Summary: Dr. Allan Cunningham, a pediatrician and expert on infant feeding, discusses the importance of breast-feeding over formula-feeding. He notes that babies who are breast-fed have fewer illnesses, especially in the first year of life, and have fewer cases of ear infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, and type I diabetes. Dr. Cunningham adds that crib death has also been found to be much higher among formula-fed babies (likely due to viral respiratory infections). “There are no downsides to breast-feeding,” says Cunningham, who advises mothers to nurse for at least the first nine months. Given all the evidence against formula-feeding, Dr. McDougall and Dr. Cunningham also discuss in this 1992 interview the reasons why it continues to be such common practice.Note: This taped interview from “Your Good Health” (4/23/92), hosted by Dr. McDougall has been edited. Any contact information provided during the interviews should be confirmed first since it may have changed since the original taping.
