Many people are nervous about giving up breast milk, especially since the benefits of doing so are so great. However, switching to formula can be one of the hardest things a parent will have to do. There are many reasons for this, and one of them is that most people don’t understand how beneficial it is to give up cow’s milk and switch to something more natural. Cow’s milk is rich in casein, which is an important component in hormones called lactotropes.
These hormones help maintain the correct body weight, so when formula contains these same ingredients it can result in low-weight babies or overfeeding. If you aren’t planning on breastfeeding, then giving up breast milk isn’t something you need to worry about.
But what if you are thinking about stopping? That’s the million-dollar question! Whether you plan on exclusively breastfeeding or want to supplement with formula, there are some things that you should know before making the change. And this article which I have prepared for you today will help clear up any doubts you might have about why and how breastfeeding is such a great option.
What is the difference between breastfeeding and formula feeding?
The main difference between breastfeeding and formula feeding is the method of delivery. While most breastfeed babies naturally, formula-fed babies require supplementation. This is why you’ll often see articles and books written on how to best supplement a baby on the concept of “freefeeding.” By “freefeeding,” we don’t mean “free will” — that’s part of being a parent. Rather, we simply mean that you should provide your baby with the same amount of calories, nutrients, and everything else he or she needs to thrive.
There are many advantages to breastfeeding, and one of them is the fact that it can last as long as your baby wants it to. You don’t have to worry about stopping because your baby is not getting enough. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about your baby getting too hungry because he or she is not getting enough.
And last but not least, formula-feeding is not something that you can suddenly decide to do without any reason. Your baby’s growth and development are closely tied to your milk supply, and if you stop providing it he or she will slowly go back to being underweight.
The benefits of breastfeeding
Here are some of the benefits of breastfeeding:
- Instills a love of healthy eating in the child
- Boosts the immune system
Improves sleep
Enhances the child's ability to concentrate
Enhances the child's relationship with his/her parent
Enhances the child's academic performance
Enhances the child's ability to socialize
Enhances the child's emotional well-being
Boosts the child's health markers (e.g., key enzymes, hormones)
Boosts the child’s metabolism
Enhances the child’s mood
Enhances the child’s self-esteem
Enhances communication skills
Eoosts the child's sporting performance
Enhances the child's self-awareness
No matter how great the benefits of breastfeeding are, they don’t matter if you don’t actually do it often enough! When you don’t breastfeed your baby, he’s not only getting a lack of essential nutrients from your diet but also from yours.
By not providing him with the necessary amount of milk, you’re also depriving your baby of crucial hormones (e.g., lactoferrin, ki67) that may be responsible for keeping his/her weight at a healthy range. Additionally, by not practicing breastfeeding, you’re missing out on several important skills.
For instance, you won’t get any feedback on how well you’re doing from your baby, and you won’t be able to use those skills to supplement your baby’s diet when he gets older. The bottom line is that by not breastfeeding, you’re missing out on several important skills that could benefit your child greatly.
Don’t be afraid to breastfeed for as long as you can
Many new moms are afraid to breastfeed their baby for as long as they were promised they would. The truth is that as long as your baby is able to take in milk, you should continue to do so. Most experts recommend that you feed your baby only as much as he/she needs. That said, there is no reason to worry if your baby is constantly taking in milk.
In fact, babies who are exclusively breastfed are often more energy efficient than those who are formula-fed. In fact, some experts suggest that kids who are exclusively breastfed go back to school the next day with fewer A’s than kids who are fed a combination of formula and breastmilk.
Babies are born with a set amount of milk in their bodies called milk-producing capacity, or MPC. This is determined by the number of milk-secreting glands (a.k.a. lactation sites) in the infant's body and the amount of milk that is produced. As the baby grows, the MPC remains the same, though the amount of milk produced will vary.
A baby who is exclusively breastfed is getting his/her body’s necessary components to survive and grow. There is no doubt that this is the best way to feed your baby. In fact, many experts recommend that you start supplementing your baby’s diet with formula as soon as your baby starts to eat solids. The only way for a baby to get all the nutrients he/she needs is through breastfeeding.
(1).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0890117117723802
(2). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/3992-breastfeeding-the-first-weeks
(3). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304199/