breastmilk or formula????? for what reasons would a mother chose to breast feed or use formula?

Answer 1

there is no doubt that breastmilk is better for your baby and helps you lose weight faster, however, there are many women (myself included) who are physically unable to, and others who must return to work and are unable to pump. For us there is a huge guilt factor, but we just thank goodness that formula has come such a long way, it is very close to breastmilk, and even has broken-down proteins and helps prevent allergies.

because of the prevalence of having a professional nurse in our history, evolution has not weeded out those of us who are unable (though in my case and many others it is due to a medical procedure done years prior to pregnancy - my breasts made milk, it just could not enter the release ducts - it was very painful, I pumped for 6 hrs a day with the hospital pump, tried breastfeeding, and tried two other pumps, all I got was blood)
You have to do what works for you and your baby, as long as they're getting fed!

Answer 2

Both are good. I chose to breastfeed because I figured it would be cheaper. Well, it was! Formula costs 13 bucks a can (at least) but breastmilk cost...well a cup of yogurt and a piece of toast and a glass of milk. Literally. I only had to increase my calories by 500 a day. And, the bond you get with your child is amazing. I did it exclusively for 8 months. I purchased a breast pump for work and told my boss that I had to do it. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding, babies are sick less often, lower risk of ear infections, auto-immunities to things that the mother is immune to. The down side is everything you take in your body, the baby gets. So, certain prescription drugs are a no-no. Breastfeeding is hard though, so be prepared for a long arduous beginning. Once you get the hang of it though, no worries about keeping formula cold, or mixing bottles. The milk is always there, in the right quantity, at the perfect temperature. It was amazing. I will miss it. Do what is right for you. If you don't have an accomodating work environment, and don't think you can get away to pump, you might want to consider Formula.

Answer 3

Breast milk has clinically been proven to be a better choice for babies, although this day and age formula is not bad for a baby either it just doesn't contain everything that breast milk does. I breast feed for a year and went back to work and school. It is not an easy task but once you get used to pumping and feeding it is a breeze. It is cheap, easy once you get the hang of it, can be done anywhere without having to worry about forgetting a bottle or formula, and helps mom lose weight burns approx. 500 calories per day. And no it does not pass on diseases to the baby if nothing else it helps prevent more diseases from being passed on. You can breast feed while sick and the baby will be ok. However, not all women choose to breast feed for many reasons it is hard, time consuming, they aren't home all the time and don't want to pump. It is your choice, Good Luck!

Answer 4

Breast milk is always best for babies. But we all know that there are personal circumstances that require either a bottle of formula once in a while or total bottle feeding. I prefer to feed my family organic foods and gave my baby an occasional bottle of organic formula (Baby's Only Organic) when I went back to work and couldn't express enough breast milk. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous, but I will name a few
-it is convenient (no worrying with cleaning bottles, heating up water etc.)

-it is a wonderful bonding experience for mother and baby

-babies are less likely to experience colds, ear infections etc. (my daughter never got sick once until after a year old, and my son just 9 months olds has yet to be sick.)

-another great benefit is that you will lose stomach fat so fast after delivering a baby, because breastfeeding causes the stomach muscles to contract and the uterus goes down much quicker (I lost 15 pounds in the first 3 weeks after delivery and I only gained 25 altogether. It's worth it)

-it's always ready and you don't have to fix a bottle in the middle of the night, or if you're in the car,

-Breastfeeding is the healthier, easier and more convenient choice for you and your baby.

Answer 6

Formula just isn't an option for me.

Its like feeding your child fast food and highly processed food as compared to feeding all fresh, whole, homemade food.

I didn't know how bad formula really was until i had my son and learned the natural way of things.

Formula is a viable option for motherless babies and the very small 2 or 3% of the population who can't produce enough milk. But, it is overused in our society and we're seeing the effects of it in the form of obesity, diabetes and just increased bad health all around.

I would find another nursing mother to nurse my son before giving him formula... or I would make my own formula.

Thats just me though, i tend to be a nut about health and the thought of formula going into my child makes my stomach turn.

Answer 7

Well, when I had my daughter, I wanted to breastfeed exclusively. But, my daughter turned out to be a bit of a piggy and would not settle down our first days in the hospital, until she got some formula. The colostrum that I was producing just wasn't enough for her. So we did both. After about 2 months, I basically had nothing left for her in my boobs, so now I'm only bottle feeding.

Breastfeeding is definately the best thing for baby. It helps give them the nutrients that they need and it is also believed that it helps reduce the risk of SIDS and of allergies. One negative thing that I found with breastfeeding though, is that I had to really watch what I ate. If I ate something that didn't agree with her, she would be very grouchy and in pain...and have a lot of gas. And then I'd have to figure out what it was that was bothering her.

Breastfeeding is also so convenient. There's no rushing around to try and warm up a bottle or to clean bottles...no buying formula. Everything you need to feed baby, is basically right at your finger tips.

With formula feeding, you have to clean bottles all the time, buy formula, which can be expensive! If you're going out for the day, you have to make sure that you're bringing enough with you. And make sure that if you make it before you go out, that its stored at the correct temperature all day. It can sometimes be a hassle!!!

Answer 8

I think all mothers should try to breast feed because it is BEST. I breast fed my first son for 5 months until I had to stop for medical reasons.. and I am currently nursing my second baby.. I choose to do it because it is healthy for them, it is FREE, and it helps to bond.. but not all mothers are so lucky that they are able to nurse.. there are medical complications, low milk supply, going back to work can prevent a mother from being able to breast feed and other numerous reasons.
There is no arguing that breastfeeding is BEST.. but that does not give anyone the right to judge moms who use formula..

Answer 9

It's a personal choice... there are people out there who will put you down for whatever choice you make...

Truth and fact just follow what is best for you, your situation and your child. They have made such advances in formula.. I believe that my two children (one formula fed and one breast) really show no difference from one to the other.
Breast- You bond, you are providing nutients/immunities, you are the main feeding source, you have to pump to get help or leave your child.
Bottle- You can get help/share feeding times, they have made it very similar to breastmilk, you can feed you child in front of anyone anywhere without finding cover.
These are just a few.

Again, pick what is right for you.

Answer 10

Formula is expensive and inconvenient and unhealthy. I have watched my sister sterilize hundreds of bottles, mix cases of formula, and run to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night for formula. Plus, imagine the environmental impact of formula manufacturing. Formula lacks many healthy antibodies that babies NEED. I have a friend who works at a formula plant, and he says it's weird. You cannot pass disease through breastmilk (except HIV), but you do pass antibodies to the germs you and your baby come into contact with. Sure, it can be hard to start breastfeeding. I had terrible pain, but after the first few weeks, it was soooo easy to be able to feed whenever, wherever. Breastfeeding came in handy many times when I was stuck away from home longer than I anticipated. Now my second toddler nurses to settle down after boo-boos and before naps. It's a wonderful relationship, and I hope you choose to have that with your baby. Women who truly cannot produce enough milk are extremely rare, but women who lose confidence in their milk supply are common. Another thought: it's easy to switch from breastfeeding to formula, but it's very hard to switch to breastfeeding.

Answer 11

I saw some special on discover channel that the passing of good bacteria thats aids in digestion can come from the mothers breast. breastmilk is so much more natural than any formula could come close to.

which would you rather have, fresh squeezed orange juice or orange juice from a powder that you have to mix....