Is breastfeeding best practice?

With our high standards of sanitation and healthcare, how important is breastfeeding?

Any breastfeeding advocate can rattle off a list of the advantages of breastfeeding to infants, their mothers and society. The list of benefits ranges from better emotional attachment to a lower risk of childhood leukaemia or dental malocclusion. However, claims of benefit have been contentious, with many studies failing to demonstrate a clear advantage and some even showing increased risk of a negative health outcome with breastfeeding.