Compare And Contrast Essay On Babies Vs Breastfeeding

Many women are faced with a very important question when becoming new mothers: whether to breast-feed or formula-feed their babies. Breast feeding dates back to eighteen hundred BC in Greek culture where wet nurses came about as women hired to feed another woman’s child. Formula feeding did not come to light until two hundred years after which then led to a “refined and hygienic” bottle in the industrial ages (Stevens). While both have advantages and disadvantages, breastfeeding has shown to be more beneficial for mother and child. Although some may argue the contrary, breastfeeding is an overall better choice than formula feeding due to its health, immunity, growth, and developmental benefits, as well as convenience and price. When babies first enter this world they are still lacking vital vitamins and nutrients they need to live and develop properly. The key to providing them with the essential nutrients they need is by breast-feeding. A mother’s milk naturally contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), digestive enzymes, vitamins, antibodies, hormones, and the appropriate amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that an infant needs to live and develop efficiently. The antibodies that breast milk contains help the infant strengthen their immune system’s response and resist certain diseases. Because of their stronger immune systems, breastfed babies get sick less often and for shorter periods. Some studies have shown that babies that are breast-fed have larger heads and lower blood pressure than “babies fed formula when the children are three years old, but it 's not clear whether they have a long-term impact on health”(Rettner). No formula can duplicate these natural …show more content…
The research and survey both support the claim that breast-feeding babies is more beneficial to the family as a whole. While formula does have its advantages, the advantages of breast feeding out weigh them