Should I Breastfeed or Use Formula?

How do you decide between breastfeeding and formula? With great prayer! There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both, and ultimately only you can decide which is best. Here I want to discuss the pros and cons.

Breastfeeding Pros

There are many advantages to breastfeeding that are widely known that include health benefits and also saving money. Some of them include:

• Giving the baby your immune system
• Decreases maternal bleeding by clamping down the uterus
• Cheaper 
• Decreases infections and constipation in babies
• Convenient (no warming up or mixing bottles)
• Decreases the risk of breast cancer in the mom

Even breastfeeding for a month can have these benefits.

Formula Pros

There are some advantages to using formula, though not as many as with breastfeeding.

• Mom does not have to do all of the feedings allowing for more rest
• Can help the baby to sleep through the night sooner
• You are able to leave the baby for longer periods of time
• Not as much work for the mom, especially if she is working outside of the home

The cons of each of these are the opposite of the pros above. It is also possible to do a mix. Remember that breastfeeding runs on a supply and demand feedback loop, so the more you breastfeed the more milk you have. 

What has been your experience? How did you decide?

How Soon Can I Breastfeed?

As we think about newborn care, many want to know how soon they can put their baby on the breast. Generally speaking, as long as there are no complications you can breastfeed as soon as you want. There are some women who give birth and immediately put the baby to the breast. If you are able to do this and are comfortable it is a great thing to do as nursing naturally helps with postpartum bleeding by clamping the uterus. Even if you cannot do it right away within the first hour is ideal. 

You need to ask your provider to make sure they are OK with is and check that the hospital does not have any unusual policies. If your provider or hospital are not OK with breastfeeding as soon as possible, you might want to switch if possible, so please ask this early!

If there are complications and the baby is unable to stay with you, start stimulating as soon as you can with a pump or your hands. 

How soon were you able to breastfeed? Share your experience!