The Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries brought about major changes in the way people lived and worked. As urbanization increased and women began to enter the workforce in greater numbers, the practice of breastfeeding began to decline. Economic pressures, along with the rise of factory work and urban living, made it increasingly difficult for mothers to breastfeed their children. In addition, the development of infant formula during the late 19th century provided an alternative to breastfeeding.

Infant formula, initially created as a substitute for breast milk, became popular among middle-class families who were unable or unwilling to breastfeed. The convenience of formula allowed mothers to continue working outside the home, and advertisements began to promote formula as a scientifically advanced alternative to breast milk. The formula industry expanded rapidly, and by the early 20th century, bottle feeding had become widespread in many parts of the Western world.

The 20th Century: The Medicalization of Infant Feeding

In the 20th century, breastfeeding began to be overshadowed by the rise of formula feeding, which was promoted as a modern, scientific alternative to breastfeeding. The medicalization of infant feeding, where doctors and medical professionals emphasized formula feeding as a safer and more reliable method, contributed to the decline of breastfeeding in many Western countries.

In the mid-20th century, breastfeeding rates in the United States and other industrialized nations reached historically low levels. Social pressures, medical advice, and the growing availability of infant formula all contributed to this trend. At the same time, however, breastfeeding remained the norm in many non-Western cultures and was still widely practiced in rural areas. shutdown123