Breastfeeding vs. Formula

Breastfeeding is very essential to a child's life from birth up until two years of age.  It is in my opinion that children who are breastfeed live a healthier life free from such things as ear infections, diarhea, and the common cold.  As I researched more on breastfeeding I found the following:


"Infant formulas were never intended to be consumed on the widespread basis that they are today. They were conceived in the late 1800s as a means of providing necessary sustenance for foundlings and orphans who would otherwise have starved. In this narrow context – where no other food was available – formula was a lifesaver."(http://www.theecologist.org/trial_investigations/268337/breastmilk_vs_formula_food.html)


Now programs such as WIC that was created for woman to help provide the basic necessities such as milk, eggs and juice for the mothers to consume, are also providing this cheap form of milk for our children.  I applaud the program for the effort and what they are helping to supply but it also gives a false impression to mother's that breastfeeding is not essential, in my opinion.


My sister had my nephew almost a year ago, his birthday is next week saturday, and he has not been sick  at all since his birth.  I asked her why do you continue to breastfeed Jelani, don't you think he is old enough to stop.  He reply to me was, " my goal is to stop breastfeeding him when he is 18 months I refuse to give him anything else because I know what is in the milk I am providing."  Breastfeeding counselors such as Mary Smale led me to ask her that question because she stated, "‘If anybody were to ask ‘which formula should I use?’ or ‘which is nearest to mother’s milk?’, the answer would be ‘nobody knows’ because there is not one single objective source of that kind of information provided by anybody. Only the manufacturers know what’s in their stuff, and they aren’t telling. They may advertise special ‘healthy’ ingredients like oligosaccharides, long-chain fatty acids or, a while ago, beta-carotene, but they never actually tell you what the basic product is made from or where the ingredients come from." (http://www.theecologist.org/trial_investigations/268337/breastmilk_vs_formula_food.html)


This topic is meaningful to me because parents who have young children must understand that it is very important to the health and well-being of their child that the best foods be given.  The natural proteins and vitamins that is in breastmilk helps promote healthy brains cells and smarter children. The cost of breast milk when I had my first child was $5.00 a can now it up around $8.00 a can.  In the UK I found that milk is $14 a pound versus 14 pence which is what they spend on government programs to promote breastfeeding.  In underdeveloped countries such as Africa woman don't have to be told how important it is for them to breastfeed their child.  First it is a traditional aspect of motherhood and woman can not afford the supplements.