There is no man made replacement for mother's milk. Breast milk is the best food for every newborn baby. It is perfectly balanced to provide all the nutrition necessary for an infant to survive and prosper.

In western countries, quite often mothers are not over fond of breastfeeding their babies, this may be due to fear of complications, busy schedules etc. However, in other countries, breastfeeding children is still the normal practice for most mothers. You are wrong if you think that breast-feeding is only for the impoverished and is an outmoded practice, breastfeeding children has numerous benefits both for you and for your baby.

The babies immune system, which is vital in protecting against disease, is helped by the mothers antibodies which are past to the baby in the mother's breast milk. Because the breast milk is exactly the right diet for a baby it also helps protects the baby from heart diseases, crohn's disease, and many other aliments. A lot of people don't realize it but breastfeeding even reduces the risk of obesity when the baby becomes an adult. Studies have shown that breast-feeding children helps in preventing cancer and auto immune conditions in the children. If you decide to feed your baby with formula milk,you must accept that your baby may be at risk for infections in the ear, urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and will also be more prone to allergies.

So now that we have discussed the various benefits a baby gets from breastfeeding, now, let's see how the mother also benefits.

Breastfeeding your baby reduces the risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis. While lactating, you need to follow a balanced diet and make sure you drink a lot of water, but you do not need to increase the number of calories in your diet, so you should not be at risk of gaining weight.

Apart from the physical benefits of breast-feeding, there are also certain emotional benefits for both you and your baby. Breast-feeding helps to strengthen the natural bond that exists between mother and her baby. For the mother, it is a very joyful and a relaxing experience.

Even though many mothers may feel bottle feeding is much more convenient than breastfeeding, please consider the benefits out lined above before you dismiss the idea of breastfeeding. Not only do the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any complications related to it, but also, once you practice this enjoyable method of feeding your baby, you will feel a more complete mother. Without breastfeeding the experience of motherhood can feel incomplete!