Posted: February 1st, 2023

Risks or Challenges of Formula Feeding

The infant should be breastfed or formula feed completely depends upon the parents. However, there are certain situations where the mother can’t produce the necessary breast milk. Also, it depends upon the lifestyle factors, comfort level, and specific types of a medical conditions associated with the mother. For the mothers who cannot breastfeed their infants, formula feeding is a good source of alternative. The formula provides the necessary nutrients required by the infant. Formula feeding is manufactured under very sterile conditions. The commercial methods used are generally taken into consideration, and they tried to incorporate all the necessary combinations of sugar, proteins, vitamins, fats which are replicative to breast milk.

Advantages of Formula Feeding
The importance of formula feeding provides convenience to the parents, and they can formula feed the baby anytime when required. This results in the development of the bond between both the parents and to share the feeding duties between them. Once the feeding bottle or formula bottle is ready, the mother can also leave the baby with a partner or caregiver who can provide or formula feed the infant. There is no requirement for a specific schedule or any need for some or other obligations to feed the baby concerning formula feeding. Also, women who formula feed their babies did not necessarily need to worry about incorporating them into the diet.

Risks or Challenges of Formula Feeding
As there are advantages of formula feeding, there are certain risks or challenges.

In the formula feeding method, none of the antibodies produced in the breast milk are present in the formula method. So, the formula cannot provide the necessary nutrients or antibodies that will protect the child against illness or infection, which breast milk can.

The complexity of the formula method involves the duplication or application of the breast milk composition. However, it is not that accurate, and it changes the infant’s need for the specific requirements. Unlike breastfeeding, which can be done any time for formula feeding, it requires specific planning and organization.

The parent always has to buy the formula milk and make sure they have it in hand to avoid any late-night runs to the store.

Apart from that, it is very important to have all the necessary supplies such as nipples and bottles, sterilized and ready to go to be easily accessible to the infant.

It requires 8 to 10 feedings in a day, making the parents overwhelmed they’re not organized or prepared on a prior basis.

Also, the expense of formula milk can be very costly. The powdered formula is comparatively less expensive, followed by the concentrated formula. The ready-to-go formula is the most expensive, and it costs approximately $1600.