Parents today are very concerned with finding every way possible to substitute other things in place of themselves in their children’s lives. Planned surgical removal of a baby from a mother’s body, replaces a natural birthing process. Pacifiers replace breasts when a child has trouble going to sleep or is in need of comfort. Strollers replace the arms of a parent, leaving the child far from human touch. Cribs replace night-long snuggles in the bed with family. Bottles and fake nipples replace breasts as a baby’s nutrition. Formula replaces breastmilk. Baby bouncers and toys replace interaction with mom and dad. TVs replace interaction with anyone at all.

Some of the above things are even being defended as a better approach. Until recently, formula feeding a child was considered to be scientifically superior to breastfeeding. Marketing campaigns, doctor kick backs, and a new expectation for women to work out of the home paved the way for an entire generation of mothers who choose fake milk products for the nourishment of their children, rather than breastmilk. Now, baby bottles and pacifiers are accepted symbols of a baby. Despite the fact that much scientific research has now proven that breastmilk is FAR superior to anything else for infant nutrition, doctors STILL recommend “supplemental feeding” of formula or rice cereal for babies. In fact, research has shown that feeding a child anything other than breastmilk for AT LEAST the first six months of the child’s life can have detrimental effects on the child’s health. Why, then, are people still substituting a bottle in place of a breast?

What happened to make us think it was okay to substitute all kinds of things in place of ourselves in our children’s lives? No wonder people think it is expensive to have children.