Is Breast Milk Really Better Than Infant Formula? Here’s All You Need to Know!

Are you aware that the future of your child’s health history largely depends on what you feed them? Breastfeeding confers numerous benefits for you and your baby—more than you can imagine! However, infant formula has advantages, especially for mothers who find it challenging to breastfeed for a long time. Mothers may choose to combine giving breast milk and infant formula. Whatever the case might be, the question is, which is better? First, let’s understand what makes each.

What Are the Major Constituents of the Infant Formula?

Infant formula is categorized based on three main types:

• Standard infant formula (for 0–6 months)
• Follow-up formula (6–12 months)
• Toddler formula (13–36 months)

The major constituents of infant formula are milk proteins, lactose, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and amino acids, and plant-based oils (e.g., vegetable oil). Other ingredients could include probiotics and prebiotics, L-carnitine, taurine, inositol, etc. These ingredients vary by country, but the goal remains the same: to confer similar benefits and provide essential nutrients to newborns.

What’s in Breastmilk?

From the colostrum that coats and surrounds your baby’s stomach lining to the immunoglobulin-rich milk that fortifies the immunity of your newborn, breastmilk contains thousands of other beneficial compounds. The general composition is 87% water, 3.8% fat, 1.0% protein, and 7% lactose. Other compounds include white blood cells, stem cells, beneficial bacteria, probiotics, long-chain fatty acids, etc. These constituents protect against chronic illnesses like diabetes, necrotizing enterocolitis, asthma, ear and respiratory infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Breast milk or formula, Which One Is Better for Your Baby?

Despite containing an impressive array of ingredients, infant formula has three major, unquestionable downsides, as elucidated below.

The first is the problem of establishing microbial diversity in newborns. The gut microbiota exhibits several indispensable functions. These include the synthesis of vitamins and amino acids, the development of the immune system, the utilization of nutrients, etc. It also controls body composition and infant growth. All these have long-term implications for the life of an infant. Disrupted gut microbiota is the underlying culprit behind the development of autoimmune diseases and digestive disorders in adults. This is why the first six months of your infant’s life are the most critical period to build your baby’s gut microbiota.

Secondly, most infant formulas go through complex treatment procedures to ensure their safety and quality. This treatment can disrupt the structure of the components in infant formula, significantly questioning the effectiveness of the essential nutrients it contains.

Finally, the use of infant formula leads to a faster growth rate linked to advanced adiposity and better weight gain. Consequently, it has been associated with an elevated risk of childhood obesity, necrotizing enterocolitis, and metabolic syndrome. These three health conditions pave the way for the development of severe health conditions later in life.

How to Maximize the Benefits of Breastmilk

The “Breast is best” adage still prevails today because of the importance of breastmilk in the life of an infant. Thus, getting a helping hand with NATURE’SFIELD PREGMUM BREASTFEEDING will provide you and your baby with the essential nutrients you need to maximize the benefits of breastfeeding.

Breastfed infants have a lower incidence of asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and have higher quantitative and verbal abilities. Using NATURE’SFIELD PREGMUM BREASTFEEDING supports the developmental and protective properties of mother’s milk and makes you understand why breastmilk is truly the best for you and your baby.