What are the pros and cons of breastfeeding?

Question

can you please answer this question for me, i am trying to decide if i want to breastfeed or not.

Answer 1

Pros of breastfeeding:
1) Baby typically is healthier because if a cold is going around and you get it for example, you'll pass antibodies to your baby to fight it

2) Babies who are breastfed are statistically healthier and not obese

3) Breastfeeding helps your body recover from labor and delivery faster

4) You never have to load up a bunch of bottles and formula with you when you go somewhere

5) Cheaper. Your breastmilk is free


Cons:
1) You are the only one who can feed the baby so baby has to go everywhere with you and you have to always get up at night with him/her

2) If you work too, then you have to pump on all of your breaks.

3) Your breast can get really hard and even leak sometimes.

4) It is sometimes difficult to find public places to feed your child, but you can feed him/her formula wherever you want.

Answer 2

Pros:
1. The beneifit of your baby receiving disease fighting cells and antibodies directly from the mother, something that formula can never offer.
2. It doesn't cost any money
3. The bonding experience is amazing!
4. You don't have to mess with bottles that much.. make up bottles, fridge them and then warm them everytime you have a feeding.
5. Can feed anywhere at anytime
6. Helps you lose weight... an average of 500 calories is taken out of you per day

Cons:
1. You don't know how many ounces he is getting and you have to look for hunger cues instead of measure
2. Sleeping isn't as good and babies take longer to develop good sleeping habits.. but not always. My son is sleeping through the night at 7 weeks!
3. Nipple soreness and pain... perfecting the latch is very challenging.
4. Harder for women who have to go back to work.
5. Harder to have others feed your baby if you need to. Some babies shy away from the bottle

I think the value of the pros outway the cons by far. Breastfeeding is an amazing, wonderful, beautiful experience that you can share with your child... and it's a once in a lifetime chance for you to have this with your baby. I say do it!

Answer 3

LOOK UP www.mothering.com
search all you can about breastfeeding, they provide sooooo much info on the benefits of it.
I have a healthy 4 month old who has never had a drop of formula, because I know that the benefits, for her health and mine, are just around the corner and that it's so worth it!

The challenges with breastfeeding include: establishing a supply which can take at least a week up to a month, having to do lots of research on it, the potential complications like plugged ducts, mastitis and thrush(all which are easily treated by nursing lots and natural remedies)
Also, your baby will need to nurse lots during the first couple of months. The first month especially, sometimes every hour, which means you will always need to be with baby, or be pumping to make bottles(pumping is hard at first and takes a week or so of doing it consistently to get that extra milk for storage...) After almost three months baby usually starts to feed less and sleep better. Co-sleeping during that first month was the only way I was able to still sleep enough.
There are cons for you, but there are NO cons or risks to your baby if you choose to breastfeed,
unless you smoke or drink heavily(there are ways you can still have a drink or two now and then) or are into drugs. One other thing is that commonly, babies are really sensitive to dairy proteins in your system at first, so you may need to cut down or eliminate them for a little, but after a couple of months, usually baby can handle them better.
The benefits are plentiful for your baby's health as well as fro yours. There are lot of studies that show a greatly reduced risk of breast and other types of cancer and many common illnesses for you if you breastfeed. Babies who breastfeed have a much less risk of getting diabetes, adult obesity, frequent ear infections, diarreah, sids, lung infections, and stomach/intestinal illnesses. The vitamins and nutrients in formula are made in a lab and are not pure. They contain oils and tons of sugars and have been sitting in a container for who knows how long... Breastmilk doesn't even touch air at any point and is totally filtered and purified by your body. Your body custom makes it according to how much they need that week. No measuring or guesswork on your part, if your baby is peeing and pooping and gaining weight after the first two weeks, then you're getting plenty! :)
You burn about 500 calories on an average day of breastfeeding and it can really really help you get your shape back... I weighed 150 during before delivering and now 4 months later i'm down to 120 and I don't even work out (btu i do carry my baby everywhere and wear her in a mei tai-life saver, the mei tai, by the way - www.sunshinebabyslings.com for the best ones ever or attachedtobaby.com for some more affordable ones.)
Breastfeeding is empowering
It's free and just as perfect as pregnancy and birth.

I hope that helped... of course i'm hoping it made breastfeeding look like a healthy and beneficial choice, the best choice for you and baby.

Answer 4

http://www.promom.org/101/ a list of reasons to breastfeed.

The pros are endless really... the nutrition cannot be duplicated. Formula companies always brag about some new ingredient "found in mother's milk"... but don't mention the giant number of things that they haven't put into the cans yet, plus the things they can never put into the cans. The other health benefits for both mother and child can never be attained by formula feeding.

The only pros of formula in my opinion is that it is easier to leave baby with other people. Though, I babysit for a school teacher who's son has never had a drop of formula, and he's now 11 months old... she brings me what she pumps every afternoon for tomorrow's bottles. It is a little more work, but so worth it!!

There are no real health benefits to formula, unless your child has a rare disorder that requires something special... but again, extremely rare!!

Here are a few other places to read up on infant feeding:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/prepare/bf-benefits.html#articles
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/infant-formula.html
THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING by LLLI
THE BREASTFEEDING BOOK by Dr. Sears
THE UNLTAMATE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK by Dr. Newman

Answer 5

To boob or not to boob, that is the question!

I breastfed all 3 of my boys, and do not consider myself one of these militant breast only women waving my boobs around! I considered becoming a La Leche consultant for awhile, but those women were quite odd!

Here's my list of pros and cons from my own experience:

Pros
-feed anywhere, anytime
-super cheap!
-healthier for baby
-unique bonding for mother and child
-hormonal 'highs' during feedings
-easy to prepare!


Cons
-babies sometimes only will take the breast, totally refusing the bottle leaving you glued to the tot
-pumping sucks- literally
-boobs might drop afterwards, but can also happen from pregnancy alone
-*some* very stupid people will act like its disgusting, you will have to learn to deal with them (if you don't already)
-other family members can get 'jealous', believe it or not, and will say that you're only doing it to 'hog' the baby
- some babies have a hard time learning, and some mom's don't produce enough milk

Contrary to what many will tell you, this is a highly personal decision, and yours is the only opinion that counts. I loved breastfeeding my babies, and couldn't imagine it any other way, but that's just me.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I've found no 'cons.'

Some rebuttals to the common ones:

'You're tied to your baby.' Yeah, so what? Mothers and babies aren't meant to be apart much.

'It's hard doing it in public.' No, it is not. It is very easy to do it discreetly (once you get the hang of the whole thing, which happens quite quickly), and I have never been stared at, or even given a second glance.

'Sore nipples.' No. Not once, not at all. And my nipples were sore throughout most of my pregnancy, too. A good latch and you'll be fine.

'Bottles are convenient.' This section is full of mothers asking how to deal with vomiting, constipation, major fussiness, reflux, etc, etc, etc. Those questions are invariably from parents using formula. Sure, the idea of sticking Dad with the midnight feedings looks convenient, but switching through three different brands of formula trying to get rid of a major gas problem and a regularly crying baby does not look quite so convenient. Babies were not designed to have formula, and it shows. One mother and grandmother several times over who gave my baby a wee cuddle said, apropos of nothing, "They're so much nicer when they're breastfed." And babies are -- they smell lovely, their poop doesn't stink, they have nice breath, and, usually, softer skin.

I'd encourage you to commit to doing it for six weeks or so. If you can't stand it at the end of the six weeks and want the hassle -- and good lord, I can't imagine not just getting up and rolling over in the middle of the night but getting up and messing with a bottle, and I think it's formula-feeders who're 'tied down,' always having to carry adequate formula and supplies, not able to be spontaneous -- then, fine, don't.

NOBODY comes on here and says "Gee, I wish I'd formula-fed. I really really want to try artificial feeding with my next baby." But loads of women regret NOT having breastfed.

Answer 7

Pro- your body naturally produces that milk to exactly what your baby needs. No Mother's milk is exactly the same as anothers. It's the nutrients your baby needs to be as healthy as possible.

Pro- you don't have to spend as much $$ on formula. (which is getting more expansive)

Pro- during the night when he/she cries, you don't gotta get up and make a bottle, you can just "whip it out"

Pro- Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mom & baby.. many people don't think it will be that great, but its actually amazing... and its something daddy can never get/have, its just between you 2.

Con- it can get very painful

Con- if you're not feeding, you need to pump

I don't know too many cons.. i just know your body produces it for a reason, and you should use it.

Answer 8

Breastfeeding is a special bond for the mother and baby. The breastmilk gives the baby vitamins and helps with your babies immune system.

I enjoyed breastfeeding both my children (until 18 months old). It was so easy in the middle of the night when the baby would wake up, I would just pick them up and lay them next to me in my bed and nurse them. We'd both fall asleep together. I you want to find out more about breastfeeding, visit this website: http://www.llli.org/NB/NBbenefits.html

Good Luck and Congratulations!

Answer 9

breastfeeding is increadible.ive done it with all three of my kids and i wouldn't trade it for the world. first of all its a great bonding experience. (one that cannot be achieved entirely or as quickly by bottle feeding) second its much more nutritious for the baby. they get better nutrients and immunities. (especially important during cold, flu, and rsv seasons)
it is a little painful at first as you figure things out and your milk lets down, but that only lasts accouple weeks and then it feels natural, and comfortable. if you feel akward about someone latching onto your breast, you could always pump your milk then feed it to the baby with a bottle. that way they get the nutrients that they need without you feeling akward. its really up to you but i highly reccomend nursing. good luck

Answer 10

well pros are you have a better way of making your baby healthy and you can take the baby lots of places without bringing bodles but cons are that you have to go everywere with the baby or pump milk out and put in bottle but you cna only leave for a sertant amount of hours. although ther are pros and cons i think that you become closer to your child when you breast feed.