Breast is best for your baby's first year of life

During the last few months of pregnancy, most parents-to-be come to a decision about whether they will breast-feed or bottle-feed their baby.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breast-feeding for the first 12 months, and we agree with this recommendation — if the mother is able to do it. Here are some of the reasons:

— Breast milk is made for babies. Cow's milk is made for calves. While formulas today are as good as they can be and are fairly digestible, some babies will be allergic to cow's milk formula.

— Breast milk provides the newborn with the mother's antibodies to protect the baby from infection. Colostrum, the cloudy liquid that precedes the breast milk by two or three days, is especially loaded with antibodies against infection.

— Breast milk is protective all through the period of breast-feeding, lowering the risk of infections, coughs and colds. It also appears to protect babies against rashes and other signs of allergies.

— You cannot overfeed your baby with breast milk alone — even if breast-fed babies feed often and grow to appear "fat." A breast-fed baby is likely to lose unnecessary fat after weaning.

— Breast milk provides a baby with the nutrients and digestive enzymes he needs most in the first year.

There are many women, however, who aren't able to breast-feed — often for medical reasons. Some mothers must take medications that could get through to their breast milk and could be dangerous for their babies. Mothers infected with HIV must not breast-feed, as their milk can transmit the virus to their babies.

There are other medical obstacles to breast-feeding — such as inverted nipples or inadequate breast-milk production — though these can sometimes be overcome.

Some mothers decide to bottle-feed for other reasons.

For example, they may not want to be at the mercy of feeding around the clock. Some women prefer to use a bottle so that fathers and others can feed the baby — especially in the middle of the night. They fear that if they breast-feed, no one else will be able to help out.

This is not entirely true, as many breast-fed babies will also take a bottle — if it's offered early (before 3 weeks of age). One bottle a day need not interfere with a mother's milk production.