Fact or Fiction: Breastfed Babies Are Healthier

Are babies that are exclusively fed breastmilk, always healthier than babies who use formula? Not necessarily, says Dr. Scott Cohen. Breastfeeding can reduce many risks such as upper respiratory infections, allergies, and stomach illnesses, but that doesn't mean that it's guaranteed to keep your child healthy always. Children do get sick no matter what, so Dr. Scott Cohen emphatically recommends doing what is right for you.

See Also:

-Top 8 Breastfeeding Essentials

-You're Breastfeeding, Now What?

-Breastfeeding May Not Benefit Babies with Eczema

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Showing the Latest of 3 Comments

gina.raymond
2 yearss ago

I have 4 healthy teen daughters and they were all bottle fed. Each time they went to the Dr. he said they were in the 90th percentile. This may sound selfish but, I chose to not nurse simply because I felt that I was not eating right.

liz.lazear
2 yearss ago

My son is formula fed and he has not been sick at all, he is doing great. I tried very very hard to breastfeed him but it didnt work out and we had to go to formula. I would add that another myth regarding breastfeeding is that breastfeeding is "free" or at least substantially cheaper than formula feeding. I spent so much money trying to breastfeed (pump rental, pump accessories, nursing bras, etc) that I could probably have bought enough formula to last almost my son's entire first year! That being said, I do recognize that breast is best but at the same time formula is not "the F-word."

gina.raymond
2 yearss ago

@ Liz...High five to you for the words you chose! I could not have said it better :D

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Thanks to the web, parents today have more parenting information at their finger tips than ever before. But sometimes this information can be overwhelming and even conflicting! In "Fact or Fiction", pediatrician, Dr. Scott Cohen, sets the record straight by confirming or denying some of the most common parenting fears.

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