Doctors insist Breast Milk, Not Formula, Is Best

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You would never think there could be a dispute about breastfeeding, especially since decades of research show that breast milk is better for babies than formula. But after The New York Times reported the Trump administration opposed a U.N. resolution calling for countries to encourage this practice, health officials the world over responded.

The administration called the Times report "fake news." Both the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services issued statements saying the U.S. is not anti-breastfeeding. The State Department said the original resolution "called on states to erect hurdles for mothers seeking to provide nutrition to their children." Both agencies defended bottle feeding with infant formulas and issued statements saying that "not all women are able to breastfeed for a variety of reasons."

Some women don't have enough milk. Others may take medication that prohibits breastfeeding. And breastfeeding does not always come naturally for both newborns and mothers. Many doctors think these hurdles can be worked around. They also say if a mother can't produce enough breast milk, what she can produce is still far better than formula.

Dr. Dennis Kuo heads the general pediatrics unit at the University of Buffalo Medical Center. As both an academic and a practicing pediatrician, he agrees that some women may need to use formula; but, he says the majority of women can breastfeed if they are supported by their doctors, families, communities and employers even before they give birth.