Newborn Feeding in the First Few Days: What Parents Should Know
Formula Versus Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding will always be best for a newborn baby, as it is natural and your body supplies the necessary nutrients your baby needs during every stage of growth. There are although, many reasons as to why an individual would choose formula rather than breastfeeding. Here are some of those reasons: dysphoric milk ejection reflex, medical conditions (HIV, galactosemia), lack of milk supply or some woman are just not comfortable with it. Amongst these, there are so many other reasons someone would choose formula rather than breastfeeding, and that is perfectly okay. Choose what works best for you!
When it comes to feeding your newborn baby, you do not have to make a choice right off the bat. You can do exclusive breastfeeding, both breast and formula, or exclusively feed formula. In the beginning what matters most is that your baby is getting enough food into their belly, so take your time and experiment to find what works best for yourself and your newborn baby.
Breastfeeding
Benefits
- Natural Nutrition: contains fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins that are easy to digest for baby.
- Availability: your breasts naturally create milk for your baby, therefore you can feed anytime and anywhere, not having to worry about boiling water, sterilizing bottles etc.
- Creates a Bond: when breastfeeding, it naturally creates a bond between mother and baby, helping baby feel safe and have trust, while also helping decrease postpartum depression for the mother.
- Money Saver: breast milk has no cost to it, therefore it is a very effective way to feed your baby without spending heaps of money.
- Medical Benefits: reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, stomach bugs, asthma, childhood leukemia, diabetes (type 1, type2) and obesity in children. For the mother, it reduces the chances of breast or ovarian cancer, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Things to Consider
- Physical Pain: your breasts can become engorged, you can get plugged milk ducts, cracked and sore nipples, or get mastitis which is an infection of your breast. It is also physically draining as your body becomes depleted faster leading to fatigue, constant hunger, and back or neck pain from positioning baby during feedings.
- Mental Health Impact: you can become sleep deprived from the nighttime/cluster feedings which can weigh heavily on your mental health, as well worrying about your milk supply or baby’s latch can increase anxiety. Less common, but some woman can experience DMER (dysphoric milk ejection reflex) which is a sudden feeling of sadness, anxiety when milk lets down.
- Pumping: if you’re a working mama like most, pumping will have to become your best friend while you are away from the baby, which can be physically draining and a lot of work to sterilize the pump after each use and carry it with you everywhere you go.
- Nutritional Awareness: breastfeeding requires the mother to watch what she is physically eating, as well not consuming alcohol, cannabis or elicit drugs because it can pass through to the baby from the milk.
Formula Feeding
Benefits
- Freedom: when formula feeding you can delegate feeding tasks to your partner, family or friends who are there to support you. This allows you to catch up on sleep and give your body and mind time to rest and recharge.
- No Dietary Restriction: you can eat what you want, consume alcohol etc because you are not feeding baby from your bodies milk supply.
Things to Consider