Breastfeeding is the best way to give your baby the nutrition he/she needs and if it’s possible, doctors recommend feeding your baby exclusively with breast milk for the first 6 months of the infant’s life.

However, there are situations when breastfeeding isn’t possible – temporarily or permanently – and parents have to introduce their little one to baby formula.

When is breastfeeding not an option and how formula might impact the mother’s health, let’s find out.

When is breastfeeding not an option and baby formula needed?

In some cases, a mother has no choice other than feed her infant or toddler with formula. It can be just a temporary substitution or a permanent choice of baby food.

Also, very often, mothers practice mixed feeding – they use some formula milk along with natural breast milk. You can even mix them in one bottle if you choose so.

Circumstances when baby formula is needed:

low milk supply (mixed feeding if possible, formula only if not);
when a baby is premature-born or has a low birth weight (mixed feeding);
illnesses of a baby or mother (formula exclusively);
mother uses street drugs (formula exclusively);
mother had recent breast surgery (formula exclusively);
mother is undergoing radiation therapy (formula exclusively);
mother returns to work and can’t breastfeed according to schedule (mixed feeding);
having twins (mixed feeding), etc.

As you see, some circumstances are serious and permanent and others are just a temporary inconvenience.

But every situation is individual and you need to consult your doctor, a baby’s pediatrician, a lactation consultant, or a nutrition consultant to find the best option for your child’s feeding in your case.

If you can breastfeed but are recommended to add formula as additional nutrition, that’s good news. It means that your child will get all the needed nutrients and breast milk will supply him/her with immunological support.

You can therefore proceed to choosing the best formular for your baby. You may first try out Holle Formula. Holle baby formulas are organic with the Demeter certification, meaning they meet some of the most stringent requirements in the world for sustainable farming without the use of chemical additives. This verification ensures that each ingredient in the formula has been checked for chemical additives, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, steroids and added sugar.

By choosing high-quality baby food, for instance, organic European formula, the parents are ensured their little one gets the best nutrition that is as close to breast milk as possible.

How does baby formula impact maternal health?

Mother is under less stress. When breastfeeding becomes a problem, due to low milk supply or a disease, the mother usually gets under a lot of stress. She constantly worries about whether her child gets enough nutrition. So, using baby formula can relieve this stress, as the mother is certain of her infant being sated and happy. And when a baby is happy, his/her mother is happy as well. In some cases, such a reduction of stress may even improve lactation.
Mother gets more sleep, which improves her physical and psychological health. Baby formulas are created to provide a child with all the needed nutrients. And specialized formulas are made to help with babies’ health issues. All this means that infants and toddlers who drink formula milk feel better, sleep better, and behave calmer. They cry less and let their mothers rest more.
Temporary maternal health issues preventing breastfeeding can be cured while using formula. There are short-term circumstances when breastfeeding is not an option, like infections, taking certain medications, chicken pox, blocked milk ducts and mastitis, and a number of other conditions. Using baby formula for a few days, weeks, or months can allow the mother to treat her health problems and possibly return to breastfeeding or mixed feeding.
The connection between a baby and a mother remains even when bottle feeding. Hundreds of years ago, when a mother had a low milk supply and her baby didn’t get enough milk, she had to turn to wet-nursing and ask another woman to breastfeed her infant. This sometimes led to a loss of connection between the mother and her child. Today, with modern baby formulas, we don’t do this anymore. Bottle-feeding your precious one allows the connection between you two to remain strong. At the same time, such high-quality infant and toddler foods as Organic’s Best formula products provide a baby with useful and much-needed nutrients so that a mother can be certain she’s feeding her baby properly.