>(sweet kids, they started waiting for me).
KD can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think babies learn to wait in other
cultures too.  Til mom gets to the end of the row or finishes pounding this
bit of millet or weaving this part of a design or whatever.  ALL moms work!
 Part of our US problem is that work puts mom and baby in more
geographically distant places.  Mom is not as accessible.  That's part of
what we need to change.

Yes, I think we need to be assertive enough to say breastfeeding your baby
is best for baby and mom, pumping is 2nd best if there is no way around it
and formula is a distant third.  Then parents need to make their choices.
I think for too many years we have been wishy washy about breast and bottle
being equal (guilt issue).  They are not equal period.

If you decide to use formula then you are making a choice to give your baby
an inferior product.  You will probably pay for this choice in ear aches,
asthma and eczema, breast cancer or ovarian cancer (and so on) or you may
get off scot free.  Whatever the results it is your (parents) choice.  if
it doesn't work out problem free, it's not my fault for telling you that
there may be consequences.  I don't think it is honest to mumble something
about it being OK to formula feed when we know it is not OK.

But once a parent decides, I express my regret for their choice (oh yes I
do).   I also mention BF next baby when parents are having mega formula or
related problems.  Then during next pg I keep mentioning benefits of BF.
I'll be honest, that was how I learned!  Mostly bottle fed 3 kids thru
myriad amounts of ear aches and formula intolerance.  By 4th I was bound
and determined to not go thru those problems again (so I'm a slow learner -
it was 30 years ago).

BTW - I "worked", we had a farm and I packed peaches, did paperwork, PR
etc. and had different sorts of arrangements for kid care over the years.
The fact that I was within shouting difference made a difference.
Sincerely, Pat in SNJ

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