Milk, Money, and Madness: The Culture and Politics of Breastfeeding

I read this book before I gave birth to my first child. (I am the mother of six.)It made such an impact on me that I have been a breastfeeding advocate ever since. This book covers cross cultural aspects of breastfeeding. Beware that this book has the possibility to make a mother feel very guilty for not breastfeeding. It gives a mother infinite reasons of why human milk is what every infant is entitled to consume. I have used this book as a reference to many research projects from formula study to mother - infant bonding. Fathers should be encouraged to read this book. No man should question a mother's right to breastfeed after he reads the views put forth in this masterpiece. I agree with other reviewers that all teenagers should read this book. Future generations would benefit from current generations reading this book.

This book should be required reading for all teenagers as part of their economics classes, their sociology classes, and their health classes. The subject matter in this book covers all of this range. Shown is the health implications for babies who are denied their mother's milk. This is especially important for those babies who are artificially fed in undeveloped countries where there is no access to clean water or sanitation. For those babies, artificial feeding is not only a substandard choice, it is a deadly one. Further, this book illustrates why the chioce to artificially feed infants is being made in more often in these countries, dealing especially with the lies the formula companies perpetuate. Readers will understand how a multibillion dollar business has been developed on the backs of babies.Readers will also learn, probably for the first time, that the behaviour of formula companies has become so evil that there are a number of international organizations that have ongoing efforts to save babies from the deadly consequences of the formula manufacturer's lies. Many will be surprised to read of a decades old boycott, and an ethical marketing code developed by the World Health Organization, both of which have been flaunted and ignored by the formula manufacturers.Most readers will be familiar with movies and novels that deal with drug manufacturers making deadly substances and knowingly hiding the information, even at the risk of many deaths, in order to reap the profits. Milk, Money, and Madness will detail such a story. It's all true and much more evil and insidious than anyone will ever suspect until they read the book.

This book is an intelligent, thought provoking look at the way our culture has methodically turned it's back on one of the most basic acts of nurturing our children. I don't see how anyone who reads this book could look at those seemingly innocent formula ads the same way again. It's easy to read and well documented and has lots of fascinating pictures and diagrams. I'm going to include it on my list of books to give to expecting parents.

This book takes a historical and cultural look at breastfeeding and formula-feeding. Fact-based and well-researched, this book is full of thought-provoking information and information that is not usually made public knowledge due to politics and profit interests.Sections cover: * Breastfeeding customs around the world * Wet nursing, surrogate feeding and healing qualities of breastmilk * Cow's milk is for cows * Artificial feeding * The global search for formula sales * Women and workOf particular interest is the United States' historical/cultural lack of support of global breastfeeding policies and the strength given to formula companies to dictate the health of America's babies.

This is very well researched and should inspire anyone to believe that breastmilk is the only way to feed a baby. After reading this book, anyone will become a staunch breastfeeding advocate and will cringe to see a bottle in a baby's mouth, diaper bag, or a formula ad appearing anywhere. I love the information on how respectfully women are treated around the world, expected to nurse and nurture their babies- and then contrast that with how poorly the US society treats women. still! Six weeks isnt' long enough for moms and new babies and Dia points out the wonderful ways that the rest of the industrialised world copes with the reality of nurturing the next generation