Shughn makes a good point.  Yes, we do want to make everyone aware of the risks of formula, but unfortunately there are times when the better choices just aren't at hand.  We seem to be saying, "This stuff is very bad for your baby, but give some anyway."
We talk about the ranking of feeding options available to baby.  First and foremost is mother's milk fed directly, second is the mother's milk fed via an artificial device of some kind. Third is donor human milk.  Then we come to formula.  But we shouldn't stop there.  After formula is cow's milk as bought from the store.   (Other animal milks may come before or after formula, but that's another issue entirely.)  At the end of the list would be plain water and lastly, nothing.  In those situations where baby must get something to eat and the higher options just aren't there, formula is the food of choice IN THAT SITUATION.  We need to think of it like we think of medicines.  People would generally agree that where perfect health exists, taking a medicine makes no sense, but when health is not perfect, we sometimes have to go to a second (or third or whatever) choice and take a medicine (whether that medicine is homeopathic, allopathic or whatever is outside the point here) hopefully only until the situation is normalized.  When there is no choice available except to give formula, we need to help parents see it as a medicine until a "higher" option is available.  Hopefully that would be fixing whatever the breastfeeding problem is so that baby can nurse directly or, if not, that donor milk is available.  If none of the above, then formula, while not near the top of the list, at least isn't on the absolute bottom of the list.
I feel like I'm rambling.  I hope my point comes across like I mean it to.
Winnie

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