Breastfeeding or milk powder?

Reviewed by Stuart Crisp, paediatric specialist registrar

Which is better?

Breastfeeding is without a doubt the best food for a newborn baby.

However, not all women are able to breastfeed. For instance, some women who have had breast operations can have difficulty breastfeeding. Fortunately, there are quite a number of aids for breastfeeding available on the market. Talk to your doctor, midwife or health visitor about it.

There are also women who, for a variety of reasons, do not wish to breastfeed. Talking the matter over with a midwife or future health visitor may help to quell fears or objections, or provide possible alternatives.

Mothers have the right to choose whatever they think is best for them and their baby. However, they are strongly encouraged to seek as much information as possible, so they will come to a decision based on the facts.

Why is breastfeeding best?

Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed a baby. Nature has created a clever way of having the milk in the right place, at the right temperature and at the right composition.

Breast milk contains exactly the right amount of nutrients that a baby needs and in a form that it can digest easily. This means that the baby won't suffer from digestive problems such as constipation.

Breast milk also contains important antibodies - cells that fight disease - that can help protect the baby from infections during the first months of its life. This means, for instance, that the child will catch a cold less easily.

If there is a family history of allergy, breastfeeding has another important function. Breast milk rarely passes on an allergy. If the baby is breastfed for at least six months and preferably for 12, it will not be exposed to allergens (things that cause allergies) from other milk products. By postponing the introduction of allergens into the child's body until they are more mature, the risk of them developing an allergy is reduced.

Breastfeeding is not just a way for a baby to eat, it's also a relaxing and enjoyable time for the mother and her baby. When mothers breastfeed, they create and maintain a close contact with their child. While breastfeeding, mothers automatically have eye and skin contact with their baby. At the same time, the baby listens to its mother's heart beat, breathing and familiar, soothing voice.

Breastfeeding is easy, incredibly practical and it's FREE. There is no need to make a milk mixture, sterilise bottles or worry about the temperature and composition of the milk. The milk is right at hand - even at night.

Is it all right to use milk powder?

There are many different kinds of milk powder available in the shops today. Studies show that there is no great difference in the nutritional or food value of the different products. If a mother either cannot or doesn't want to breastfeed her baby, there is no need to worry. Milk powder will be sufficient.

It's vital to buy the correct milk powder to suit the age of the baby. It is also extremely important when mixing up a formula to use the correct amount of powder for the weight of the baby. The correct amounts are shown on the label. Use the measuring spoons that come with the tin. 'One spoonful' means a level spoon. If the mixture is too strong or too weak the baby can become sick.

If using milk powder it is important to be clean and hygienic. Teats and bottles need to be sterilised and boiled once a day. When mixing the powder always use boiled, COOLED water. It's possible to prepare several bottles at once but remember that if the water is hot, cool the mixture in cold running water straight away.

Prepared bottles can be kept in the fridge but never for more than one day. If the baby does not empty their bottle, throw the rest away. Leftovers that have been kept at room temperature for more than one hour must also be thrown out.

Never store a prepared mixture in a vacuum flask because this can cause an upset stomach. The mixture is 37oC and it is at this temperature that bacteria grow most quickly.

A vacuum flask can be used to store boiling water when feeding the baby away from home, but the water should only be mixed with the measured powder at feeding time. Don't forget to let the formula cool before giving it to the baby.

The temperature of the mixture has to be 37oC. The easy way to test the temperature is for the mother to put a few drops on the back of her hand or on her lower arm. The milk should not feel either hot or cold against the skin. If unsure, use a thermometer.

If using a microwave to heat up the bottles, be aware that the milk in the centre of the bottle will be much warmer than the milk along the sides. Shake the bottle well before testing the temperature. Always check the temperature carefully so the baby will not scald itself.

A baby being fed by bottle also needs closeness and contact. So mothers who are feeding their baby with a bottle should always hold their baby and chat to them while keeping eye and skin contact. If a baby is just given a bottle in its cot, he or she will miss out on the contact, the closeness and touch that are so important for well-being and development.

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