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It is my experience that in the US there are more bottle-fed babies then there are b___st-fed babies. I'm not sure why, it may be that b___stfeeding can be hard work and lot of women just don't want to put out the effort. Especially because in this country you are afforded a VERY short maternity leave in comparison to other countries, and pumping milk is a real ha__sle. And of course, for some it is not medically possible to b___stfeed. I think we all know, of course, that b___stfeeding is healthier for the baby (that's proven!) than formula, but many just don't feel it to be that important.

i think since bottlefeeding has been around now for generations, it's become the norm. unfortunately. people seem to think it's just easier - though i can't imagine why! b___stmilk is free, already the right temperature, already sterilized and all you've gotta do is open your shirt instead of preparing bottles. :)

In my experience (not generalizing to everyone else, so please don't jump on me : ), the more educated women I know tend to b___stfeed longer and more exclusively than the women I know with less education. I think the government has supported bottle feeding for years through WIC (a government-supported program which provides food for pregnant and nursing moms and kids and formula for babies). They are starting to support b___stfeeding more, though. For most of my friends and colleagues, not b___stfeeding was never an option. Unfortunately, many women are harra__sed for the choice they make, whether they b___st or bottle feed!

You'd think they would encourage those on WIC to b___stfeed, it's so strange that the government pays to supply babies with what they could get for free. Couldn't the money be better spent?

Here in Canada I would say most women breatfeed. All of my frinedsd & co-workers with children had breatfeed. We het one year of maternity leave so we can devote more time to breatfeeding. The nurses in the hospitals are %100 for it too & help you as much as you can. The health care system here also sends a free nurse to your house daily for about a week when you get sent home to help you with any problems you may have with breatfeeding. It's awesome because the begining is so hard & they really support you, now it's so easy & I'm sure I'll nurse for at least a year. So I would have to say in Canada our government totally supports it.

Most of the women I know b___stfeed for a few months or at least give it a try. Now that my son is almost 7 months I get a lot of --How long are you going to b___stfeed??? Or, doesn't he bite you?? I want to say--is it any of your business? Instead I just smile and say I plan to b___stfeed until he's a year or until we are ready to quit. Breastfeeding is very hard at first and I think because of that people feel bottle feeding is easier. I do both because I went back to work full time at 6 weeks. If I stayed at home, I would think for me b___stfeeding would be a lot easier/convenient.

I blame it on corporations. They just want to make money selling their products. They don't care about the health of babies. They advertise a lot, and people believe them. I do agree that the more educated women tend to b___stfeed for longer than those with less education. It's a big problem. Those without the money to buy formula are the ones that depend on it the most. It really is much easier to use the natural choice too!

Women in the U.S. are consumed with bf...if you don't do it you're considered a bad mother, that somehow you don't care about your child. While I will agree that the more educated a woman is the more likely she is to bf longer. However, please do not generalize...I am educated and have agonized over bf since my daughter was born 2 weeks ago. Before she was born there was no question whether or not I would bf...absolutely; I never imagined I would have a problem. Well, I have several problems; flat nipples for one and since my daughter was sucking a lot, I was not producing enough milk; I've tried pumping and I'm still only producing about an ounce (that's out of both b___sts). I have felt like a bad mother, but regardless I have to feed my daughter; and while I don't believe formula is the best for her, I know she will be perfectly healthy.

I think it really makes a difference where you live and your social cla__s.. I have noticed that MOST of the lower cla__s moms in my area formula/bottle feed.. and I would a__sume that is because they have to work full time for whatever reason, and don't have the inclination to pump full time. Plus, in my area, we have a WIC program for low income moms that provides all formula needed ( plus some foods) at no charge, so formula costs don't figure into the equasion. The middle/upper cla__s moms around here usually b___stfeed, at least for the first few months..and I think that is because they can stay home with the child to devote the time necessary to do so. Yes, both sides have their "nazi's" but in the end, I think most moms just want what's best for their child all around.. and if that means they use formula so that they can work to provide a roof, then so be it. Breastfeeding is hard.. but in my case it was SO worth it! ( BTW... call your local lactation consultant about getting a b___st shield.. they have the GOOD ones, not the thick uncomfy ones you can buy at the store.. and they made ALL the difference to me in those first few months.. )

Where I live (the village not the country) I am the only person under 25 who is b___stfeeding my child. Even those over 25 there isn't a lot of people doing it.