Breastmilk is the perfect food for a newborn as it contains the correct nutrients. Besides, it is designed in a way that is easily digestible such that it is gentle to the baby’s growing body systems, intestines and stomach. New mothers are advised to breastfeed exclusively for six months. This means they should only feed their newborns breastmilk for the first six months and combine breastfeeding with solid foods until the baby is 1 or 2 years old. Although there exists infant formula used to feed newborns, the feed does not surpass breastmilk on the grounds of digestion, cost and accessibility and remains the most suitable for newborns. The following discussion argues why breastmilk is ideal for newborns by addressing its health benefits on the baby and the mother and how it differs from infant formula.
One advantage breastmilk has over formula is that it contains healthy nutrients that foster the growth and development of the baby. When a mother gives birth, her breasts produce colostrum which is essential as it enhances the baby’s immune system and promotes its growth and development. Mainly, the nutrients in breast milk include proteins and carbohydrates, which are easily absorbed and used by the infant. Besides, these nutrients in breast milk are suitable for developing the baby’s nervous system and brain. Research studies indicate that breastfed babies score high in intelligence tests when tested at an older age. Breastmilk contains various types of fat that help the eyes of the baby to work better.
The next advantage breastmilk has over infant formula that makes it the most suitable for newborns is that it is developed by nature and changes as a baby grows. One thing to comprehend is that breastmilk has advanced over millions of years to fit the baby’s needs. Breast milk is accessible whenever the newborn requires it and is clean, free and at the right temperature (John Hopkins Medicine, 2023). Baby formula manufacturers may have tried to match the components of breastmilk, but formula can never be the same as breastmilk. For instance, one must warm a formula milk bottle before feeding the infant. Besides, as the infant grows, the breastmilk transitions and aligns its components to meet the baby’s nutritional needs and has fewer feeds. Also, the breastmilk changes in composition and volume based on the age of the baby, nursing frequency and time of the day to enhance health growth (Sanchez et al., 2021). As such, breastmilk, being a natural substance, surpasses formula as it is purposely developed in the mother’s body to meet the baby’s nutritional needs. Therefore, terming breastmilk is the perfect food for an infant.
Breastmilk helps keep the baby healthy by providing the proper nutrients. Besides, the milk prevents infections which fosters the growth and development of the baby. Breastmilk contains many disease-fighting aspects that prevent moderate to severe conditions and hospital admission (Sanchez et al., 2021). Studies done on breastfeeding infants indicate fewer ear, lung and digestive infections. In line with preventing infections, breastmilk helps protect premature babies from having necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe intestines infection(Sanchez et al., 2021). Mainly, a baby grows and develops well if the body remains healthy. Besides, breastmilk enables the baby’s body to fight off infections, making the illness less severe. The ability of breastmilk to prevent infections makes it perfect for an infant as it enhances growth and development.
Breastmilk does not only prevent infections but also helps prevent other fatal conditions. Studies show that breastfed babies have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than those not breastfed. Besides, breastfed babies have a low probability of contracting skin issues linked to allergies and asthma. Typically, formula-fed infants have a high possibility of having milk allergies. Breastmilk lowers the chance of the infant having digestive problems and diarrhea (John Hopkins Medicine, 2023). On the other side, the formula can alter healthy bacteria in the infants’ intestines, which makes it difficult to digest and fight illnesses. This is because the intestines’ beneficial bacteria aid digestion and fight illness. Other conditions that breastmilk prevents include leukemia and other terminal illnesses as they grow, such as diabetes and obesity.
Breastfeeding offers health advantages for the baby and mother as it allows the mother to bond with her newborn. This connection benefits the mother psychologically as they connect with the newborn and impacts their decision to breastfeed. Mothers who formula-feed their babies report that breastfeeding creates a closer bond between mother and child than formula-feeding (Green, Killings & Clare, 2021). In line with psychological benefits, breastfeeding lowers the risk of postpartum depression in new mothers. Mainly this illness affects not only the mother but also the health of the newborn, particularly when it comes to caring for the child. Breastfeeding enables a mother to ward off postpartum depression, allowing her to care for her newborn, and promoting the infant’s growth and development.
Breastmilk is natural and suitable for the baby as it contains vital nutrients that foster growth and development. Nevertheless, breastmilk, a natural and renewable food source, provides eco-friendly benefits worldwide. There are no packages to store breastmilk compared to infant formulas and other alternatives for human milk that need packaging that may eventually be dumped in landfills. Hamilton (2015) asserts that for each one million formula-fed infants, one-hundred and fifty million formula containers are used and they may be dumped in landfills. Besides, infant formulas must be distributed from one place to another so that families can access them. Breastfeeding requires mothers to eat small quantities of calories to produce enough milk for the infant; it does not require transportation to distribute, fuel to prepare or containers. Therefore, it decreases the amount of carbon footprint by conserving energy and resources.
Those in opposition that argue that breastmilk is not the best for infants may say that the milk may be insufficient for the growth and development of the infant if the baby has various health problems and the mother has a particular health condition. If the baby has low blood sugar or dehydration, the health practitioner may advise the mother to include liquids, formula, and breastmilk to help her recover. Besides, a doctor may recommend that a mother stop breastfeeding her newborn if she has certain infections that can be passed to the newborn through breast milk. Also, if the mother uses alcohol or other drug substances, the doctor may warn against breastfeeding as this may adversely impact the growth and development of the infant. These arguments are valid as they apply to inevitable circumstances that aim to protect the development and growth of the infant. However, breastmilk remains the best food for newborns as it contains the proper nutrients, is free, prevents infections, fosters a connection between mother and child and confers benefits to the environment.
References
Green, V. L., Killings, N. L., & Clare, C. A. (2021). The historical, psychosocial, and cultural context of breastfeeding in the African American community. Breastfeeding Medicine, 16(2), 116-120. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2020.0316
Hamilton, A. E. (2015). Development of environmentally friendly messages to promote longer durations of breastfeeding for already breastfeeding mothers. Health communication, 30(3), 231-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2013.840483
John Hopkins Medicine. (2023). Breast Milk is Best. Retrieved from Johns Hopkins Medicine: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/breastfeeding-your-baby/breast-milk-is-the-best-milk
Sánchez, C., Franco, L., Regal, P., Lamas, A., Cepeda, A., & Fente, C. (2021). Breast milk: a source of functional compounds with potential application in nutrition and therapy. Nutrients, 13(3), 1026. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13031026
write