Went to my local store last night and checked this out for myself.  I
really have to wonder why they chose the term "natural feeding" over
breastfeeding, while bottle feeding is not described as "artificial
feeding".  Semantics again!

To Whom It May Concern,
As a customer, I am writing to express my dismay at some literature I
received in one of your stores in association with your Lullaby Club
baby registry.  In addition to some information on the advantages of
"natural feeding" (I must ask, why was the term "breastfeeding" not
chosen?), you offer an information sheet on the advantages of bottle
feeding. While I recognize that you may desire to present a balanced
view of a family's options, most of the information is inaccurate, or
stated in such a way that much relevent information is left out.  I
realize that TARGET stores may not be directly responsible for the
content.  However, as your stores are disseminating this information, I
thought you should be aware of some of the inaccuracies.
     The information states (and I will paraphrase):
"Bottle feeding doesn't tie mom to her baby, she can shop, work outside
the home, even sleep through the night..."  I assure you, breastfeeding
mothers everywhere shop and work outside the home every day, with or
without their babies.  Breastfed babies sleep through the night, or they
do not.  Bottle fed babies sleep through the night or they do not. The
method of feeding has not been shown to have much relation to a baby's
sleep patterns.
"Bottle feeding allows fathers to share feeding..."As you noted, if a
father does wish to share feedings at times, breastfeeding does not
preclude this.  However, babies require plenty of love and care outside
of feedings, all of which fathers can share.
"Bottle feeding doesn't dictate your diet.  You can eat spicy
foods..."Breastfeeding mothers around the world eat varied diets, some
of them quite spicy. A breastfeeding mother may eat or drink anything
she chooses. While a breastfed baby may react to something spicy his
mother has eaten, this is unusual, particularly if this food is a
regular part of her diet.  It is far more likely  that a baby will have
a sensitivity to the foreign proteins in manufactured baby formulas.
"Many mothers find it more comfortable to bottle feed in public..." If
your intent is to suggest that a breastfeeding mother might want to keep
a few bottles on hand for her milk in the event that she personally is
uncomfortable nursing in public, fine.  But to suggest  that this is a
reason to choose not to breastfeed at all is to give a rather
insignificant factor too much weight in this decision.
"Mothers often find breastfeeding physically uncomfortable..." If
breastfeeding is uncomfortable, this is not normal, and a mother and her
baby need support and care to determine the cause and remedy it.
Unfortunately, comments like this have led many women to expect
breastfeeding to be uncomfortable and elect not to do so, when the truth
is that most mothers find breastfeeding to be a very pleasant
experience.
"Formula has been shown to take longer to digest, thus a bottle fed baby
may not need to eat as often..." Formula takes longer to digest because
it is harder on a baby's digestive system.  This is not healthy for the
baby.  For this, and many other reasons, a mother who bottle feeds may
find that she spends all that time she "saved" in the doctor's office.
To state this as an *advantage* to bottle feeding is akin to suggesting
that because it takes more time to put your child in a car seat, some
mothers may choose not to use one.
     Where are the advantages of bottle feeding to the baby? Could it be
that there aren't any?
     As a customer, I implore TARGET stores to rethink the choice of
literature offered to pregnant women and new families.  I do applaud
your suggestion that women talk to other mothers and to their health
care providers as they consider breastfeeding or bottle feeding. This
insures they have made an informed decision.  The information contained
in your pamphlet is based on myths and half-truths.  As I wonder why
your stores, with their stated commitment to families and the community
would be offering this kind of information to their customers, I can
only conclude that it is due to the large profits from the sale of
manufactured formulas and the necessary paraphernalia.  This is very
disturbing, and I feel I can not shop at TARGET this holiday season.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Andrea Simmons
St. Louis MO