Is Bottle Feeding Healthy for the Baby?
Is bottle feeding healthy for the baby? Baby formula companies say yes, but scientific data suggests that breast milk is best for babies. Before baby milk or formula was created, babies whose mothers could not nurse were fed by nursemaids. In poor communities and when nursemaids were not available, these infants were likely to starve to death. It is a good thing, then, that mothers these days have baby formula available.
Scientific evidence aside, it is natural to assume that a baby grows best when nursed by his or her mother. All other mammals on earth nurse their young with their own milk. In exceptional cases, mammals have adopted babies from other species to nurse. The most common of these are cases where a dog nurses a baby kitten or tiger cub. Although it is natural for an animal to nurse babies that are not their own, it is culturally repugnant for a human mother to nurse an infant that is not her own. What is natural in the wild is no longer considered natural in the civilized human world and these new cultural norms encourage bottle feeding over nursing.
Since the advent of formula, many mothers choose to feed a baby from a bottle instead of at the breast. Baby milk was originally marketed as superior to mother’s milk and many medical professionals agreed with this assertion. Research by scientists and physicians has revealed that babies thrive when fed at the breast. Premature infants especially are fed mother’s milk. Infants born two or more months premature often cannot digest formula. For these tiny infants, mother’s milk is essential for survival. There are milk banks available so these infants can receive breast milk even if the mother is unable to nurse.
If a mother is unable to nurse, formula is the best option for feeding a baby. Bottle feeding formula enables babies to grow and develop when deprived of mother’s milk. While formula is not best for a baby, it is an acceptable substitute for mother’s milk. Formula is designed to provide a bottle fed baby with essential vitamins and nutrients. Some infants are lactose-intolerant and cannot digest cow’s milk based formulas. There are soy-based formula options and even goats-milk based formulas. If a baby is not growing properly with the formula, try a different brand or type. Some infants are picky about the type of bottle used, so also try different bottle types. Well-made glass bottles are better than plastic because plastic leaches chemicals into the formula when heated. These chemicals are not known to harm babies, but it is always better to avoid introducing them if possible.
Babies who are unable to nurse at their mothers’ breast should get bottle fed formula. Formula is safe for babies and allows them to receive essential nutrients that are not obtained from cow milk or goat milk directly. Mothers who are able to nurse should do so, as mother’s milk is superior to formula.
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