Breastfeeding or Pumping? Know What Is Best for Your Child

To breastfeed or to pump – that is the big question! Sometimes, a mom’s busy schedule either at home or work can get in the way of her breastfeeding her baby, which is why they may resort to pumping. Is breastfeeding a better option for a baby from a nutritional standpoint? Or is pumped milk in a bottle a good idea aside from being practical? Continue reading to find out.

The Pros & Cons of Breastfeeding & Pumping

A systematic review of breastfeeding published by the World Health Organization reveals that breastfeeding features numerous cognitive and physiological benefits for the baby. When a mother breastfeeds her baby, she gets a feedback loop sent to her brain that tells her how much milk the baby needs. This loop is not possible with pumping. However, pumping milk and feeding it to the baby has the convenience factor that breastfeeding lacks.

Breastfeeding

Here are some of the pros and cons when it comes to breastfeeding your baby.

Pros

• One benefit of breastfeeding as already mentioned above is that you experience something known as the feedback loop – this is when the interaction between your baby’s mouth and the breast sends signals to the brain about how much milk the child needs. The composition of breast milk gets altered based on feeding times, and milk production decreases or increases based on supply and demand.

• Breastfeeding enhances the bonding between the baby and the mom. Skin-to-skin contact provides a sense of relaxation and even lets the baby enjoy a restful sleep. It also reduces stress, lowers the risk of hypothermia, and even extends your newborn’s life naturally by eliminating SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), for one.

• How a mother learns about her baby’s personality and cues can come through from breastfeeding.

Cons

• Sore nipples are a definite problem when it comes to breastfeeding babies. Mothers experience cracked or infected nipples as a result of too much breastfeeding.

• There’s no schedule for breastfeeding, and it’s all about supply and demand. You have to feed your baby on-demand when she gets hungry, which can sometimes become stressful.

• Babies sometimes find it difficult to latch on to their mother’s breast, or they may get anxious when they’re not breastfed. Sometimes mothers have a demanding work schedule and simply feel exhausted when they breastfeed their children. The physical and emotional stress impacts their overall quality of life.

Pumping

Pumped milk is high in fats and features a wide variety of nutrients – something that may not always come through during breastfeeding. Although the feedback loop is lacking, there are pros and cons to pumped milk as well.

Pros

• The baby can be fed whenever you want when it comes to pumped milk. You can control the timings and take care of other priorities that way, as it frees up one’s schedule.

• You can share the pumped milk with other caregivers in case you are busy and are having someone babysit your little one. That way, feeding the baby does not become a mother’s responsibility alone, which takes a lot of stress away.

• If you’re worried you are suffering from a low supply of breast milk, one of the benefits of pumping is that it can be an excellent way to prevent that from happening, and can help store up the extra milk.

Cons

• The baby doesn’t get to experience skin-to-skin contact with the mother. This might make her more anxious or irritated.

• Pumped milk is not rich in antibodies and usually lacks immune system benefits, nutritionally speaking. You’ll need to supplement with formula to make up for any antibodies, vitamins, and minerals that may be lacking.

• It costs more money since you have to buy the equipment, bottles, and storage bags. There is also a lack of privacy when it comes to feeding pumped milk to your baby in public.

Is Pumping As Good As Breastfeeding?

According to a study done by Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development, babies who were breastfed noted lower BMI scores at 1 year old than those who were given mostly pumped milk. The research revealed that babies who were stopped from breastfeeding before the age of 6 experienced faster weight gain, a higher risk of developing childhood obesity, and increased BMI scores.

Breastfeeding is more about nutrition when you compare it to pumping. The closeness and security the baby feels; the emotional bonding; the psychological components – these are things pumped milk feeding doesn’t provide when it comes to pumping vs breastfeeding. When your baby feels emotionally satisfied, she grows up healthy and doesn’t experience any health complications like stress, developmental delays, etc.

How to Make the Right Choice

There really is no right or wrong choice when it comes to choosing between pumping and breastfeeding. Here are the various factors you need to consider when you’re deciding between the two:

• The Time You Have – Whether you go for pumping or breastfeeding, it will depend on how much time you have. If you are a stay-at-home mom, you can breastfeed whenever you want; but if you’re going to work, it’s a good idea to pump and keep an additional supply of milk ready.

• Your Family’s Support – If you’ve got a family to support you, you can rely on them for feeding your baby pumped milk.

• Milk Supply – If you’re struggling to give your baby enough milk during breastfeeding, it may be a good idea to rely on pumping and ensure a steady milk supply.

• Other Factors – Other factors you need to consider when it comes to breastfeeding or pumping are whether or not you’re supplementing your milk with any formulae, if you’re using donor milk, and if you have any other people besides the mother for taking care of the feedings.

FAQs

Here are the answer to your questions when it comes to comparing pumping and breastfeeding.

1. Can I Just Pump and Not Breastfeed?

Yes, it’s totally okay to pump and not breastfeed. Sometimes, babies find it difficult to latch on to moms, or there’s simply no time there to breastfeed. You can rely on pumping, but make sure to feed your baby at regular intervals. Even better would be combining pumping with infant formula for the feedings.

2. Will Choosing Breastfeeding Over Pumping Put Undue Pressure on Moms?

Yes, it could in some cases. It mostly depends on how healthy the mom is, and if she can make the commitment to stick to that decision. Going for a healthy combination of breastfeeding and pumping is much easier to stick to and more comfortable for the baby as well.

Deciding between breastfeeding and pumping will mostly depend on your level of comfort, and your time commitment/schedule. You shouldn’t feel bad if you feed your baby pumped milk exclusively instead of breastfeeding her. However, if you can breastfeed and supplement with formula, that works too. The key is to make sure your baby gets all the nutrients she needs, whether she is being breastfed, given pumped milk, formulae, or a combination of all.

Also Read:

Power Pumping to Increase Milk Supply
A Step-By-Step Guide to Hand Expression of Breast Milk
Baby’s Breastfeeding Frequency by Age
Pumping Breast Milk: When and How Long to Pump?

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