We can support women and breastfeeding through careful use of language,
Dawn.  

The term "formula" has unfortunate scientifically-approved implications, and
not by accident (this was very much a part of the early marketing strategy
used to convince women to give their babies substitutes for human milk).

A few years ago, I started using the term 'human milk' instead of breast
milk.  We don't call cows' milk 'udder milk' or cats' milk 'teat milk',
etc., so this just makes sense to me.

A few months ago, a mom who had attended LLLC meetings when her first child
was a baby came back when she was pregnant with her second child.  She said
that hearing the term 'human milk' at meetings was what kept her going
during her daughter's toddler years - when people were pressuring her to
wean (including our local public health dietician!), she remembered that her
daughter was getting HUMAN milk, and she found that very motivating.

I'm less concerned about 'making people feel bad' than I am about being
accurate, especially when there's the potential to make this much difference
just by changing the terms we use.

Ingrid 

Ingrid Tilstra
La Leche League Canada Leader
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

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