One uncomfortable situation many new moms face is hospital staff attempting to influence how they choose to feed their babies. Everyone will be full of advice, but the most important thing to remember is that it's your choice whether to breastfeed or opt for formula. You have the right to choose what will be best for you, your baby, and your family. A well-fed, well-nourished, happy baby is the end goal, along with a mom who isn’t so frazzled she can’t remember which choice she made in the first place. Here’s a look at the differences between breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Preparation
The nice thing about breastmilk is that it is always ready on demand. It can take a few weeks for Mom and Baby to really get into the swing of things in regard to latching and a comfortable position, but there’s no need to mix ingredients or sanitize bottles. You just find a comfortable place and begin.
Bottle feeding can be a little more difficult regarding preparation. A premade bottle can stay out of the fridge for about two hours and stays good in the refrigerator for about a day. All the same, it takes time to get the bottle ready, you have to keep bottles and nipples sanitized regularly, and waking up in the middle of the night to warm up water and mix it with formula can be kind of a pain.
Family Bonding
Breastfeeding is one of the best ways for a new mom and baby to bond. It gives you a few times a day to sit quietly and amp up that oxytocin hormone from the closeness between you. However, it does make it more difficult for other members of the family to feed your baby. This is particularly true since most lactation specialists recommend waiting at least four to six weeks before introducing any other type of nipple to avoid nursing confusion. Furthermore, some babies simply refuse to take a bottle and much prefer the breast.
However, for bottle feeding, the best thing is that anyone can do it. This is particularly nice because it means Mom isn’t the only one who has to wake up in the middle of the night for feedings. Older siblings can really benefit from bottle feeding. Rather than a tiny new person taking up all of mom’s time, this bonding time can make a new baby feel more like theirs.
Breastfeeding Specific Disadvantages
Initially, breastfeeding can be extremely uncomfortable for the nursing mother. It can take a few weeks for the nipples to desensitize, and incorrect positions can lead to chapped, cracked areolas. Learning to pump can be tricky, as can having to pump at work to prevent a decrease in the amount of milk Mom makes. Additionally, the stress of being a new mom can decrease milk output, particularly since it’s difficult to help in the early weeks. Moms that require some types of medication may not be able to breastfeed at all, and some moms don’t produce milk. Furthermore, breastfeeding in public can take some getting used to, and it can be difficult to structure your day around the nursing needs of your newborn, especially for working moms.
Bottle Feeding Specific Disadvantages
The biggest downfall of bottle feeding is essentially what formula lacks compared to breastmilk. While newborns are born with some of Mom’s immunities, breastfeeding can add to and extend those immunities, while bottle feeding just can’t. Breast milk is designed by nature for human babies and comes with a host of benefits you can’t get from a bottle. Breast milk also changes as Baby grows. Formula is formula. It's made in a lab as an alternative that can never quite match up to the contents of breastmilk.
