If breast milk is one of the most important gifts a woman can give her child, why aren't more women breast-feeding? The answers may surprise you.

Although breast-feeding is currently on the rise, many negative social stigmas still exist. Women who look to public opinion to make their decisions and to boost their self-esteem are often swayed by societal consciousness.

Many receive false information from family members or friends who have had little or no experience and who give well-meaning but incorrect -- often even harmful -- advice.

Most people pass along information with which they are the most comfortable. Bottle feeding moms, for example, give out information praising the benefits of formula. They are often unaware of or forget to mention the negative aspects.

Nutritionally, formula has rightfully been coined, "the child's first introduction to junk food." Next time you are in the supermarket, take a walk down the baby isle. Pick up several cans of formula and read the labels. Almost universally you will see a form of sugar listed as the first or second ingredient.

As discussed in last month's column, in Part 1 of this article, the reasons to breast-feed a child are numerous and compelling. Including a study published in The Lancet which indicated that breast cancer rates are 20% lower in women who have breast-fed a child. Another Lancet report stated that non-insulin-dependent diabetes was significantly lower among adults who had breast-fed for at least two months as babies.

While the proponents of breast-feeding are fighting for the rights of mothers who choose to participate in this age-old practice, there are others who disagree.

These opponents are likely to describe a public display of breast-feeding not as a natural and beautiful bonding between mother and child, but as a type of pornography. They have voiced the opinion that breast-feeding a child past the age of three is a type of child abuse, and have even attempted to pass laws banning breast-feeding in shopping malls.

Case in point: A mother called into a radio station regarding her 21-month old. Apparently, while breast-feeding her child, she would occasionally experience feelings she could not explain. She described the sensation as similar to what she experienced during relations with her husband. Unaware this can be a completely normal response to breast-feeding, she stated her confusion to the radio show's host.

She identified that these feelings were not toward her child but seemed to be an effect of the breast and nipple stimulation. The talk show host, also unaware of this common response, called the authorities. Unfortunately, due to societal ignorance, her child was taken away from her. The child was four-years-old before its mother was able to regain custody through our court system.

Due to incidents of this type and mis-information, mothers can become insecure about making a decision to breast-feed. Frequently, they have no support system and are not given adequate information to empower themselves. Pressure mounts from friends and family.

Comments like, "That baby is hungry, you'd better give him a bottle" or "That baby is crying, she's not getting enough milk" are too often voiced. Many women are not aware that it is normal for a breast-fed baby to be hungry sooner and eat more frequently than a bottle fed baby.

The reason is simple. Breast milk is so well processed it takes only 90 minutes to digest. Comparably, formula takes six hours to digest. It is not as well digested and it is more common for formula fed babies to be gassy. Most infants are fed every three-to-four hours, therefore the formula from the first feeding may not even be finished digesting before the child is fed again. Prolonged digestion time accounts for bottle fed babies sleeping through the night, whereas breast-fed babies will awaken to eat.

Upon hearing negative and non-supportive comments, many mothers feel insecure and stressed wondering if they may not be producing enough milk to feed their child. This stress can lead to a decrease in milk production which can then lead to further problems.

Hunger is not the sole reason that children cry. When they are constantly fed for this reason, they can become overweight or emotionally attached to food. We are one of the few countries that wean our children at such a young age. Globally, it is not uncommon to breast-feed a child until anywhere between the ages of three and five years.

This statistic does not come from third world countries alone as you may be picturing, but occurs in Europe and England as well.

A UNICEF report found that most developing countries have a breast-feeding rate of approximately forty-four percent. An example of women looking to society to influence their decisions has occurred in Thailand. Aggressive marketing tactics by formula producers have decreased the rate of breast-feeding in that country to merely four percent. UNICEF stated that replacing formula with breast milk could save 1.5 million lives annually.

Today, women commonly elect not to breast-feed saying it makes them feel "bound" to their child. They feel they cannot leave their baby because it needs to eat more frequently and they are the sole care giver able to nourish the child. Mothers feel that if they breast-fed, they would be unable to share the responsibility of the baby with others. Still others feel that it is an inconvenience, fear it demonstrates a lack of modesty, or are embarrassed by it.

Many women who receive pressure from their spouse complain that breast-feeding makes them feel less attractive to their mate and interferes with their sexuality. Men have responded that after seeing the infant nursing, they had a decreased desire to be close to their wives. This is an example of society's failure to identify and honor the diversity of functions for which woman's breasts were designed. This misunderstanding of their intended purposes can produce significant problems.

The very same reasons one woman will use to voice her discontent regarding the practice of breast-feeding, another will list to express her joy. Still not tremendously popular in women's circles, breast-feeding is on the rise. And, although women are still not being provided adequate information on the "when, why and how" of breast-feeding, that is slowly changing.

Many complacent people in our culture today resist making educated decisions for which they are answerable. Making the decision not to decide has become far easier than taking on the accountability of responsible parenting. Women need to have strong emotions that cannot be swayed about this -- and all other decisions affecting the well-being of their children.

As family chiropractors, it is our role to provide our patients with resources and information that will help empower them to make health care decisions for themselves and their families.