Protein

Carbohydrates

Fat

Breast milk

7%

38%

55%

Cows milk based formula

 9-12%

41-43%

 48-50%

Soy based formula

 11-13%

 35-49%

 45-49%

Breast milk

Cows milk

Antibodies

Helps your baby’s immune system gain strength, fighting off bacteria and viruses.  When you or your baby is exposed to a virus or bacteria, your breast milk "fights back" by producing antibodies specific to that virus or bacteria.  Formula is exactly the same, time after time, regardless of what your baby is exposed to.

Antibodies that are in breast milk are not in cow’s milk / formula and cannot be artificially produced. 

Water

Your breast milk contains the perfect amount of water to satisfy your baby’s thirst and adjusts to your baby’s needs.

The amount of water in cow’s milk / formula can’t change to suit your baby’s need the way breast milk can.

Fat

Breast milk contains more fat than cows milk and the type of fat is more easily absorbed by your baby. This is one of the reasons that breast fed babies have different stools than formula fed babies. Since a breastfeed baby is not excreting any wasted fats the stool will be a yellow mustard color with a mildly sweet smell.

The fat in cows milk / formula is very different than the fat in breast milk and your baby cannot absorb it as easily.

Protein

Protein that is used to help your baby grow and develop is in just the right amount and in a form most readily absorbed.

The amount of protein in cow’s milk / formula is at least double the amount in breast milk and is also a different and less digestible type.

Carbohydrates

Breast milk contains more carbohydrates than cows milk. These carbohydrates provide a very important source of energy.

Cows milk / formula has smaller amounts of carbohydrates than breast milk.

Vitamins and minerals

As long as you, the mother, eat a reasonably well balanced diet, your breast milk will contain all of your babies vitamin and mineral requirements, until about age 6 months when it is recommended solids be introduced.

Cows milk / formula has more of some vitamins and minerals and less of others than breast milk; it’s not the right amount for your baby.

Taste

Breast milk changes in taste, depending on the different foods the mother eats. Breastfed babies are more likely to accept new and different foods once they start on solids than their formula-fed peers, because formula tastes the same every single time, while breastmilk takes on a taste similar to the different foods a mother eats. 

Amount

Bottle fed babies are often expected to drink all that is in the bottle but your baby will regulate how much milk they drink from the breast. 

There are over 100 ingredients in breast milk which ARE NOT in formula, even the new "DHA added" formulas.  Formula is intended as a replacement for breastmilk when breastmilk is not available, but sadly, it does not even come close to it!