Being informed about your feeding options and understanding what resources are available for support will enable you to make the best decision for you and your new baby.
As you prepare for the birth of a child, you and your family are making a lot of decisions, like what to name your baby and what colors to paint the nursery. But another important decision you’ll make is how to feed your baby.
Some moms may want to breastfeed exclusively. Others may want to pump their breast milk to allow for help with feedings, and others may choose to formula feed their baby. Because every family is unique, the decision will be a personal one.
Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding, the challenges you may encounter, and what resources are available to support you and your new baby.
What Are the Benefits of Breastfeeding?
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization both recommend exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of your baby’s life. The guidelines go on to recommend continued breastfeeding along with introducing appropriate complementary foods for up to two years.
This recommendation is based on several benefits breastfeeding provides to both the mother and the baby, including:
- Breast milk contains the exact nutrients your baby needs to grow and thrive. As your baby grows, your breast milk changes to meet your baby’s evolving nutritional needs.
- Breast milk may protect your baby from certain short and long-term illnesses and diseases, including asthma, obesity, Type 1 diabetes, allergies, sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, and stomach bugs. The milk produced in the first few days after birth is packed with antibodies that fight infections.
- Breast milk promotes the healthy growth and development of your baby, including brain development.
- Breastfeeding may reinforce the parent-child bond due to the comfort and closeness it creates.
- You can breastfeed without worrying about mixing formula or preparing bottles. It’s also free.
- Breastfeeding may reduce your risk for Type 2 diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease. It also may help your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly and release hormones that may lower your risk for postpartum depression.
Why Do Some Mothers Choose Not to Breastfeed?
The way you choose to feed your baby is a personal choice, and there are several reasons why someone may choose not to breastfeed, including:
- Your baby may have trouble latching on to the breast, making feeding sessions difficult.
- Your body may not be able to produce enough milk.
- You may struggle physically with sore nipples, plugged ducts, thrush and mastitis, engorgement, and more.
- You may take medications that make it difficult to breastfeed safely.
- You may not feel comfortable breastfeeding.
- You may not see how it’ll be possible to breastfeed when you return to work or school, and the idea of pumping may seem too burdensome. Depending on your schedule, it may be hard to find a clean, private room for pumping or a refrigerator to store the milk.
- It can be difficult to be the sole source of milk for your baby, especially if you’re taking on all the nighttime feedings.
While these are some of the more common reasons moms may struggle with breastfeeding or choose not to breastfeed, you may have your own reason why it’s not the right choice for you. Remember, how you feed your baby is a personal decision.
Maybe you’ll choose to use a combination of methods, such as breastfeeding and pumping when you can, and using formula when you can’t. Maybe you’ll choose to pump without any direct feeding from the breast for caregiver flexibility. Or maybe you’ll choose to exclusively formula feed. Formula is a safe and nutritious option that is strictly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
No matter how you choose to feed your baby, it’s a time to meet your baby’s needs, promote bonding, and build love, security, and trust. Talk to your pediatrician and discuss the best way to safely meet the nutritional needs of your baby.
What Resources Are Available for Support?
- There are certain Department of Defense policies in place to support breastfeeding moms. For example, if you’re a Service member who plans to breastfeed, your military installation should have a lactation room available for pumping. In addition, military families can be reimbursed up to $1,000 for expenses incurred when shipping breast milk during a permanent change of station move for items such as dry ice for shipping, additional baggage fees for flights, and more.
- Military OneSource’s New Parent Support Program is a free, voluntary program that offers a wide range of education and support for new and expecting parents, including parenting classes, home visits, referrals, and more.
- Your TRICARE plan may cover certain services related to breastfeeding, such as lactation support services, lactation consultants, or breastfeeding counseling. TRICARE also covers breast pumps and breast pump supplies.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers Veterans and their families several services, including access to maternity care coordinators, lactation counseling and education, breastfeeding classes, and support groups, as well as resources such as breast pumps, nursing and pumping bras, milk storage bags, and more. VA can also connect new parents who are not planning to breastfeed with community resources such as human milk banks and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
New parents want what’s best for their babies, and everyone’s experience will look different. Being informed about your feeding options and understanding what resources are available for support will enable you to make the best decision for you and your new baby.