Talking to parents about this truth is so hard...I have had many clients who
have had to deal with giving formula.  How can I as a helping professional
resolve this for myself and for this parent who wants to care for their
child.  I always tell them the immense superiority of a mothers own milk,
any milk is good. I go on about all the problems with the other stuff etc.,
but, I expect I'll get royally flamed here..oh well, it won't be the first
time...I think God, nature, what ever made us extremely adaptive and even
without our mothers milk the species can survive and thrive...We can look at
ourselves, many who were fed Pet milk and Karo syrup and survived pretty
well...oh Lord I can feel the flaming arrows now.  We owe it to our clients
to tell them the truth...their baby will survive..breastfeeding gives
immense benefit...I think of it like I do running and lifelong aerobic
exercise.  I keep running because I am healthier for it. I love it... I'll
have less illness, probably am smarter because of it, less cancer etc. all
the many benefits of an active life but I still see many people who would
never even consider exercise, heaven forbid they sweat, and probably many of
them will live as long or longer then I will.  Is this a fair analogy...I
don't know...but it helps me. Remember Coach Smiths #1 rule...feed the baby.
I'm not even going to sign my name...just an LC in the trenches after a very
tough day.

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