There’s a lot of heated debate surrounding the issue of baby formula, with countless parents willing to take one stance or another. While many mothers feel as though breast milk is the ultimate form of nutrition and that baby formula can be harmful, other mothers believe that infants should be introduced to baby formula at the earliest opportunity. So why is there such brouhaha around the issue of using baby formula, and how can you determine if your child is ready to go on it?
First, let’s examine how formula first came about. Centuries ago, mothers who had a difficult time producing breast milk were often forced to turn to a wet nurse for assistance; yet for many mothers, this was a luxury that was simply unaffordable, which resulted in the eventual death of the infant. However, in 1869, the first baby formula was invented by Justus von Leibig. Made out of a potassium bicarbonate, wheat flour and malt flour, this formula could be added to cow’s milk in order to provide babies with much-needed nutrition. Later that year, the new and improved formula was available to the masses for a dollar a bottle.
Bottle formula continued to evolve until the 1960s and 70s, when almost a quarter of women were using bottle formula in order to provide their children with the nutrition that they needed. Since researchers believed that formula provided more nutrition than breast milk, many women weaned their children off of breast milk as soon as possible in order to give them the nutrition they needed to grow and flourish. However, in recent years researchers have countered against these claims by indicating that breast milk does indeed have all of the vital nutrition that babies need for healthy development. This new research has now created a rising trend in breastfeeding, with many parents now taking a firm stance against feeding their children bottle formula.
Yet the question still remains: is baby formula or breast milk superior to the other? Which form of milk should parents choose in order to keep their babies happy and healthy?
The evidence to support breastfeeding as the ideal choice for infants is quite overwhelming, and backed by some of the most trusted experts in the healthcare industry. Organizations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to the World Health Organization (WHO), a health committee formed until the scope of the United Nations, recommend that mothers nurse their infants, as breast milk has been shown to fight off infections, defend against allergies and even ward off a number of diseases and infections. In fact, the AAP believes that mothers should exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of the child’s life, and recommends continuing breastfeeding until the baby reaches 12 months in age.
However, for many women, breastfeeding until the baby is a year old just isn’t possible, both physically and due to lifestyle. While many women might have trouble producing breast milk, some women can’t be there to consistently breastfeed their baby throughout the day, simply because of their work schedules.
For many mothers, opting to use baby formula often makes them feel guilty, especially given the recommendations of these major health organizations. However, these same experts reassure mothers that babies will get all of the nutrition that they need from baby formula, and you’ll be able to get the bonding experience as well. Breast milk is simply a preferred choice due to the milk’s natural ability to fight off various diseases and infections. Additionally, breast milk is loaded with fats that will help your baby to gain a healthy amount of weight – not to mention that breast milk is free!
For many mothers, the personal advantages of breast feeding or using baby formula will be the ultimate factors that will help make the decision. For some, the skin-on-skin contact that breastfeeding provides will make the choice an easy one, while many mothers will prefer the convenience and guaranteed nutrition that baby formula has, as some women don’t have adequate diets to provide the nutrition that babies need through breast milk.
Ultimately, the decision to breastfeed or use baby formula is a personal choice that you must decide on, as you’ll find plenty of research that will support either side of the argument. Do you have the time to devote to breastfeeding? If so, then this might make more sense than baby formula. Do you want your baby to get the nutrition he needs without worrying about how that drink or meal will affect him? If so, then using a bottle formula will certainly give you plenty of convenience and flexibility. Just be sure that you choose a high-quality baby formula rich in essential vitamins and minerals, and you’ll watch as your baby grows into a happy and healthy toddler!