Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged as the ideal method of providing optimal infant nutrition. Breastmilk is the most complete food for babies and, it provides them with all the nutrients needed for the first 6 months of their life. Therefore, not breastfeeding is associated with health risks to the baby and the mother as well.

A crucial question: Is formula milk almost the same as breast milk?

No, of course not. No formula in the world is even close to the mother’s breast milk. The resemblance is only superficial. We really don’t know exactly what goes in breast milk; since it varies according to numerous factors. Therefore we can’t really standardize breast milk. Companies producing formula milk market their products by offering special types for different babies using the notion that not all babies need exactly the same kind of nutrition. All milk companies also try to convince their customers that their formula is virtually the same as breast milk, only different and better than the other competitive types who also suggest that their product is the same as breast milk.

Not breastfeeding puts mothers and babies at risk, since health outcomes differ substantially for mothers and babies when using formula feeding compared to those who choose breastfeeding.

How is breast milk different from formula milk?

1- Breast milk components vary:

• From one woman to another

• Depending on the baby’s gestational age

• Depending on the mother’s diet

• Depending on the time of day or night

• Depending on the time of the year: summer or winter

• Depending on the length of time between birth and the onset of breast feeding

• During a single feeding

• Depending on which breast is offered first

• Depending on the time of the mother’s menstrual cycle

• Depending on the number of previous pregnancies

• Depending on how the milk is obtained

• Whether the mother is sick or healthy

2- Breast milk contains Colostrum: the magical fluid

Colostrum, which is the baby’s “first immunization” is a thick, yellowish fluid that is produced during pregnancy and up to 2-4 days after delivery. It provides the baby with the optimal nutrients: it is high in Sodium, Potassium, Chlorine, protein, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and omega 3 as well as immunological substances.

Facts about Colostrum:

• Although it is small in quantity (40-50 ml during the first 24 hours) it is rich in calories that the baby needs.

• Colostrum contains much more protein and much less fat and lactose compared to mature milk.

• It is rich in beta carotene (which gives colostrum its yellowish color). Beta carotene is important for the synthesis of vitamin A which is highly important during the early days of the baby’s life for the protection against infections as well as for the early development of the retina.

• White blood cells are also available in Colostrum for further protection against infections.

• Colostrum facilitates the establishment of gut normal flora, and it also facilitates the excretion of the first bowel movement

• It is the best in preventing and treating low blood sugar levels and high blood levels of bilirubin that causes baby jaundice.

3- Breast milk is different every single day ; and is adapted to the baby changing needs, while formula has the same components regardless of the baby’s age or needs.

4- Breast milk is free of charge

while formula milk costs you its price in addition to the price of bottles, sterilization equipment, clean water, a bottle warmer, in addition to the physician fees when the baby gets sick frequently due to high exposure to microbes while having lower immunity.

5- Breast milk is easily digested while formula can induce indigestion leading to high gas production and colic.

Breast milk is flavored according to your food intake, and this makes it easier for the baby to accept solid food and start eating it efficiently, since he is used to the taste.

6- Breast milk is sterile while formula exposes the baby to several pathogens along the way of production, preparation and feeding.

7-Breast milk contains the nutritional components in the right proportion

Breast milk contains the nutritional components in the right proportion that enhance digestion and absorption and meets baby’s nutritional needs, while formula contains synthetic nutritional components in proportions that can lead to indigestion and poor absorption, in addition to that; important factors, such as hormones and enzymes necessary for absorption and utilization are also absent.

8- Breast milk is high in unsaturated fat

which is important for brain development, while formula is high in saturated fat which has harmful effects on the baby’s health, such as obesity and the risk of acquiring chronic diseases later in life.

9- Breast milk is flavored according to your food intake.

This makes it easier for the baby to accept solid food and start eating it efficiently, since he is used to the taste. One the other hand, formula has the same taste all the time which makes it hard for the baby to accept solid food since he will always compare it to the taste of formula milk.

10- Breast milk can enhance gut growth and development while formula can damage gut cells.

11- Breast milk contains lower amounts of proteins that contain high percentages of lactoferrin and immunoglobulin that are not absorbed from the baby’s gut; while formula contains 3.5 times as much protein, leading to higher risk of baby obesity and higher exposure to multiple illnesses.

12- Breastfeeding can help prevent maternal diseases

such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and delayed involution of the uterus.

Breast milk is sterile while formula exposes the baby to several pathogens along the way of production, preparation and feeding.

Risks of Not Breastfeeding for Mothers and babies:

Discussing the benefits of breastfeeding may give the idea that the health of mothers and their babies won’t be negatively affected by the use of formula feeding, and that breastfeeding has only extra health benefits, where the reality is that not breastfeeding puts mothers and babies at risk, since health outcomes differ substantially for mothers and babies when using formula feeding compared to those who choose breastfeeding.

For mothers the risks of not breast feeding include:

• Higher risk of post partum depression.

• retained pregnancy weight.

• higher incidence of various health conditions such as: premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction, and the metabolic syndrome.

For babies the risk of not breast feeding include:

• Higher risks of acute ear infections, eczema, asthma, diarrhea and vomiting.

• Higher incidence of hospitalization for lower respiratory tract disease.

• higher risk of obesity.

• higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

• higher risk of leukemia.

• higher risk of SIDS.

• higher risk of ADHD and Autism

Science and research is still making new discoveries related to the components and benefits of breast milk!

Breastfeeding can help prevent maternal diseases such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease

Examples on new discoveries on Breastmilk and formula feeding

1- Breast milk and baby iron

If the baby is breast fed, Iron stores in his body will decline by the 6^th month of age. this is considered to be an adaptive mechanism to minimize iron availability to the microbes that happen to be highly available when starting solid foods at this age. These microbes usually require iron for growth and through the natural reduction of the baby’s iron stores around the time he starts solid foods, the frequency and severity of infection decreases. On the other hand, if the baby is fed through formula that contains through manufacturing high levels of iron, this iron will not be digested or eliminated, but will be stored in the baby’s body to be found by the microbes. This in its turn will increase the possibility and severity of disease.

2- Breast milk and baby vitamin D

All babies need vitamin D, and breastfed babies get vitamin D from their mothers through breast milk. Formula milk companies claim that vitamin D needs to be added to make sure that the child is getting enough, and that’s not true. The only case in which the child doesn’t get enough vitamin D is if the mother has vitamin D deficiency, and this problem can be solved when the mother takes vitamin D supplements.

3- Formula milk and baby micro-flora

It was evident that some supplements of baby formula interfere with the development of a good bacteria in the gut, that are believed to contribute to regulating nutrition, intestinal growth and development, protection from microbes, and development of the immune response.