There is a strong scientific consensus on the benefits of breast feeding and formula has been carefully designed to mimic this. It simply is not possible with current technologies to reproduce this with a plant substitute. These provide antigens for a baby’s immune system and nutrients for gut microflora in addition to feeding the child. It poses a serious health risk to deprive a child of these. That is my assumption. There are no suitable alternatives to my knowledge, hence the question.

I’m not here to argue semantics. I asked this question in good faith and made my premise clear. I’m genuinely curious if this is a moral dilemma for some vegans or if it is considered acceptable to feed their children animal products. Have alternatives been considered for if animal products become scarce due to lack of demand? Are they nutritionally equivalent? I’ve deliberately worded this differently to past questions on formula. Edit suggestions welcome (I am sleep-deprived father of a newborn).

“By who?” By themselves. It varies but as far as I’m aware, most vegans abide by a personal code of ethics and many practice the lifestyle for ethical reasons. If the motives are to drive down demand for animal products and create a vegan-majority society, there will be concerns like these for people who need these for medical reasons. I would expect an answer to address these wider concerns.

Just leave out the cheese? It’s not hard. I’m not sure if this question is appropriate due to its trivial nature.

This question is primarily opinion-based (even if it has been reworded). There is no meaningful answer or consensus, every individual will have a different answer to this dilemma. No one answer is objectively correct or based on facts.