Breast milk is best and free, so why is it a luxury for American moms?

“Breast is best” may be a national mantra but here is the reality: Although nearly 80% of U.S. mothers start off breastfeeding their babies, half will give it up entirely or supplement with formula after just a few weeks. Less than 19% of American babies receive the six months of exclusive breastfeeding recommended for optimal growth, development and health by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and countless scientists, doctors and public health experts."

"We now know  that breast milk is not merely a foodstuff, but a mysterious and powerful human tissue — a constellation of complex nutrients, bioactive molecules, hormones, microorganisms and as yet barely understood compounds that have evolved over eons to ensure the survival of the human species. We also know that feeding babies infant formula instead of breast milk is associated with increased incidence of gastrointestinal and respiratory infection, as well as greater risk of obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukemia and sudden infant death syndrome."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-grayson-breastfeeding-mostly-for-the-well-to-do-20160717-snap-story.html