I'd like to add some context to the "pressure to breastfeed" argument, especially regarding the history, which is missing from these experiments. In the 1970's Nestle launched a worldwide marketing campaign promoting formula feeding as better than breastfeeding. With big money behind the campaign and profit incentives, it was effective. This resulted in numerous bacterial illnesses and child deaths in Africa as the water being used was contaminated. Nestle had no reason or fiscal incentive to educate people in local communities or supply clean water. The controversy with formula is often not framed as one about private sector incentives and how profit margins dictate sales tactics. After this major f up in... (read more)
I'd like to add some context to the "pressure to breastfeed" argument, especially regarding the history, which is missing from these experiments. In the 1970's Nestle launched a worldwide marketing campaign promoting formula feeding as better than breastfeeding. With big money behind the campaign and profit incentives, it was effective. This resulted in numerous bacterial illnesses and child deaths in Africa as the water being used was contaminated. Nestle had no reason or fiscal incentive to educate people in local communities or supply clean water. The controversy with formula is often not framed as one about private sector incentives and how profit margins dictate sales tactics. After this major f up in... (read more)