Comments on: What Is Your Take On Breastfeeding Versus Bottle Feeding?

By: mystic_e

mystic_e — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:25:19 +0000

Bottles increase the risks of ear infections, speech problems, overfeeding, and many other problems. Even if you are going to feed a baby other than at the breast there are far better methods of feeding a baby.
However if you mean breastmilk feeding vs formula feeding that is a whole other kettle of fish. Absolutely nothing says that what is in a bottle has to be formula.
Breastfeeding, when it is done properly, is less work than formula feeding. Admittedly for working moms because of the pumping formula feeding may be slightly less work. On the other hand you are more likely to miss more work days if you formula feed.
Then there are all the benefits of breastfeeding for mom. Reduced risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other cancers, reduced rates of heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.
No matter what you make sacrifices when you have a baby, you may as well at least see if breastfeeding works with your “lifestyle” before you give up on it!http://www.bobrow.net/kimberly/birth/BFL…
“The truth is, breastfeeding is nothing more than normal. Artificial feeding, which is neither the same nor superior, is therefore deficient, incomplete, and inferior. These are difficult words, but they have an appropriate place in our vocabulary.”
The lactation consultant says, “You have the best chance to provide your baby with the best possible start in life, through the special bond of breastfeeding. The wonderful advantages to you and your baby will last a lifetime.” And then the mother bottlefeeds. Why?
In part because that sales pitch could just as easily have come from a commercial baby milk pamphlet. When our phrasing and that of the baby milk industry are interchangeable, one of us is going about it wrong…and it probably isn’t the multinationals. Here is some of the language that I think subverts our good intentions every time we use it.
Best possible, ideal, optimal, perfect. Are you the best possible parent? Is your home life ideal? Do you provide optimal meals? Of course not. Those are admirable goals, not minimum standards. Let’s rephrase. Is your parenting inadequate? Is your home life subnormal? Do you provide deficient meals? Now it hurts. You may not expect to be far above normal, but you certainly don’t want to be below normal.
When we (and the artificial milk manufacturers) say that breastfeeding is the best possible way to feed babies because it provides their ideal food, perfectly balanced for optimal infant nutrition, the logical response is, “So what?” Our own experience tells us that optimal is not necessary. Normal is fine, and implied in this language is the absolute normalcy–and thus safety and adequacy–of artificial feeding. The truth is, breastfeeding is nothing more than normal. Artificial feeding, which is neither the same nor superior, is therefore deficient, incomplete, and inferior. Those are difficult words, but they have an appropriate place in our vocabulary.
Advantages. When we talk about the advantages of breastfeeding–the “lower rates” of cancer, the “reduced risk” of allergies, the “enhanced” bonding, the “stronger” immune system–we reinforce bottlefeeding yet again as the accepted, acceptable norm.
[...]
Inverting reality becomes even more misleading when we use percentages, because the numbers change depending on what we choose as our standard. If B is 3/4 of A, then a is 4/3 of B. Choose A as the standard, and B is 25% less. Choose B as the standard, and A is 33 1/3% more. Thus, if an item costing 100 units is put on sale for “25% less,”the price becomes 75. When the sale is over, and the item is marked back up, it must be marked up 33 1/3% to get the price up to 100. Those same figures appear in a recent study (3), which found a “25% decrease” in breast cancer rates among women who were breastfed as infants. Restated using breastfed health as the norm, there was a 33-1/3% increase in breast cancer rates among women who were artificially fed. Imagine the different impact those two statements would have on the public.http://www.promom.org/101/index.html
101 Reasons to Breastfeed
14. Nursing helps mom lose weight after baby is born
Breastfeeding requires an average of 500 extra calories per day and breastfeeding mothers who eat a normal diet lose the extra weight they gained during pregnancy faster than moms who choose to bottle feed. In one study, mothers who breastfed exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and were less above their pre-pregnancy weights at 1 month postpartum than mothers who fed formula exclusively.
Other studies have also shown that women who were overweight when they began their pregnancies can safely get closer to their ideal weight by breastfeeding in conjunction with a moderate exercise program.
DC.A. Lovelady et al “The effect of weight loss in overweight lactating women on the growth of their infants.” New Eng Journal of Med, 2000;

By: ☆tired

☆tired — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:39:16 +0000

In a perfect world I think every mother would and *should* breastfeed.
But we are not a perfect world and you just need to do what’s best for you and your baby, if that means bottle feeding, so be it.

By: ~~ Evan's Mommy ~~

~*~ Evan's Mommy ~*~ — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:51:22 +0000

I think that every family is different and what works for one,doesn’t for others.You should do whatever is best for YOUR family.No one else’s opinion matters here but yours.You make a decision & stick to it.If you are confident that you made the best choice,then no one should be able to make you feel guilty about it..Congratulations to you as well.

By: Milk Maid

Milk Maid — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:58:15 +0000

You should definately breast feed. Formula is no comparison to the start you could give your baby by breastfeeding. I bet everyone who is “pressuring” you to breastfeed is just trying to encourage you to make the healthiest decision for yourself and your baby.

By: eliyanas mommy

eliyanas mommy — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:51:11 +0000

I would rather breastfeed just because i heard it makes u closer with ur baby and its healthier, but if u cant because of a job and things like that i think it would be better to formula feed or u should just do both or pump breastmilk into a bottle so whoever is babysitting can feed breastmilk from the bottle.

By: nightyni

nightyni — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:15:27 +0000

Any breastfeeding is better than no breastfeeding at all. Ideally, every infant would be put to the breast and allowed to nurse on demand until they were eating solid foods, and then allowed to continue to nurse until they were ready to wean. That doesn’t work for every mother, and I certainly understand that. Even one day of breastfeeding is better than none at all. There’s no harm in giving it a try.

By: ♥Mayson's Ma♥

♥Mayson's Ma♥ — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:21:53 +0000

You could always pump your milk. alot of work places allow you time to pump and the person caring for your child can come and get it. or you can store up alot in the freezer and pump at work and toss that in the freezer as well…
BUT you are going to get alot of rude answers on this question. yes breastfeeding has WAY better nutrition, however a fed baby is a fed baby…… you do what you feel comfy with. your baby is going to get some of the same nutrients from formula. they have got it quiet close to breast milk. although it is not the same it is still very good for them.
don’t listen to the rude people… they have no idea what they are talking about. i feel very strong about breastfeeding. my son is 5 1/2 months and i ma still breastfeeding but i would never put a mother down for feeding their baby formula. it is food to…. just let the rude answers pass you buy.
Congrats on the baby! and good luck.

By: sonj

sonj — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:00:23 +0000

The bonding during breast feeding cannot be reproduced with a bottle. Of course you will still love and cherish your baby, but ‘happy’ hormones are released when your baby suckles which makes you relax and bond so easily.
Try breast feeding for the first six weeks at least. Allow your baby to have the best start in life with all the antibodies you can give him/her. You will value this experience. Then turn to bottle if you feel the need.
Please give it a go. It is a beautiful time for you both.

By: eyebrowl

eyebrowl — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:32:48 +0000

I didn’t think anything about breastfeeding but just went ahead with it. It was challenging initially to do but I find it quite easy now and I don’t have to think about getting bottles made up in the night or worrying about extra feeds as it’s with me when we go out. I sadly didn’t express milk initially to get our son used to bottle feeding so it’s been down to me from the start so that can be really tiring. It is also extremely cost effective although you do have to watch your diet a bit closer as what you eat can have affects on the baby.
Most of my friends bottle feed and they prefer it because of the convenience aspect. (ie. hubby/partner can share the feeding and you get to sleep through some of the feeds) and there’s no worrying about what you’re eating.
My choice would be breast-feed and with the next baby I’ll express and get them used to bottles so Daddy can help out with feeds.
At the end of the day it’s what suits you and your hubby/partner.
Lol

By: Adriana♥

Adriana♥ — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:40:14 +0000

I chose to formula feed and now my son is 5 months old and i regret it i wish i could go back in time i would have breastfeed him being its healthier and you loose your weight a lot faster!! i suggest to any new mother to breastfeed because if you don’t i think you will regret it like i do!! I don’t think i was educated enough on the subject and it why i opted not to do it!!! Get educated search around on the net go to parenting classes get all the info you can it will help you a lot in choosing!! and you can pump and still have a busy life style remember its whats best for your baby that what you need to think of not of your self if you do think about your being selfish if you don’t because of you lifestyle there are other options than just breastfeeding you can pump and still be able to give them breast milk over formula!!!!