Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding – All You Need to Know

So which is better breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding for the baby? The truth is that both of them have advantages and disadvantages and there is no general rule for you to act on. This is something that each mother has to decide for herself after weighing the pros and cons.

Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding

Breastfeeding and bottle feeding the baby

It is a known fact that breast milk is good for the baby and it has numerous advantages over the commercial formula especially during the first few months. Breast milk is good because it is always available, it is free and it comes with infection-fighting white blood cells and other chemicals that protect the baby.

When thinking about bottle feeding and breastfeeding you should also consider that breast milk can help prevent SIDS. It also comes with the perfect balance of nutrients, like carbohydrates, protein, calcium and fat. The baby can digest breast milk easily.

According to the studies, when it comes to breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding women also have to know that breast milk can protect against asthma and allergies and it can reduce the chances of the baby getting obese in the future. The breast milk could come with fatty acids that support brain development.

Bottle feeding

If you are considering breast feeding versus bottle feeding it is good to know that formula can also be good because the manufacturers are continuously improving them to be similar to breast milk. Although usually the breast fed babies don’t get affected by infections, babies don’t really have serious infections regardless whether they are breast or bottle fed.

You shouldn’t feel guilty about the decision that you make regarding breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding because if you are happy and relaxed, so will be your baby. If your decision fits your needs, it will also fit the needs of the baby and there is no reason for you to think that you made the wrong choice.

Tips for bottle feeding

If you choose bottle feeding when thinking about bottle feeding vs. breast feeding it is good to know that you don’t have to heat the formula. It is alright for the baby to drink it at room temperature. If the baby sipped the formula, you should discard it. If he or she didn’t, you could save it for the next feeding.

How to choose the formula

One of the biggest questions that women have regarding breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding is how to choose the right formula. You shouldn’t always choose the most expensive formula if you are on a tight budget. All formulas are about the same and the more expensive ones aren’t necessarily better.

When thinking about bottle feeding or breast feeding, you should go for the iron-fortified formulas. This is because iron deficiency affects the development of the brain and the side effects of iron are quite rare.

It is up to you to make the decision regarding breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding and you shouldn’t let others influence your decision in this matter.

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