Becoming a new mother means you now have a bunch of new concerns added to your list. You have a whole new human to take care of, after all. Unfortunately, too often the joy of motherhood is weighed down with other people’s expectations. Breastfeeding in particular tends to evoke some of the most passionate views. Opinions here are never rare. And if you’ve ever heard the mantra “breast fed is best fed”, you’d be aware that expectations and demands are piled sky high on new moms. Unfortunately, sayings like these, while well-intended and to a large extent true, tend to leave women frustrated whenever they believe their efforts have fallen short.
Breastfeeding may not come easily
For many women, breastfeeding doesn’t come easy. Some women simply do not produce an adequate supply of milk to keep their babies fed, others find it painful, especially in the initial latching phase. Some women suffer from inverted nipples, making latching near impossible. For other women, work gets in the way, making it difficult for them to spend time breastfeeding. Jackie recalls, “...it was extremely difficult when I went back to teaching. “Back in the day” there was no time or place to pump in a teacher’s world. I wish employers were more understanding even today”.
Finally some women simply don’t want to breastfeed for any number of reasons.
Do babies miss out when being bottle fed?
Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding can’t be swapped out with no consequences. Bottle-feeding moms should be aware of the drawbacks. For one, formula doesn’t offer the total nutrition that comes with breast milk. Also, since your breast milk contains antibodies that can help reduce the baby's risk of cold and flu, middle ear infections, respiratory infections and even obesity, bottle feeding lacks the immuno support that babies gain otherwise.
Do mothers miss out when bottle feeding?
Yes, moms can also miss out when bottle feeding. Many women are denied the bonding that comes with breastfeeding. It can also be costly. Formula isn’t cheap and other supplies, including bottles, can add up. Not to mention the time it takes to put it all together. Bear, a mom, lamented that bottle feeding was time consuming. Bottle feeding is decidedly less convenient than breastfeeding. Perhaps even more impactful, having to bottle feed can inflict many women with guilt, anxiety and feelings of failure. Many felt that they were denying their children a fair start in life. Nariscia recalls feeling like a “bad mom” for not being able to breastfeed. These feelings are exacerbated by the fact that few women report receiving adequate instruction about bottle feeding.
Breastfeeding is best, but it’s not the only way.
Breastfeeding comes with numerous benefits and this should be mothers’ first choice if they are able. However, if your goal is to keep your baby fed and reduce your frustrations, any type of “fed” is best. Formula isn’t evil and breastfeeding isn’t a product of elevated morality. Ignore those who attempt to demonize bottle feeding or suggest that with breastfeeding it should be all or nothing. Bottle feeding can help mothers by supplementing her supply and preventing weight loss in babies. Amelia recalls, “I breastfed [my daughter] exclusively for 9 months then we ended up supplementing with formula due to weight gain issues due to myself getting pregnant 6 postpartum”. Even if bottle feeding is used to supplement breastfeeding, this is a good thing.
THE SPOTLIGHT
We’d like to highlight just a few popular brands of bottles that you could try as you navigate bottle feeding your baby. While we are not medical experts, we are offering these based on recommendations from moms that have used them and from Amazon’s ratings.
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