Doctors encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies unless there is a medical condition to not do so. Breastfeeding is a health-conscious option and parents should consider this. Many medical communities suggest breastfeeding strongly because of the health benefits that it offers to both the mother and the child.

Compare breastfeeding and bottle-feeding

Listed below are the many benefits of breastfeeding over bottle-feeding.

• Breastfeeding offers a perfect balance of the essential nutrients required by the baby. Bottle-feeding, on the other hand, is not effectively absorbed by the baby.
• Breast milk is filled with many nutrients. The nutrient content in the bottle-milk is dependent on how it is prepared. There are also chances of human error.
• Breast milk is absorbed and digested by the baby easily. Babies may have some difficulty in being able to absorb bottle milk, as they may be intolerant to some nutrients.
• The breast milk composition changes by itself as per the demands and the growing nutritional needs of the baby. However, in the case of bottle milk, you have to depend on what the pediatrician determines for your child.
• When you breastfeed your baby, your child determines how much should be consumed. This is not an option for children who are bottle-fed.
• Breast milk is free of cost. Bottle milk is not free. You,however, have to purchase nursing pads and nursing bra to feed your baby. In the case of bottle-feeding too you need to buy nipples and bottles and have to keep changing them regularly.
• Breast milk is always at the correct temperature and it does not need time to prepare it. It is available anywhere and everywhere when the mother is around.
• Breast milk contains Immunoglobulins, which helps to provide passive immunity to the baby.
• To breastfeed the baby, the mother has to have skin-to-skin contact with her child. This releases Oxycontin, which is a hormone that helps to build the bond between the mother and the child.

Listed below are the many benefits of bottle-feeding over breastfeeding.

• Bottle-fed babies do not need their mothers to be around all the time. Anyone can bottle-feed the baby, be it the father or the caregiver.
• In case of missed feedings, the mother has to pump her breast milk or else it will lead to engorgement.
• Breastfeeding is painful and a real challenge especially in the early stages.
• Certain medications that the mother takes may affect breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Taking all the pros and cons of each method of feeding the Baby, that is breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, it can be said with certainty that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh its disadvantages. Mothers who have to resume work should try to pump out their Breast Milk, which lets anyone to feed the baby in the mother’s absence.

Babies who are breastfed have reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, asthma,obesity, respiratory infections, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome.Mothers that breastfeed their babies have a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes, heart diseases, and breast and ovarian cancer.