as she used to. Show her love, bring her drinks, rub her feet. i'm a little biased, but pregnant now and know exactly how my husband helps me.
2006-12-13 09:48:36 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Breastfeeding is always best - it's the healthiest thing for baby, it's easily portable, it's basically free, and it helps the new mother lose weight, get back in shape, and bond with her new baby.
However, some moms don't manage to make it work, either there are medical problems making it impossible, or they don't have the time/patience/will to do it, as it is a huge committment on the mother's part and requires a lot of work & dedication.
I think the best plan is to try breastfeeding to start, and if it doesn't work out then find a formula that suits your baby.
2006-12-13 09:32:35 · answer #3 · answered by Maddy 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it is a personal decision for both of you to decide. Doctors say that breast feeding is really good because it has shown that babies who are breastfed have less earaches, have a better immune system, less allergies, and fight infections. Also, breast feeding is beneficial for the mother because breast milk comes from calories, which will help her loose weight easier and faster.
Also, breastfeeding is free! Formula may seem like it doesn't cost much, but when you figure out how much the baby will need, then formula can get quite expensive!
Good luck!
2006-12-13 10:29:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Breastfeed is best fed. Its your choice really. If your wife will be home all day with the baby than I say breastfeed. Its A lot of work breastfeeding. I bottle feed my son and hes very demanding. I dont know how woman take the time to breastfeed. Bottle feeding is hard enough. Again, if your wife will be home for a while and will have the time to breastfeed than go for it. If you want to help with the feedings and your wife needs to go back to work anytime soon, than go with bottle feeding.
2006-12-13 09:30:38 · answer #5 · answered by BOOTS! 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Breastfeeding is what's best for the baby, It is also shown that breastfed babies have a higher IQ, Fewer ear infections, Less alergies and will be leaner in life. Not to mention breastfeeding will help your wife lose that baby weight faster and get back to her normal weight. Check out this website it has tons of info on the subject.....
2006-12-13 09:40:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Breastfeeding is the best. Although there are formulas out there, they cannot replicate the hormone level changes in breast milk that are essential to a baby's growing brain.
From the web:
Breast milk is the best and safest form of nutrition for infants. Infants and breast milk are designed for each other. Infant formulas have been developed to substitute for breast milk when nursing is impractical, or in the unusual instances when it is physically impossible or contraindicated. The goal for infant formulas is to match as closely as possible the composition of human breast milk.
Over the past few years, two key ingredients have been identified in breast milk, which, until 2002, were not present in the infant formulas available in the United States. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid) are the most prevalent long chain fatty acids found in human breast milk. (These naturally occurring fatty acids are also found in fish oil.)
DHA and ARA are the most prevalent structural fats in the brain. Healthy brains are about 60% structural fat (not like the flabby fat found elsewhere in the body). Of this about 25% is DHA and 15% is ARA. DHA is also a major structural component of the retina of the eye. It makes up about 60% of the outer segments of the rods in the retina. Autopsies performed on babies who have died from other causes have shown that formula-fed babies have significantly less DHA in their brains than breast-fed babies.
A large number of studies have suggested that low DHA and ARA levels might be associated with problems with intelligence, vision, and behavior. Children fed standard formulas may have IQ's 5-9 points lower than breast-fed babies, even after correcting for other factors. Vision is measurably poorer by 4 months of age (although this seems to equalize with age), and behavioral problems, such as attention deficit disorder, are more common. These discrepancies have not been found when infants are fed formulas supplemented with DHA and ARA.
2006-12-13 09:32:08 · answer #7 · answered by DA 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Absoluetly breastfeed! It is healthiest for baby and for mom. It reduces the risk of several kinds of cancer for both of them. It is FREE. It means the baby will be sick less often due to the anitbodies present in the milk. It's always available and always the right temperature, nothing to mix or warm up or anything. It means straighter, healthier teeth. Less ear infections. Less tummy upsets. Lower chances of allergies, asthma and diabetes. Lower chances of obesity. It helps mom's uterus return to normal after the birth and helps her lose weight too. And it's very relaxing, thanks to the hormones associated with breastfeeding.
2006-12-13 09:29:17 · answer #8 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
It actually doesnt matter. Formula can be almost 20$ a can and well breast milk is free. But if you want a break some time from breast feeding so much, its nice to have a little formula around. I would go with both.
2006-12-13 09:55:47 · answer #9 · answered by Hannah V 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Are you just trying to start a debate or what? Women don't usually send their husbands online to Yahoo! Answers to determine whether they will breastfeed or formula feed. This is a decision to be made between the two of you.
The choice between breast and bottle is dependant on many factors. Does the mother plan on going to work after the baby is born? Does she mind having her child with her at ALL times so that she can feed? Does she have the mindset it takes to breastfeed? Can you afford formula?
2006-12-13 09:28:06 · answer #10 · answered by ilovejolie86 4 · 0⤊ 6⤋