As a father, I know how important it is to make sure your child gets the best start to life.
For me, it’s clear there’s nothing better for a newborn baby than the mother’s breast milk. More mums are working these days, so baby formula is more commonly utilised. I want to highlight some of the issues with it and give you some better alternatives if breastfeeding isn’t an option.
One Bottle of Formula is Enough to Change a Baby’s Gut Dramatically
Dr Robert Reisinger says that, “One bottle of formula is enough to change a baby’s gut dramatically, and it takes two weeks of breastfeeding to return the gut back to normal.”
One of the reasons for this is that human breast milk is lower in protein than any other mammal milk.
The extra protein in formula or milk from other animals is food for the bacteria E Coli. If these bacteria proliferate it can upset the normal gut flora. Breast milk naturally contains neutralising factors against E Coli which normally keep numbers low.
It’s partly because of this that breastfed babies have fewer GI infections and less diarrhea. They are also less likely to develop Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis later in life or have skin conditions like eczema. There is also a reduced risk of developing diabetes.
Breastfed babies also receive immune antibodies through breast milk which help develop their immune system.
Breastfeeding Protects Against Cancer
Breastfeeding doesn’t just benefit baby, mum benefits too.
It not only burns 500 calories a day, breastfeeding also protects a woman from endometrial, cervical, uterine, vaginal and breast cancers. And it helps to tighten the womb to a pre-pregnancy state, prevents osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, increases bone density, prevents insomnia, and reduces stress!
The Next Best Thing if Breastfeeding Isn’t an Option
Being a new mum can be stressful if breastfeeding isn’t an option, so I wanted to give some advice about the next best things to do.
In the first instance, I’d recommend that you try to find milk from a nursing mother to donate to your baby. Otherwise, the next best thing after that is fresh goat’s milk. This is because it’s similar to human mother’s milk in protein and fat content.
Beyond that, if those things are unattainable then potentially pure goat milk powder could be used.
But wherever possible, avoid the use of store-bought formulas.
I completely understand that being a new mum can be overwhelming at times and can bring on stress. This in itself can be a cause of not being able to produce enough milk.
I just really want to share that there are better options out there than baby formula. I want all our children to live amazing, healthy lives and the first step starts here.
