Why Bottle Feeding is not a Good Option for your Baby?

Choosing between breastfeeding and bottle feeding is one of the most important decisions that parents who expect a baby and have just had. According to the experts, breast milk is the first aid for newborns to build their immune system stronger to sustain their activities. 

However, not for all mothers, breastfeeding is the ideal choice. They tend to bottle-fed babies. In many of them, the decision to breastfeed or bottle the baby is based on criteria of comfort, lifestyle and specific medical situations. The decision to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby is very personal.

Why bottle feeding is not a wise choice?

Regardless of the situation, contrary to what many parents imagine, the bottle is not the best option to administer milk with the little one. Both WHO and UNICEF do not recommend bottle feeding, even in cases where breast milk substitutes are essential. 

The nipple is associated with negative impacts on the development of the baby’s sucking behaviour. It turns out that the bottle nipple is artificial and although it tries to reproduce the maternal nipple, it is not a faithful reproduction – even because it is silicone. 

No use without sterilizer

The main disadvantages of bottle feeding are that you need artificial nipple which is made with silicon. This silicon must be sterilized from time to time. For that, you must be needing a sterilizer. 

Thus, the main problem relates to the issue of price, because chemical substances will have to be purchased very often and there will be a tendency to spend much more with time, compared to the use of a common electric sterilizer. 

The sterilized objects then have a particular odour that could annoy the child who could refuse milk or pacifier. Finally, another aspect not to be underestimated is the longer time needed for cold sterilizers to sterilize.

Usage problems are the biggest issue

The consequence of this is the difficulty of the baby to suckle breast milk since the muscles that should be used for breastfeeding have not been exercised or strengthened. Exposure to artificial nipples is closely linked to mishandling of the baby, as well as reduced breastfeeding time and mother-baby contact. In some cases, it may lead to complete and early weaning, as well as favouring the occurrence of numerous health problems, including deficits in the orofacial structural and motor system. 

The main disadvantage of artificial breastfeeding versus breastfeeding is that it has no immunological properties. Their digestion is heavier and babies tend to suffer more gas cramps or constipation. You have to disburse money for all the necessary items – bottles, sterilizers or milk itself. You have to invest time in preparing it, testing its temperature, preparing all objects if you have to leave the house and carry them.

Challenges of artificial feeding

Bottle-feeding with formula milk poses some challenges that should be taken into account when deciding on one or another type of breastfeeding. It lacks antibodies. None of the antibodies contained in breast milk is found in artificial bottle feed milk. 

Therefore, this type of breastfeeding does not provide the added protection against infections and other diseases that breast milk provides.

You cannot reproduce the complexity of breast milk. Artificial bottle-feeding milks are far from reproducing the complexity of breast milk which is changing along with the baby’s nutritional needs.

 It is important to always have the necessary accessories (such as bottles and teats), making sure that they are clean and ready for use. Otherwise, the baby could get very hungry and restless, being harder to calm down. 

If you look at the 6 month baby food chart, a number of organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) – suggests to not to bottle feed a baby, instead breastfeeding is the ideal choice. 

Interferes with bonding

Nutrition is an important moment for the bond between mother and child. It is said that breastfeeding is ideal for this bond because your baby will be more comfortable if attached to your breast. Breastfeeding also gives a special sense of closeness to the mother. 

Many beneficial effects of natural breastfeeding

Fights infections and other conditions. Breastfed babies get lower risks of infections, are hospitalized fewer times than children fed infant milk. In natural breastfeeding, any other factors and antibodies that fight against germs pass from the mother to the baby and reinforce the child’s immune system. This helps reduce the incidence of many infections, such as the following:

• Ear infections
• The diarrhoea
• Respiratory infections
• Meningitis
• Asthma
• The diabetes
• The obesity
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• It is nutritious and facilitates digestion.

Why only breastfeeding is ideal?

The components of breast milk – lactose, protein (whey and casein) and fat, often known as the “perfect food” for the digestive system of the human baby, are easy to digest for a newborn. Breast milk also contains, by nature, many of the vitamins and minerals a newborn needs. The only exception is vitamin D. 

The AAP recommends administering vitamin D supplements to all breastfed babies during the first two months of life and until they ingest sufficient amounts of milk enriched with vitamin D. Without having to make last-minute runs to the supermarket to buy formula milk to bottle feed, breast milk is always fresh and ready to drink, regardless of whether you are at home or going from here to there.