Feeding Infants: Choice-Specific Considerations, Parental Obligation, and Pragmatic Satisficing

Abstract Health institutions recommend that young infants be exclusively breastfed on demand, and it is widely held parents who can breastfeed have an obligation to do so. This has been challenged in recent philosophical work, especially by Fiona Woollard. Woollard’s work critically engages with two distinct views of parental might ground such obligation—based maximal benefit avoidance significant harm—to reject breastfeed. While agreeing substantive conclusion, this paper (drawing discussion the ‘right rear’) argues there are several more moderate which also thought obligation. We first show result not from a general maximally one’s child, but what we call ‘choice-specific’ obligations maximise within particular activities. then develop idea through obligation—the Dual Interest view, Best Custodian view—to before showing how both these fail. Finally, argue only no children, often morally right Since much advice health issue implies exclusive breastfeeding demand best option for all families, our argument drives feeding debate forward misrepresents parents’ moral potentially harmful ways.