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Is it better to breastfeed or formula feed my baby?

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Dr. Ann Kellams: Hi, I am Dr. Ann Kellams with the University of Virginia. I am a Pediatrician. We are going to talk about feeding the baby.

Host: Is it better to breastfeed or formula-feed my baby?

Dr. Ann Kellams: There is no question that breast milk, human breast milk is the best nutrition for babies. We know too many things about it to not recommend it for every baby unless there is an absolute contraindication. The benefits include less infections and this can be anything from run-of-the-mill, stomach flu type symptoms to colds, ear infections and even more severe infections like meningitis and pneumonia.

There are also benefits that last a lifetime including these babies who get only breast milk, have less obesity. They have less diabetes, both type 1 and type 2 later in life. There is a question about IQ points that is out there and not yet solidly proven. Less childhood leukemia and lymphoma. So for all of those reasons and many more that as yet are not described even, we definitely recommend breast milk.

Expert: Dr. Ann Kellams

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Ann Lenox Kellams, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and medical director of the newborn nursery at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, is an expert in newborn care and breastfeeding. Kellams teaches pediatric clinical skills to students and residents and authored the Newborn Nursery Resident and Student Curriculum and Orientation Manual for UVA More »