Question

Option 1: There is much debate about breastfeeding versus bottle feeding and which is best for a baby's physical, cognitive and socioemotional development. Based on what you have learned from the textbook, lessons and outside readings, what advice would you give to a patient who is struggling with the decision to breastfeed her 2-week-old infant. Consider that her milk supply has dipped, she is suffering from severe post-partum depression, but she has access to an excellent lactation consultant. Would you advise that breastfeeding or bottle feeding would be best for her infant's development? Why/why not? Are there any other factors that you must take into consideration?

Option 2: Researchers like Ainsworth, Bowlby and Harlow all theorized about the importance of attachment in infancy. Using what you have learned about attachment in infancy, how would you choose the best childcare arrangements for an 8-month old? Do you think that having a mother or father stay at home is the best option? Or is a daycare best? What about a nanny? Extended family member? Other option? Explain your reasoning and be sure to make connections to relevant theory and research from your studies this week.

Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.

Answer 1

When a child born, it is very important to give mother's milk to him/her. This breast feeding is very good for the child as well as the mother. It is beneficial to both. Breast feeding improves the immunity of the child to fight against diseases and other environmental infections. Breast milk also include many nutrients which is not present in other milk as such. It lowers the risk of asthma and other respiratory problems in the child. It is important to deliver breast feeding to the child at least, in his first 6 months. It is found in the studies that breast feeded children have higher IQ than the children who didn't get breast milk in their first few months.

Breast feeding also very beneficial to the mother. Breast feeding helps mother to loose weight after pregnancy. Breast feeding release a hormone called oxitoxin in mother's body, which helps in setting back the uterus in its original position. It also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Post partum depression is the depression which a women may feel after the child birth. It is very common to get distressed, moody, and anxious after a child birth. But if this condition will lasts long, then it is problematic. The mother should not stop breast feeding even during this time because this may result in vary bad consequences both to the child as well as the mother itself.

If we talk about the cause of post-partum depression. There is no single cause of it. There may be physical changes that the mother is facing after the childbirth, or may be other emotional changes like mood swings, family and social support, etc. So, the father of the child required to be with the child's mother, and support her in her ups and downs, she was facing during that period.