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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Breastfeeding And Infant Formula

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Question
What considerations are undertaken by a mother regarding which method to use to feed her newborn, and how does breastfeeding and formula feeding effect the health of both the mother and the infant?
Introduction
Breastfeeding is the biologically natural method of feeding an infant, generally considered by paediatricians and health experts as the best possible feeding technique as a result of the nutritional content.

“The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months for all babies. “In Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommend breastfeeding exclusively until around 6 months of age, and continued breastfeeding after the introduction of solid foods until the …show more content…

Choosing to Breastfeed
Topic
Cost and Simplicity Breastfeeding is entirely natural and free. The process of preparing milk through breastfeeding is significantly simpler and faster.
Convenience Human milk is convenient because not only is it everywhere you go, but it also doesn’t require bottle sterilising every time the baby needs a feed. This also makes travelling much easier for the whole family, whether it be a trip to the shops or a long distance drive into the countryside, the baby’s food is always ready to go. You also don’t have to lug around a heavy bag of feeding equipment.
Health Relations Assists with post-pregnancy weight loss, and exclusive breastfeeding delays the return of the mother’s menstrual periods.
Effect on Mother Breastfeeding releases different types of hormones causing the mother to experience fulfilment and joy while feeding. The first hormone released is prolactin. This produces a peaceful, nurturing sensation, allowing the mother to relax and concentrate on the baby. The second hormone released is oxytocin, which creates a strong sense of love and attachment to the child, forming a strong bond. Oxytocin helps with recovery from childbirth by returning the uterus to its normal size.
Sustainability Breastfeeding is good for the environment and sustainable as there are no bottles to wash or cans to throw away.
In the same survey, many mothers claimed they purely ‘Didn’t want to use formula’,

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