Is it ever better to not breastfeed an infant?

Yes, sometimes a mom: is on a medication that is not safe for the baby; in that case breastfeeding would be contraindicated. There are also some times that a woman isn't able to produce enough milk for physical or emotional reasons. There also may be some infections which could be passed onto a baby during breastfeeding. Sometimes, in those cases, the milk can be pumped and discarded until that is out of mom's system.