When a mother has her new child, she faces a tough decision: breastfeed or formula feed? Perhaps a combination of both? Many mothers have reservations about breastfeeding because of the time commitment and concerns over producing enough milk, but also fear that formula feeding could impact their baby's health. Are these fears warranted, or is formula feeding a safe and effective alternative to the natural method?
Texas A&M University
That "breast is best" has become axiomatic in medical and public discourse. Why this is so, in the face of weak and contradictory evidence, constitutes a puzzle that social and biological scientists are only beginning to address. To be sure, many studies find an association between breastfeeding and better health. But many others, including those published in the most respected journals, find that breastfeeding has no medical benefit. This research is often ignored, downplayed, or misconstrued by scientists, doctors, advocates, and the media. The reasons for this are numerous, and they have to do with how studies are designed, funded, and interpreted; how information is shared among scientists and between scientists and the public; and how medical and popular culture frame risks to children.
The scientific evidence rigorously demonstrates that smoking is a risk factor for myriad health problems. Suggesting that smoking and formula-feeding are similar is tantamount to arguing that driving a car is akin to sky-diving: both have risks, so they must be identical. Everything has risks, but all risks are not the same. Comparing formula-feeding with smoking is hyperbole.
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