Reviewed by Ali

Introduction:
“This powerful and provocative book proves that breastfeeding is much more than a matter of personal inclination. Women all over the world are still being tricked into feeding their babies artificially and this affects us all: our health, our environment, and the global economy.”

Good points:
A very challenging read that makes you think about breastfeeding as the world-changing activity that it is.

Bad points:
Statistics are a bit out of date now.

Comments and other opinions:

The title of this book probably makes you think that it is a worthy and slightly dull read, something perhaps to flick through if you are interested in the effects of the marketing of artificial milk on the developing world, or maybe the relationship between breastfeeding and feminism. You might think that it wouldn’t be of much interest to anyone else. However, in her introduction, Palmer insists that this book was ‘written for everyone, man or woman, parent or childless, old or young, because this issue concerns us all’. And she is right, this stuff is essential information – it should be read by everyone who cares about our health, global justice, the environment, women’s rights, babies’ rights – and isn’t that just about everyone?

Palmer puts our current attitudes towards breastfeeding into their historical, economic and political context. She shows the way in which women in the developed world have been duped by childcare ‘experts’, the medical profession, and big business into believing that they might be incapable of breastfeeding, that breastfeeding is embarrassing, difficult, painful, unhygienic, inconvenient etc. etc. The confidence of women in their ability to perform this natural act has been eroded, and knowledge that would previously have been handed from woman to woman is now only available in babycare books and antenatal classes.

Even women who try to breastfeed often find it hard to get support from the medical profession, from governments and in the workplace. And, of course, the artificial milk is there, easily available in our local shops and “provides your baby with complete nutrition from birth to 6 months” (quote taken from current SMA website).

The book takes a global perspective, so there is also a lot of information about the use of artificial baby food in the developing world. There, formula use is on the increase mainly because of the ruthless marketing policies of baby milk producers, and there the results are even more serious. In areas where literacy is not high and/or clean water is not easily available the risk of infection of babies fed on artificial milk is high. Palmer shows how these activities continue in spite of the attempts of the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to control the marketing activities.

Just one of her examples: in Pakistan ¼ million babies of the 5 million born each year die from diarrheoa – if breastfed most of these babies would survive. Only ¼ of babies are exclusively breastfed at 3 months, and yet 1 tin of baby milk costs about 1 day’s wage. People are pushing themselves further into poverty to buy baby milk that they don’t need because they are told that this is a good way to feed their children.

Palmer is angry, and it shows. This is what makes this book so enjoyable to read – it is not dull and her outrage is inspiring. She also uses anecdote and personal experience to illustrate her points – adding further interest. The book includes an index, footnotes, and a list of further reading – an indication of the extent and quality of research which has gone in to it.

My only major difficulty with it is that it is now (unavoidably of course), out of date, and many of the statistics date from 15 or 20 years ago. The example given from Pakistan above dates from 1990 – so you would have to do further research if you wanted really up to date information. But this is just a small gripe, and doesn’t detract from what is an essential read.