Is breast best? If I could only answer that question with one line I would have to say absolutely ‘yes’. Life isn’t about one-line answers though so I think it will be better to explain why.
Let’s start at the very beginning. You have the perfect pregnancy, no problems, no concerns and your baby grows perfectly. You then have the perfect labour – long enough so you feel comfortable with its pace but short enough so that you only have to be in the final stages for a short time. You are surrounded by supportive and loving people, you feel comfortable and trust your body. Then your beautiful baby makes its appearance into the world. It is placed on your belly and moves up towards your breast, attaches and suckles. You feel this incredible feeling of deep connection with your child and the journey of breastfeeding begins.
Above all, breastfeeding is believed to be an incredible bonding experience between mothers and their children. It encourages the development of the mother’s instinct and helps her trust her body and her innate wisdom to care for her child. From a health perspective breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional and immunological super-food. It is biochemically unique and specific to the needs of the little one. On a practical level, it is convenient, economical and does not require heating! It’s the perfect package to care for the baby as it develops.
Unfortunately breastfeeding is not possible for some women due to choice or individual circumstances. Whilst breastfeeding is ideal it may not be for everyone. The worst thing a mother can do is berate herself or feel guilty about her decision. We all make decisions and sometimes they aren’t perfect but they are the best solution for our current circumstance. If formula feeding is chosen, there are many things you can do to make the formula the best it can be. Goat’s milk formulas are the closest nutritionally to breast milk and organic forms are best.