Campaign targets bottle feeding (Tennessean.com)

To Irma Paz-Bernstein of east Nashville, breastfeeding is the simplest, most natural thing in the world. It's diaper-changing that's hard.

Her 4-week-old son, Max, started nursing shortly after he was delivered by Caesarean section on May 30.

"It was like he knew exactly what to do," she said. "I believe in breastfeeding. It's the best thing for the child and the mother and society and the environment."

But in the U.S., Paz-Bernstein's experience may not be considered typical. The Office of Women's Health found that American women considered breastfeeding an "ideal" but not the standard. They also didn't see any disadvantages to not breastfeeding. In 2003, 33 percent of American women breastfed their children for six months — well below the 50 percent target of the Healthy People 2010 initiative. At 12 months, 19 percent of American mothers are still nursing, despite many health experts recommendations.



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