How breastfeeding helps your baby
Breastfeeding is a way of giving your baby the food he or she needs, whilst building up their immune system and aiding in the protection against infections (even after the breastfeeding period has ended). However, each mother needs to make an individual choice as to whether breastfeeding is right for you and the baby.
In some cases, breastfeeding may be too painful, difficulties with latching on, or you may just decide that it isn’t something that you are not comfortable with and would prefer to bottle-feed your baby instead. Whatever decision you make, it needs to be one that you and anyone else involved in the child’s upbringing (e.g. your partner) are happy with. If you do decide to begin with bottle-feeding, and then change your mind - it can be extremely difficult to change to breastfeeding at a later stage. So the best thing you can do for you and your baby is to get as much information as you can at the outset before making any decisions. You can speak to your midwife and health visitor about all your options.
If you are still unsure once the baby is born, it might be a good idea to try breastfeeding initially, that way you haven’t limited your options to using only formula. It’s also possible to mix bottle-feeding along with breastfeeding, but it is advisable to wait until breastfeeding has been well established before introducing the formula feeds as this will increase your chances of maintaining a good milk supply.
It might be difficult to grasp this in the first few weeks, but it does get easier when a natural routine has formed. If you are struggling, please get in touch with your midwife or health visitor for support.