Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding :: Breastfeeding vs. Formula

Children come into this world completely helpless, unable to even comprehend their surroundings not to mention the process that they have just taken part in. Because of this, infants are completely reliable on the individuals around them. It is the duty of the parents to take care of and nurture their children. Parents are to provide for their children both through emotional needs as well as survival needs. Newborns need to be fed through means of milk, thus relying on a decision by their mother and father of whether to breastfeed or bottle feed. As stated in Nancy E. Wright’s article on the progression of breastfeeding, Aristotle said, â€Å"There is a reason behind everything in nature.† Certain occurrences take place in nature that has repercussions or outcomes to them. Choosing to breastfeed is a decision that requires sacrifice and hard work, yet has the potential to be an intricate detail to the healthy development of infants and children. According to Dr. Alicia Dermer and Dr. Anne Montgomery from The Medical Reporter, there are countless benefits to breastfeeding not only for the child but for the mother. Human milk has nutritional benefits within the fluid that provide for the optimal absorption of iron. This milk also â€Å"protects the gut from harmful bacteria and assists in digestion of fat† (Dermer, Montgomery.) This certain article also talked about how a mother’s own milk will change during a feeding from thirst-quenching to hunger-satisfying. Mothers’ milk also has a variety of flavors because of the changing diet of the mother. Another benefit of breastfeeding, according to Dr. Dermer and Dr. Montgomery has to do with the immune system of infants. It is said that human milk is the baby’s first immunization. Human milk provides antibodies that protect the baby from many common respiratory and intestinal diseases. This milk also contains living immune cells according to this article as well. Colostrum, which is the first milk that is expressed by the mother, is packed with components which increases immunity and protects newborns’ intestines. This article also stated that, â€Å"artificially fed babies have higher rates of middle ear infections, pneumonia, and cases of gastroenteritis (stomach flu).† As a whole, breastfeed babies have a stronger immune system because of the antibodies that are expressed from the mother and passed on.