Or one could ignore that he said anything about formula and try to put 
this dumb comment in a positive light.

Shooting a sunny, conspiratorial smile toward the doctor, focus on the 
mother with "He's saying formula is an A+ because he knows that is what 
mothers want for their babies, and he's trying to give you a  strong 
reason to breastfeed..  We health care professionals have always said 
things like "breast is best."   But it's interesting -- we're actually 
now starting to think it might  be even more powerful to point out that  
breastfeeding is "normal."  Anything else is a substitute, and it bears 
the burden of proof  --and there's never been a scientific study where 
formula produced better outcomes."  (This could probably be cleaned up, 
but that's the idea.)

Maybe you'd seem a little oblivious, but such an approach co-ops the 
doctor's authority for your goals, by assuming he really was trying to 
say "breast is best."  It's more important that the mother take away a 
positive idea, than you get your satisfaction in nailing the speaker. 

Of course, the best answers are always the ones you come up with later 
-- I believe that both German and French have a phrase for "the wisdom 
of the stairway" -- the blinding revelation of exactly what you should 
have said that comes as you're on your way out down the stairs...

Margaret Wills, LLLL, IBCLC

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