…and it’s not what you’re thinking.

Formula.

It seems to be the dirty F-word of the breastfeeding world. Anytime it’s mentioned in pro-breastfeeding circles, the venom and vitriol flow freely, along with their passive aggressive cousins, judgment and presumption.

You know, because formula feeding moms obviously don’t love their babies and don’t even care about them at all.

Does anyone really believe that?! No! (We certainly hope not.)

We know the benefits of breastfeeding. We know that breastfeeding is normal-feeding and that in a world without pervasive Booby Traps, most parents would choose to breastfeed their babies, or feed them donor milk (except for those with the extremely rare condition of galactosemia).

There are tons of factors that go into parents’ decisions on how they’ll feed their babies. Some are in their control, some absolutely are not. And we wouldn’t begin to guess what those are, or pretend to know.

What we will do, is offer all moms evidence-based info. We will cheer them on, coach them, and celebrate them - regardless of what or how they are feeding their babies. We will offer understanding and welcome all mothers into our circles. We will treat them with respect. We will foster discussions without pressure, judgment, or guilt.

We will do our best to inspire, empower, and prepare moms with the most current, evidence-based info available. We will help moms to make breastfeeding work for them, understanding that it won’t look the same for everyone.

And we will not treat formula like it’s the dirty f-word. We will keep pressuring formula companies to be truthful in their advertising, (*correction 8/1/10: to refrain from ANY marketing or advertising) because advertising and marketing that violates the WHO Code hurts ALL moms, regardless of how they choose to feed their babies. We will keep working to give breastfeeding the makeover it needs to become a cultural norm again. We will work hard to give moms the solutions they need to meet their personal breastfeeding goals - whatever they may be.

We will continue to be passionate advocates for breastfeeding. And we will do it without ostracizing moms who decide not to or can’t breastfeed. We will work to help all moms have the optimal feeding experience for them, be it from a boob, a bottle, or otherwise.

*Note from the Editor: Please accept our apologies for this error.