Supplementing breastfeeding with formula is usually discouraged, although it may be helpful in cases where the mother is not producing an adequate supply of milk or the baby is not able to breastfeed well.

Formula feeding with a bottle is a valid, healthy choice for babies, too — either right from the start or after a period of nursing. If you’re concerned about your choice, try to separate the medical facts from the political and cultural rhetoric. Remember, the most important thing you can do for your baby is love and nurture her.

For some parents, or when the baby has certain medical conditions, it is very important to know exactly how much their baby is receiving at each feeding, and formula/bottle-feeding allows exact measurement. Foods, medications, or physical conditions in the mother are no longer a concern for the baby who is receiving formula. The entire family can immediately become intimately involved in all aspects of the baby’s care, including feedings, allowing the mother to get more rest. Formula-fed babies actually need to eat somewhat less often since formula is less readily digested by the baby than human milk.

Contrary to some popular beliefs, it is not necessary to stimulate or prepare the nipples in advance for breastfeeding. Moreover, some techniques of stimulating the nipples may actually be harmful.

No specific physical preparation is necessary for optimal breastfeeding. General good health measures and adequate hydration are helpful measures. Most doctors recommend continuing basic prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding.

The disadvantages of formulas are primarily their expense, the lack of maternal infection-fighting antibodies that are in breast milk, and the fact that no formula can exactly duplicate the ideal composition of breast milk.

Thats advantages of formula feeding