Our Way Is Not The Only Way

Essay, Research Paper

NATURAL OR MANMADE

THESIS STATEMENT

The nutrition your child receives from you while you are pregnant and from birth gives him/her the start in life that s needed to grow and to develop through childhood into adulthood. Whichever choice a mother makes in feeding her baby will also determine how healthy the baby is.

Natural or Manmade

Most people would expect no differences in whether a newborn baby is breast-fed naturally by its mother or bottle-fed with formula. In both cases, one should expect a healthy baby. It is possible to give your child adequate nourishment and lots of affection while bottle-feeding or breast-feeding. In either situation, the baby will be the ultimate judge of how much he or she needs. Which ever choice a mother makes in feeding her baby will also determine how healthy the baby is, the kind of foods the mother chooses to eat and the time she has for herself and her family. Both offer many differences while trying to reach a common goal, the well being of the baby.

The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional. Human milk contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development, and growth. Breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a mother’s antibodies to disease. Nursing provides an additional immune system boost and may protect your baby from allergies, illnesses, or other conditions later in life. A breast-fed baby’s digestive system contains large amounts of beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can also lead to diarrhea in the infant.

Sucking at the breast promotes good jaw development as well. It is harder work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle, and the exercise strengthens the jaws and encourages the growth of straight, healthy teeth. The baby at the breast also can control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping.

The greatest disadvantage for many mothers who choose to breast-feed is that this ties them down so completely to the baby because a mother must be available when the baby is hungry. If you have other children breast-feeding can sometimes make other family members feel left out.

A mother that breast-feeds must be extremely cautious when it comes to her diet and the medication she takes. Most food you or drink can pass through your breast milk to your precious baby. Please be careful about what you eat and drink while breast-feeding.

Mothers that choose to bottle-feed can give their baby good nutrition with iron-fortified formula. Formula contains a different type of protein than breast milk. This is good for calves, but babies can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle-fed infants tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier. With a bottle, the baby must constantly suck or react to the pressure of the nipple placed in the mouth.

Bottle-feeding offers many advantages that are often overlooked. Some women enjoy the freedom bottle-feeding provides. It allows other family members to help care for the baby; many siblings appreciate being involved in caring for a new baby.

Mothers who bottle-feed have the freedom to eat and drink a variety of foods and liquids. Bottle-fed babies are not harmed by what mother may eat or what medication she may take. Parents know exactly how much food baby is consuming for some bottle-feeding is less awkward in public. Bottle-feedings are often more spread out, giving more physical freedom to the mother; no special clothing or bras no leaking from breasts for the mother no need to use breast-pumps.

However, a mother chooses to feed her baby is entirely her choice. The most important choice is to provide your baby with the love; attention and nutrition needed to help build a strong foundation for future growth.