| Human Milk | Formula | |
| has well over 300 known ingredients, including: | has perhaps 100 ingredients, including: | |
| interferon and white blood cells | tropical oils | |
| antibacterial and antiviral agents | no antiinfective properties | |
| intestinal soothers | intestinal irritants | |
| readily absorbed nutrients | poorly absorbed nutrients | |
| everything a baby is known to need | microdeficiencies | |
| offers several kinds of milk at each nursing | is the same throughout a feeding | |
| changes to meet the baby's changing needs | changes only with manufacturing and preparation errors, which are common | |
| is non-allergenic | in standard form contains either of 2 common allergens - cow milk or soybeans | |
| is the human infant's only normal food | tries to approximate what's known about infant needs, at low production cost. Cow milk and soy are used not because they are the best imitation of human milk, but because they are readily available and cost-effective | |
| promotes normal brain development | has been linked to lower intelligence scores | |
| is always clean, straight from the source | is easily contaminated | |
| promotes normal health in infancy and beyond | has been linked to increases in many infant illnesses, including SIDS, and to many long-term problems including malocclusion, childhood lymphoma, breast cancer, vision deficits, and diabetes | |
| smells fine going in and coming out | smells... interesting! | |
| Breastfeeding | Bottle-feeding | |
| is immediate, simple, and nearly free | needs equipment, preparation, and about $3/day plus extra medical expenses | |
| is a relationship | is a feeding method | |
| provides a normal start in life | is artificial in many ways | |
| promotes normal jaw development | is linked to increased need for dental work | |
| is the normal follow-up to birth for the mother's body | is linked to increased rates of postpartum hemorrhage, some maternal breast and ovarian cancers, and to more closely spaced births | |
| provides a normal hormonal state for mothering | means mothering with low mothering hormones | |
| lets the baby control his own appetite | can lead to overfeeding and later obesity | |
| saves money for the family | makes money for industry and health care staff | |
| is simply the logical start for the world's best baby | doesn't have to be for you and your baby |