Advantages for the Infant
* Primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional not forgetting the emotional and psychological benefits also. Human milk contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development and growth. Cow's milk contains different type of protein and fat composition which human infants find difficult to digest and assimilate. Bottle fed babies therefore tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier.

* Breast fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk especially colostrum (the first secretion before mature milk starts) transfers to the infant a mother's antibodies to disease. Mother produces anti-bodies to whatever disease is present in her environment, making her milk custom-designed to fight the diseases her baby is exposed to as well.

* Decades of research have established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. Breast fed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhoea, rashes, allergies and other medical problems than bottle-fed babies. Besides recent research has thrown a spot light on lesser incidence of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other illnesses in children who have been exclusively breast fed especially during the first six months of life.

* There is a growing concern about increasing rates of overweight and obese children. A new study published in the British Medical Journal in 1999 provides another excellent reason to pass-up baby formula and stick with good old mother's milk. Researchers found that breast-fed babies had half the rate of obesity compared to bottle-fed babies. Obviously not every bottle-fed baby is overweight as a child or even as an adult. But statistically there is a difference.

*Another advantage that has surfaced in the last few years points to the fact that breast-fed babies are more intelligent than bottle-fed ones. 

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

* Nursing has psychological benefits for the infant, creating an early attachment between the mother and child. Many psychologists believe that the nursing baby enjoys a sense of security from warmth and presence of the mother, especially due to skin-to-skin contact during feeding. Nursing becomes more than a way to feed a baby, it's a source of warmth and comfort.

Advantages for the Mother
* Breast-feeding is good for the mother too. Practically, there won't be any bottles to sterilize, no formula to buy, measure and mix. It saves the new mother's time and energy. A nursing mother is forced to get the needed rest. She must sit down, put her feet up and relax every few hours to nurse. Nursing at night is easier as well. One does not have to grope in the dark to make the formula. And if the mother is lying down, she can doze off while the baby is nursing.

* From the health point of view, lactation stimulates the uterus to contract back to its original size. It is also easier for a nursing mother to knock off the extra kilos of pregnancy since nursing uses up extra calories. There are certain women who still think of breasts as sexual and not functional. They may also worry about their breasts sagging due to nursing. Nursing does not change the shape of the breasts. In fact it provides a protection against breast and uterine cancers in future. And for those who may be concerned about modesty and possibility of having to nurse in public, they need a rethink. Since it is the most natural thing to do! Nursing is also nature's contraceptive though not a reliable one. Frequent nursing suppresses ovulation, making it less likely for the mother to menstruate, ovulate or get pregnant.

* Breast-feeding is economical too. Even though a nursing mother works up a big appetite and consumes extra calories, the extra food for her is less expensive than buying formula for the baby! Also the other costs of buying bottles and fuel costs for sterilizing them are not there. Nursing saves money and provides the best nourishment. For all those who are career-minded and social butterflies...here's some good news. New mothers can easily pump or hand express their milk several times in the day and refrigerate or freeze it for the baby to take it in the bottle later. Breast milk can be saved in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Breast milk can be frozen up to 2 weeks. Defrost and use within 24 hours. Some women can alternate nursing at night and on weekends and otherwise provide formula in the day. Even part breast-feeding in the first six months of life goes a long way in providing health to the child. 

All in all, unless medically indicated, no mother should choose to switch over to the formula especially in the first six months. Remember, breast-feeding though natural is a learned art. All the above considerations serve to prove once again the virtual inimitability of breast milk as the most appropriate food for the infants and nursing to be good for the mothers.

Madhavi Trivedi.
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant