I was 39 when I gave birth to my firstborn. I tried everything to nurse, from pumping up to 8 times a day, to taking medication, it was in fact the nurses in the hospital that suggested I offer my son a bottle as he was losing weight. I supplemented his some in the hospital, but quit once I got home. After 8 days my son was still losing weight and I started to supplement again and he started gaining weight. After a month of nursing him for an hour, giving him a bottle that took about 15 minutes, then pumping for half an hour, I had about 20 minutes to wash bottles, eat a meal or catch a nap, I decided that formula was the best option. My little boy is growing well, is not overweight, is happy and smiling all the time.

Is it the government’s responsibility to ensure people make healthy choices? Absolutely not. People need the freedom to make their own choices. One good point that I think this article neglects is all of the effort and advertising that goes into items such as baby formula and other baby products. A company that's trying to make money will focus on their product to the exclusion of everything else, especially anything that is more effective than theirs. That's great for a company that manufactures baby formula; however, there is no company concerned directly with demonstrating the benefits of more natural, free alternatives. That's the point where the government should step in, if only to ensure that women are more able to make an educated choice about what's right for themselves and their children.

How dare they take away a new mother's choice?

When I was pregnant with my first child, my friend had just given birth to hers and she was breastfeeding. Her son ended up with all kinds of spots on him, and she ended up having to review everything she had eaten and then retry one thing one week, then another thing another week until spots came back. She discovered that her son had a reaction to tomatoes.

Being young but not naive, I decided right there and then to use formula. Why? Because, its always the same nutritions and vitamins in every can. Whatever I ate or did, I knew it wouldn't affect my child. I had a second child and did the same thing.

Both my sons are over 6 feet tall, muscular, intelligent (one's a cop and the other a fireman), very healthy (very rarely catch a cold) and both very caring fathers.

Don't tell me that formula is not good. Its a mother's personal choice and should NOT be discriminated against because of the choice she made. The end result is a healthy child, that should be the utmost priority ... period! End of story. Simple.

Ugh, I absolutely hate it when some people think that they are greater than others and think they know everything. It disgusts me to the hilt. Live and let live.

BTW, my mother fed me formula because her breasts couldn't produce enough milk. Also I was 5 lbs and I could handle only one kind of formula. Does that mean she was a bad mother? I'm over 50 now and still going strong. So what does that tell you about formula. These people should mind their own business and should encourage and support a new mother in any way they can, not judge her. She's already nervous enough.

I was a breast fed baby. I was constantly sick as a child and even as an adult. I had most of the illness' that breastfed babies aren't supposed to get! I have a son who was strictly formula fed, and he's as healthy as a mule! He is taller, smarter and healthier than most kids in his doctor's care. His doctor has been very impressed with his development. I don't bash breastfeeding parents, why should I be told how to feed my child? I only disapprove of bare breasts in VERY public places to feed. That's just pushing boundaries. Also, I am Canadian, and our formula has much higher standards than American formula.

I wanted to breastfeed. I didn't produce enough milk and supplement with formula. I tried my very best and went to the best breast feeding clinic in my city, took herbal and prescribed meds. to increase milk supply. I tube fed the formula while breast feeding and prayed for the day they said you are making enough milk now. (never happened) The day I switched to formula a load of stress was lifted and I was a happier mom. Baby is 18 months and has only had one bad cold.

Personally, I agree breast milk is better and I have every intention of breastfeeding if I can. However my mom developped an infection that prevented her from breastfeeding and my cousin's milk was lacking certain nutrients and therefore made her milk unsuitable for breastfeeding. These women and their newborns should not be penalized for something their bodies cannot do. I am 25, very happy and healthy as a horse. I was a happy baby, slept through the night from the very start and started walking and talking early. My cousin's kids, 7 and 9, are the healthiest I know and they are ahead of most other students in their class. If I can't breastfeed, I can't say I would rule out formula as an option.

I dont know who this man is , but he needs to keep this nonsense to himself....I raised 6 children , and I couldnt breast feed..so i hate to break this mans's bubble ..(.well no I dont) they are all happy and healthy and very intelligent. Its not the breast milk that makes a child happy its environment and a good mother and father. I am all for breast feeding if one can do it and wants too...I agree with the person who said , hospital cutting costs, and thats all it is ...but I thought the companies who were promoting their formula's , were gifting the parents , at no cost to the hospital...I wish men in suits would shut-up , what do they know about breast feeding . I had my oldest 53 yrs ago and a lot of us couldnt breast feed or didnt want to, I dont recall anyone saying back then that we had to breast feed ..it was our choice..So gals of today dont let them bully you..

Butt the heck out already!! It is a woman's choice what she wants to feed her child. And sometimes, it's not even her choice. I didn't produce enough milk for my son, so he drank formula. He is now 20, he was in advanced classes in high school, never grew any additional limbs or anything that the pro-breast feeders might have you believe! Not everyone can breast feed and the pro-BF'rs tend to make mothers feel guilty when they don't breast feed. So how about you let us be mothers to our children and keep your dang opinions to yourselves!

I think formula should be banned PERIOD. I recently took some time to educate myself about the ingredients found in baby formula, and to my horror discovered that most of them are loaded with both Aspartame (neurotoxin), and MSG (neurotoxin). Both fall under the excitotoxin category, speeding up neurons until they burn out. Not to mention the methanol which is 100% poisonous to human body. The FDA and CFDA officially banned MSG from formula in the late 80's, but the rotten corporations slipped it back in under a different chemical process name (for example, hydrolyzed yeast extract, or modified whey isolate). There are many healthy alternatives, and when my wife got a post op infection we switched to a goats milk mixture, that is as close to human breast milk molecule as you can get. Our baby is healthy and energetic, and when we make casual observations comparing our baby to others that were on formula, we found that she is more alert, doesnt vomit after feeding, has more energy, is better behaved (less fussing), sleeps better, and is way ahead in the learning curve. Granted she could just be a smart baby, but the comparisons between those that breast fed, or used healthy alternatives, to those that were on formula is significant, with easily observed behavioral differences. I do believe that it is the choice of the parents, if they want to use formula, its their choice, same as vaccinations. It should not be the choice of government, or health care, but up to the individual families. What would be really nice to see is a comprehensive study into the effects of formula compared to breast feeding, or another healthy alternative. Malo periculosam libertatem, quam quietum servitium.

Sure, breastfeeding is probably healthier. I chose not to breastfeed and my children who are 20 and 22 are very healthy. I think they have both only had the flu once in their lives and have never been hospitalized for anything. Explain that one to me! IT IS A CHOICE PEOPLE. Who is some stupid mayor to tell women what they can and cannot do with regards to feeding an infant. Just like ABORTION, women have the right to choose for themselves.
Perhaps it is time that people started minding their own business.

Feeding is a mothers choice,not gov,t.hospitals want to use this excuse as a cost cut back.shame on all you for trying to make 1st time mothers feel bad.the link between breast and bottle formula are bull. Breast feeding does not make your kids smarter or healthier.i have 2 kids ( 1 breast fed ,the other not) there health ,intelligence and all other myths the children are equal ( and A ,honor roll students)
Ladies do what's best for you don not let hospitals commissioned staff force you into anything.

"babies who are breast fed end up smarter and happier" are you KIDDING. How can you say such a thing. And how did you obtain that data. Did you ask adults about their happiness and how smart they are? Pretty hard to qualify those responses as in particular happiness is subjective. And does the degree of happiness and smartness depend on how long you were breast fed. For instance if you were only breast fed for 1 month are you less happy/less smart than someone who was breast fed for a year. If this is truly sciencifically correct I think we should all breast feed until we are 20 years old - imagine how happy the world would be - no wars, no spousal abuse, no need for people to drink alcohol or take drugs, We would all be so smart cancer would be cured in no time and we would be able to fly into space to other planets - but then it wouldn't matter because we would all be so happy we wouldn't want to do anything but breast feed.

Stop making women who choose one way or the other feel guilty. Let all mothers enjoy their babies and experience motherhood as it comes to them. I agree we should give our babies the best chance for a healthly life - but please - there are millions of babies out there doing just fine regardless of their start in life and millions out there not doing so fine in spite of their start.

Oh - one last thought - when men start have babies and sticking their breasts in someones mouth then they get to have a say. Stop telling us what to do with our bodies. Is this breast envy??

How very wonderful for the government to , once again, dictate what is right for people. I personally, could not breast feed as there was not enough milk. My son was losing weight after he was born. Is this really what they want.

I am getting tired of the various levels of government ruling as to what is "right" for people to do. Tjhese are noty laws, it is just the government legislating their beliefs.

People vote for this kind of control over themselves??

What do you do if you have no milk? I didn't have enough for my baby and I was dry by the 9th day. I had 1 drop of milk that was it! That is nowhere near the amount that a baby requires to servive. I wanted to breast feed and I was really hoping that I would be able too. Sadly, breasting is not an option for many of us, No milk, nipple or breast issues are very common and if you look at the rest of the animal world you would see that they have the same issues too. I can see refusing to bottle feed a baby who's mother does has milk and is fully able to feed but is to proud to feed her child naturally.

I was not able to breast feed my daughter because of the shape of my nipples and the very small size of my daughters mouth. The nurses in the hospital made me feel so guilty that in the 5 days I spent in the hospital (C-section) I was only able to sleep 6 hours all together. By the time I got home I was so exhausted I had still not bonded with my baby. I ended up with postpartum depression and to this day, 4 and a half years later I’m still on antidepressants. Nobody has the right to decide what is best for a mother and her child, even less a person who never carried a baby. I’m thankful though for a very carrying, understanding husband and a healthy, beautiful daughter!

Breastfeeding should be encouraged there's no doubt there. Nature created our bodies to carry and feed our babies. However as stated in a few comments below there are some women that have poor diets or even worse drug addictions, use prescription drugs and so on therefore in some cases it's impossible.

There is no man made milk that can replace the nutrients and benefits that breast milk contain. Plus there is a special bond between mother and child that comes with breastfeeding. Besides, women have breasts to feed their babies... that's the whole point of having them in the first place. We all know what is best but hospitals or doctors cannot force women to breastfeed, the choice should remain and there shouldn't be any judgement on the decision made by the mother.

That's a horrible idea. I could not breastfeed for either of my kids and if the hospital didn't give me formula my kids would have starved! I tried everything for getting my milk to come in but it just didn't happen. Fine to promote breast feeding but don't take away a mothers choice! If there was no formula then my children wouldn't be the healthy happy kids they are today.

Oh, this is such a hot button topic!! Nothing will turn woman against woman like this issue! Why is that? We should be supporting our 'sisters', not sitting in judgment on them! Nobody ever sets out to harm their babies! We all do what we think is best, and it's no one else's business.
I have enormous breasts. I also have flat nipples. YOU try breastfeeding under those conditions! They say nipple shape doesn't matter...the baby breast feeds not nipple feeds! Yeah, right! Try to get a baby to latch on when your engorged breast is the size and shape of an overinflated basketball!! I gave up with my first child. She was HUNGRY!! I was in bits, listening to her cries get weaker and her little tummy growling. I would have been a bad mother if I DIDN'T bottle feed! My second baby was stronger, more patient, and my breasts knew what they were doing by then. My let down was so strong, I could feed off one breast (using a nipple shield) and collect 8 ounces off the other just by letting it drip! It wasn't easy, though, and if I'd had to work outside the home, I couldn't have invested the time and energy. It's not easy to feed using a nipple shield, either. It's hard work for baby and it's awkward. Long story short, ladies, quit assuming that because breastfeeding is easy and lovely for you it's that way for every woman. What is important is healthy and happy babies! That can be achieved through breast AND bottle. It's a fact! There are millions of formula fed babies out there doing just fine!!

I think hospitals & health 'officials" should mind their own business -
This proposed ban has nothing to do woith making babies healthier - Its to cut costs - ("Instead of receiving formula handouts, new moms will be advised that breastfeeding is the healthier choice.") Formula Handouts --- thats the issue --

After years of fertility problems I was blessed with a miracle baby when I was in my mid 30's & I wanted to breast feed !! BUT - because of medical issues I couldnt -
My daughter was born 4 weeks premee & had to be in the neo natal care - I had an emergency c-sec for pre'aclampsia & couldnt breast feed for the 1st 24hours because of the magnes'sulfate i was pumped full of -
When I finally was able to try I didnt have enough milk ---

Bottom line there are lots of reasons why a "mother' may choose not to breast feed or simply cant do it -
New mothers dont need a bunch of old men in business suits - like New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg - telling them what they should be doing with THEIR body & their baby -

Honestly I was devastated that I couldnt breast feed & if anyone had dared to comment to me that I wasnt doing the best for my daughter - they'd have gotten a fat lip right quick....

I grew up in a world and in a time when all mothers ever knew were breastfeeding for all newborns...some mothers would breastfeed up until the child is 2, 3, 4, or 5yrs...the formula was a second choice, with time, as the baby gets older...when the mother's milk started to subside. Like it was the norm, the culture, the way it shoud be in my time. I strongly believe in breastfeeding...it's the healthiest thing for a child, in my view, there is no kind of baby formula that could compare or replace a mother's milk....period!!!.

However, in this day and age that we are living in right now... where there is a high chance that a lot of mothers probably had/have substance abuse issues at some point in their life ...drugs/alcohol/ prescription drugs/.over the counter pain killer addiction etc...for whatever reasons....which is unfortunate, and also with today's unhealthy diet/ifestyle/fastfood/quality of food items in grocery stores etc...I am not sure how healthy or safe breastfeeding would be for babies?

However, I do respect the fact that some mothers may not be in a proper or healthy situation to breastfeed and that they should have other alternatives ...which I think should be monitored closely by a professional...for the health, safety and protection of the baby!!!..so that the child could be prepared healthwise to reach his or her highest potentials in life!!!

When I look back now, and compare the environment that I grew up in 50yrs ago, where people never visited thedoctors office, unless you had a severe illness, which rarely happened.... compare to today's north american living....I must say....I have never heard of or saw a person with a mentall or physical disability that they were born with....I just feel a need to mention this, I am sure it had a lot to do with the environment and lifestyles we've lived most of our lives....we, didnt not have a lot of money, didnt have a lot of luxury in life, just the basics, there were no excessive alcohol consumption, no cigarette smoking, no street drugs and no prescription drugs either...we used a lot of herbal remedies from our backyards if we had a cold or a headache or a fever etc. Our diet were mostly made up of fruits and vegetables from our backyards and gardens. We've never used any frozen foods or cold cuts or packaged foods. Canned foods, we can actually count on one hand the items that were consumed on a very IRREGULAR basis. We cooked our three meals daily, no red meat/pork on a daily/weekly or monthly basis. (those foods were consumed a few times a year for family reunion etc) Chicken, fish and various types of beans were the protein source. Also grew up on fresh cow's milk on a daily basis...we had our own cows!

I understand we dont live in that kind of world any more...and that's why all of the above mentioned negatives ...are a concern as to whether or not breastfeeding or fomula?....which would be safer and best for the baby???....is really the big question!!!

Thank you...

In your last paragraph, you make it sound like women are choosing between breast feeding and bottle feeding pop to their babies. Formula is NOT an unhealthy choice. Yes breastfeeding is better, but your statement is incorrect! I was a VERY young mom, and was not comfortable with breastfeeding. Many of the people I knew who did breastfeed, found it very demanding. I had enough to overcome that if someone had made me feel ashamed that I used formula, it would have been so much harder. By the way, my daughter is an honor student all thru high school and college, so your intelligence argument doesn’t fly. I know of several people who breastfeed and their children have been diagnosed with Autism. And NO I am not saying that breastfeeding leads to Autism, I am saying you cannot link breastfeeding with increased intelligence. Everyone has to make the choice that is right for them.

Someone commented about the "harmfulness of formula feeding". Seriously? Might I ask where you are getting your facts from? I do believe that breastmilk is best, but no, formula feeding is not "harmful" and to even insinuate that babies can go to other loving homes because a woman chooses to formula feed is absolute ludicrous! As a formula fed baby myself, my mother's decision because she did not have adequate milk supply, I have had no health concerns and no allergies growing up, and am in healthy weight range. My mom is the most loving mom I could ask for, so please don't imply that anyone who chooses not to breastfeed, loves their children any less than a mother who chooses to breastfeed. Some women need to get off their high horse. And this has absolutely no relevancy to large, sugary drinks. I can't believe this article even makes that comparison.

I find this appalling....how dare a man, who has never had the trauma (and joy) of giving birth, or of having to try to breast feed an infant, impose such ridiculous rules on how women should feed their children...one must take the emotional and physical well-being of mothers into account, as well as that of the baby...the baby is only going to be healthy feeding off breast milk, if the mother is, herself, healthy. And how dare anyone shame a woman into feeling that she is less of a mother by not breastfeeding...either out of necessity, or by choice. It is disgusting, quite frankly.

Obviously breast milk is better however there are many reasons why a mother can't, or even won't, breastfeed and she shouldn't be made to feel that she is a bad mother because of it. Ultimately it should be a choice and trying to force women to breastfeed should not be the government's right or responsibility. Even though I tried I couldn't breastfeed my first child and made the decision to give her formula. It was the right decision and it was mine to make. No one should have the right to make that decision for you.

I had two children and due to the shape of my nipples, I was unable to breastfeed. I did try with my first child for about 6 agonizing weeks of pumping, and traveling from Willowdale to Womien's College Breatfeeding clinic everyday.

I was not bonding with my son, because I was too busy sitting in front of an electric pump and he was losing weight as I could not always pump enough, fast enough. I was exhausted and frustrated and finally gave up and went to formula. Best decision! When the same thing started happening with my daughter, I requested formula right away.

A nurse reminded me, that not all moms can breastfeed and that old cemetaries have a lot monument marking the graves of babies that starved because there was no formula or pablum, etc. Not all died of flu.

Those of us who were unable to breastfeed, should not be made to feel guilty, I did my best and used every option available at the time and it did not work.

By the way, neither of my children have ever had an ear infection and rarely get colds or flu.

Can someone eplain to me why a woman should feel even a twinge of guilt about NOT breast feeding??? OMG! You have to make a compromise between what is best for the baby and what is best for the mom. Why is a mayor (who is a man) even involved in this? There are way too many reasons for a woman to be unable to BF. Lazy eater, not enough milk production, inverted nipples, stress on the baby and the mom... You can't start being guilty the day you become a parent... there will be plenty of time for that when they are teens!!!

When my child was born, I almost died because I started bleeding uncontrollably. I had to have major surgery less than 48 hours later. With that and all the drugs they were pumping into me, I felt that breastfeeding was not an option. I did not want drugs in my beautiful baby's system. Yes, it would have been wonderful to nurse, but circumstances prevented that and I really resent all these people trying to make me feel guilty and like a bad mother because of that choice. They haven't walked in my shoes.
Like it or not, breastfeeding is not always an option. We have to do what is best for the baby, even if that means formula. I would rather formula than drugs. My child is beautiful and healthy and loved - that's what matters. Please, don't assume that a new mother can nurse - there may be circumstances that you are not aware of and that are frankly, none of your business.

As an expectant mother I think this is atrocious, this mayor has essentially taken away the right to choose from these mothers. Not everyone has the ability to breast feed ( and some who have the ability may not be able because they may have to head right back to work after having the baby) I am all for women who decide to breastfeed but it needs to be their choice. Educate women on the pros and cons of both bottle feeding and breast feeding and let them make the choice. It awful to think that the woment in that city who have to pay for the hospital care they get would then have to pay for the food their child needs to survive. For some people it would mean forcing them to breast feed simply because they can not afford the hospital bill as well as the additional formula costs. Maybe MR. Mayor should take his nose out of something that he has no right to decide. When was the last time he had to breastfeed something. And for the record there are plenty of obese and overweight people walking around who were breastfed- it's not the food that you received as a baby that makes you obese try closing down McDonald's or Burger King or any of the other fast food restaurants which seem to make up the majority of our North American diet. I think that Canada shouldn't even entertain this debate educate women- impartially don't make them feel less of a mother for their decisions and let them choose what is best for them and their children. And just to be clear I am planning on breast feeding but it was my choice to do so.

Bloomberg can dress it up any way he wants, but I think this is nothing but an attack on a woman's right to choose. I also think he's trying to save money on the backs of women and children under the guise of saying it's because it's what's best for babies and Moms. It's shameful! It's also shameful how the breastfeeding nation puts so much pressure on new Moms to breastfeed and not choose formula no matter what the situation. There are a lot of reasons why a woman may not be able to or choose to breastfeed - and none of them are anyone's business but their own. Breastfeeding past six months to a year is hard enough without so called 'experts' now spouting off and saying it's necessary to breastfeed to almost two years of age! If Bloomberg wants to take away formula in the hospital, is he also going to extend benefits for new Moms so they can do what's necessary to be able to breast feed their babies for almost two years? I seriously doubt it. My understanding is that maternity leave isn't even mandated in most states, and if so, it's a miserly 8 to 12 weeks! If Bloomberg was truly concerned about the health and welfare of new Moms and babies, he'd advocate for New York to have a decent maternity leave policy to enable new Moms to form a strong bond with their child during the first year of their baby's life instead of having to go back to work so soon after giving birth.

I of course I can't argue that breast milk is the healthier choice by far, but I do have an issue with one of the author's last comments, being " he’s just making it harder to make an unhealthy one".... So formula is now UNHEALTHY?..... Jennifer said if right - that it can't be compared to taking away sugary super-size drinks!

I really cannot stand all of the self-rightous people out there. You OPINION is not the only one that matters. To say that formula should be banned is completely and utterly ridiculous. My children were all formula fed, are perfectly happy and healthy, very bright, have never had anything beyond a runny nose, and are not over weight. Why are they not over weight? Because I don't feed them crap. The public is trying to place blame anywhere they can for the obesity issue in North America. FACT is obesity is based on poor food choices and inactivity. Period. Don't blame MacDonald's for children being overweight, blame the parents who take them there several times/week. Don't blame formula for children being overweight, blame parents who stock cupboards with processed sugary foods. I wonder if these people who think formula is the root of all evil provide their children with video games to promote inactivity?

I have actually gust weaned my 2 year old and think that breast feeding is best for mother and baby. and in most cases should be the first choice. however I wonder in certain situations where it isn't a good idea. (Moms, substance abuse or poor nutrition). I had a little trouble getting my first born to latch on and he was offered formula, I worried that it might make it harder to get him to be a good breast feeder. I was young then and didn't know better I wonder now why I wasn't given the option of pumping milk to bottle feed. eventually he became a good nurser and continued for 2 years.
in conclusion I think there should be formula available for some cases, but think that all other options should be offered and tried first. with the exception where breast feeding isn't the best choice.

This is a terrible idea! I was unable to breastfeed my son during the first few days of his life no matter how hard I tried even with the assistance of the nurses. When he had the telltale signs of dehydration I put him on formula. I was able to breastfeed him once he finally got the idea but without the formula we would have been in serious trouble. This idea that breastfeeding is the only way a child should be nourished is fine but if you are unable to get the child to feed that way you must be given an option.

....and I thought we lived in a free country. Some women can't breast feed for numerous reasons....reason's that I don't think they need to share with anyone. Some Mothers don't have enough milk for one baby so what are the Mothers of multiple births to do?

I am a firm believer in Breast feeding. I had every intention of doing so. But medically that was not possible. And believe me I tried everything. Consultants, medication, natural remedies, dietary choices...... I pumped 6x a day to add 8 ounces a day to his formula for 15 months.

But Women need to have a choice. Yes Breastfeeding is better. But the guilt that was heaped on me by the well meaning lactation medical profession in the beginning was ridiculous. My Dr however told me to dump the guilt and make my own choices. Banning formula is not an answer. It will only lead to more unneeded pressure on new Moms who struggle with it.

Education and better access to alternative may be a better route.

After having breast reduction surgery my ability to breast feed was greatly reduced. I was not able to make milk at all from my one breast and very little for my other. I had MANY consultants try, I used breast shields, I used a pump and still I would max out at 6 oz a day. NOT nearly enough to feed an infant.
Thankfully the nurses at my hospital were understanding as my feelings of failure increased. My child was given formula and the breast milk I could produce till my supply completely dried up.
Breast feeding is hard and putting added pressure on new mothers is horrible.
It is the mothers choice how to feed her infant - not society.

I believe it all comes down to personal choice. If someone opts not to breastfeed, that does not mean that they love their child any less. It almost becomes offensive now to say "no, I didn't breastfeed my children".
I didn't produce enough milk, so how is it better to take some pills to help in milk production but not formula feed? I would rather have my child alive because of formula rather than not if I have nothing to give them.

Breastfeeding is definately the best choice but it should always remain a choice. I was a single Mom who had to take my vacation to have my babies as I was the main support in the family. After the 3rd child my husband disappeared off the planet and I would have found it very difficult if not impossible to breast feed and return to work. Are we pushing people to access tax dollars by taking a stand in their lives?

Yes Breast is Best. Amazing though how a whole generation (or two) managed to run countries, become atheletes and be brilliant while on formula.
Given the poor nutritional status of many mothers, you have to wonder just what is being provided for the infant after the first few weeks.
There are many cases that formula is the best choice. For instance a Mom who suffers from depression and needs to go back on her medication, breast feeding for the first couple of months may be all she can manage. Better a happy Mom. Making it difficult and degrading to use formula only exacerbates the problem.
We need to support motherhood at all levels, and yes Breast is Best but not always an option.

This is ridiculous to try and make a mother breastfeed her child! Mr. Bloomberg must know personally of the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding to make a judgement call like this??? Some mothers want to breastfeed desperately, but cannot due to certain reasons, others don't feel quite comfortable enough to do so. Does that mean they don't deserve to be a mom, or is it the fact that they have to pay to feed their child from day one.
I chose not to breastfeed my daughter back 25 years ago and in the hospital, they would "forget" to bring me her bottle and I would walk down and get it while they would say, wouldn't it have been easier to breastfeed? I talked to my daughter all the time when bottle feeding, as well as cuddling and reading and bonding in our own way. Boyh my children were much healthier than my sister in laws kids that were breastfed through nipples so cracked, a mom in tears, not enough milk. Dont take this choice away and make new moms feel inadequate!

This is so backwards. To state that "Healthy term infants should be exclusively breastfed to six months of age" and then to not have any government &/or employer support by way of six months+ of subsidized maternity leave (as in Canada & many European countries) is just nonsensical.
I live in Canada and breastfed my son for the full twelve months of my maternity leave. Had I been forced to go back to work full-time after only three months, I would have definitely felt the need to switch over to formula at that time.
To declare that breastfeeding is in the long-term best interest of the child's health, and then to put the blame on the exhausted mother, rather than the community (or country) that doesn't support her, is approaching the problem from the wrong end.

Is Bloomberg a woman? My son nearly died because the nurses insisted that my wife breast feed. Our son's weight went down. When we got home we showed his frail body to another doctor. He said get him on a formula and he will be fine. No rights were given to my wife, in our Canadian hospital in Kenora,Ontario. Mothers! Don't let these people deceive you. Fight for the rights of your baby to have food apart from breastmilk. There are many unhealthy mothers who have unhealthy breastmilk. The gov't has no rights over us.

I totally agree that breast feeding is not always a choice -- you don't know if you can do it until your baby is born. I would hate to think that babies are being starved because their moms can't produce enough milk or don't want to breastfeed. When I had a child, I could not produce the milk needed to sustain life. Also, we did not get a ayear off work back in the early 70's and I was not up to pumping milk etc. for caregivers to use. I did bottle feed my baby but was so traumatized by constant put-downs by nurses and doctors that I never had any more children. My child and grandchildren are wonderful and healthy and I despise the hospital system for making me feel inferior, for ignoring my care in the hospital and in general for their negative attitude to me and my choices. Me and my 5 siblings were all bottle fed and we lived to tell -- and we are healthy and intelligent. Honestly -- breastfed babies are smarter?!?!? Please stop your scare tactics and let us decide if we need help to give our babies sufficient food in some other way than by breast milk. And whoever said we should need a prescription for formula -- are you crazy? The baby could die of malnutrition by the time we get out of the hospital and get to a drugstore to fill a prescription -- and what if we can't afford the high costs of dispensing fees? Should our babies be made to starve to death? Are you people all nuts? Unless you have some solid proof that formula is killing children, just give it a rest and leave everyone alone.

Its up to the mother if she wants to breastfeed of not, it is no one elses buisness. Believe it or not most mothers dont want to, it is a FREEDOM of choice not the hospitals or anyone else. I thought this country was where you have FREEDOM of choice.

I am delighted, too bad this did not happen 50+ years ago but it is great In this day of awareness we should read all list of ingerdients very carefully. These companies are offering a formula to babies who need the "best" easily absorbed, along with the nutrients needed i.e. breast milk.

They say 'breast is best'. Is it though? When you look at failure to thrive infants, they are almost always breast fed. Is it supply? Is it low fat content? Is it impaired let down? A weak infant? There are lots of reasons why breast isn't best for some babies and some moms. They shouldn't be made to feel they aren't doing what's best for that particular baby.
Also, if you remove the formula option, people are going to go back to the 50s style formula of whole milk with some corn syrup in or evaporated milk. Then, the babies are REALLY not getting what's best.
I say, leave it up to the nursing pair and quit trying to legislate or force something that is so intensely personal. It will amount to no good, I'm sure. There are some women who choose not to breastfeed and some who can't. It's up to them. I'm definitely pro choice on the nursing question.
And yes...I breastfed mine. One was switched to formula at four weeks. She was severely dehydrated, had lost weight, was lethargic, had crystals in her urine and had a sunken fontanelle. If I had continued to try to exclusively breastfeed, she may not have survived. Sometimes the best choice is to formula feed.

Ban?? It is the mothers CHOICE if she breastfeeds, not the government. I had issues breastfeeding and opted to feed by formula - way easier, husband could help, baby was way happier and not only was she healthy, no allergies but at 9 years old she has never been sick with the exception of mild colds - never had antibiotics. Don't generalise - I have seen several kids (BREASTFED) that have severe allergies and are far more sickly.

Breastfeeding does not make you a better mother nor necessarily a healthier baby. Let mothers choose what is right for them.

Great idea if you are able to feed your baby, but for those women who are not able to produce milk this just adds to the failure they already feel. Having both my children lose weight at the insistence of the hospital that kept saying that I just needed to keep trying and my milk would come in, this type of thinking is extremely dangerous for mother and child. I was a mature mother of 33 and 36 when I went through this and the stress and failure that was placed on me when my baby lost weight was horrible. I can't even imagine what a young mother would feel, especially when they would be blamed for their baby losing weight! Great idea, in a perfect world, but we all know that ours isn't!

I have to agree totally agree with Jennifer on this. When i had my twins, i too had a hard time with breast feeding. I refused to give up unlike Jennifer, i didn't have the support of a breast feeding clinic or nurses, or even family. It was not a choice i wanted to make but for the health of my new born twins and even myself i had to do it. And now 4 years later, my twins are happy, active and very healthy. New mother are already trying to adjust and worrying about what to do next with that baby. Why add more stress and humilation to it??

Oh my there are some judgmental people out there! I breastfed my first child for 2 and half years and loved every minute of it. While pregnant with my second child I was diagnosed with cancer and went through chemotherapy to save me and my baby. When he was born, I had no milk, and pumped and pumped and tried but not a single drop came out- not one. I pumped for 3 weeks, day and night. Because of my cancer, I was in hospital this whole time. You judgmental people who think there should be no formula in hospitals- what would you have had me do? Should I have dragged my IV line and found a chemist and bought some formula and bottles and sterilised them myself to feed my baby? Many women after giving birth would love to breastfeed but are unable to and making life difficult by making them head out and find their own supplies and then making them sterilise them in the bathroom instead of supporting them only makes them feel even more of a failure. Compassion is the correct response- not judgment! Encourage breastfeeding by all means-without doubt it is the best start for a child. But- belittling those who, for whatever reason, cannot is inhuman and downright cruel- it is bullying!