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Breastfeed or not to breastfeed at all?

There has been recently some buzz about breastfeeding and it has been said that the recommendation of breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months is wrong and babies would not get all they need to grow healthy if you do it. What is your opinion?

Would babies fare better on the bottle?

(Lucybon)

Foodstuff Sat, 03/20/2021 - 14:10

Although breastfeeding is the most natural option, it does not come easy. It always be a personal choice, depending very much depend on health of the mother and available time.

The studies say a baby would be better off on the bottle than breastfed exclusively for six months. That might be true. Having said that, bottle feeding exclusively for six months is almost as bad as breastfeeding exclusively for six months. Feeding milk exclusively to a baby for six months, both formula or breast milk, is not recommended. Our advice is not to wait six months before introducing solids.

A baby being fed milk exclusively for six months, it does not matter if it is formula or breast milk, would not be getting all the nutrients required. Milk alone does not supply enough iron for a growing baby and around six months after birth, baby's supplies are depleted. First solids should be started probably from the fourth month, unless your pediatrician has recommended delaying this step for health reason.

A baby on formula would probably be having one teaspoonful non gluten cereal, mixed with formula milk, once or twice a day from the fourth month. And there would be a gradual increase in the amount of cereal until baby gets to have one small bowl of pureed cereal for breakfast, such as grits, oats, around first birthday. In the same way, pureed vegetables, such as potato or carrot, are introduced usually by early sixth month until babies are having one pureed meal, vegetables and meat, by the seventh month.

Babies grow at different rates and the time frame may vary a little.

It is the same in the case of breastfeeding. Babies should not be exclusively breastfed for six months, but being introduced to solids at similar stages that those on formula milk. The only difference is that many mothers add cereal to the bottle and you would have to use a spoon or prepare a breast milk bottle to do so.

The advice is to use a spoon for these first tastes, but most of the mothers we asked find convenient adding the cereal to the bottle first, especially when it is one small scoop.

Mother's instincts are usually right about when it is the right time to go to the next step but, if in doubt, ask the doctor or nurse.

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