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Comment by ThePowerOfFuet | Hacker News Reader

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ThePowerOfFuet

> Not all mothers can or want to breast feed.

Those that don't want to should probably reconsider having kids.

> Mothers are not always available when babies need to be fed.

This is why pumps exist. No problem.

> Any supply chain for secondary breast milk is going to have similar contamination and cold chain management issues.

It's often frozen.

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Those are pretty naive and shortsighted views. Some women simply can’t breastfeed, and don’t discover that until the baby is born. Milk doesn’t always come in, feeding can be painful, etc.

Some babies are orphans. You gonna pump a corpse? Or force the child on some other new mother?

You apparently didn't notice that I didn't address "can't", and the reason I didn't is because it's absolutely a valid reason to feed formula.

Not wanting to breastfeed is also a good reason. First, breastfeeding and/or pumping is a lot of work. Second, it can be painful for a number of reasons (latching, chafing, engorgement). Third, women have jobs and the US has horrendous parental leave policies. It can be nearly impossible to breastfeed/pump AND do your job. Fourth, it isn’t your kid so it isn’t your choice how to feed them. If you want to breastfeed your kids that is fine. Many women do hybrid. Some don’t do any breast milk.

You have provided no good reasons to think your position on this is correct and you have said a number of other things which are just reprehensible. I am only responding because I hope you will see this.

The WHO has weighed in on this topic, and their recommendations are well known. "Breast is best" is not just a trite cliché, but supported by science and worldwide medical authorities. I'll leave the research to you.

“Breast is best” does not mean or suggest “you shouldn’t have kids if you don’t want to breastfeed” for the simple reason that the second best option can also be a good one. Put differently, breast is best doesn’t imply that formula is bad. Your reasoning is atrocious and simply isn’t justified by anything the WHO could cite in support of “breast is best”.

When my children were born the nipple nazis were in full control where if you asked about formula, you half-expected a visit from DCFS

"> Not all mothers can or want to breast feed.

Those that don't want to should probably reconsider having kids."

How well does that work for their first baby if it's some unanticipated problem the mother has??

Modern civilization starting with agriculture is also a repudiation of the "survival of the fittest" philosophy you're pushing.

Problems are not a lack of desire. I didn't address "can't" for exactly that reason: if you tried and it didn't work out, then of course it's a valid reason to feed formula.

> Those that don't want to should probably reconsider having kids.

Buddy I got some news for you r.e. the availability of that option

You realize not all women *can* breastfeed? And they don't always know it when they decide to have a kid.

And some babies need the special formulas. And some non-babies need the special formulas.

I didn't say anything against "can't" for precisely that reason; it's absolutely a valid reason to feed formula.

When I say mothers are not always available that was a polite way of saying mothers sometimes die during childbirth. A gross number in America but childbirth is dangerous even in the best circumstances. It is a leading cause of death among young women in the US.

Agree,

And I wonder, how does it matter if the milk is frozen? (Can't they put it in the micro? I guess I'm misunderstanding something)

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