My personal "fantasy" is that providers of maternal and child
health care would be taught the hazards of artificial feeding
(as chronicled in the articles by Marsha Walker in the
Journal of Human Lactation) in such a way that they would
internalize the importance of supporting and promoting
breastfeeding. Physicians promote vaccinations for infants
and let smoking patients know they should quit. However,
while human milk is appreciated as optimal nutrition by
virtually everyone, promoting breastfeeding makes many
providers uncomfortable. I think this is NOT because they
fear "causing guilt" -- since I've never met a provider who
worried about making me feel guilty when they bring up why I
should lose weight! I think it stems from a lack of conviction
of the hazards of artificial feeding. If providers <truly> believed
that breastmilk is important, they would find ways to solve
the problems they discover -- instead of suggesting formula
at the first hint of a problem.

Margery Wilson, IBCLC
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical Department
[log in to unmask]