Breastfed babies cry more, laugh less, and generally have "more challenging temperaments" than formula-fed infants, a study has found. But such behaviour is normal, and mothers should learn to cope with it rather than reach for the bottle, according to researchers.
Infant formulas are specifically designed to imitate human breast milk composition and they are the only safe alternative to breast milk for infants. Many families enjoy the convenience of formula since any caregiver can help feed the baby, as opposed to just the mother.
New mums should be advised that it is normal for their baby to cry more if they are breastfed, say experts. The Medical Research Council team says this irritability is natural, and although formula-fed babies may appear more content and be easier to pacify, breast is still best.
We used validated maternal diaries of infant behaviours, kept for three days at both two and six weeks of infant age, in a comparative study of 97 breast- or formula fed babies. The total duration of overall crying rose significantly between 2 and 6 weeks in breast-fed infants and fell in those fed formula.
Thirty-eight percent were exclusively breastfeeding, 16% were exclusively formula feeding, and 46% were combining breastfeeding with formula feeding (referred to as combination feeders). The women ranged in age from 17 to 39 years of age with a mean age of 26 years.
Breastmilk or infant formula should be your baby's main source of nutrition for around the first year of life. Health professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with a gradual introduction of appropriate foods in the second 6 months and ongoing breastfeeding for 2 years or beyond.
Frequently cited problems with breastfeeding include sore nipples, engorged breasts, mastitis, leaking milk, pain, and failure to latch on by the infant. Women who encounter these problems early on are less likely to continue to breastfeed unless they get professional assistance.
The average mom exclusively breastfeeds for the baby's first 6 months and then gradually introduces other food while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or longer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months after birth.
For infants, not being breastfed is associated with an increased incidence of infectious morbidity, including otitis media, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia, as well as elevated risks of childhood obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Myth: Babies who have been breastfed are clingy.
All babies are different. Some are clingy and some are not, no matter how they are fed. Breastfeeding provides not only the best nutrition for infants, but is also important for their developing brain.
Looking at non-exclusive breastfeeding: 69% of babies are receiving some breastmilk at 4 months of age. 60% of babies are receiving some at 6 months. 28% of babies are still breastfeeding at 12 months.
Australia's dietary guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding of infants until they're 6 months old, with the introduction of solid foods at around 6 months, then to continue breastfeeding until the age of 12 months — and beyond, if it suits the mother and child. Breastmilk is free and, for many parents, convenient.
You will burn some stored body fat, but your body protects some fat for the purpose of breastfeeding. Many women don't lose all the baby weight until they completely stop nursing.
China has become the largest market of infant formula in the world. The consumption of infant formula is widespread across the country.
Mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed their children for at least 1 year. The longer an infant is breastfed, the greater the protection from certain illnesses and long-term diseases.
The majority of Australian women (96%) initiate breastfeeding [11] however rates of exclusive breastfeeding dramatically decline in the following months with only 39% of infants being exclusively breastfed by aged three months [1, 2, 11, 12].
"[After] roughly about three or four months once the child's been born only about 30 per cent of the patients would usually be exclusively breastfeeding their kids. "And that rate drops even further to roughly about 10 to 15 per cent after about six months.
The Law protects your right to breastfeed
As the former federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Pru Goward (2001-2006) stated: 'A mother's right to breastfeed is protected by the federal Sex Discrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status, pregnancy and potential pregnancy.
In Mongolia, breastfeeding is celebrated and public breastfeeding encouraged with 65 percent of babies being exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding also tends to continue until after the second birthday.
Croatia has the highest rate of breastfeeding in the entire world. More than 98 percent of all babies are breastfed starting at birth. Some of the other countries that also have very high rates of breastfeeding include Rwanda, Chile, and Burundi. All of these countries have breastfeeding rates greater than 80 percent.
Mothers in Zulu societies have traditionally breastfed their infants until 12 to 18 months, at which point a new pregnancy would be anticipated. Ancient Hebrews completed weaning at about three years. Most children in traditional societies are completely weaned between two and four years of age (5).
She added that some of breastfeeding's long-term benefits — even after weening — are lower risks of allergies, asthma and inflammatory diseases as well as an association with higher cognitive scores. “The longer mom breastfeeds, the better it is for baby,” she said.
Be careful not to feed your baby every time she cries. Some babies cry because of a bloated stomach from overfeeding. Let your baby decide when she's had enough milk. (For example, she turns her head away.)