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Baby Feeding Plan

When getting ready for your new baby’s arrival, one of the most important decisions you will make is what you will feed your baby. Whether you’ve already decided how to feed your baby or are still making up your mind, our goal is to give you the information you need. This form can also help your healthcare team follow your wishes.

Breastmilk

Feeding a baby in the first few days can be difficult, no matter what you feed your baby. For many moms and babies, breastfeeding is a learned skill that takes practice for a few weeks. There are very few medical reasons why a woman should not breastfeed.

Normal way to feed baby
Baby is better able to fight infections
Tailored to your baby’s needs
Better weight normalization for mom
Less cost, more WIC benefits
Any breastmilk is a success!
In general, the longer you breastfeed, the greater the benefits will be to you and your baby, and the longer these benefits will last.

Formula

Higher risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death)
Baby has higher risk of sickness such as diarrhea, ear infections, cold, flu, asthma and allergies
Baby also has higher lifetime risk of diabetes and obesity

Formula should only be given to a breastfed baby for a medical reason.

Even just one bottle of formula can cause:

Reduced breastmilk supply
Nipple and milk flow confusion
Problems breastfeeding
Stretching of the baby’s stomach
Allergies and illness for the baby

		Breastmilk	Formula
Benefits "Pros"	Baby	Mom’s body makes milk just for her baby’s specific needs. Breastmilk changes to meet your baby’s needs. Breastmilk has benefits that formula does not such as: antibodies, hormones, anti-viruses, anti-allergies, anti-parisites, growth factors and enzymes.	Unknown
Benefits "Pros"	Mom	Quicker recovery from pregnancy and birth. Burns 380-600 calories per day. Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent ovulation leads to healthier pregnancy spacing. Less chance of developing diabetes, postpartum depression, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Helps both mom and baby with bonding. Extra benefits if WIC	MYTH: My lifestyle and sleep will be easier if I formula feed. FACT: Breastfeeding is easier after you learn. Research suggests sleep quality is better when you breastfeed. MYTH: Babies learn to suck best from a bottle. FACT: Learning to suck from a breast has more health benefits. The flow of milk from a bottle is typically too much, too fast.
Risks "Cons"	Baby	Unknown	More “colic”/stomach upset and diarrhea Overfeeding Even one bottle of formula alters baby’s good gut bacteria and can stretch baby’s stomach High exposure to sugar, GMO, synthetic vitamins Mixing mistakes during preparation 36% higher risk of SIDS 23-77% higher risk of ear infections 63-77% higher risk of respiratory infections 74% higher risk of “RSV” 26-40% higher risk of asthma 27%-52% higher risk of allergies Formula contamination and recalls - rare As baby grows: 30-40% higher risk of diabetes 15-30% higher risk of teen and adult obesity Higher risk of childhood leukemia Less brain development, lower IQs
Risks "Cons"	Mom	Normal discomforts when baby starts sucking – but these soon go away all together Mastitis/plugged ducts - NOT common and can be prevented Breast discomfort/engorgement when milk increases at 2-5 days after birth, but then goes away Commitment required by mom Some (not all) moms or babies need time to learn	Slower recovery from birth and pregnancy, heavier blood loss after birth Quicker return of periods, heavier periods Quicker return of fertility, closer-spaced pregnancies Cost of formula averages $1,500/year not including bottles and supplies Must still buy formula every month if WIC

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