Is forumula inherently bad?

I am now awash with conflicting feelings and thoughts. I breastfed all three of my boys for varying lengths of time-Sam was the longest--one year; Five the shortest--3 months. I have never been a particularly big advocate of nursing til they are two or three--not that it is bad, it just is not for me. I am also not a big opponent of formula or formula companies. I always encourage people to support nursing mothers and give it a chance in their own situation. I would never consider NOT nursing. If I had another child, i wouldn't even bother dragging the bottles out, but this comes from literally years of experience as a mother and as an observer. I have developed my attitude as a result of my own personal experiences and from those of my friends along with a tremndous support system.

Today the subject of bottles as being bad was mentioned and I just can't see this. Yes, breast is best, but to take the attitude that bottles should not even be part of play or anyone's maternity experience I just do not understand. Hmmmm. I suppose because all of my kids had bottles at some point, I have a different viewpoint.

My fear is that in our quest to make breastfeeding the norm (which it is) we scare off those who are unsure or uneducated. The whole militant breastfeeding attitude sounds great among other militant breastfeeders, but does it help convince anyone? I don't think it does. I keep thinking of the infamous rat poison debate--all that did was make me feel as if I was being called the world's worst mother. Add in my scheduled c-section, and you might as well paint a scarlet L for loser on my chest.

At some point we need to stop being so defensive of our own belief and begin to listen to others. Can we make impassioned pleas? Sure. Can we have healthy debates? Yes. But to take offense every time someone says how important it is to breastfeed or another mentions a formula brand gets us nowhere.

Again, I suppose most of my feelings go back to the fact that I have made so many birth and mothering choices that others view as cop outs. No one has ever said it to my face, but when the debates begin, the old uneasiness hits as always. I have had three scheduled cesearean sections. I have never labored. I fo