In the absence of medical contraindications, it is recommended that newborns be fed mother’s milk, which contains all the necessary nutrients and antibodies. They participate in the formation of the baby’s immune system. However, in some cases there is a need to switch to artificial feeding. It can be a woman’s serious condition after pregnancy and childbirth. In this case, breastfeeding should be abandoned to be able to fully recover. Or a woman has a serious infectious disease or is taking medicine that is not compatible with breastfeeding. It is also possible to have insufficient lactation. In this case, it is first recommended switching to mixed feeding, this will reduce the load on the digestive system.
Life is unpredictable, and if a mother cannot feed her baby naturally, it is not a disaster. Today, manufacturers of milk formulas make highly adapted organic formulas, such as Holle and Loulouka formula, which in their composition are as close to breast milk as possible. Let’s look at the pros and cons of artificial feeding, which you will have to meet.
Disadvantages of artificial feeding
The main disadvantage of artificial feeding is the lack of tactile contact between mother and baby, so take baby in your arms and cuddle.
The inconvenience to parents when choosing artificial feeding is the constant need to heat water and mix the formula, and this is not entirely comfortable, especially at night.
The financial issue plays no small role in the lives of modern parents. When choosing artificial feeding, you should remember that you will spend a lot more money. After all, the adapted formula is not cheap, and you will also have to spend a whole list of useful things: bottles, nipples, cleaners, sterilizer, heater.
Another disadvantage of artificial feeding is that if the wrong formula is selected, the baby can have allergic reactions of the body. In addition, artificial formula lacks the unique immune factors present in breast milk, which help your baby’s body to fight many pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
Advantages of artificial feeding
A nursing mother must watch her diet and learn by heart the long lists of prohibited foods and medications. Everything she eats and drinks goes into her milk. But the adapted formula already contains all the necessary substances and vitamins (including vitamin D) and does not depend on what mom and dad had for dinner and how much time spent in the sun.
A young mommy is saved from chapped nipples and crowded mammary glands. She can be replaced by either dad or grandma, which allows a little rest and recover, because life with babies is always hard.
It is believed that artificial feeding has a negative impact on immunity. In fact, both the artificial and infants get sick in about the same way. The number of illnesses depends on factors such as genetics of the parents, hygiene practices, climatic conditions and more. Of course, breast milk includes antibodies that help the baby’s body fight off viruses, but that’s as long as the baby is suckling. When the baby starts to feed himself, his body will have to adapt and readjust its work, so the immune system will begin an active stage of formation. In order to have the necessary amount of antibodies, the baby has to survive the disease on its own so that in the future its body will be able to resist viruses. Thus, it turns out that the baby goes through the same stage of immunity formation only a little later than on artificial feeding.
Of course, it may happen that the formula you have chosen is not suitable for the baby. This may indicate an allergic reaction, diarrhea, constipation, digestive discomfort. Then it is necessary to contact your pediatrician and help you choose the right replacement. A good starting point is a huge variety of different organic gold standard baby formulas from https://themilkybox.com/– they have done all the hard work for you and only offer the premium baby formulas.