This is a question that all new mothers tend to wonder about. While breast milk is the best milk for your baby, for many mothers, it is not possible to breastfeed their baby due to certain reasons that could be lifestyle choices or medical reasons, which is why they tend to feed their babies formula milk.
Infant formula milk is prepared in sterile conditions and is full of proteins, fats, sugar, calcium, and other nutrients that are essential for the baby to grow healthily. While formula milk is rich in nutrients, it cannot be compared to breast milk.
Here are the pros of feeding your baby formula milk:
- As already stated, formula is rich in nutrients that can benefit your baby.
- They are made under special conditions and have special combinations, which cannot be prepared at home.
- You do not have to worry about breastfeeding your baby from time to time. You get a lot of free time on your hands.
- In certain situations, breastfeeding may not be possible; in that case, you can satiate your baby’s hunger with formula milk, which duplicates breast milk.
- Since your baby will not be dependent on you for food, you can go to work without any worries.
- The best alternative to breast milk, according to doctors.
- Several varieties of formula milk are available. They come in different stages meant for babies of different ages. Like there is frisolac step 1, which is meant for newborn babies, from age 0 to 12 months. Frisolac newborns in Malaysia can be purchased online and offline.
- Formula milk needs more time to be digested, and hence you do not have to feed your baby frequently.
Cons of formula feeding
- Formula milk tries to duplicate breast milk, but it cannot exactly duplicate it. Breast milk remains the best source of nutrients for infants.
- Formula milk does not have antibodies that are naturally present in breast milk. Antibodies build the immune system of the babies and protect them from infections and viruses.
- Formula-fed babies tend to be more gassy and constipated compared to babies who are breastfed. This is because formula milk takes time to digest.
- You need to have the formula milk packet at hand all the time to feed your baby whenever he or she gets hungry. Not only that, you need to clean and sterilize nipples and bottles and check the temperature of the milk before giving it to your infant.
- Formula milk is costly, unlike breast milk, which is free and unlimited. Special formula milk like hypoallergenic formulas are more expensive than standard formula milk.
You cannot decide to feed your baby formula milk as well as breast milk. In this way, your baby will get the antibodies contained in breast milk, and your baby will form a deeper attachment with you. Formula milk will introduce them to commercial manufactured food and help their stomach adjust to this food from outside. They will also get to taste different flavored formula milk.
