Contents
Russia proposed to ban the sale of infant formula
And also prohibit advertising of artificial feeding: they say, women, having seen enough of cute videos, deliberately refuse to breastfeed.
The first memories of the birth of a son in the hospital: he was hungry all the time.
“Apply to the breast on demand,” said the neonatologist.
I applied non-stop. But there was very little milk on the first day.
“She is losing weight until we discharge,” the strict doctor said on the second day.
From that moment on, they began to feed my baby with a mixture. Even a portion was not enough for him: he drank a bottle in one gulp and asked for more. Now I think with horror, what if the hospital went on principle and did not bring artificial milk to my son? How many extra days would we spend in the ward if we consider that I was able to establish full-fledged feeding only two weeks after giving birth?
I was lucky that the milk eventually came, that no one was ashamed of the bottles and did not consider me inferior. But it was exactly lucky. Many young and inexperienced mothers suffer from the fact that they are called selfish, believing that they care about the beauty of their own breasts, rather than about the well-being of the baby. Although the reasons why it did not work out with GW can be very different.
And now they are concerned about this issue at the legislative level! Moreover, as always, it turned out to be easier to prohibit something than to try to solve the problem. Instead of creating breastfeeding support services at maternity hospitals, the deputies opposed advertising of infant formula. And not just advertising, but free trial giveaways, gifts and other marketing gizmos.
“An important factor in encouraging mothers to abandon breastfeeding in favor of artificial is the advertising of breast milk substitutes, as well as the accompanying marketing activities carried out by some manufacturers and retailers,” – said in an explanatory note to the bill, which is already under consideration in State Duma. If accepted, it will come into effect from the new year.
The authors of the document refer to research carried out by the Federal Research Center of Nutrition and Biotechnology. According to them, only a little more than 51 percent of mothers practice early latching of healthy babies to the breast.
“Of particular concern is the fact that 49,3 percent of practically healthy children in the maternity hospital received supplementary feeding with formula, and 3,7 percent of children were artificially fed from birth,” the officials write.
And no clarification that the reasons why the mother did not attach a healthy baby to her breast can be completely different. But there is a reference to world practice: they say, the WHO International Code of Rules for the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes just prescribes a direct ban on advertising on formulas for babies up to 6 months old, and in many countries this applies to formulas for babies up to one year old.
“The law is dictated by life,” Valery Ryazansky, chairman of the Federation Council committee on social policy, said at a press conference in the NSN. – He will prohibit advertising, imposing, promoting nutrition to babies under one year old. The very plot of the law is very simple: it is aimed at the fact that the best nutrition is breastfeeding and there is absolutely no reason to quit and replace it without consulting specialists with various kinds of formula. “
There is a breast – must feed
No, we do not argue, the best food for a baby was created by nature itself. During the first six months of life, breast milk can completely replace both food and water for the baby (this, by the way, is a WHO recommendation). But after all, it will not always be possible to establish natural feeding … And what should young mothers do if another initiative, which has already been voiced by the chairman of the National Parents’ Committee, Irina Volynets, will receive its development? She believes that the mixtures should be removed from the free sale altogether.
“Doctors say that a woman cannot breastfeed her baby only if she has no breast,” Irina said at the same press conference. – It would be ideal if the state banned the sale of mixtures in principle. They need to be issued only by prescription and free of charge. “
The free will of the woman herself is apparently not taken into account. As well as the fact that breast milk can run out in a month or two. It turns out that the child will sit hungry until the mother gets a certificate that she really has no milk. All in all, the initiative is splendid. Only real care for the baby and the young mother does not smell here.
Interview
Did you breastfeed your baby?
Yes, I did, and for a very long time. But I was lucky.
I’m sure those who don’t feed on their own are just selfish.
No, I didn’t have milk, and I’m not ashamed of that.
I couldn’t give the baby milk and I still blame myself for it.
I deliberately switched to a mixture, I often had to leave the house.
I had to choose artificial feeding for health reasons.
I’ll leave my answer in the comments.