Benefits of breastfeeding

 

• Your baby's health: The first breast milk, colostrum, helps your baby get rid of waste products faster, reducing the risk of jaundice. Breast milk contains antibodies that strengthen the immune system and protect against gastrointestinal infections, respiratory tract infections and ear infections. It also reduces the risk of cot death and allergies such as asthma and eczema.
• Tailor-made: The composition of breast milk adapts to your baby's needs, for example in premature babies.
• Development: Breastfeeding supports good speech development through the use of the mouth, tongue and jaw muscles. Your baby is also introduced to different tastes through breast milk, which helps with the transition to solid foods.
• Long-term effects: Children who are breastfed are less likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later on.
• Benefits for you as a mother: Breastfeeding stimulates the hormone oxytocin, which shrinks your uterus faster and reduces blood loss. Long-term breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer and helps you return to your old weight faster (it consumes 500 kilocalories a day).

In addition, breastfeeding is always available, free, at the right temperature, and saves time and effort by not having to boil out bottles.

Disadvantages of breastfeeding

 

• Time investment :It may take 2-3 weeks for you and your baby to get the hang of it. An information evening or reading books can help.
• Uncertainty: Because you can't see exactly how much your baby is drinking, this can sometimes feel unsettling.
• Back to work: Pumping at work requires organisation. Your employer should provide a separate room with a fridge. You are allowed to use 25% of your working time for pumping.
• Mostly your responsibility: Although you can pump feedings occasionally, you are the one who feeds most of the time.

Breastfeeding is a choice in which advantages and disadvantages can be weighed against each other. We are ready to support you in this!

Advantages of bottle feeding

• Bottle-feeding can be done by several people, allowing for shared care. However, it is nice to have the same people giving the bottle as much as possible for your baby's recognition and peace of mind.
• When you go back to work, you don't have to worry about pumping or storing breast milk.
• You have freedom in what you can eat and drink. 
• You can take certain medicines

Disadvantages of bottle feeding

 

• Artificial formula is made from cow's milk, and some babies may be allergic to it.
• The composition of artificial formula is fixed and does not take into account your baby's specific needs, such as for a premature or late baby.
• Children fed formula are more likely to have hospital admissions and health problems in the early years, such as obesity or early diabetes. This is because formula is often drunk until the bottle is empty, while breastfeeding responds better to the natural feeling of satiety.
• Artificial formula does not contain natural antibodies like breastfeeding. This can lead to an increased risk of infections, allergies, cramps and constipation.
• Preparing bottle feeding takes more time: you have to bring the milk to the right temperature, make sure it is properly formulated and carefully clean the bottles and teats to ensure hygiene.

Bottle feeding can be a fine option, but it is important to weigh up the pros and cons carefully. What works best depends on your situation and needs.