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Infant formulaA big choice new mothers must make for their small one’s nourishment is deciding whether they go for breastfeeding or milk formula. Some new mothers can be awkward around people while they are breastfeeding. But with our modern fashion style, there are a lot of products sold in the market that can help you have privacy while breastfeeding your infant.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests breast milk as the finest nourishment for infants. Concurring with the AAP, babies should be breastfed solely for the first 6 months. At 6 months, complementary foods should be introduced but the AAP encourages mommies to continue to breastfeed until the child is at least a year old, and for as long as after both the mother and the child are willing beyond 2 years old. In the Philippines, we have leading government agencies that advocate breastfeeding and one of which is the National Nutrition Council and some other private sectors.

Now, let’s have a closer look at giving formula milk to babies instead and why it is not ideal for infants. Although there have been claims that infant formulas seldom cause serious side health impacts, the allergies and the lack of essential nutrients in infant formula are serious issues if left unchecked. Babies may most likely develop respiratory infections, and some may have diarrhea from bottle feeds. Likewise, premature babies may acquire a serious condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) when drinking cow’s milk infant formulas. The hazard is most elevated in babies who weigh less than two pounds at birth. Life-threatening nourishment sensitivity indications such as swelling of the mouth or throat, hives, and vomiting are therapeutic crises. These can happen within days to weeks after beginning cow’s milk formula. Babies may moreover be unfavorably susceptible to soy protein formula. Look for medical advice right away.

For many years, public wellbeing campaigns and restorative writing have portrayed the ‘benefits of breastfeeding,’ comparing well-being results among breastfed newborn children against a reference group of formula-fed newborn children. Although factually synonymous with announcing the ‘risk of not breastfeeding,’ this approach certainly characterizes newborn child formula as the typical way to feed a newborn child. We know very well the vital role of breast milk to infants; it is now the decision of the family on what method you will choose but what is certain is that breastmilk is the most economical, appropriate, cost-effective, and the right milk for babies that suits well to their nutritional, emotional and physiological needs. Human babies should be fed with human breast milk and not from animals!

NO II Joanna Marie E. Baltazar, RND

 

References:

  1. The risks and benefits of infant feeding practices for women and their children

https://www.nature.com/articles/jp2009107

  1. Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding

https://www.webmd.com/baby/breastfeeding-vs-formula-feeding

  1. Baby Formula Side Effects

https://www.drugwatch.com/baby-formula/side-effects/#:~:text=Baby%20formula%20has%20all%20the,risks%20compared%20to%20breastfed%20babies.