pregnancy and Birthing Q&A
is breast feeding
really better than bottle feeding?
YES
Of course, its not always that simple, especially for the
single mom. Life gets busy, stress, special diets, lack of
sleep, all of this can interfere with the nursing relationship
and make breast feeding a challenge.
What I recommend for the single mom is to breast feed as
much as you can for as long as you can, but don't feel bad about
having to supplement with formula when you really have to.
It is true
that breast milk is nutritionally far superior to any formula on
the market (its so good for you, in fact, that I considered
making a habit of drinking my own), and that the attachment
formed during nursing is hard to achieve when bottle feeding.
Nursing reduces your chances of developing post partum
depression, and of women who do suffer from PPD, those who nurse
have shorter and much less sever bouts of it. Nursing can help
some women lose the baby weight, and even reduces your chances
of developing breast cancer later in life.
I very much
loved nursing my son, it was my favorite part of being a mom the
first year. I loved our special cuddle time, and so did he. But
I did have to supplement with formula while I was at work. I
just couldn't pump enough during the day to feed him. The pump
doesn't remove as much milk from the breast as a baby does and
for me, my body adjusted its self to produce less milk while I
was away from my baby (as some women's bodies will do, since
breast milk is produced on a supply and demand basis). I made up
for it by nursing all night (we bed shared, so this was fairly
easy) and all day on the weekends. My son grew up healthy and
happy, and we were able to continue nursing until he was two,
when he gradually self weaned.
I recommend trying to keep nursing, at least a little,
for at least a year. But some women can't make it that long, and
that's okay. Some breast milk is better than none, what's
important is that you give it a try for as long as you can. If
you can manage to breast feed exclusively for the first six
months, and continue to nurse while supplementing with solid
foods for the rest of the first year and as far beyond that as
you desire, good for you! That's the gold standard of nursing
your baby.
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