Why is it that so many people are obsessed with breast feeding?

because people are too pushy about what they believe in, yes it is better to breastfeed, obviously, but formula is fine too, and it seems that nobody knows their place when they butt into it too much, if you ask a question on here about formula you have a million people jump down your throat for it and THAT is wrong i think,my son was preemie and i pumped exclusively for 2 weeks then started supplementing with formula, now he's 4 months old and i stopped pumping last week..because i prefer to spend the time playing with my son

Yes breastfeeding is better according to decades old scientific research which is based on what is classed as a confounded report ie they were not comparing like for like.

Breastfed babies tend to be healthier however once other factors were taken into account the differences were negligible. mothers who breastfeed tend to belong to higher socio and economic groups which means that they have more knowledge with regards to health, have better access to healthcare and tend to have better health themselves, the same is true about the effect of breastfeeding on intelligence, breastfeeding mothers tend to be more intelligent therefore children are more intelligent. For the same reasons the incidence of SIDS is reduces in breastfed babies.

Breastfeeding is better because it does have some benefits yes it does reduce the incidence of breast cancer, it does help a baby's immune system, it is cheaper and more convenient. Funny thing is that if we did get everyone breastfeeding then the flaws in the claims would soon show up.

Try doing some research start with the link below, or the latest report from WHO which states that the benefits are relatively modest and can be explained by mothers self selecting, ie the background of those who choose to breastfeed, you can also check the report by AHRQ which concluded one should not infer causality based on these findings”. in other words you can not guarantee that the "benefits" are from breastfeeding and may just be background.

It is however cheaper and easier and I still intend to breastfeed but I'm not going to kid myself that I'm better than anyone else because I'm doing so. I hope you manage your medical conditions successfully.

Well your milk will still come if it is getting used, and there should be no shortage as long as you keep doing it (expressing it) you will have supply, that's how women are able to breastfeed for years cause as long as you are still expressing it daily it will still keep a supply. I guess you husband has come to know that your boobs leaking milk is sexy now and he likes it. I am pregnant for the first time and my fiance cannot wait for me to start really leaking so he can squirt it out and suck on them like a baby...he is a freak! But I guess guys get turned on by that..maybe with your first he was a little weirded about it being new and all and didn't know how you would take it but now being your 3rd baby he is wanting to get in on that action for this may be his last chance..haha. I see you updated...maybe that's why he didn't or couldn't do it last time cause he knew you were having trouble and now if you are doing just fine he figures what the hey. If your milk is coming in just fine then let him do it if it doesn't hurt..there will be plenty for the baby cause like I said the more you breastfeed the more it comes in, and until you stop breastfeeding it will eventually dry up. GL and your not a troll.

Being breastfed doesn't mean that you won't have these problems, only that you are statistically less likely to. It's hard to see the effect on breastfeeding when you are just considering individuals, but the societal impact overall is huge and well studied. There is a huge discrepancy between social groups concerning the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding and therefore it isn't just an issue of who can breastfeed and who can't. There is an obvious need for education and support which is why people, such as myself, feel the need to provide information on Y! answers about breastfeeding.

Obsessed? Really, obsessed? Do you se breast feeding mothers wearing shirts that say "I love breast feeding"? Do you see a bunch of breast feeding mothers gathering talking about breast feeding? Do you see breast feeding mothers with posters of breast feeding?... No

Know one is "Obsessed" they simply like the benifits and natral part for their baby.

I agree with every one you are just silly.

''Despite the fact that you can't tell the difference between a breast fed or formula fed baby when they are adults?''

Not true. There is years and years of medical research to prove the benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding.

''We both have major life altering health problems. He is diabetic and I am epileptic with many allergies. I am also not as smart as my formula fed friends and my husband and I both have more medical problems. He even has one that breastfeeding lowers the risk of.''

Um, it's LOWERS THE RISK OF. Not ''GETS RID OF ANY CHANCE''.

Your anecdotes do not override science!

The benefits for babies *as proven by science, not your limited life experience*:

-Easy to digest

-Perfect combination of all the nutrients they need

-Helps immune system. Reduces the risk of infections.

-Benefits their health when they're older too (lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels etc)

-Lowers the risk of heart diseases

-Reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

-Reduces the risk of childhood cancers

-Increases intelligence

For the mother:

-Lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer

-Protects against postnatal depression

-Feel-good hormones make the mom feel more relaxed and calm

-Easy and convenient, always available

-Helps weight loss

Yeah... I wonder why people prefer breastmilk to artificial stuff!

You don't seem to understand what 'lowers the risk of' means. It doesn't mean ''Your baby will never get sick or die from SIDS'' it means ''Your baby will have a much smaller chance of getting sick of dying of SIDS''. There is decades of science research to back up the benefits of breastmilk and the risks of formula feeding. Where is the science backing up what YOU'RE saying?

If you weren't breastfed then your risk of other illnesses would have been increased so thank your parents for taking the time to nourish you - imagine having seizures and cardiovascular disease.

Smoking increases the risk of cancer but that doesn't mean that every person who smokes is going to get cancer or just because you don't smoke you are 100% safe against lung cancer.

Yes research does show that adults who were not breastfeed have increased risk of diseases as adults. Do some research

This kinda makes me sad. Personally I breastfed both of my boys, my first for 11 months and sadly had to quit at 6 months with my second (secretory adenoma).

I think ALL mothers do what is best for themselves/ babies. I hate this formula vs. breastfeeding war.

Yes I absolutely believe breastfeeding is 100% best for baby, but come on seriously we have to have questions like this? It is proven breastfeeding is the best in so many ways, but women who give their babies formula don't love their babies any less, or care less about babies health...

It's cheep, easy (once you get the rhythm), and delays the monthly period. Plus, the Chinese had that poison in the baby formula a few years back; it's hard to find baby food made in the USA.