What are the advantages of bottle feeding a baby with formula as oppose to breast freeding?

Answer 1

breast feeding is best. The only thing is that if you bottle feed someone other than the mother can feed and you know exactly how much they are getting

Answer 2

A mother who is expecting her second or subsequent child will decide how to feed based on her previous experience. Those expecting their first will have heard 'breast is best', but won't know how it feels. There are good reasons for a 1st time mum to bottle-feed from birth too.

1] Medical reasons. If you think this applies, get medical advice.

2] The baby is to be adopted, so it is better for the mother not to bond. It's even better if she has no contact with the baby and someone else formula-feeds.

3] You see your baby as having a duty to entertain others. Formula-feeding will allow you to pass them to all and sundry so they can have a turn. But Mum's needn't worry about being left out. There will be night feeds when Mum can bond.

4] You think breastfeeding is too animal-like. [And wouldn't it be lovely if IVF was cheaply available so we did not have to reproduce like animals.]

5] You are so coy you could not even go into another room to breastfeed, because "EVERYONE WOULD KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING." [But by having got pregnant, they will know what you did.]

6] You and/ or the baby's father work for a formula company. So formula feeding is better for business.

7] One or both of you have shares in a formula company

8] Why should you be deprived of the joy of preparing bottles, washing and sterilizing them?

9] One of the things you hated about pregnancy was lack of periods. Breastfeeding is likely to further delay their return.

10] You sincerely believe that the milk nature makes for your child, which adapts to their needs is inferior to a synthetic milk alternative.

Answer 3

BF is always best b/c the mothers body provides antibodies that help the infants immune system build. However, it isn't for everyone. A lot of mom's choose bottle feeding b/c it can be more convenient, that way the Dad can help. But women that BF can also pump and have the baby use a bottle at times too.
I am pregnant for the second time and will BF if I can. I attempted with my first baby and my body did not produce enough milk for him and I was forced to use formula. I am hoping this time it will be more successful. Don't let people push you into breast or bottle feeding. Your baby will be fine either way.

Answer 4

No need to expose yourself in public

No leaking

Someone can assist with feeding

You know what they are drinking

They sleep for longer periods at a time

You do not have to watch what you eat and drink as much

The reseach says breast is best but i chose to bottle feed a decision which so far i have not regretted (my baby is 3 weeks old). I tried breast feeding in the hospital but a midwife said to me that if i wasnt planning on sticking with it then i should bottle feed. It is a decision that by no means came easily and i feel judged to some degree by the breast feeding fanatics. I was bottle fed as a a child and my sisters 3 kids were all bottle/formula fed and we are all healthy and happy.

There are of course disadvantages such as bottle prep and cost but the decision is yours and you should make it and not feel judged as its your baby and your decision.

Good luck

Once again the fanatics are out in force - how would they know the advantages that bottle feeding gives to the mother if all they did was breast feed. The advantage it also gives the bub is a sane rested mother.

I reiterate that i am sure breast feeding is best but there certainly are advantages to the mum and bub in bottle feeding.

Answer 5

Advantages to bottle feeding:
1. Others can help you (you're on your own for the midnight feedings when you breast feed)
2. Dad gets to be involved in feeding and improve his bonding with the baby.
3. Babies can go slightly longer between feedings.
4. Formulas are very good
5. Nipples don't crack/get sore

Advantages to breast feeding:
1. It's free.....formula is expensive
2. Incredible bonding experience between mommy and baby
3. Anti-bodies get passed from you to the baby, so baby's immune system is given a boost.
4. Easy in the middle of the night to just whip out a boob, as opposed to going to the kitchen and having to heat up a bottle.
5. Baby poop is less stinky when given breast milk.

***Whatever you decide, it's a personal choice.

Answer 6

There are advantages?

Formula is otherwise known as "artificial breast milk" or "fake milk" to some. Formula is a substitute for breast milk, not an alternative that can even come close to comparison. Even formula companies tell you that breastmilk is better for your child! Formula is an excellent invention for people who would otherwise not be able to feed their children due to rare diseases or disorders, and therefore has lowered infant mortality. Or at least it did at first -- after we started passing formula out to people at random who didn't need it, infant mortality started to rise -- formula recalls, parents mixing formula wrong or using contaminated water, lower immunities in children, the list is endless.

Anything I can think of as a benefit to formula-feeding just gets outweighed by the drawbacks, of which there are many. The benefits have to do with social acceptability -- mothers being embarrassed to feed their babies in public or wanting to be able to drink or smoke without feeling guilty about the possible risk of danger to their child (ironically, it is SAFER to breastfeed than to formula-feed if you are a smoker -- see website below). Or how about wanting to get away from your child and not be "tied" down? That's another popular one. Honestly, if you think these things are more important than the possible health risk you could be posing to your child by offering an inferior food source when you are perfectly capable of breastfeeding, you have some issues of your own.

Now I didn't intend this to be taken personally, because I don't know your particular situation, just as a general answer to the general public who is generally able to breastfeed. There is only a very small percentage that is not able, most simply aren't willing. So be it, it's your child and your choice -- you get to choose what risks you want to take with your child and whether or not you want to provide your child with the best possible nourishment. That's part of the responsibility of being a parent.

Answer 7

I see the advantages of bottle feeding over breast as less nipple pain and ???
I believe breast feeding is most definetley the best way to feed your baby. The advantages of breast feeding are that the baby gets protection from asthma, diabetes and other childhood illnesses. The mother gets protection from breast and ovarian cancer to name just a few of the benefits. Breast feeding is also cheaper, no need for bottles, sterilising equipment to buy and it is also more convienent. So I believe that the benefits of breast feeding outweighs bottle feeding but it each mothers individual choice as to how she wants to feed her baby. Hope this helps. Good luck and take care! xxx

Answer 8

Aside from the rare genetic disorder that precludes consuming breastmilk, none. There are NO advantages to formula feeding. It takes more time, money, and creates more garbage. Not to mention all the increased risk of health problems for both baby and mom caused by formula feeding.

Mothers who practice attachment parenting and breastfeeding on demand generally don't WANT let alone need a break. I've been apart from my 1 year old once, and I didn't really want to do that. The only time I feel overwhelmed is when the housework gets out of control

Answer 9

I did both at first. It is really hard to ween a child from you to a bottle nipple so if you don't introduce a bottle as soon as possible, you will suffer and have a harder time switching. Formula means you have constant supply, where as breastfeeding, it's a supply and demand issue. If your baby isn't hungry every 3 hrs you may start to dry up if your not pumping, where as if you are pumping ou can store it in a bottle and feed them a bottle. I hear that breast feeding is best because your baby is getting every nutrient they need, but I hear that formula feeding is best because you can measure how much your baby is taking in and if you stop taking your vitamins, you r baby is still constantly getting its neccessary vitamin. Its all in your own matter of opinion. Make sure that you are prepared to not have a break if you choose to breast feed. Sometimes babies don't adjust even the earliest as possible to having a bottle.

Answer 10

I can't think of any advantages. As for giving the mother a break there are breast pumps available. Formula companies are spending a lot of money to try to get their products as close to breast milk as they possibly can but they can never duplicate what our bodies naturally produce. All the major health related organizations have come out in support of breastfeeding as being the healthiest choice for mothers and babies. Breast milk is free and doesn't require any preparation. Some mothers are unable to breastfeed (or pump) but in my opinion many just don't even bother trying.

As for companies making formula because it's good for babies that is false. They make formula because people will buy it and they will make a profit and they are forced to put in their promotions that breast feeding is best.

Answer 11

If you can manage to breast feed until the baby is 3 months old by then it would have built up all the immunities that it will need to get through life, Then change to formula milk so you can get a good nights sleep..
I asked my GP a similar question when i was pregnant and this is what he told me.