I moved these posts in here from the Marriage/Children thread in the Relations forum.
Well then, let me educate you...kriegsmaschine wrote: >>Breast-fed beyond four months. Not sure how this is really a factor.
Breastfeeding at least four months has four important benefits over formula/bottle-feeding:
- Breast milk contains immune-boosting nutrients that a child cannot get from cow's milk or formula. Studies show that breastfed children have fewer allergies and childhood diseases.
- The IQ of breastfed children is shown to be, on average, 5 IQ points higher than their non-breastfed peers. They have fewer learning disabilities and behavioral problems as well.
- A recent study conducted in the UK showed that breastfed children, on average, lived five years longer than their non-breastfed peers.
- Breastfeeding increases the emotional and psychological bond between the mother & child. A child must attach to and trust his mother or he'll have difficulty finding and maintaining 'normal' adult relationships.
An important point to remember is that these benefits mentioned above are noticed only in children who were breastfed for at least four months.
A few other things I want to point out:
- Formula is expensive. It's not unusual to spend $80-100/month on formula. Breastmilk is free.
- A breastfed newborn wants to eat every two to four hours. The baby's digestive system can easily breakdown and digest breastmilk because it was made just for him and his needs. Formula is made for every baby and therefore, for no baby. Formula is harder for the baby to digest and hence formula-fed babies tend to get hungry less often - every four to six hours - and have more bowel irregularities. While this is great for Mom who doesn't really want to stop what she's doing every 2 hours to feed the brat, it is better for the brat, I mean sweet child, to eat smaller meals every couple of hours that are easy for him to digest.
- Women who breastfeed report losing their 'baby fat' sooner. Studies also show that the uterus of a breastfeeding Mom shinks back to its normal, pre-pregnancy size faster than non-breastfeeding Moms.
- A breastfeeding woman is half as likey to get pregnant as a non-breastfeeding one. Doctors think is the body's way of regulating itself and giving both the mother and child enough of a recuperative rest between births.
- No bottles & rubber nipples to purchase, replace, wash & sterilize. No running out of formula. No need to carry a bottle around with you.
- This point is for the men: You have a really good excuse for not getting up three times in the middle of the night to feed the screaming child.
I hope this clarified for you.
Yours,
Sigrun Christianson, aka the Breastfeeding Nazi and Domestic Goddess Extrordinaire
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