Breastfeeding Versus Formula Feeding

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These days, the age-old question of breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is even more relevant than it has ever been. It is a common debate we see on social media that continues amongst Singapore mums. The recurring battle between bottle and breast has many mums divided, especially when the end of the maternity leave approaches and it's time to go back to work. At the end of the day, the decision lies with the parents to choose what makes sense for their own situation.

But what then is a mum to do if she has to go back to work and still decides to breastfeed? Apart from bringing her baby to work, most mothers will have to introduce the bottle to their baby. The bottle is quite convenient because anybody can help in feeding the baby whether the supply is from breast milk or a formula. For sleep deprived mums, another helping hand can make a huge difference to her happiness and wellbeing, especially if she is going back to work.

Breast pumps are a great solution for mums who choose to continue to give their babies breast milk. Breast pumps are devices used for extracting milk from the breast of a woman who is lactating. There are so many options on the market in Singapore, it’s important that mums look around to find the right pump for her. If you are going back to work, and you are planning on feeding your baby breast milk through a bottle, it is advisable to practice pumping for a few weeks before you relying entirely on it as a feeding method. Doing this gives both mum and baby some time to get used to the bottle.

One other advantage of the bottle is that it can be used as a guide for parents to know how much the child is taking, which is a very important information to have when visiting your pediatrician or measuring your baby’s development. Many working mums usually opt for a combination of the two feeding methods.

Breastfeeding can be quite tricky when mums work as it is obvious that only the mom can feed the baby. Actually, this over-reliance can hamper the baby's appetite, especially if they start rejecting the bottle. This can, of course, work in both ways as your little one might have nipple confusion once the bottle bad been introduced to them. Meaning that once a bottle is introduced, the infant may reject the breast totally in preference to the bottle.

Ultimately, one of the main reasons why some women choose to breastfeed is because of the undeniable bond between baby and mummy that comes with breastfeeding – and with the increasing popularity of attachment parenting. It is a very attractive option for many mothers. The warm, body to body contact is something that can't be replace.

Above all, what we feed our baby is a largely personal choice and there is no perfect solution that can work for everyone. The only thing that is important is to make sure that both the mum and baby are happy and are getting enough nutrition.