Why do more and more people have the false assumption that formula is "just as good" as breastmilk?
by 
Mini_kilt
ANSWERS: 3
-
Corporations have better marketing people working for them than the moms do. Newsweek reported several years ago that, “Breast milk is the mother of all medicines,”. “Babies who drink it get the nutrients they need for proper brain development, while lowering their risk of everything from allergies and infections to diarrhea, eczema and pneumonia.” The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association thus urge mothers to nurse their newborn for at least a year. “Yet this exceptional resource goes largely untapped,” notes Newsweek. Why? Often because of misinformation. Some mothers worry that they will not produce enough milk to keep their babies healthy. Others think that other foods are needed early on. “The fact is, most moms can meet all of a child’s nutritional needs until 6 months, when solid foods are gradually added to the diet,” the article states. “And no matter what else they’re eating, kids as old as 2 can benefit from the antibodies and fatty acids in mother’s milk.” There are also benefits for the mothers: Nursing lowers the risk of breast cancer and hastens postpartum weight loss.
-
General public misinformation, and the fact that companies like Similac can be quite "liberal" with their facts in advertising. People tend to get their information from advertising and commercials, specifically. This was a big problem in Africa, where advertising law was (is) not as strict. The result was millions of mothers relying on bad advertising that suggested (told, really) that formula is better than breastmilk for a baby. Thank God for La Leche!
-
Well, those who decide not to breastfeed want to feel they are offering something "just as good". Also, as a mother who breastfed her babies, I found that people put off by breastfeeding were far more vocal than the mothers and doctors who supported it. When I returned to work I continued to nurse, but despite being very discreet and pumping in a private office or restroom stall, I was ridiculed, teased, and often reminded how "grossed out" some of my co-workers felt. These unenlightened individuals were far more interested in what they found comfortable than the health of my 12 week old infant.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC