The great breastfeeding v formula debate.

I have noticed in the last little while that there is a lot of hoohaa about breast feeding going on... Now, it is an extremely long time since I had any babies that needed anything other than chilli and garlic bread to eat, but I was interested to read the various views.

Its the kind of subject that people get passionate about.People either want to breast feed... or want to try... or just don't want to.There are people who find breast feeding easy, difficult, relaxing, uncomfortable .... really as many descriptions as there are people... or I suppose I should say ... women.

I breast fed both my boys because I wanted to do that and felt relaxed and happy to do so. For me it was the natural choice. My sister-in-law fed her babies with formula, and again, for her it was the natural choice that suited her.My other sister-in-law is breast feeding her triplets, supplemented by expressed breast milk in bottles and, I would imagine as they get bigger, formula.

The thing that intrigues me with all this is the way that so many women feel they have to evangelise about their preferred method. I am not saying that all women do, but it seems to me that women who feel passionately about whichever method they use, seem compelled to get everyone else to do it their way... Why ??

Surely the bottom line that we all agree on is that we want to have healthy babies who are happy and loved?I know that there are statistics to persuade one on either side of the argument, but my point is... why argue? We all make choices as parents and it is our right to do so. You can disagree with the way other people choose to feed their babies, but I think its wrong to make other parents feel guilty or wrong about their choices. Surely we should all support each other as parents? Its hard enough being a mum or a dad without other parents making you feel like you're useless ? We all do our best. We all want to be great parents.Each method has its pros and cons and as adults its up to the individual to decide which way suits us best...

There... that's my view anyway... off to cook more chilli.