(I sent this before, bue it came back to me incomprehensible, so I am
resending it.)

Kathy D. asks:

Should the state insist that a mother breastfeed if there is a family
history of allergies, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and breast cancer??  In
other words, a situation where it is clear that formula-feeding puts the
child at unacceptable levels of risk of disease and death??


The answer is no, the state should not (and cannot) insist that a mother
breastfeed her child under any circumstances (at least none that I can
imagine in the US).  The state cannot force a woman to use her own body to
sustain the life of another, even her own child.  In fact, the state cannot
even compel a woman to give blood to save the life of her child.  That isn't
to say there aren't some lower court judges that wouldn't try, but I know of
no higher court precedents that would support such a decision.

Rhonda Feder
Elkins Park, PA
lawyer, lay counselor in training

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