The Health Benefits Of Breast Feeding - 1451 Words

One of the biggest decisions young mothers have to make today is the choice of how and what their babies. Basically, when it comes down to it, there are only two choices, breastfeeding or bottle/formula feeding. Breast feeding is simply the baby sucking milk from the mother’s breasts, while formula feeding is manufactured food fed to the baby with a bottle. There are arguments for and against one or the other, but which is actually better? Below we will examine the pros and cons of both methods, in an effort to understand if one is truly better than the other. First we will look at the pros of Breast-feeding. According to the Office on Women’s Health, the decision to breastfeed is an investment in your baby’s future. This is because breastfeeding allows a mother to make the perfect food essential for her baby’s growth and lifetime health (Breastfeeding, 2014). There are numerous health benefits to the baby, the mother, as well as other benefits. These benefits are as follows. There are nutritional benefits. During pregnancy and right after the baby is born, the mother makes thick, gold colored milk called colostrum. This milk, rich in nutrients, contains antibodies that protect the baby from infections. It also helps the baby’s digestive system to grow and function. After the first few days the colostrum changes to mature milk, which is thinner, but has all the nutrients and antibodies the baby needs for healthy growth (Breastfeeding, 2014). These nutrients and antibodiesShow MoreRelatedThe Benefits Of Breast Feeding902 Words   |  4 Pages The Benefits of Breast Feeding Since the invention of formula mothers have had trouble deciding how best to go about feeding their children. Each mother has their own preferred feeding technique, some of whom chose to use both feeding methods depending on the situation. For some mothers breast feeding is not a viable option for reasons such as lactation issues, busy schedules, and secondary care givers (Health Psychology). For those mothers whom are able and willing to breast feed their infantsRead MoreEssay on Breast-Feeding vs Formula876 Words   |  4 Pagesa mother and family can make is the option of breast milk or formula. In a growing society where mothers are given dirty looks for nursing in public, or media outlets rage in disapproval to mothers that share nursing stories, it almost seems crazy not to pick up a bottle and feed a child. Our society has made formula feeding a â€Å"norm† and had turned its back to mothers that ponder the choice of breast-feeding. This is a complete shame; breast -feeding is a natural practice of human development. Read MoreBreast Feeding Versus Bottle Feeding886 Words   |  4 PagesBreast Feeding Versus Bottle Feeding There are many different myths and opinions about breast-feeding and how it is beneficial for a child, some women and even men choose to view the breast as a sexual object, although in reality it is meant for the purpose of nourishing an infant. As for the other half of women around the world, many believe breast-feeding is the most natural way to feed a child as they receive the vitamins and minerals a youngster needs to grow up strong. Breast-Feeding and BottleRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma of Midwives of Women Who Choose to Bottle Feed1013 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscuss the ethical dilemma, which midwives have to deal with, when a woman choose to bottle-feed their babies, who do not have any medical requirement not to breastfeed. In addition, why bottle-feeding their babies is the women choice. Why breast-feeding is, better for mother and baby than bottle-feeding. 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I was faced with that decision 3 years ago when I had my first son who I named Ethen. It was one of the very hardest decisions I had to make. I had to consider all the good benefits of breast feeding as well as the benefits of formula bottle-feeding, but the good benefits of breastfeeding outnumbered the bottle feeding ones. I finally decided that breast feedingRead MoreThe Benefits of Breastfeeding Essay997 Words   |  4 Pageswith important implications for the health of mothers† Statement taken from the world health organization publication on the nutrition of exclusive breastfeeding. The first years of life are the most crucial years for brain, immune system and overall physiological development. This is why, it is extremely important to achieve optimal nutrition standards in these early years. Studies have shown that having optimum nutrition in infancy can lead to profound benefits throughout the lifespan of the personRead MoreBreast Feding vs. Formula Feeding862 Words   |  4 PagesBreast Feeding vs. Formula Feeding There are advantages and disadvantages to both breastfeeding and formula feeding. Some things to consider when deciding which to choose are: cost, convenience, nutrition, and the health benefits to both the baby and to the mother. In terms of cost, an advantage to breastfeeding is that breast milk is free. Its estimated that breastfeeding can save you thousands of dollars a year, depending on the brand of formula that would have been used instead. AccordingRead MoreEssay Breast Feeding Is Best1577 Words   |  7 PagesBreast Feeding Is Best Breast feeding not only provides the perfect food and food delivery system for infants, it is also the most family friendly choice a new mother can make. Human breast milk contains at least one hundred ingredients not found in cows milk and that cannot be exactly duplicated in commercial formulas (Eisenburg 3). As a baby grows and changes, breast milk automatically individualizes itself for each infant. The nutrients in breast milk alterRead MoreThe Benefits Of Breastfeeding For Mothers875 Words   |  4 PagesThe Benefits of Breastfeeding Since the invention of formula mothers have had trouble deciding how best to go about feeding their children. Each mother has their own preferred feeding technique, some of whom chose to use both feeding methods depending on the situation. For some mothers breastfeeding is not a viable option for reasons such as lactation issues, busy schedules, and secondary caregivers (Health Psychology). For those mothers whom are able and willing to breastfeed their infants there