When it comes to discovering you are pregnant, so many emotions run through your mind. You’re scared, nervous, excited, anxious, and jumping for joy on the inside. As the time gets closer to have your baby, more important subjects should be thought upon such as, what is the best way to feed my baby? Well, there is no wrong way, however it is difficult to make an educated decision on feeding if you are not well informed on the benefits of both types of feeding. Formula is the most common form of feeding in America today mostly because the human breast has went from being a natural feeding system for new life, to being heavily sexualized and advertised as a sexual part of a woman’s body. Not to mention breastfeeding sometimes needs to take place while you are in public, and as today’s era is modernizing from the breast being a way to feed an infant to being an object of sexual nature, breastfeeding is not well accepted in many local businesses. Due to the heavy influence of women’s breasts being sexualized, formula feeding has been the “go to” way to feed infants, it is accepted more thoroughly, mom’s don’t get weird glances or have to hear whispers about breastfeeding while they’re in public, and whenever the baby is hungry, anyone can make a formula bottle and feed the baby so the mom has more personal time. This system has resulted in a majority of new generation moms being uneducated on breastfeeding, nervous to breastfeed because they don’t want to be looked at like feeding their child is a “bad thing.” It has left these mothers with many unanswered questions and faced with many breastfeeding myths. Deciding to breastfeed is a sensitive matter, it is one that draws strong opinions from your spouse, friends, and family when you bring the subject up. However when you ask any professional, or medical authority such as the American academy of pediatrics (AAP) the American college of obstetricians and even your gynecologist, they will strongly recommend breastfeeding. The benefits of breastfeeding begin with the fact that breast milk is an ideal nutrition for infants because it has a perfect mix of vitamins, protein and fat. It is also easier digested than formula. Infants lack a strong immune system as opposed to adults which makes it easier for them to contract viruses. However, the milk from a woman’s breast contains strong antibodies to help the baby fight viruses and bacteria. The power of the antibodies also contributes to lowering the infant 's risk of allergies and asthma. Studies among the NRDC have shown the multiple positive effects to a number of important health benefits as a result of breastfeeding. These results were that, “breastfed infants become more resistant to disease and infection earlier in life than formula fed infants. Breastfed infants are less likely to contract a number of diseases later in life including juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and cancer before age 15. Mothers who breastfeed gain some benefits too, they are less likely to develop osteoporosis later in life, they lose their pregnancy weight
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Breastfeeding is natural and before formula, there was only the breast to feed the infant. How the woman’s breast became sexualized to such a high degree has fascinated me, because of that, it has created so many mixed emotions for a woman and her decision to naturally feed her baby. However, the modernization of times should not be what decides how you feed your child, because it is the humiliation and harassment towards breastfeeding mothers that is not decent. This is often due to the individual’s lack of knowledge and understanding of breastfeeding. If you come across anyone personally offended, just know they’re the ones who should be looking away. No child will be psychologically damaged from seeing a mother breastfeed, rather it is the parent(s) who teach the child that breastfeeding is “wrong” or should not be performed in public areas. Staying strong and being well educated on both types of feeding will greatly decrease the nervous emotion that comes with making this decision. Through lots of positive support from your spouse, family and friends, along with a good latch from the baby, it is a wonderful experience and great way to bond with the new
Breastfeeding is natural and before formula, there was only the breast to feed the infant. How the woman’s breast became sexualized to such a high degree has fascinated me, because of that, it has created so many mixed emotions for a woman and her decision to naturally feed her baby. However, the modernization of times should not be what decides how you feed your child, because it is the humiliation and harassment towards breastfeeding mothers that is not decent. This is often due to the individual’s lack of knowledge and understanding of breastfeeding. If you come across anyone personally offended, just know they’re the ones who should be looking away. No child will be psychologically damaged from seeing a mother breastfeed, rather it is the parent(s) who teach the child that breastfeeding is “wrong” or should not be performed in public areas. Staying strong and being well educated on both types of feeding will greatly decrease the nervous emotion that comes with making this decision. Through lots of positive support from your spouse, family and friends, along with a good latch from the baby, it is a wonderful experience and great way to bond with the new