When a mother has her new child, she faces a tough decision: breastfeed or formula feed? Perhaps a combination of both? Many mothers have reservations about breastfeeding because of the time commitment and concerns over producing enough milk, but also fear that formula feeding could impact their baby's health. Are these fears warranted, or is formula feeding a safe and effective alternative to the natural method?
The risks of formula-feeding extend beyond just affecting the child. The mother who does not breastfeed has a higher risk of premenopausal breast and ovarian cancers, osteoporosis, and postpartum bleeding, to name a few. The mother who breastfeeds her child may return to her pre-pregnancy weight quicker, and may experience a longer return to fertility. This fertility delay can result in a longer time period between children, thus giving her body a chance to fully recover, and giving her child the focused attention he or she needs.
The family of the formula-fed infant spends a significant portion of its income purchasing formula, bottles, and on trips to the doctor for illnesses that might have been prevented by breastfeeding.
Widespread use of formula—with its accompanying use of natural resources to manufacture, transport, and dispose of—adds to the global climate change problem as well. Land required for the feeding of cows and the planting of soybeans contributes to global deforestation issues. Breastfeeding is “green.”
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