Nursing Aids

Nursing: It Does a Body Good!!

There is nothing more awesome than a newborn child. First-time mothers (and fathers) are then bound to experience a large quantity of unknowns. One of the biggest questions any new mother must face is whether or not to breast-feed their child. There are pros and cons of both, but only breast-feeding presents some unique positives. Women should consider everything from lifestyle, allergies, and sleep into their decision whether to breast-feed, bottle-feed, or both.

Weighing the Benefits

Each new mother must decide on their own how to nurse their child. When choosing between breast-feeding and formula it’s important to have all the information. The benefits of breast-feeding include: a joyful closeness/bonding with your child, nutritional benefits, and cost savings according to womenshealth.gov. One important thing that womenshealth.gov points out is that nursing is a personal choice and you should never feel guilty if you can’t breast-feed or choose to bottle-feed. They also establish that breast-feeding is beneficial to your child due to the colostrum in early breast milk. This thick yellow is produced during pregnancy and just after birth and helps your baby’s digestive system grow and function properly. Sometime around the 3-5th day, your milk changes into mature milk with just the right amount of fat, sugar, and proteins to allow your baby to grow. While breast milk provides babies antibodies and hormones to develop properly, there are studies that suggest that breast milk can lower the risk of maladies such as asthma, childhood obesity, and ear infections. Another great benefit to breast milk is that it is free!! You produce it, it’s all yours!!

What Are the Cons?

While breast-feeding has benefits, there are some drawbacks plus not all women can breast-feed. For some women, when your baby latches onto your breast there can be pain associated with feeding, not to mention possible cracking of the nipples. To reduce this discomfort, new moms can use the Earth Mama Angel Baby Breast-Feeding Booby Tubes. They can be used either warm or cold to minimize discomfort due to swelling and tenderness of engorgement and can comfort your breasts during weaning. In order to solve the dilemma of sore, flat, or inverted nipples, the Medela SoftShells Silicone Breast Shells for Sore Nipples are comfortable to wear while providing protection while nipples heal. Another downside of breast feeding is the large time commitment from mothers. As kidshealth.org states, a nursing mother may be needed every 2-3 hours for feeding. This constant need to nurse or even pump can make running errands, working, or even a vacation very difficult. Sometimes when you’re out and about your baby may need to feed while you’re in public. There are those that feel uncomfortable around mothers that breast-feed in public. Should this be an issue? Of course not, but unfortunately it does occur. Also, there are mothers that may not feel comfortable breast-feeding in public. Each person is different, so they need to decide what is okay with them.

Best of Both Worlds?

Many women can opt to pump their breast milk into bottles to make feeding more convenient. This can allow dad to participate in this wonderful bonding experience. Using a pump such as the Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump with Carryall , this utilizes hospital recommended technology and allows moms to continue working full-time. Its eight adjustable suction levels and four cycle speeds allowed each individual user to set what’s comfortable for them. For mothers who need to pump several times a day, the Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with Backpack provides moms with a double electric breast pump with adjustable speed and vacuum for comfortable and discreet pumping. For new moms that might opt for a more economical option, the Ameda One-Hand Manual Breast Pump with Flexishield can pump directly any standard baby bottle or freezer bag. For moms that express milk occasionally, the Medela Harmony Breast Pump is lightweight and portable while quickly bringing milk out but is still comfortable. In order to collect, store, and feed pump breast milk, moms can use the Medela Breast Milk Feeding Gift Set . It includes everything you need to make the breast feeding experience a simple and easy one.

Formula for Success

For new moms that decide breast-feeding is not for them or their baby, you should understand that your baby is getting the next best alternative to their breast milk. Much like breast-feeding, there are some benefits to bottle-feeding with formula. For instance, a baby that is fed using formula can be fed by anyone at any time. Sorry guys, it’s your turn to help out!! Some newborns may require a special diet; therefore using specialized formulas can help. For instance, Similac PM 60/40 Infant Formula is formulated for infants who could benefit from low mineral intake. This could help newborns with impaired renal function. Newborns sometimes cannot tolerate intact or hydrolyzed protein so a formula such as Abbott Similac Advance 20 Stage 1 Infant Formula with Iron can help with the dietary management of protein maldigestion or malabsorption. Babies that are born prematurely can present a different set of problems. For women who may wish to formula feed their child that was born early, the Enfamil EnfaCare Milk-based Formula for Prematurely Born Babies is scientifically designed to support development and growth of these babies. Parents may come across a situation where their newborn may be sensitive to lactose. In this case, try feeding your baby Natures One Babys Only Organic LactoRelief Formula . It’s the first organic milk-based formula for children with lactose intolerance. Believe me, anything that can keep a child from screaming at night is a good thing!! Whereas a mother who decides to pump breast milk, formula increases flexibility. There is no need to work in pumping to your schedule, just leave bottles of formula for daddy or your nanny/daycare. By using formula daddy can increase his bonding time with his baby by helping out with nighttime feedings. This also allows mommy to get some well needed (and deserved) sleep. As webMD.com states, women who breast-feed must be careful what they ingest while women who choose formula are not bound by these restrictions. They can eat what they choose and can even indulge in a glass of red wine. Alcohol in particular can be taboo for moms breast-feeding. Since formula is not digested as quickly, scheduling feedings may become easier since these babies don’t need to eat as often. Regardless of your choice, mother should never feel guilty about her decision!!

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