Breastfeeding and The Bottom Line

We all know that breastfeeding has health benefits for mother and child. Studies have shown that breastfed babies get sick less often, with less severity. We know they suffer from fewer ear and respiratory infections and allergies, due to antibodies present in human milk. We know that breastfeeding reduces a woman's overall risk of several types of cancer, including breast cancer. Mother's who nurse experience less post-partum depression. A recently published study by the AAP states that breastfeeding between the ages of 1 and 4 months reduces the risk of SIDS by up to 70%, even after socioeconomic and other factors were accounted for.  Even in the United States, 900 deaths could be prevented each year by breastfeeding.


But have you considered the economic bottom line? If more people nursed their children, what would that mean for the world in terms of dollars and cents?


Lets start with healthcare costs. According to a report by the USDA, which can be found in it's entirety by clicking here:


A minimum of $3.6 billion would be saved if breastfeeding were increased from current levels (64 percent in-hospital, 29 percent at 6 months) to those recommended by the U.S. Surgeon General (75 and 50 percent). This figure is likely an underestimation of the total savings because it represents cost savings from the treatment of only three childhood illnesses: otitis media, gastroenteritis, and necrotizing enterocolitis. 


That is 3.6 BILLION dollars. Not million, BILLION. And that is just in the United States, imagine if this was analyzed on a global level!


Let's continue with healthcare costs associated with mothers. A study by Yale University researchers showed that women who breastfed for two years or longer reduced their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. Similar protective effects were found from uterine and ovarian cancers, according to this link. Breast cancer is such a prevalent disease that the cost savings of reducing it's incidence by THAT MUCH is astounding. 


So what do we do with information? The CDC shows a fairly abysmal rate of exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months of age, as recommended by both the WHO and AAP. The 2011 Breastfeeding Report Card reveals that nationally just 14.8 percent of babies are exclusively on breastmilk for 6 months. 44% are still being breastfed at all by the 6 month mark. 


How can we increase this, as a society? Obviously for parents to make a truly informed decision on what to feed their baby, they need all the facts. Beyond that, I doubt pushing moms who prefer to formula feed is going to help nearly as much as providing support and correct information to moms trying to achieve a breastfeeding relationship. I am certain that it would be more cost-effective for insurance companies to cover breast pumps and lactation consultants than having to pay more towards treating childhood illness. Doctors, even pediatricians are notorious for knowing very little about breastfeeding and how to carry it out. All too often, the confidence of the nursing mother is undermined by a physician who recommends or even scares a woman into supplementing with formula at the first hiccup in the nursing relationship. Many have not taken one class in medical school on the mechanics of breastfeeding, and most use growth charts designed for formula fed infants, when it is known that the growth pattern of the breastfed child is quite different. 


No wonder they call breastmilk "liquid gold". It's the only substance on the planet with such an amazingly healthy bottom line! 

One Feeding Can Make A Memory

I read a blog entry on Cafe Mom today that really made me think. It is a fascinating piece on the ingredients in breastmilk.  The whole article can be found here. But this particular quote stood out to me on a very personal level.

Breast milk itself is an absolutely amazing substance. It's part of the reason why medical organizations strongly recommend that every mother breastfeed (or at least try). The stuff is good enough that even one feeding can make a huge difference for the newborn; and, the longer you go, the better. Even if the child is just getting one breast milk meal a day and the rest are formula, that's still very important and beneficial.

Wow. I just had a major epiphany. Now, you probably know by now that I am pro-breastfeeding. You may have also read my post about formula companies and why I dislike their advertising. But what you may not realize (being that I just figured it out myself), is exactly why I am so passionate about this topic. 

First of all, nursing my son has been the single most healing, life-affirming and powerful experience in my parenting career. Bar none. To me, breastfeeding IS love. I love all of my children equally and with all of my heart, but being able to feed and nurture Dylan simultaneously has been almost like discovering a new way to mother. Maybe if you are issue-free and nurturing comes very second nature to you, then bonding with your squishy baby is an easy thing. Maybe because skin-to-skin contact and cuddling is pretty much part of the deal with nursing, I wasn't required to "try" as hard with Dylan. Or perhaps the oxytocin released during nursing prevented post-partum depression for me this time around. Or maybe I'm just finally being allowed to breastfeed my kid like every other mom and I'm excited about it. And because I was told I couldn't nurse my others, I am willing to fight a little harder to maintain the breastfeeding dyad. Perhaps it's a combination of these things. 

I was not even allowed to try to breastfeed my first 2 children, because it was assumed that any small amount of medication that I am required to take would pass through my milk and possibly harm my babies. So be it, I thought. I didn't question, I was just happy to be pregnant and having a baby at all, given that the same medications would have to be taken throughout pregnancy. The worst part of all was that no one bothered to mention, after my son was born, that 3 days later my milk would come in. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in excruciating pain, breasts so full that I couldn't even express a single drop of milk to relieve some of the pressure. This is what happens when you haven't nursed AT ALL. I recall a frantic call to my OB, who instructed me to wear a very tight bra and apply ice until it dried up. I actually could have breastfed Harley, who was born in 2010, after new guidelines were released by the AAP regarding medications and breastfeeding. But I just assumed things were the same, so I didn't research the issue. Coming to breastfeed Dylan, doing the research and finding the medical support necessary to arrive at that decision is a long story for another post. 

Here's where I get angry, though. There is absolutely, positively, undoubtedly NO reason in this world that my children could not have been breastfed in the hospital. The notion that any medication I may have been taking at the time (we're not talking about illicit drugs or chemo or anything that was even totally contraindicated with breastfeeding at the time, we're simply talking about medication that hadn't been adequately studied) would have been metabolized and come through colostrum, the substance babies drink shortly after birth is absolutely absurd. Colostrum is ingested in such tiny quantities that this is a non-issue. And yet, colostrum is often called "nature's first immunization" it is so healthy and packed with good antibodies for babies. 

As the article states "Even one feeding can make a huge difference for a newborn."

One feeding can also make a memory. 

And my babies and I didn't get one feeding. 

Keeping Him Whole- Debunking The Myths

So you're having a baby boy! Congratulations! I'm sure you're thrilled. After your trip to Babies R Us to buy every cute boy outfit they have, and after you deck the nursery in blue, you'll have to make a decision. Will you circumcise, or leave your son whole? I know that one of the reasons my first son was cut was because of some myths I believed to be true about the intact penis. Let's examine these, and understand better why leaving your son in his natural state is actually easier.

If you've read my blog, or my Facebook page, you know my stance on circumcision. Morally and ethically I am opposed to it. I have read and researched enough to believe that it is unnecessary and any slight benefits are outweighed significantly by the trauma it causes inevitably, and possible complications that can arise. That is not what this post is about. I am not writing this time about the negative affects of cutting. I am, rather, writing about the positive aspects of leaving your boy intact.

1. It's easier to care for. 


When I finally raised the white flag and agreed to have Hunter circumcised, I was under the impression that a baby boy's intact penis would be difficult to care for. I actually thought *I* would have to retract the foreskin and clean under it. This is COMPLETELY INCORRECT! You should never, ever retract a child's foreskin. It will harm them. All you do is clean it like you would a finger. When changing a diaper, you wipe off any feces and that is all. It's simpler than caring for a baby girl. Proper care of the intact penis, from birth to adolescence here.

2. No wound to be concerned with.

A circumcised penis is a wound. There is no disputing this. You must apply vaseline to it to prevent it from sticking to the diaper. Adhesions can occur. There is nothing easy about seeing your newborn with a wound. And having to care for it adds to this injury.

3. His adult sex life will be as nature intended


This is difficult for many parents to fathom, but someday baby boy will be a man (I know, sniff!) and there are significant sexual benefits to having an intact penis. The foreskin is there for a reason. Not long ago, doctors were convinced that tonsils and gall bladders were unnecessary organs. Whether you believe in evolution, God, or a combination of both, none of these allows for extra parts of the body.

4. No complications to be concerned with


No one believes that complications from this "simple surgery" will happen to them. Adhesions, excessive bleeding, infections, and even death can occur. 75% percent of newborn boys will not readily breastfeed post-op.  Is this really the way you want to welcome your son into this life, by taking his trust, and risking your nursing relationship? A more comprehensive list of complications are listed here.

5. It's not necessary


No medical association in the world recommends routine infant circumcision. Even The University of Washington, a very mainstream organization not know for their intactivism, stated, after their study in the year 2000,   "the vast majority of children will gain no medical benefit nor suffer any complication as a result of circumcision."

So if it's not medically necessary, why on earth are we putting newborns under the knife?

6. Circumcision rates in the US are declining

In fact, only 38% of males worldwide are circumcised. In the US, as parents become more educated and peaceful parenting is more of a concern, the rates have fallen further still. So the age-old "He'll be made fun of in the locker room for looking different" argument is false. 

These are just a few of many reasons to leave your baby boy intact. Research. Watch a video of the procedure. And above all else, question.

Question the logic behind this painful procedure. Think about leaving the decision to remove a vital organ up to your son. We are their parents,  not their owners. It's his body, after all...

Similac- Undermining Breastfeeding, One Survey at a Time

I received an interesting piece of mail the other day from "The National Institute of Infant Nutrition". It all looked very official, and at first glance seemed to be a questionnaire that might help provide statistical information on how many people were breastfeeding and till what age, how many were feeding formula, and what age folks were starting solids. At first I even began filling out the form, until I wondered why this National Institute would care precisely what brands of formula people were using, when these brands were initiated, and why they were selected. I decided to a quick google search and found that the "National Institute of Infant Nutrition" is actually Abbott, a formula company, commonly known as the makers of Similac. 

Now, formula companies are supposed to be following a simple set of ethics outlined by the World Health Organization after a battle with a company called Nestle that nearly eradicated breastfeeding. The Nestle boycott has continued since 1977.

It is estimated that 1.5 million babies die each year from not being adequately breastfed.  This fact is disputed by no one. And yet, very few formula companies operate under the WHO Code. 

This kind of deception in order to sell a product is reprehensible. By asking what age formula is commonly introduced, or what age supplementing commonly begins, Abbott is gathering ammunition. They will then use this ammunition to market formulas "specially designed" for the targeted age group. And they will use this information to decide what time to send out the infamous formula samples and target women at weak moments in the breastfeeding relationship. The women use the samples, and lo and behold, experience a supply drop because they are not demanding their breasts to make milk when they are supplementing with formula. Pretty soon, they are exclusively formula feeding. 

You see, formula companies discovered long ago that their best customers were NOT formula feeding mothers. They discovered that the biggest profit was derived from women intending to breastfeed. This is because they make up a bigger market share. Most women start out breastfeeding in the hospital. But by several weeks, most have quit. Why is this? Lack of support and misinformation are big problems. But being sabotaged by corporations whose only interest is selling their product, and who will go to any length to do so, is something that ALL mothers, regardless of feeding method, need to be aware of. If you formula feed, please buy a formula that complies with the WHO code. If you breastfeed, help other mother’s get correct information on breastfeeding issues.

And if you receive a letter from Similac, don’t help them with their market research. Don’t give them ammunition to sabotage the nursing relationship.

11 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Got Pregnant

1. You don't need every item Babies R Us sells. 

Seriously. When I had Hunter I had a huge baby shower. I am completely grateful for it, and we had a fabulous time, but the best part about it was the DVD my Aunt Linda made of us celebrating the impending arrival of my firstborn child. As far as gifts go, the fact that everyone brought a package of diapers for a raffle was pretty awesome too. But the wipes warmer, bottle warmer, 3 different types of swings, and nine million newborn sized outfits? Not so much. Your baby may grow quickly and wear those outfits once! Buy a variety of sizes. All you need is your bed, a baby carrier, some diapers and a car seat and you're good to go. If you breastfeed, you won't even need bottles and all the paraphernalia that goes with them. It's nice to have a baby swing, too, but not completely necessary.

2. If you bottle feed, do it topless.

Why on earth did none of the hospitals I delivered at tell me to do skin-to-skin with my babies? If you are bottle feeding, you can do so just as easily without your shirt on! This is easy and will help with bonding. Kangaroo care is done to help regulate the heart and respiration of preemies, so why wouldn't it help a full term infant? This is second nature if you are nursing, but seriously all moms (and dads!) can do skin-to-skin!

3. If you are breastfeeding, go into it with the idea that you WILL succeed.

If you go into it with the idea that you are "trying it out to see if it works" the free formula samples will be calling your name before your milk even comes in. You really owe it to yourself and your baby to be committed.  Don't even keep those samples in the house "just in case". If you will be going back to work at some point, worry about purchasing bottles later.  Be prepared that for a learning curve for both you and the baby, that things will likely be difficult the first 6 weeks or so, but that they will get better and it will be WORTH IT!

I have written about Dylan's and my saga in this post.

4. If the baby is pooping and peeing, he is getting enough milk.

Don't worry about the scale too much. What goes in must come out.

5. When it comes to sleep, do what works for your child as an individual. 

Notice I did not say, do what works for YOU. Your baby does not know you prefer 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. We never allowed any baby to cry-it-out. However, things are easier for all involved if you don't go against the grain of your baby's temperament. Hunter slept just fine beside our bed in his bassinet. I could roll the thing into the living room and vacuum around him and he'd peacefully nap. He transitioned to a crib in his own room without protest at 3 months of age. Do I think it is ideal for babies to sleep alone, away from their parents, at this young age? No. But Hunter was pretty easy-going as a baby, and nobody really struggled. Enter Jules. She hated the bassinet and I was completely confused. Trying to make her sleep in it was an exercise in frustration, and we all had an easier time just bringing her into our bed. With Harley and Dylan we co-slept, knowing that there were benefits to this. Harley was in the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper beside our bed and Dylan has been nestled beside me almost from day 1.

6. Babywear and do not worry about spoiling your baby.

One of the biggest frustrations new parents face is the myriad of unsolicited and often unwise advice. After that, it's the fact that having a newborn makes it hard to get things done as they like to be held most of the time. Please hold your baby. A lot. They NEED human interaction, and they get lonely or bored and just want to cuddle sometimes. This is as much of a need as the need for food or a diaper change. If you have things you need to get done, which happens, we are all human and life outside of baby exists, wear him or her close to you in a wrap or sling. Here are The Cliff Notes of Babywearing.

7. Postpartum hormones are a bitch. 

That is all. This is not explainable until you actually have the child, but do watch out for warning signs of PPD. There is help available, it does not mean you are anything but a loving parent. But do expect the tears to flow shortly after giving birth, even in the absence of PPD.

8. The best shower you will ever have in your entire life is the one you take right after giving birth. 

9. Don't start solids too early.

Most importantly, don't put cereal in a bottle in hopes your baby will sleep through the night. This practice is dangerous as it is a choking hazard. Early introduction of solids is associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes, food allergies and constipation. Babies are fine on breastmilk or formula the first 6 months of life, according to guidelines by both the AAP and WHO.

10. Be prepared to love your baby to the point that it's painful.

This may not happen right away, especially if you have PPD. And it's definitely more intense when those social smiles and coos begin. But mothering is crazy emotional. It's a "jump in front of a moving train for your kid without hesitation" kind of love that almost defies logic.

11. Last but not least, find an awesome group of like-minded mamas who will encourage you through this journey. This is a roller coaster ride, and it's a lot more fun with friends who are going through what you are on a daily basis!

It may not be easy, but I promise, it will be worth it. I may not love every moment with my children. Sometimes they frustrate the hell out of me. But I love my life. I love my family. And I wouldn't change a thing...

The Cliff Notes on Babywearing

It's been a wonderful summer. We have made so many memories as a family. We have taken the kids to parks, beaches, splash pads, and lakes. We even took a tour of Lake Washington. It's crucial to do lots of outdoor stuff in the summer when you live in the Pacific Northwest. It's the only time we get any sunshine! And it's beautiful, with green trees, serene water, and for once, clear skies. Since the kids went back to school last week, I was flipping through our photos of the summer, and found another momento- Dylan's Beco Butterfly II baby carrier. I am wearing him while splashing in the water, wearing him while walking around the zoo, everywhere we went, I was toting my son. There were so many pictures of him and I babywearing, we could have been an advertisement for Beco!

So this is just intended as a general "getting started" guide to babywearing. It's a great way to get extra cuddles in with your baby while keeping your hands free. I have worn all of my kids, but more so with each baby that came along. This was out of necessity for sure, when you have four kids, and the baby is colicky and needs to be held a lot, you do what works. And babywearing works for us.

Let's start with options for a newborn. I have used the Moby wrap and Comfy Joey ring sling with my newborns. You can also nurse in these carriers, which is great when you are just getting the hang of breastfeeding and the thought of public nursing still makes you nervous. This is a solution to keep you from being tied to the house. Babies also love to be snuggled close to mama in this womb-like environment. Studies show that babies who are worn in this fashion cry less. Here's more about that and some additional benefits. There is a learning curve to tying a wrap, though. It's not difficult, and this video really helped me. I also recommend this video guide for nursing in one. What I also did with my youngest daughter is tie the wrap before going out. Then I'd remove her from her car seat and slip her in. This makes it easier because you're not tying a bunch of fabric in a parking lot! I have heard that the Sleepy Wrap or Baby K'tan is easier because you don't have to do the tying and the fabric stretches out less, but I have not tried these carriers.

Once baby has decent head support, I move on to a soft structured carrier. There are many options here, and I will mention that I am highly uncoordinated so the SSC is my favorite. I prefer one with buckles, such as my Beco, or the Ergo gets great reviews, too. Whatever carrier you use, it's important to have one that is ergonomic in design, both for the sake of baby's hips and your back. When the baby is big enough to have his or her legs out of the SSC, you want to make sure the knees are as high as the bottom. In short, don't use a crotch dangler, like the Baby Bjorn. They are very hard on your back and the babies legs just dangle. Forward facing positions are also impossible to do ergonomically. If your baby likes to look around, try a hip carry in a ring sling.

Our Beco is close to my heart. Dylan jumps up and down excitedly when he sees me putting it on. We're actually getting another one so Anthony can wear Harley, too.  It's been an awesome summer....

Happy babywearing!

Ergo

Babies and Sleep. Tips and tricks!

There isn't any parenting magazine, book or forum where sleep isn't a hot topic. Let's face it- sleep deprivation is hard and most of us go through it to some degree in the first year of baby's life! So, not surprisingly, in mommy circles, the question is often, when will my baby sleep through the night and how do I survive in the meantime?

First, lets examine what we expect with a newborn. Babies have very tiny tummies. Also, if you are nursing, it's important to note that breastmilk digests in 90 minutes. This is a good thing though, I promise! It means that your milk is such a perfect food that baby can quickly digest it. When your baby is a newborn, you may feel they are attached to the boob 24/7, particularly during growth spurts. I highly recommend movies and Netflix for the first 6 weeks or so. Another thing that is happening here is the baby's frequent suckling is increasing your supply, also a worthwhile endeavor. Do not be tempted to put your newborn on a schedule. Feed on demand, even if you just nursed 15 minutes ago. Watch for early signs of hunger such as rooting or sucking on fingers. Crying is a late sign of hunger and many mothers find baby difficult to latch if he or she is very upset. Newborns wake up a lot, as they have no concept of time and they are usually genuinely hungry. Sleep training is not appropriate for a newborn. Remember this is a short time in your baby's life and things WILL get easier. You CAN do this in ways that do not involve Cry-It-Out. I wrote a post about the dangers of this method in The Ugly Side of Cry-It-Out.

Survival Tips

1. If you're nursing, I highly recommend co-sleeping. You can do this safely. I did have to sit up, position Dylan on the Boppy and latch him on for the first 10 weeks or so. After that we discovered and mastered side-lying nursing, which simply entails whipping out boob, feeding baby, and sleeping through the feed. Here is an excellent video tutorial. By this point the intestines are regulated and you won't need to change during the night. But sleeping with him cuddled against me did promote bonding. Babies who sleep next to their mother's, preferably skin-to-skin, nurse more frequently, gain weight more quickly, and this has a positive effect on supply. Mothers who breastfeed tend to sleep protectively of their newborn or baby. More information on the benefits of sleep sharing are listed here.

2. In the initial weeks, breastfed babies poop. A lot. Sometimes after every nursing, night and day. Don't fatigue yourself further by doing the middle of the night diaper changes. Have your partner change the baby and bring him or her to you to nurse. If you're bottle feeding, have your partner make a bottle and take turns feeding the baby.

3. Babywearing is awesome. Most babies will fall asleep in their carriers and you might even get something done while baby naps. I recommend a wrap like Moby or a ring sling like Comfy Joey for the newborn stage. You can even nurse in them!  Soft structured carriers like the Beco Butterfly II (our personal favorite), Boba, or Ergo are great once they have decent head control.

4. Realize that you will be tired. My morning Starbucks run never impacted the baby. Relaxation exercises also help. Did I mention this is not a permanent state of being? By the time the kids are in college, you will sleep again.


Moving along. Your baby is now 3 months old, and still waking up at night. Everyone from the pediatrician to Aunt Mildred is asking if the baby is sleeping 12 hours a night yet. Here's the deal on that- some babies do, most do not. In fact sleeping 5 hours in a row is considered "sleeping through the night". Do not despair if you didn't luck out in the sleep department. Trying to get your baby to do something he or she is not ready for is an exercise in frustration for you both. Soon there will be teething, and some of your friends whose babies were awesome sleepers may begin waking at night again. It's not a contest. Sleep does, however, become more organized at this point. You'll probably notice more sleep in the night hours and more wakefulness during the day.

Survival Tips

1. Start a routine. Bath, stories, nurse, bed. I found that Dylan slept a long stretch from 6-10 pm. Then he'd nurse every 2 hours thereafter. Co-sleeping saved my a$$. I have felt very rested from about this point on.

2. Do not give your baby solid food in hopes they will sleep through the night. A 3 month old is not ready for solids, no health organization recommends this, and it doesn't work. Breast milk and formula are higher in calories and filling them up on solids will not help the situation. I understand your desperation though!

3. Sleep begats sleep. They will actually sleep better at night if they have napped sufficiently during the day. Sounds counterintuitive, yes, but it's really true.

4. Don't worry if your baby wants no part of self-soothing or being put down awake. If baby needs to nurse to sleep, fine. If he naps better in the swing, fine. Do what works. Again, I don't recommend sleep training, especially if it includes cry-it-out.

5. Don't forget the Starbucks! Seriously.

Online Resources

La Leche League International
Ask Dr. Sears
Dr. Jay Gordon's Website
Infant Risk- Meds and Breastfeeding
Attachment Parenting International

Motherhood and Feminism- Having it All

My whole life I have supported the idea that women and men should be equal partners in relationships, and more recently, parenthood. Sadly, according to statistics, whether a woman works outside the home or not, in a typical family, when it comes to housework and parenting women do more.  It has also been intimated that if a woman breastfeeds, it increases her workload because obviously most if not all of the feeding is her responsibility.  Formula, it appears, adds choice and freedom to women. 

Let's examine this a bit more closely. First, I'll go into my experience, as I have done it both ways. And my son does not take bottles, so I have actually done every single feeding since he was born 7.5 months ago. My husband did help very much with middle of the night wakings for my other children. I am fortunate, though, as I expect nothing less than an equal partner when it comes to marriage and children. I do not consider a father staying home with his own kids to be "babysitting". I do not consider laundry and dishes "women's work". I do not think that a man's work solely consists of his job and bringing home an income. When Dylan was born, in fact, Anthony completely took over for the other 3 kids for the first month so that I could establish breastfeeding with the baby. In short, my only job for that first month was feeding Dylan. 

I also did not at any point find formula "freeing", particularly at night. I totally understand if a mom is working, pumping and storing milk is very difficult. Keeping up supply is difficult. Avoiding nipple confusion and bottle preference is an issue. Total weaning sometimes happens despite everyone's best efforts. This is more a problem with inadequate maternity leave, particularly in the US, than it is with breastfeeding in itself, though. We have messed up priorities when it comes to the care of children here, but that is another post altogether.  Anyway, cleaning and sterilizing bottles, getting up to prepare them, staying awake while feeding the baby, feeling somewhat detached and a bit resentful while doing so were all part of the experience of formula feeding for me. I happen to enjoy breastfeeding, and after the initial month of supply issues, mastitis and clogged ducts was resolved, I have found it much simpler than formula. Yes, I do need to have the baby in my presence most of the time. I do have to think for a moment when he was last nursed if I go out. But I have done that with my other children at this tender age for the most part too. 

Breastfeeding is a more politically charged topic than you'd think. An awesome read that goes further in depth than I could ever on this blog is The Politics of Breastfeeding, by Gabrielle Palmer. Think about it this way- there is nothing on this earth that could potentially save more lives and more money (think 1.5 million babies and billions of dollars in healthcare costs) than if more women chose to breastfeed. This is the only act with a "bottom line" that is exclusively female. 

Think deeper still. You know what is decidedly un-feminist? The fact that society has sexualized breasts to the extent that they are. The fact that feeding a baby with a boob is no longer normal on an unconscious level for most people. The porn industry. The fact that breasts have basically become a play thing for men who don't do housework or much for their children.  It's an awesome feeling, being able to feed and nurture your baby with your own body. There is power in it. 

Formula is not a symbol of freedom. Yes, it's good we have choices. But let's make it a truly informed choice. Do your research, you do what you feel is right in the end. But don't walk around with the illusion that those who choose to nurse are giving up their feminist ideals....we're not. Being a woman is hard, no matter how you feed the baby. And whether you breastfeed or not, make him change diapers. And do laundry. He may come out of it with a stronger bond with his family. Oh, and teach your son how to operate a washing machine. His wife will thank you someday.