>"What are the benefits of bottle feeding?

there are positively NO "benefits" to bottle feeding for babies. not a one.
unless you count, "better than starving to death", if applicable.

>Bottle feeding makes it easy for you to know how much milk your baby is
>getting. ...
this is false from the outset because it implies that monitoring intake is
in some way important. it isn't. look at the baby to see how s/he's doing.

>Other people can feed your baby, such as the father, friends, grandparents,
>or daycare provider.

can these people also gestate the baby? again, this is very value-laden, and
assumes that something only mother can do must not be good enough.

>Some people feel that bottle feeding gives you more freedom and does not
tie
>you down.

this is a direct damnation of bfg since it implies that it "ties you down"
without ever having to say it does directly.

>Older brothers and sisters can get to know the "new baby" by feeding him.

oh for heavens sake.  they get to know the baby by playing with him/her, and
interacting, and don't forget tandem nursing.

>Bottle feeding helps you get more rest because others can help with
>nighttime feedings.

assuming there are "others" in the house who will get up, most likely it
will still be mom mixing, heating and washing those bottles while her
breastfeeding neighbor rolls over to nurse HER baby without even fully
waking.

>Unlike a breastfeeding mother, you can use whatever kind of birth control
>you choose.

and you'll need it! (no mention of LAM? )

>You do not have to carefully watch your diet. Six weeks after delivery you
>can start to diet and exercise to lose weight.

oh boy. this is just false, and terribly misleading.

>You can bottle feed your baby anywhere.

without harrassment, yes - but with great effort to refridgerate, mix and
then dispose of the extra formula, all away from home.

>You may wear whatever clothes you choose...

versus what?

>It may be more enjoyable having sex if you bottle feed...

since we just had this discussion on LN, i'll just say, in the immortal
words of Ron Weasley: "She NEEDS to sort out her priorities!"

>.. . . Cow's milk formula also has the right amounts of vitamins and
>minerals that babies need."

that baby COWS need, yes it does.

no wonder you are shocked. this entire thing needs to be scrapped, because
there are no "cons" to breastfeeding, and no "pros" to bottlefeeding, any
more than there are "cons" to being healthy or "pros" to being unhealthy.
the bottle feeding handout should instead make parents aware of the expense
and importance of proper handling of formula - contrary to popular shopping
mall practice, you cannot pop a couple bottles in the bag at the beginning
of the day and cart them around like that, etc. this is just formula
propaganda and should be burnt and begun again starting with,

"if you have chosen to bottlefeed, you must understand that your baby is 5
times more likely to die in the first year of life, will not reach his/her
intelligence potential, and is at risk for these diseases... (list) ..."

Michelle DePesa

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