The Great Debate: Breast milk vs. Formula

Many moons ago (almost a year ago, WOW!), when the nurse asked me whether or not I’d be breastfeeding or formula feeding my brand-spankin’ new little girl, I panicked couldn’t give her a straight answer. I immediately thought, “Does it have to be one or the other?” And ladies, the answer is no.

Early on I had a little trouble breastfeeding (read my breastfeeding journey here), so I was advised to formula feed my daughter in the interim, which I was not excited about one bit. I was so sure I’d nurse Remy for as long as both my body and her appetite would allowed, so the thought of formula feeding my little girl seemed so wrong to me. But hindsight is always 20/20, my friends, and I am so happy with how the situation turned out in the long run.

I was initially a little opposed to bottle feeding so soon after Remy was born, not to mention completely against incorporating formula into her diet. I wanted her to be exclusively on breast milk. We are all familiar with the outstanding benefits that breastfeeding offers – defends against infections and various chronic conditions, provides the best possible nutrition, and helps prevents allergies – so I thought that was the right and only way to go. In my pre-baby pregnancy brain I thought, “Yes to breastfeeding! Who wouldn’t breastfeed their child?”  But my naiveté got the best of me, I didn’t realize that breastfeeding isn’t an option for everyone. What we fail to digest in our binge for knowledge on all things baby is that formula exists for a reason. Many mothers don’t have the option to breast feed their children, whether it’s because of low milk production (which is common), comfort level, or lifestyle. Formula is made to be a supplement that is sufficient enough to help babies grow and be healthy, just as much as breast milk. It offers some vitamins and other nutrients that breast milk cannot, such as vitamin D, so I’ve never understood the shaming mother get for deciding to formula feed their children.

In my experience with both formula feeding and breastfeeding Remy, I think it was right for us as a family. I still nursed (until she was seven months. I then bottle feed her with stored pumped breast milk), but bottle feeding my baby allowed for my husband to assist in the duties, as well as other family members. This also allowed for her to get comfortable with drinking from a bottle versus my breast. Once I stopped pumping, the transition from breast milk to formula was seamless and didn’t create any problems because she had already been introduced to it.

When all is said and done, what is most important is that we as mothers provide adequate nourishment to our babies be it from breast milk or formula, or for that matter both. So let’s band together and do just that!