Feeding

At some point you will need to decide how you will feed your baby. Once born the baby is no longer getting nutrition through the placenta and now will need some outside source of food. There are two main method of feeding a baby – breast feeding or formula feeding. Please note that a baby’s digestive system cannot handle cow’s milk prior to 1 year of age, and cannot handle foods like rice cereal until about 6 months of age. So you will need to either feed the child breast milk or formula in the beginning. Some women choose to breastfeed for the first 6 weeks, 6 months or a full year or more. Others plan to formula feed from day one. Though I have my own views (I am a breastfeeder) I can fully understand the necessity of formula feeding. Again this is a time when flexibility is a must. There are a few instances in which you will not be able to breastfeed. If your baby is lactose intolerant they cannot drink mother’s milk. If your body is not producing enough milk to keep up with the demands of your child, you will need to supplement with formula. There are also some conditions in which formula feeding will be required.
If none of these reasons can make the decision for you, here are some pros and cons of both sides to help you out.
Formula Feeding
1. Anyone can feed the baby formula – which means that your spouse can help with the late night feedings, and if you plan to go back to work you will not have to spend your lunch break dashing over to the child care facility to feed your baby.
2. While current forms of formula have become very close in composition to breast milk, many still feel there is not a direct substitution.
3. If you are a self-conscience person you will not have to go “hide” in another room to feed your baby.
4. Some studies have shown that bottle feeding slows the bonding process between mother and child.
Breast Feeding
1. You will never be without a source of milk for your child, as you carry the “milk bags” at all times.
2. As long as you are a healthy person (eat right, no smoking or drinking) your milk is the healthiest source of nutrition for your child.
3. You are the only one that can nurse your child. This means that you will have to take baby with you everywhere, and do most of the night feedings. Even if you choose to pump and bottle the milk, you will still have to take the time and make the effort to do that.
4. It is an incredible bonding time for mother and child.

Word of the Week

Colostrum – noun – a yellowish liquid, esp. rich in immune factors, secreted by the mammary gland of female mammals a few days before and after the birth of their young. (www.dictionary.com)

Buying guide

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