Why not bottle feed?

Hi Dr.Subramaniam,I am mother of Srishti, who is 9 months old. I dont bottlefeed her now but just thought of getting from you a quick clarification on why paediatricians all over India do not advise bottle feeding the infants even if it is for water. So does that mean bottles are never to be used for babies? Do let me know on this…Regards, Lakshmi

Hi!!!!!!!There are many reasons why we ask you not to bottle feed you child 1. Mothers milk is the best and the formula milk will never be able to dynamically protect and nourish your child as much as breast milk does.2. Drinking from bottle is a different mechanism as compared with drinking mother. In bottle feeding the child has to only swallow the milk that gravitates from the bottle thru the nipple. In direct breast feeding the child has to suckle out milk form mothers breast- it is much more active process. Thus it encourages growth of jaw bones. 3. Incidence of middle ear infections and diarrhea are more in bottle fed babies than breast fed babies.4. Bottle feeding causes nipple confusion as the mechanism of drinking milk is different from direct breast feeding- leading to rapid refusal of direct breast feeding by the baby.Hope these reasons suffice.
Dr.S.Subramanian