The statistic is probably way off now, but the good sense remains, and science has identified countless good reasons for breast feeding in addition to the cost savings. Now if we can only get self-righteous douchebags to stop hassling women when they feed their babies in public.
The Old Wolf has spoken.
Playing in the World Game 
I’m wildly in favor of breastfeeding. However, some people are going too far with it. They’re hassling women who bottle-feed. Now, there are some women who bottle-feed because they just don’t want to be bothered with breastfeeding (which is pretty silly, when you think how involved bottle-feeding is), but there are others who have actual reasons. Why embarrass them by forcing them to tell lactivists why they aren’t nursing?
But yeah. Breast is best.
Agreed. “Lactivists” – good term – are free to get the word out, but no one has a right to get all up in the face of anyone else, especially when they don’t know thing one about their situation.
I didn’t coin the term, so I can agree with you without being immodest!
Countless times I’ve heard (and read) presumably self-proclaimed besserwissers call the science card against breast feeding, citing among other things alleged sanitary, nutritional, microbiological and/or physiological “reasons” why breast feeding is supposed to be A Bad Thing, often contradicting themselves, and mostly disregarding (or being ignorant of) the fact that We Are Mammals. Then there’s sociological issues such as the Modesty Factor, the Pornography Factor, as well as the Rape Statistics Factor, plus it might embarass non-lactating women less endowed in the frontal adornment department, and finally the Bible Bashers amongst whom my personal favourite is the one who told me that for a woman to hold a baby to her breast is tantamount to adultery against her husband, and thus an abomination in the eyes of he Lord, whereupon she should be eternally grateful that we unfortunately no longer stone people to death for such things in this country. Thy fear of boobs shows through your being one!
Ooh, “besserwisser”—I love it! It sounds like it would literally translate as “know-better” but more colloquially as “know-it-all”. Terrific!
I have heard that one reason to breastfeed is that it *isn’t* completely sanitary. Kids need to get used to germs. Did you hear about the possible connection between hookworms and lack of allergies? True story.
Yeah. Adultery. Uh huh. I guess that particular bible-basher was ignorant of all those bible passages that talk about women nursing babies. ::sigh:: Anyway, I’m glad my husband didn’t feel like that about my nursing our kids!
Didn’t Chris have an earlier entry noting when breastfeeding became taboo?