Is breast milk still the best?

The formula vs. breast milk debate is still and will continue to be one of the hottest issues among mothering circles. Just recently, we've heard of a study made by a Norwegian doctor who claims that formula is at par with breast milk. A Daily Mail writer however, tells us that breast milk is still best.

Victoria Lambert enumerates a number of reasons why breast milk is good not just for the baby but for the mother as well. Breast milk helps boost a baby's immune system and aids a baby's healthy mental development. Mothers benefit from breastfeeding as it helps them easily shed off the extra pounds that they gain during pregnancy and it also helps prevent breast and ovarian cancers. Lambert said in her article that breastfeeding is still the safest, cheapest and healthiest way of feeding a baby.

Lambert further said that the research conducted by the Norwegian researcher doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. She said that ultimately, breastfeeding is still best not because of anything that Science can prove but because of something that the generations before us have known all along - it creates a strong bond between mothers and babies.

What's your stand on this breast milk vs. formula debate? Do you think mothers are short-changing their babies if they choose not to breast feed? Tell us what you think!