To Time Magazine:

The new AAP guidelines are excellent, and quite do-able. Many women
breastfeed far longer than the AAP now suggests as a minimum, all the while
working fulltime, moving around the country, with or without spouses, other
children, etc. Your article stated that "it takes about 6 hours a day to
breastfeed a baby." This is incorrect - according to research, babies
breastfeed for about 140 minutes over a 24-hour day. So what? Babies
properly bottle-fed take about 140 minutes to eat over a 24-hour day. This
is partly because babies must double their weight in 5 months, and the only
way to do that is by eating frequently. And even if the 6 hours were true,
babies are worth our investment of time and energy. It isn't breastfeeding
that is inconvenient - it's the baby that is inconvenient in our present
society. Don't blame breastfeeding for the normal needs of babies. The AAP
has rightly acknowledged a more normal, rational approach to infant feeding
that is congruent with babies' biology and psychology. Bravo for them!

Linda Smith,
Dayton Ohio