Tomorrow will begin to discuss in the National Assembly the reform of the Law on Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding in Venezuela, according to which the advertising of milk formulas and bottles will be punished to babies under six months and the prescription of serum to newborns will be prohibited.
Many voices have been applauding and certainly many others booing the news of Venezuela and its war against dairy formulas and bottles. The objective, according to the ruling party, would be to promote breastfeeding over any other option, although the opposition criticizes the measure in the opinion that breastfeeding matters little to the Government and what is intended is to alleviate the shortage of basic necessities that There are in the country. Controversy served.
The proposal is good.
The proposal is not from Venezuela nor is it new. WHO drafted 1981 the International Code of Breast Milk Substitutes, to which several countries have acceded, although unfortunately it is not met and there is already talk of failure.
The Code stipulates that no form of promotion of breast milk substitutes, bottles and teats should be carried out in the general population; that neither health facilities nor health professionals should carry out functions to promote substitutes, and that free samples of these products should not be provided to pregnant women, new mothers and families.
What is intended to mean is that the natural and normalized option should be for the mother to breastfeed her baby, since physiologically it is prepared for it. 95% of women can breastfeed their children. Of course, if there are problems with breastfeeding, we will try to solve them by supporting and informing the mother, and if there is none because that mother cannot truly breastfeed, there will be another option for the child to be adequately fed. Formula milks will be sold, but only under medical prescription, as if they were a medicine.
What we can not see as normal is that free samples of artificial milks are given in health centers or hospitals because yes, that milk of formula is sold by default or give a bottle of greasy serum to a newborn, even sometimes without Parental consent
No, the normal thing is that the first option is breastfeedingIf this does not work (rare, because there are very few women who do not have the capacity to feed their babies), the formulas will be used. In recent years they have been tried to match breast milk, but it is not comparable. Artificial milks have risks for the baby, however breast milk only brings benefits.
The law seeks to promote exclusive breastfeeding up to six months and with complementary feeding up to two years, because it is proven to be the best for the baby, as recommended by WHO.
Politicians who support the reform say:
“The most important thing is love, which is sometimes lost because they don't give it that warmth that involves breastfeeding the baby”
“Raise awareness among the people, Venezuelan mothers and the world, so that they know the importance of providing breast milk to children, from birth to two years of age”
What we do not know is whether there is also a political intention behind it, which is very likely, but we cannot forget that the proposal is good.
Force to breastfeed?
Some media such as El País titled "The Venezuelan government wants to force mothers to breastfeed"but it is a biased way of informing. How is it possible that he is forced by law to breastfeed? No one can force anyone to do an intimate act like breastfeeding their child.
Information is manipulated and misunderstood, and even more so in the case of a country like Venezuela, the issue is exacerbated.
It is not imposing but protecting and promoting breastfeeding. If you read the text of the Law at any time it speaks of "compelling" or "imposing" breastfeeding. No one will be watching whether each child is breastfed or not, but tries to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for those who seek the best for their child.
The motto "breastfeeding saves lives" is not a cliché. There are countries where social differences are very marked and breastfeeding is a matter of life or death.
I don't sympathize at all, but nothing, with the Venezuelan government, but as a breastfeeding advocate I see it necessary protect by law breastfeeding. I wish other countries would also understand, because I think it's a health priority issue.
Now, if there is an unethical intention behind the reform, there with their conscience.
