Breastfeeding

Factor

Information

Breast

Bottle

Colostrum

This is the creamy/yellow milk, expressed by mother when a child is first born.  Colostrum is nutrient rich and contains special immune molecules that help to protect your baby from disease before their own immune system has developed.

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(see note)

Intestinal flora

Friendly bacteria in the stomach help to digest food and support the immune system.

The dominant strain of bacteria found in the digestive tract of breast-fed babies is the beneficial Bifidobacterium.   Babies fed on formula generally have higher numbers of the less beneficial streptococcus and E. coli.

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Nutritional Content

Breast milk is made by the mother specifically to feed a human baby.  It is easy to absorb and contains correct proportions of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Breast milk also contains minerals that are more easily absorbed including zinc, iron and calcium.  Manganese, which is needed for healthy bones, is 20 times more absorbable than that found in formula⁷. 

Formula milk is made from cow's milk, designed for cows, not babies.  It contains casein, a cow protein which may be more difficult for baby to digest.  Goat's milk formula is also available if allergies occur but will also contain 'non-human' proteins. 

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Nutritional Content

Essential Fats

Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 are important for health. DHA , a special type of essential omega 3 fat which is especially important for brain development is present in breast milk.

 Only some formula contains DHA.

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(depends upon formula used)

Nutritional Content

Vitamin E

The fat soluble vitamins in breast milk appear to be of a better quality and more easily absorbed.  A study showed that breast-fed babies had higher levels of vitamin E which is an important antioxidant and protects against cellular damage⁶.   Vitamin E also contributes to a healthy circulatory system and aids proper blood clotting and improved wound healing.  

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Nutritional Content

Vitamin K

Formula milk is fortified with vitamin K, a vitamin essential for blood clotting.

Breast milk does not contain much vitamin K so follow up supplementation may be required.

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Baby's health

Babies who are breastfed have a reduced risk of ear infections, gastrointestinal infections, chest infection, urinary tract infections, childhood diabetes, eczema, asthma or obesity.

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New flavours

The taste of breast milk varies, depending on what mother has eaten.  This introduces new flavours that are likely to become part of their diet once baby is introduced to solid foods⁸.

Formula milk does not vary and may lead to a more fussy weaning behaviour.

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Bone Health

The type of Vitamin D found in breast milk appears to be more effective at preventing Ricketts (a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency which causes bones not to develop properly)⁶.

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Obesity

A study of 32,000 three to four-year-olds who were breast-fed for six to eight weeks after birth showed that they were 30% less likely to be obese than those who were formula fed⁹. One explanation might be the development of an appetite control mechanism described below.

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Appetite control mechanism

The milk provided by breast changes throughout the course of a single feed, starting as light and thirst quenching and ending with thicker, richer milk for sustenance. Research suggests that babies fed breast milk respond to the changes in the composition of the breast milk which alters in the amount of fat it  contains during each feed.  Formula milk is uniform in its concentration and so does not have this effect¹⁰.

Formula milk is the same from start to finish.

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Jaw Development

As suckling on a breast requires more work than on a bottle, breast-fed babies tend to develop stronger jaws.  This may help them when developing speech and starting to eat solids.

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Mother's figure

Women who breastfeed often return to their pre-pregnancy shape much faster than those who decide to feed formula to their baby.  This is because the production of milk uses up calories which have been stored in the mother as fat during the pregnancy. Breast-feeding burns an extra 500 calories a day¹¹.

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Mother's health

Breast-feeding helps protect mothers against perimenopausal breast cancer¹², ovarian cancer¹³ and osteoporosis¹⁴ in later life. When baby suckles a hormone called oxytocin is released by the mother.  This stimulates the uterus making it contract back to its pre-birth size¹².

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Parental bonding

Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and child. Breastfeeding mothers can express milk into a bottle to enable their partner to also take part at feeding time but this is not always possible.

Formula feeding enables a father to also easily get involved at feeding time. Some parents choose to combine formula and breast feeding so it is easier for dad to get involved.

Sterilised equipment

Bottles, teats and water used to make up the bottle must all be sterilised to ensure no germs are accidentally transmitted to baby.

There is no need for any of these precautions with breastfeeding.

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Freedom for Mother

Breastfeeding is a commitment that requires mother to either be with a young infant most of the time or to express milk so that it is available for baby for regular feeding. As baby gets older and solids are introduced, it becomes easier for mother to return to work and still breast feed in the morning and evenings.

Formula feeding enables mother to be apart from baby without needing to plan in advance to ensure adequate milk supply is available.

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Discomfort

Breastfeeding can cause discomfort to mother due to breast engorgement or cracked nipples, which can occasionally lead to the breast infection, mastitis (which is treatable).

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Finance

Formula, bottles and sterilisation equipment all cost money. Breastfeeding is free.

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Feeding in Public

Breastfeeding in public is a personal choice.  Feeding blankets can be used to keep modesty, if required but this may not suit all mothers, making outings possibly more difficult for some.

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Sagging breasts

Breastfeeding is often blamed for causing sagging breasts however other factors have been shown by research to be far more influential, such as body mass index (BMI), the number of pregnancies, a larger pre-pregnancy bra size, smoking history, and age.

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