Whether you have already decided to breastfeed or bottle feed, it is important to know the differences of the two options as well as the safety guidelines when it comes to our precious babies.

Bottle feeding your baby can help reduce stress and risk of postpartum depression as it offers an option to have the baby fed by someone other than the mother who is in dire need of rest after labor. It also helps the mother’s hormones balance more quickly as her milk either not come in or stop after the body realizes it is not needed. However, the baby formula we have available today does not contain the magical human oligosaccharides that are present in the mother’s milk, that “feed” the baby’s developing gut microflora and set it up for the rest of life. Lactose, glucose and sucrose are also sugars that feed the gut bacteria but have a more complex structure that is not yet suitable for a young baby’s gut development. This is why formula fed babies often suffer from constipation, refluxes, intolerances, allergies and other conditions related to their consumption and digestion of milk.

Breast milk contains maternal hormones, DNA, cells and antibodies which we are unable to mimic in formula, though many of the vitamins and minerals found in breastmilk are also present in infant formulas, as well as lactose which helps the baby absorb minerals magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron.

Due to these “extra” ingredients in breastmilk, the AAP suggest that not only are breastfed babies less ill, less prone to childhood obesity due to consuming human oligosaccharides instead of milk sugar in formula, but studies also show a 73% decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome due to breastfeeding. 

Breastfeeding is recommended for at least 6 months of age and suggested to continue till the baby is a year old. At the 12 month check up, the doctor will usually evaluate the child’s needs and propose continuing with whole cows milk till around 3 years of age when they should switch to low fat milk and yogurt. 

That being said, there are several factors that could affect your decision or ability to breastfeed and feeding your little one always comes first.

Thankfully, there are plenty of options when it comes to bottle feeding from combination feeding, bottle feeding with pumped breastmilk and dozens of formulas available to find the one that fits your specific needs. The next lectures are designed to help make these options more clear.