Bottle Feed vs. Breast Feed
Uploaded by Patience on Mar 07, 2007
Bottle Feed vs. Breast Feed
Bottle Feed vs. Breast Feed
For every child that is born, the mother has the choice to bottle feed or breast feed her baby. Doctors and specialists, for years, have researched which is better: bottle feed or breast feed. To this day, there is no answer that is definite for all mothers. Each mother is different, each child is different, each environment is different; therefore, determining which method of feeding is better, is nearly impossible. From the nominal research I’ve done, I would have to state that both bottle feeding and breast feeding are good, depending on the mother, child and environment.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
According to the U.S. Food and Drug administration, the best first food for babies is breast milk. Many decades of research have been done, to determine that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish babies and protect them from illness. “Human milk is made for human infants, and it meets all of their specific nutrient needs,” says Ruth Lawrence, M.D. She also states that “breast-fed babies are healthier and have fewer infections than formula-fed babies.” Formula is the second best option to breast milk. Cow’s milk is not a good option for babies because it contains a different type of protein than breast milk. Also, breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a mother’s antibodies to disease. Breast milk is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles. In addition to the nutrition that breast feeding provides a baby, breast feeding also aides in development. Breast feeding allows the child to create an emotional attachment to the mother, as well as providing a sense of security from the warmth and presence of the mother. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that “nursing becomes more than a way to feed a baby; it’s a source of warmth and comfort”.
American Academy of Pediatrics
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), human milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, including premature and sick newborns, with rare exceptions. The AAP has continuously promoted breastfeeding as the foundation of good feeding practices. The AAP states that research has shown that human milk and breastfeeding of infants provides advantages with regard to general health, growth, and development, while significantly decreasing risk for...