It might help if education about this subject was learned at school and breastfeeding or feeding human milk from a bottle becomes the norm.
The World Health Organisation advises that infants worldwide are: 1 breastfed, 2 fed mothers expressed milk if not possible to feed from the breast, 3 fed another womans expressed milk / wet nursed, 4 fed formula.
When feeding the infant at the breast is repeatedly unsuccessful then expressing should be the next option. Health professionals should support this and refrain from deterring the mother from expressing until infant is 6wks old as they say it will cause nipple confusion. This is a now outdated belief as there are bottles available which mimic the action of breastfeeding such as adiri and breastflow. I followed my own common sense instead of conflicting advice when I had cracked bleeding nipples, I expressed and bottled until I'd healed and could resume breastfeeding - peace of mind that my human son was still getting human milk!

sarah hosking, Leigh, Lancs

I empathise with Jane from Andover. I was determined to breast feed my daughter. I battled through 3 weeks of doing so until she was hospitalised with a stomach upset and dehydration. La Leche and NCT telephone advisors encouraged me to "persevere". But, my daughter was losing weight. They couldn't see that of course as they were only on the end of the phone. I was a new mother, desperate to do the right thing. Breast may be best, but it isn't always possible. Mothers may choose to breast feed. Babies also choose. My daughter would latch on me and go to sleep! I couldn't make her drink my milk! She probably would've died if I had continued to breast feed. Formula milk was actually a life saver, not the "devil's brew" it's always portrayed to be. Formula was created for the very reasons I have described; to save lives. Does the modern world want babies to die for "breast is best"? Nature doesn’t always work. That’s why society has doctors & medicine.

Joanne Wild, Stafford,

I take issue with the title of this article. I had a baby six weeks ago and had every intention of breastfeeding her. I did not think I would have to resort to formula. However, despite my best efforts, at four weeks I had to start complementary feeding. After a bout of mastitis and two of thrush, I simply could not satisfy her needs, and she was losing weight. I have not ignored breastfeeding advice - I have done my best to follow it and am trying to increase my milk supply - but at the moment I cannot breastfeed exclusively without endangering the health of my child. Breastfeeding is not easy and it does not necessarily come naturally. The statistics you have quoted will certainly include women who have tried and failed to breastfeed exclusively. These women should not be made to feel guilty by the pro-breastfeeding lobby - they already feel bad enough about it as it is.

Jane, Andover,