9 ms·
It's kind of funny that there is the whole formula-vs-breast-milk debate. Especially since there are so many people that have this odd notion that formula is sa
by pyre 14y ago
It's kind of funny that there is the whole formula-vs-breast-milk debate. Especially since there are so many people that have this odd notion that formula is safer than breast milk (some even thinking that breast milk is detrimental to a child's health -- e.g. "Your child will die or have defects if you feed it breast milk").
The truth is that formula is useful as a substitute for breast milk, but it's not a complete substitute. We should probably be leaning towards breast milk unless there is a reason not to.
We should probably rid ourselves of notions like:
* Formula is obviously better than breast milk because... science!
* Feeding your baby formula is a sign of wealth (much like wet-nurses in the past) because only poor people that can't afford formula breast-feed (i.e. breast milk is 'free' therefore obviously isn't as good).
* Breast-feeding is harmful to children because seeing a breast will scar them for life.
- SoftwareMaven 14y agoI believe the first two were injected into our culture through a lot of marketing dollars paid by the companies selling formula. I find it odd that people could believe food companies could do better in 40 years than nature did in millions of years of evolution or God did in designing people (take your pick, breast milk still seems arguably better). One of my kids was raised on formula, the others had it to augment breast milk. I don't think there is anything wrong with using formula, but I do think the majority of the inexpensive formula out there isn't much different that giving your baby liquified lucky charms.