"Breast is Best"

So I am currently breastfeeding our youngest, and I breastfed our daughter past the 2 year mark. I know that is not the prevalent thing to do in the U.S., but I know that the benefits of breastfeeding are great enough that it was worthwhile to continue nursing my daughter even when it wasn't for purely nutritive reasons. I think there is something to be said for the fact that the number of colds she's had can be counted on one hand, and that despite being well exposed to germs while I was working full-time.

I have discovered that I have a pet peeve when it comes to parenting boards and breastfeeding discussions. It really bothers me when people say to moms contemplating giving up breastfeeding, "Oh, it doesn't really matter. The formulas they have today are so good, they are just as good as breastmilk." I have italicized the part that really gets my goat, because IT ISN'T TRUE! I'm sorry, but formula is not just as good as breastmilk!

I know that there are cases where moms simply cannot breastfeed for multiple reasons--too many medications, complications post-birth, difficulty establishing a latch, premature babies whose suck reflex is not well developed, adoption...the list goes on and on. And I have no quarrel to pick with moms who choose to formula feed. Does it bother me when I have friends who are able to breastfeed, who establish good breastfeeding, and then choose to give it up for personal convenience? Yes, it does, and I would be lying if I said otherwise. However, I am not able to judge what mental weight that put on the mom, and so I am not negative about it and I encourage my friends to do what is right for them.

However, I don't think it is right to outright lie and say formula is just as good as breastmilk. It's not: it has no antibodies, the composition does not change as the child grows, it is not tailored to the specific child, it does not help promote a close attachment to the mother, it does not help to prevent allergies...there are so many things in breastmilk that are just NOT THERE in formula!

So please, people, stop the lying. Let's be supportive of women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, but let's not lie to them and say that formula is just as good. It's not, and no amount of wanting to "feel good about it" is going to change that. I thank God every day for the chance to breastfeed my children, and I'm very blessed to have had relatively easy transitions into doing so with both my children. But to equate formula with breastmilk really denigrates the very real sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears that some women put into making breastfeeding work: pumping for months until their preemie can finally nurse, or continuing to pump breastmilk if they can't; working with a series of lactation consultants to find a GOOD one who can help them finally correct the latch problems their child has had since birth; putting up with bouts of mastitis and sore/bloody nipples, etc. Let's not do that. Please.