Formula is not the same as breastfeeding: in the second year

It can be confronting for parents to be told the differences between #breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Because of the emotional impact of not overcoming challenges to establish or maintain breastfeeding, parents are reassured that f e d I s b e s t and formula feeding is pretty much the same anyway.

Formula feeds babies who do not have access to human milk. Cow or goat milk or soy milk can be modified to make it safer for babies but we do need to acknowledge it cannot make it the same.

The differences really become apparent as babies reach the end of the first year. And sometimes the facts around this can trigger the emotions of the months before all over again. However, information is not judgement and parents can only make informed choices when they have all the facts.

Breastmilk becomes the secondary food source in the second year. As babies incorporate family foods into their diet, the basic nutritional components can be provided by a varied diet. For formula fed children, there are only nutritional components in their milk feeds. That means formula is also a secondary food source.

However, for breastfed toddlers, the immune support and developmental support in factors unique to their mothers milk are not replicated in formula. While breastmilk continues to adapt to the changing needs of the toddler, formula does not. And despite the marketing, toddler formula is not much different to infant formula ... except for the added sugar in some brands. Effectively, parents are tricked into buying sweetened, flavoured powdered cow's milk drinks.

The way children drink these can also be problematic. Some people are giving multiple bottles each day, in excess of recommended quantities, because their child is used to them and resist weaning. The caloric content can significantly dull the appetite for food and present as fussy eating. Sucking on a bottle teat can be associated with speech delay, dental caries and hygiene concerns if toddlers are allowed to free-range with a bottle of warm milk. Falling asleep with a bottle can bathe baby teeth in pooling milk and lead to decay known as bottle or nursing caries.