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The decision to breastfeed a baby rather than bottle-feed can be a difficult one to make for a number of mothers. And for those who decide to breastfeed their babies, there can arise some unforeseen difficulties such as breast pain, infections, and other issues that may end up forcing the mother to quit breastfeeding and turn to bottle feeding instead. But for a good number of moms, the option of formula feeding isn’t a tough decision to make at all. We all know not every mother is able or willing to breastfeed their baby and even though breastfeeding comes with so many benefits for both the baby and mother, there are ways in which formula feeding can make the life of a mother easier.
Since every mom is different and unique, it means each mom has got her own unique circumstances and preferences when it comes to feeding their babies. And to be honest, the most important thing that truly matters is that the baby is always fed whether it’s through breastfeeding or by bottle feeding. And it’s not uncommon to hear that moms who have decided not to breastfeed their babies are being stigmatized because of how they are feeding their babies. But the truth is we aren’t living in a perfect world and therefore no one should ever be judged for deciding to formula feed instead of breastfeeding the baby.
Because of the stigma and shame, most moms aren’t aware of the benefits of formula feeding, not just from a nutritional standpoint, but also how it can make their lives so much easier. With this in mind, let’s go straight away to the 8 ways how formula feeding can make your life as a mom so much easier, shall we?
8 Ways Formula Feeding Can Make Your Life Easier
1. Feedings are shared
Unlike breastfeeding which you can’t share the experience with your husband, formula feeding allows you to share the duties of feeding the baby with your husband, something that’s priceless. Since new moms don’t get enough time to sleep soundly and peacefully, the ability to share the duties of feeding the baby with your husband creates some extra time for the mom to get some uninterrupted semi-sleep and that’s amazing if you were to ask a number of moms about it.
2. Your breasts don’t have to be available to someone else all the time
The decision to formula-feed your baby will enable you to reclaim certain parts of your anatomy that your baby had previously claimed as his/her own. And most moms will tell you that having complete body autonomy can make you feel like you’re absolutely free especially since this is something most moms don’t experience ever since they become pregnant.
3. Your husband can bond with the baby too
One of the problems with exclusive breastfeeding of your baby is that your husband doesn’t get a lot of time to bond and thus develop a strong relationship with the baby. If you start to formula feed though, your husband will be able to spend some time connecting and bonding with the baby while he’s feeding the baby. Sharing the responsibility will really benefit everybody that’s involved.
4. You know exactly how much your baby is eating
Unless you’re expressing breast milk and storing it in a bottle then finally giving it to your baby, most breastfeeding moms aren’t completely certain how much their babies are consuming in each feeding session. Because of this, breastfeeding babies may sometimes feed more frequently because the mother doesn’t know whether the baby is eating less or more at each feeding. With formula feeding, on the other hand, the mother is able to tell exactly how much the baby is eating each time and this provides her with both peace of mind and great information that she needs to have.
5. Anybody can feed the baby even when both you and your husband are not around
The good thing about formula feeding is that anybody in the family can feed the baby. Feedings can be shared by grandma, grandpa, your older children, your house help, the mailman, and basically anybody else. This might give both the mom and dad some free and much needed one-on-one time to spend together while someone else is temporarily feeding the baby.
6. It’s easier to bottle feed while out running errands
Breastfeeding in public places can be uncomfortable for most moms. And even though there are better ways to breastfeed your baby in public without feeling exposed, that’s something that you’ll never have to worry about if you’re formula feeding your baby in public.
7. You get free time to do other things at home
While someone else is feeding the baby, you get all the free time to do more important tasks around the house such as cooking, cleaning, working, sleeping, etc. If you’re the active type, you can even hit the gym for some heart-pumping exercises to ensure you stay energetic and healthy at the same time. Read more about our baby hacks to make life easier for parents.
8. Your breasts return to a “normal” state
While your breasts might return back to their normal state just like the way they were before giving birth, the breasts of most women are usually never the same after giving birth. And while that’s definitely not a bad thing, it does affect your wardrobe and the size of bras you wear. However, once you stop breastfeeding you’ll no longer have to worry about your bust line since your breasts no longer fill up with milk when your baby wants to eat. Eventually, your breasts will settle into their normal state and you won’t even have a second thought about them.
Final thoughts on Formula Feeding
So you can see from the above points that formula feeding comes with a number of benefits which are mainly geared toward making the life of a mother easier. And while we strongly recommend breastfeeding your baby for at least six months so that both you and your baby can get the health and bonding benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, it’s also a good option to consider formula feeding if you have any problems or difficulties that can prevent you from breastfeeding your baby successfully. More so if you’re a working mom with very little time for your baby, formula feeding will make your life much easier and more convenient.