The Breast vs. Bottle Battle: Infant Feeding Mis/Information

Abstract

That “breast is best” is a truism even infant formula manufacturers do not openly dispute, and the choice to breastfeed has increasingly become part of the measure of a good mother in modern Canadian society. Yet the information in support of breastfeeding’s purported benefits is problematic, even as public discourse vilifies the alternative. This paper examines the issues surrounding infant feeding choices and the way in which information is utilized and manipulated by both sides of the emotionally charged breast vs. bottle debate. While there are good reasons to support breastfeeding practices, the current state of our knowledge of its benefits does not justify the often strident tone and harsh judgment adopted by breastfeeding advocates.