Breast milk versus formula fed......?

Question

I was wondering if babies are fatter/gain more weight if they are formula fed versus breast milk fed babies. I have an 11 month old baby girl and have always breast fed her. I wouldn't do it any other way! But I recently had a discussion that formula fed babies are skinnier than breastfed babies because parents give the bottle to formula fed babies (measure the exact quantities). I pump during the day since I work full time but the evenings/weekends she gets the boob so I'm not sure how much she eats but she stops when she's full. Obviously now she eats solids but during the first 6 months she was exclusively breast fed and was always in the 25th percentile or less for her weight. This question isn't about whether formula is better/worse than breastmilk......

Answer 1

It's been my experience that formula fed babies tend to be chubbier than nursed babies. My son was in the 25th percentile ( I nursed him).

Check out kellymom.com for more information. The World Health Organization has a different growth chart for breastfed babies because of this very phenomenon.

If your baby is gaining weight, try not to worry too much!

Answer 2

My favorite saying is "Does it really matter?" In order to help put this into perspective for you try this exercise.

Go talk a walk downtown somewhere and (mentally mind you or people will think you are certifiable) try to pick out the adults that were breastfed vs the formula fed ones, or go to the park and try to do the same with the 2-10 year old kids. Betcha can't do it with over a 75% accuracy rate. Anything less than 75% is situational chance. (In other words some communities, cultures or countries may lean more towards certain behaviors so it would be easier to guess and be right more often than the traditional 50-50) Actually I dare u to try cuz I'd love to see the looks on the peoples faces when u ask them if they were breastfed. LOL

The point is people are just different from birth. Bottle fed babies quit when they are full also and most moms even if they do try to get their babies to finish the bottle will find that if they don't want it, they won't take it. They will spit out the nipple, chew on it, turn their head away, etc. If they do eat too much because they thought they were hungrier, they will spit up the extra. I read somewhere that is the single biggest reason for baby spit up...accidental overeating because their upper sphincter muscles in their stomach isn't fully operational yet and that can happen even to breastfed babies. It doesn't become matured until around 3 months old. The biggest reason breastfed babies may not overeat as much as bottlefed when they are way teeny is it is much harder to nurse from a breast than a bottle so they gotta work for it and that is tiring!

Answer 3

If you want to give it a try, call a lactation consultant ASAP. There are certain things that can be done to replenish (or in your case, start) your milk supply. Did you see a lactation consultant when your daughter was born? It is very, very rare for women to be truly unable to breast feed. Most of the time, women assume that they "can't" breast feed if they have difficulty in the beginning. Now, we all know that breast is best. It even says so on the back of formula containers. Although there are some formulas that come close to breast milk, there has yet to be one that is as good or better. No matter what kind of formula you choose, it's going to be inadequate compared to breast milk. That said, plenty of babies have survived on formula. I doubt your daughter will suffer any serious damage from being formula fed. Tell your MIL to back off, and get your boyfriend to stand up for you.

Answer 4

Generally, formula babies do weigh more. Formula is not as easily digested so more of it does go to fat stores than breast milk would. The charts used in most doctor offices for a babies weight/height percentiles is based upon formula fed babies therefor breastfed babies tend to have lower numbers.

Before people start posting that "My formula fed baby is not fat!" or "I have a giant breast fed baby!" please note that I said "Generally"

My son was exclusively breastfed for six months and is still nursing at almost 12 months. He has always been bigger, but his father and I are both very tall. His cousin on the other hand has always been petite and she was also breastfed. However, her mother has the same body structure. Keep in mind family tendencies and don't worry about it.

If your doctor encourages you to stop nursing and start giving formula find another ped. right away! Unfortunately, I have heard of this happening several times.

Answer 5

In general, formula fed babies are fatter because they have more trouble digesting the formula. Later in life they are more likely to be obese because they were fed by the numbers instead of just until full. Breastfed babies have well-developed cheek/jowel muscles and often have nice round faces because of it so frequently look fatter. The differences in weight gain are slight, there are lots of benefits to breastfeeding, but it sounds as if your daughter is just on the small side. My boys are just little (I'm 4'11" so its no surprise) and they were both breastfed and grew very well.

Answer 6

Hi, I always think formula fed babies tend to be fatter. I breastfed my kids as well. I've heard that formula fed babies put on weight because the formula is not digested as fast (also making them less hungry/more content) and also because the formula has extra nutrients that lay idle in the babies system, where as every thing in breast milk is digested and expelled.

Answer 7

It really depends on the child.

Some are just naturally petite, and some pack on the lbs.

I would think that formula fed infants tend to be a bit chunkier, if only because alot of the stuff in formula isn't readily absorbable and so it gets stored in the body (not as high of quality fat etc...).

My son has been breastfed for 16 months now (no formula) and hes sturdy and thick... but he mever had much "baby fat". He pretty much looks like a tiny little boy.

Answer 8

Breast fed babies are not fatter nor skinnier that formula fed. Breast milk comes in three stages, fore milk, hind milk and then a lesser milk which I forgot what its called but it is made like that so that baby doesn't get more fat that it needs. How great our body works huh? It knows if baby just needs to nurse for comforting, genes have a lot to do with it as well, and so many other factors, like some people put rice cereal in bottles of formula which Dr's do not recommend

Answer 9

Breast milk is easier to digest for the baby. So, a formula fed baby has the food in his belly a little longer, which means he will feel full longer. He shouldn't need as many feedings as a breast fed baby.

Answer 10

Actually, yes, that is true. When parents formula feed, they know exactly how much the baby has taken. If they have some idea that their child needs x amount of formula, they sometimes encourage the child to keep eating. Studies have also shown that breast fed babies are less likely to be obese years later down the road. I think it's because they haven't learned at an early age to eat past when they are hungry.