This book had been retitled "When Breast-feeding is Not an Option" but 
I see the guilt angle must have worked better. THis book exists solely 
to assuage guilt. It does this in part by degrading evidence-based 
research, mischaracterizing breastfeeding mothers and advocates, and 
appealing emotionally to readers by riling them up about pressures and 
"discrimination" that doesn't exist (usually by way of anger inducing 
yet apochryphal anecdotes). Even the title with the word "guilt" 
introduces for some the idea that they might feel guilty, possibly 
increasing sales among browsers. The description of formula-feeding 
parents being oppressed and "made to feel inferior" is purely a 
*perceived* feeling, no one has ever said that bottle-feeding parents 
are *inferior* but this book allows the reader to believe that saying 
that breastmilk is better than formula is the same thing as saying 
formula-feeding *parents* are inferior parents. Way to bypass the 
sticky problem of real information altogether!

This is an overwhelmingly bottle-feeding culture, and even the most 
strident formula proponent has to know that. Notice how the blurb makes 
claims that while nursing mothers used to be treated rudely, now the 
tides have turned and now you can nurse in public, but bottle feeding 
moms are harassed. This is pure bunk - the day a bottle-feeding parent 
is approached by a security guard and told to "do that somewhere else" 
or "go to the bathroom to do that" maybe then I will give this idea 
some credibility. Note also the "guilt-inducing" quotes (including one 
from Diane W.) - these are fact based statements. This reflects the 
current atmosphere in America of derision towards fact based 
information. Bringing up evidence-based research makes you a stinker, 
not someone who cares about what might be true. What matters is whether 
you LIKE the information presented, not whether it is true or not. If 
one does not like the fact that formula is dangerous for babies, then 
one can ignore it - it is apparently not "true" for that individual. 
This book appeals that segment of the population for whom evidence and 
research do not matter - if new information does not fit into the 
current frame of reference, does not resonate with what the person 
needs to believe, then the information is false and must be 
discarded/degraded.  You can find this dismissal of the "fact based 
culture" in many places right now in the US, but for obvious reasons I 
won't go into it.

Michelle DePesa

p.s. as with most rants, I truly feel better after getting that out ;^)

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