"We don't give mothers a choice when it comes
to vaccinations, car seats, prenatal vitamins, no smoking or drinking
during pregnancy, but yet, we're supposed to sit back and consider it a
choice when moms choose to ABM-feed?"

In fact, there IS always a choice, even in those issues. The difference is
that, with the above, the consequences are more clearly outlined for the
"chooser". Don't use a car seat, pay a fine and risk entanglement with
children's protective services. Don't vaccinate, you'll have to cope with a
lot of bureaucracy when your kid goes to school or needs emergency treatment
in a hospital ER, or whatever applies in your state. Smoke, drink, etc.
during pregnancy, and you are risking the health of your baby in specific,
defined, and agreed-upon ways. The consequences are pretty much 1)
agreed-upon by the "authorities" 2) perceived as having sufficient
importance for "authorities" to agree upon and 3) follow a much more
clearly-defined "if...then..." sequence.

See Margie's excellent and highly pertinent quote, posted in this same
digest of lactnet.

Just my training as a philosophy major showing through - I think it's highly
important to remember that just because we don't *like* the negative
consequences that might follow a choice does not mean that we don't have a
choice. The choice is absolutely there, but to make an informed choice we
need to have the information as to what the consequences are.

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC, being picky!