Question:
If I and my baby are otherwise healthy, should I breastfeed my newborn to 6 months over using formula?
Answer:
Yes
MedHead Confidence Score: 6
Amount Saved: $500 multiple doctor visits for infections
MedHead Message:
While formula may give better ratios of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, a mother’s breastmilk provides essential antibodies that just can’t be replicated in formula. This reduces recurrent infections. Additionally, there is a reduction in overweight or obese children who are breastfed for the first 6 months of life.
References:
1. Breastfeeding: Primary Care Interventions October 2016 https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/evidence-summary/breastfeeding-primary-care-interventions accessed 5/30/2019.
2. Systematic review and mata-analysis of risk factors for childhoo overwedight identifiable during infancy. Arch Dis Child 2012;97:1019-1026 3. Breastfeeding and ovesity amonth schoolchildren: a national longitudinal survey in Japan. JAMA Pediatr 2013:167:919-925.
