ABSTRACT
The majority of writings about breastfeeding, whether academic or lay, are profoundly in favour of the practice. The professional accounts of medicine, nursing, midwifery, public health and public policy continually emphasize that ‘breast is best’ for infants, the environment and global economy (Meershoek 1993, Smith and Ingham 1997) 1 . It is claimed that breastfeeding is essential for bonding or securing the relationship between a mother and child (Virden 1988, Dettwyler 1995) and that it promotes the health, development and psychological wellbeing of the infant (Walker 1993, Riordan 1997).
