Will Formula Feeding Harm My Baby?

Will Formula Feeding Harm My Baby?

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?

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Formula feed or breast feed
  • LifeFrames
    Babies get sick That's not the only reason to breastfeed

    A decision on breastfeeding shouldn't be made simply on 'the baby doesn't get as many ear infections blah blah blah' obviously breastfeeding will not MAKE the baby sick unless maybe Mommy is not getting proper nutrition. Breastfeeding involves bonding, and at 3 weeks when it hurts and you have just carried that baby for 9 months...well you hate it. But at 9 months when you work all day it is a great way to say 'Mommy's home!' When your nursing you can say goodbye to a simple night out, because unless you want to pump halfway through it just becomes a painful 'I hope my kid is hungry night' out, which might sound bad initially but actually does make it a great thing to get back to baby because you need him/her too and that is great for bonding. Its an accomplishment, not everybody CAN do it and when you do, it makes you feel good about yourself and feel like you did something great for your baby and with all the other bad choices we are going to make as moms its nice to say 'I made this good choice for my baby and I stuck it out' on those 'I feel like a lousy Mommy and what made me think I could do this' days. Finally, women who just need to stick it out or supplement a little while they are working or get some help and support or actually pick up glass after glass of water and force themselves to drink it, oh yeah say goodbye to that extra weight loss your body will not produce if its not getting enough food , are trying to use the 'I couldn't produce enough' nobody is blaming a woman who actually cannot breastfeed. Basically, make a choice and if nature takes that choice away that's not your fault. I know you've already made a decision I just wanted to point these things out because it is extremely necessary for women to have the support of their significant other and the choice to breastfeed isn't only about physical health .

    - LifeFramesUS May 21, 2009 12:56PM

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  • Joan B Wolf PhD
    Joan Wolf received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is on the faculty of the Women's Studies Program at Texas A&M University. She is the author... More

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