A mother feeding a child, it is such a wonderful way, full of warmth and love. The body itself prepares what the baby actually needs and keeps on making it till the time the baby requires it. Ever wondered if there was a wonder drug that could protect babies from most common diseases, was safe, immediately effective, had long term benefits, was easily accessible and free; Breastmilk is the answer! Research has proven that breast milk protects the body against flu, diarrhoea, ear infections and even obesity, not to mention how it lowers the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant death Syndrome). Children who have been fed on mother’s milk are proven to have higher IQs too.

‘I give my kids formula and they are doing just fine; happy and healthy’, this is what most women who have chosen out of breastfeeding have to say. Each day I meet more and more women around, who are feeding their babies on formula from as early as possible. Reasons are more towards convenience. The medical aspect cannot be completely ignored that hampers a mother and child to be a part of such a beautiful way of nature.

We all know now that a woman should breastfeed for at least the first year of a baby’s life. Breastfeeding has existed ever since the existence of mammals on this earth and there have been descriptions in ancient texts about breastfeeding. Then why is it that such an age old culture of a child getting the best nutrients and anti bodies changing?

Nursing Problem: There is little help available around in the hospitals to teach women how to breastfeed after delivery. By the time milk comes out, they reach home where the actual problems start. Family support really matters here. Initial problem with latching on, they become frustrated and exhausted. They start feeling that the milk supply is less or the baby is left hungry and hence the idea of formula which sounds easier, takes the centre stage. It is very important to believe in yourself and keep trying. Try to look around for help. Call up the hospital to see if they can offer some thing. It is not really a difficult job and just a little patience would make you a successful breastfeeding mother. But don’t loose heart if you are unable to feed as much as you can.

Public Attitude: Nobody should be telling you that you can’t nurse in public. It is a basic right. Most women give up breastfeeding because at some time or the other they have been made to feel awkward.

Time Consuming- Breastfeeding definitely is time consuming. For a new mother who is already exhausted, the whole cycle of feeding, then burping and changing, as this cycle gets over, it is time to start all of this again. This must be shocking, but make sure you ask for help and keep breast feeding your top priority, after all it is a matter of only few months. One trick that really works is to get ample rest is to sleep when the baby sleeps. Once the baby is a little over six months, you will get time for yourself.

Working Moms- Most women give up upon breastfeeding because they feel guilty for not being dedicated to breastfeeding completely. With somebody who has a full time job and other children, it gets difficult. One can definitely mix up formula and nurse her child as well. Some nursing is always better than no nursing at all.

The freedom that formula and easy to carry mashed food gives mothers a chance to be able to get out of house and still nurse the baby with bottle wherever possible. Till date work environments are not always as healthy and supportive. The maternity leave is for barely 12 weeks and there is nothing called a lactating leave. A mother, who has to work, has to leave the baby behind on formula or being hooked on to a breast pump. There are fewer corporate companies who actually have a secure area where mothers can express milk during work day and having a child care facility within the work premises is something very rare. In India there is a family support system which works well, but there are times when women have to leave kids in day care centres to get to work. There are exceptions though. It is always better to talk with the employer and ask for some help.

The formula fever: Formula was created to be able to search for a wholesome diet for babies because they died (most of them would be motherless babies) so often due to in correct practices. Such babies would be also be fed on other mothers but this practice vanished in the early 18th century when a few clever men came out with an idea of mixing cow’s milk with some ingredients, making it easier for babies to digest the food. Till early 1970’s every woman doted on this scientific formula and mashed food as it was so highly advertised and the society went mad over formula, considering it to be superior to what mother’s bodies could produce. This has become a culture, is considered to be normal. The symbol of a baby sucking on a mother’s breast got changed to a baby sucking on a fake nipple and bottle. This trend though, sadly still continues.

Beauty aspect: Women feel feeding their babies would actually make their breasts sag. On the contrary breastfeeding is the nature’s way to make mother’s body to loose weight. Breast size has nothing to do with milk supply.

It will be messy and time consuming: Not at all. Given the time tit takes to make formula and clean up the bottles afterwards, it is much simpler to breastfeed. Moreover bottle fed babies are much more likely to catch infections than breastfed babies. Bottle feeding makes it easier for a baby to be susceptible to ear infections, tooth decay. Formula has none of mother’s antibodies, which makes babies prone to infection.

According to a number of sources, actually 1-3% of women have problems that make it rather difficult for them to feed or continue feeding their babies. The reasons could be various, from not being able to produce ample milk to some medications that mothers take which are harmful for the babies ( In such cases one can request doctors to prescribe medicines that are safe for a feeding baby). Opting for sources other than mother’s milk does not mean that such parents need to feel guilty. One can always mix mothers and artificial milk.

The rest 97% of the women, who are perfectly normal to feed their babies but due to their own inhibitions or social and cultural problem prefer not to nurse at all. A shocking statistic is where most women in the western world stop breastfeeding past six weeks.

10 lesser known facts about breast feeding
1. Mother’s milk has at least 100 ingredients that a formula doesn’t have.
2. Breast milk’s protection against respiratory infections is stronger in girls than in boys. Nursing can lower the risk of breast cancer in mother as well as daughter.
3. Breastmilk composition changes from week to week, from day to day, from hour to hour, and during a feeding. It is always the perfect food for your child.
4. Breastmilk is free, always available, always at the right temperature, and never goes bad.
5. Poops and spit ups would not stain and stink so much.
6. Nursing actually soothes a cranky baby. It also works wonders in emergencies when the bay would just cry for no reason. Just put the baby to breast when crying, it will soothe him/her.

7. Nursing brings the uterus back into shape soon. The stimulation from the nipples due to nursing causes uterus to return into original shape, quickly.

8. A baby can never be allergic to mother’s milk.
9. Your baby’s suckling reflexes are at their strongest for up to 5 days following birth. So, this time is critical in assuring the mother baby bond.
10. Recent study has proven that children who have been breast fed cope with stress and anxiety effectively when they reach school age.
11. Mother’s milk is made up of around 0.8% protein, between 3% & 5% fat (definitely the best form of it), around 7% carbohydrates and 0.2% minerals, along with digestive enzymes and hormones, the rest being water. As breastfeeding progresses, the milk composition also changes, keeping step with the baby’s nutritional requirements, so no need to worry if your milk is nutritious enough for your growing child; Nature takes care of that automatically.

Reasons for not choosing to nurse may be different for everybody, from social to psychological but one thing is for sure, formula can never match mother’s milk, ever.