Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is going after infant formula. The project called “Operation Stork Speed” will review infant formula and make it “as close to mother’s milk as we can get.” What they come up with remains to be seen, but for parents the science on the bottle-versus-breast debate is already in and not nearly as controversial as some people believe.

First, professional societies all recommend that newborns be breastfed. There are subtle differences in recommended duration but everyone agrees breastfeeding serves the nutritional needs of babies until they are ready to start taking solid food.

But not all women can breastfeed for a variety of reasons including infection, pain, low milk supply, fatigue or an underlying medical illness. Also some babies, especially preterm infants, may require specific nutritional formulations. So infant formula serves an important medical need.

The problem and the origin of the Breast is Best campaign go back to the 1970s when breastfeeding had hit historic lows with only about one-quarter of babies........

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