How does a person decide whether or not to feed a baby infant formula?
While exclusive breastfeeding is the ideal and recommended method of feeding infants for the first six months, there are cases in which a mother cannot or chooses not to breastfeed. There are many social, cultural and economic factors that influence the decision. Research has shown that marketing practices are not the primary influence in infant feeding decisions. However, any decision about feeding choices should be made in conjunction with a health professional who provides complete and accurate information about options for meeting the infant’s nutritional needs. IFM member companies unequivocally agree that breastfeeding is the ideal and recommended method of feeding infants. In cases in which mothers are unable or choose not to breastfeed, it is critical that they are provided with objective and consistent information on optimal feeding practices so they can make informed feeding choices. To ensure their confidence in the feeding method that is selected, parents should receive acc
