Question:
If my baby and I are otherwise healthy, should I breastfeed my newborn to 6 months over using formula?
Answer:
Yes
MedHead Confidence Score: 6
Amount Saved: $500 doctor visits for infections
MedHead Message:
While formula may give better ratios of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, a mother’s breast milk 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
2. Systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for childhood overweight identifiable during infancy. Arch Dis Child 2012;97:1019-1026
3. Breastfeeding and obesity among schoolchildren: a national longitudinal survey in Japan. JAMA Pediatr 2013:167:919-925.
