Probing Question: Is breastfeeding really best for babies?

Most new parents want to give their babies the very best start in life. They give careful thought to everything from nursery decorations to choice of family physician. Yet when it comes to their babies' nutrition, relatively few women in the United States heed the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics to breastfeed babies "for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as is mutually desired."