What's the advantage of exclusive breastfeeding?

[TheBossofMe]

Before you all accuse me of being dumb, I know about the advantages to both mother and baby of breastfeeding. But its just occurred to me when reading another thread that I know nothing about whether or not mixed feeding (eg 1 bottle of formula a day at 12 weeks old) carries those same benefits, or whether there are greater benefits gained for exclusively breastfeeding. Apart from the obvious issues in the early days about topping-up creating supply issues. Anyone care to educate me? (Disclaimer - I'm not pregnant, not feeding, just interested!)

It's my understanding that the protection from allergies that in conferred by breastfeeding is comprimised if babies have formula, as the proteins can pass through the gut wall and, not being breastmilk but based on a 'foreign' milk protein, can set up an immune response that can result in allergies, especially to dairy.

Also, presumably the immunity conferred by breastfeeding is dose-dependent; i.e. the more breastmilk you have the greater the protection, and formula feeds would reduce the amount of breastmilk.

compromised

Bosoms - thanks for that! Re the volume argument, doesn't that imply, though, that babies with larger appetites (who as a consequence drink more milk) have better immunity than those with smaller appetites? That doesn't sound right to me...

I don't think it's volume dependent as much as percentage dependent - ie 10% FF / 90% BF carries more benefits than 50/50 BF/FF. I am not sure whether any studies have been done on this but that makes the most logical sense to me.

The gut flora of formula fed and exclusively breastmilk fed babies develop differently; mixed feeding results in a flora that is more akin to that of the formula fed infant. There is a huge debate about the implications of this.

Like Bertie said, for any individual baby, the higher the proportion of breastmilk in their diet, the better the protection.

Plus, less formula means less chance of illness due to microbes in the formula (if you are one of those who doesn't put water above 70 degrees onto the powder) or from contaminated bottles or teats.

Thanks guys!

Interesting thread.

Bumping for more feedback - OP hope you dont mind. Am currently pondering whether to bother expressing daily (as I did with DS1) for one evening feed to be given via bottle. Or whether to simply use formula.

As the OP has said - I cannot find any concrete information that really tells me what the implication (to DS) is of using formula alongside breastmilk.

Has anyone got any info? Or further opinions?

Would also be interested - am fairly sure there's no concrete evidence, but interested on the change in gut flora and any other 'side effects' of a small amount of formula once BFing is established.

Am TTCing number 2, and TBH am feeling less awful after researching about perhaps introducing a bottle a day from 12 weeks (we did with DS, but I BFed the rest of the time, didn't give extra formula during growth spurts etc) than I did before.

However, one big reason I will attempt not to is to do with marketing practises of formula companies (nestle, wanky follow on milk advertising with small babies etc). I think actively undermining BFing is shitola.

I mean concrete evidence of precisely one bottle per day over exclusive BF in terms of risk of IBS/gastroenteritis, allergies etc in numerical terms (not 'there is a slightly increased risk') - obviously I appreciate the benefits of exclusive BF over exclusive FF.

With changes in the gut flora - once children are weaned onto solids, the flora of both becomes more similar (which makes sense as the diet is more similar). But there is scientific debate as to how the neonate gut flora may affect the development of the immune system.

mistletoe - the more the merrier!

idle bump. Presumably the reason no one's able to answer is because there simply isn't the evidence to suggest one thing or another in terms of giving the odd bottle?

Hopefully - that is what I also thought.

I have looked some more for info on this and am unable to find anything. Aside from implications to supply/ possible nipple confusion - no other negatives are cited. And as you have said, my plan is only for this to be one feed a day, not to top up etc during growth spurts.

I chose to exclusively bf. There is research that suggests introducing infants to the protein in cow's dairy: increases risk of allergies, and could be the trigger for type 1 diabetes. My DH family has A LOT of type 1 diabetics, and myself and my family are atopic (asthma, eczema and hayfever). So if there was anything I could have done that MAY have helped i.e. not introducing cow's dairy until after 12 months, then I was going to try. DS1 had no dairy until 1 and DS 2 now 7 months and I will do the same.

There may not be any CONCRETE evidence, but if there's a slight chance that it may help that's enough for me

Thanks mamasunshine.

Fortunately we have none of those conditions in the family. Plus DS1 was given formula from birth until my milk came in because he was a tiny 5lbs 1oz. He was excl. bfed after that initial period, but based on what you/ others have said, the foreign bodies were introduced into his gut straightaway. And with no negative impact.

We are also an irritatingly healthy bunch here, so didn't bother to avoid dairy etc (well, would have been a bit pointless as DS was on a bottle a day from 10 weeks, but you what I mean).

More googling brings up the 'just one bottle' paper, here, which is an attempt to steer mothers away from giving 'just one bottle', but after a quick skim the only really concrete evidence seems to be pre-6 weeks.

It's interesting really. I fully intend to exclusively BF for as long as possible when we have DC2, but it's interesting how much my views have changed. I now feel that (a) I should have been much better supported to exclusively BF (DS had all kinds of problem, from probably mild tongue tie to bad latch that made it difficult but could have been solved and were all completely dismissed by HPs) and (b) when I decided to give a bottle, I should have been given more information on successful mix feeding - everything I gleaned was from here, which is what made me realise that I had to do the extra BFing during growth spurts etc if my supply wasn't to give up entirely. Surely if more people knew things like that there might be some chance of mixed feeding continuing rather than mixed feeding spelling the end of BFing for so many.

One major advantage is not having to prepare bottles. I wouldn't mix feed myself as it seems to be the worst of both worlds but I understand it works for some.

How is it the 'worst of both worlds?'[HMM]

V. odd comment if you dont mind me saying?

Baby gets all feeds bar one from breastfeeding. And another from a bottle - either EBM or formula. Seems pretty good IMO.

I think trellism meant "all the possible hassles of getting breastfeeding established (though of course it is straightforward for some) plus the inconvenience of buying formula and sterilising bottles."

Sorry to put words in your mouth if that isn't what you meant!

I know what trellism means, you have all the faff of sterilising, making up formula etc, and the risk of diminishing supply, gut flora changes with possible health consequences etc. At least that's how I read it!

I was v lucky took to bf easily and carried on for 18 months with no issues, I used to look at my friends who ff and mix fed and thank Heavens I was so lucky just because I'm lazy and liked the absence of bottles and washing up!

Oops, cross post!

Bosoms, that is what I ment, indeed.

Ahhh, I see!

Each to their own I guess. For me, it was very important that DS1 took a bottle for various reasons. Those reasons also apply for DS2. And when weighing those reasons up - sterilising a bottle is no hassle whatsoever.

The question for me simply is whether I express EBM or just give formula for that one daily feed.