How you feed your newborn

is the first nutrition decision you make for your child. These guidelines on breastfeeding and bottle feeding can help you know what’s right for you and your baby.

Breast or Bottle?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for about the first 6 months. Following the introduction of solid foods, breastfeeding should continue through the first year of life and even beyond, if desired.

But breastfeeding isn’t possible or preferable for all new moms. Deciding to breastfeed or bottle feed a baby is usually based on the mother’s comfort level with breastfeeding and her lifestyle. In some cases, breastfeeding may not be recommended for a mom and her baby. If you have any questions about whether to breastfeed or formula feed, talk to your pediatrician.

Remember, your baby’s nutritional and emotional needs will be met whether you choose to breastfeed or formula feed.

About Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding your newborn has many advantages. Perhaps most important, breast milk is the perfect food for a baby’s digestive system. It has the nutrients that a newborn needs, and all of its components — lactose, protein (whey and casein), and fat — are easily digested. Commercial formulas try to imitate breast milk, and come close, but cannot match its exact composition.

Also, breast milk has antibodies that help protect babies from many infectious illnesses, including diarrhea and respiratory infections. Studies suggest that breastfed babies are less likely to develop medical problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, and allergies. Breastfeeding also may decrease the chances that a child will become overweight or obese.

Breastfeeding is great for moms too. It burns calories, so nursing moms get back in shape quicker. Breastfeeding also may protect mom from breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Some moms find breastfeeding easier and quicker than formula feeding — it needs no preparation and you don’t run out of breast milk in the middle of the night. Also, breastfeeding costs little. Nursing mothers do need to eat more and may want to buy nursing bras and pads, a breast pump, or other equipment. But these expenses are generally less than the cost of formula.

Breastfeeding meets a variety of emotional needs for both moms and babies — the skin-to-skin contact can enhance the emotional connection, and providing complete nourishment can help a new mother feel confident in her ability to care for her newborn.

Limitations of Breastfeeding

With all the good things known about breastfeeding, why doesn’t every mother choose to breastfeed?

Breastfeeding requires a big commitment from a mother. Some new moms feel tied down by the demands of a nursing newborn. Because breast milk is easily digested, breastfed babies tend to eat more often than babies who are fed formula. This means mom may find herself in demand as often as every 2 or 3 hours in the first few weeks. This can be tiring, but it’s not long before babies feed less frequently and sleep longer at night.

Some new mothers need to get back to work outside the home or separate from their babies from time to time for other reasons. Some of these moms opt for formula feeding so other caregivers can give the baby a bottle. Mothers who want to continue breastfeeding can use a breast pump to collect breast milk to be given in a bottle so their babies still get its benefits even when mom isn’t available to breastfeed.

Other family members (dads most of all) may want to share in feeding the baby. When mom is breastfeeding, dad or siblings may want to stay close by. Helping mom get comfortable, or providing a burp cloth when needed, will let them be part of the experience.

When breastfeeding is established, other family members can help out by giving the baby pumped breast milk in a bottle when mom needs a break.

Sometimes a woman may feel embarrassed or worried about breastfeeding. These feelings usually disappear once a successful breastfeeding process is set. It’s often helpful to seek advice from those who’ve gone through the experience. Most hospitals and birthing centers can provide in-depth instruction on breastfeeding techniques to new mothers.

Your pediatrician, nurse practitioner, or nurse can answer questions or put you in touch with a lactation consultant or a breastfeeding support group.

In some cases, a mother’s health may affect her ability to breastfeed. For example, mothers undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and moms who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus that causes AIDS) should not breastfeed.

If you have a medical condition or take any medicines regularly, or if you or your baby gets sick, talk with your doctor about whether it’s OK to breastfeed. If you have to stop nursing temporarily, continue to pump breast milk to maintain milk production.

In some situations, it may not possible to breastfeed, such as when a baby is sick or born prematurely. Mothers should talk with their baby’s doctor about expressing and storing milk. Even if the infant cannot breastfeed, breast milk may be given via a feeding tube or bottle.

Sometimes mothers who have inverted nipples may have trouble breastfeeding, but with the help of a lactation consultant this usually can be overcome. Likewise, women who have had plastic surgery on their breasts should be able to successfully breastfeed. Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns.

Avoid using pacifiers or bottles until breastfeeding is established, usually after the first month of life. Introducing them before breastfeeding might cause “nipple confusion,” and can lead to an infant giving up the breast.