Regular visitors at the Soekarno International Airport in Jakarta are struck by one change : the Eicture of a happy mother reastfeeding her child has replaced an old one that promoted bottlefeeding.

The change in the billboard is the result of a campaign Indonesia has launched to encourage mothers to throw away the bottles and breastfeed their babies.

While most of the developing countries are now being swept by this pro-breastfeeding wave. Bangladesh Is yet to catch up with the new wind. The cities of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, project advertisements that promote bottlefeeding. However, understandably there is a campaign against bottlefeeding In Bangladesh too. but if is too week to be taken into cognisance. like in Indonesia. But then everywhere bottlefeeding now considered not only ex-Eensive fpr mothers but also armful to child's health.

Internationally, it is now a child's basic right to be nourished by the mother's milk. But the child is denied this right not because of his/her own fault but because of the mother's ignorance and attractive campaigns by the baby food manufacturers.

Prejudice against breastfeeding in public often coupled with superstition is also a big factor against growth of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in public is often met with disapproval. and many women still feel shy to feed their babies in front of others. To many others, it is a taboo, an act socially prohibited.

Bangladesh presents rather a gloomy picture as it prepared to observe the World Breastfeeding Week. August 1-7 and thus joins the world in' trying to raise the awareness about the virtues of breastfeeding.

Promotion of breastfeeding is not only an Individual affair. it'S also the responsibility of the society. That's the message given this’ year with the slogan Breastfeeding : Community responsibility”.

Last year the world was told during similar observance that breastfeeding symbolises empowerment of women, and the year before the theme of the week was "Protect Breastleed-ing Making the code of work' Earlier, the slogans were mother friendly workplace initiative and baby-friendly hospital initiative. .

These theme are significant because thpy Focus op the obstacles in the way Of breastfeeding.

Over the years, promotion of breastfeeding has become a worldwide movement Bangla desh has joined this movement at a time when its long tradition of breastfeeding was waning. The outcome has been unfortunate : a rise in the child and infant mortality rate

According to some, sources 80-90 per cent of mothers in Bangladesh still breastfeed their babies in'the first year of the birth. But at the same time many of them resort to babyfood substitutes.

A survey conducted by a group of students from Dhaka University's Home Economics Department on some 150 mothers in Dhaka, revealed that breastmilk substitute was given to newborns within 24 ours of their birth. In case of affluent mothers, it was 70 per cent, middle class 74 per cent, low Income group 54 per cent.

The suggestion to depend only on breastfeeding until the child is five-month old was rejected by 28 per cent of higher class. 36 per cent of middle class and 38 per cent of lower socio-economic group.

According to doctors. 21.4 per cent of them cited mother's poor health. 4.8 per cent child's illness and 4.8 per cent breast problem as the reason for not choosing breastfeeding.

"Very often we are forced to offer breastmilk substitutes, in case of insufficient mother's milk due to illness" said a nurse who preferred not to be identified.

A good number of mothers refuse to breastfeed as they are too conscious about their beauty and figure. It's wrong though.

"This is a nonsense. A mother's beauty increases if she goes for breastfeeding. It helps quick return to health after child birth ", said Khon-daker Rebaka Sun-Yat of Bangladesh Women Health -Coalition.

Another survey by ICDDR.B and IPHN. disclosed that about 90 per cent of working mothers gave their babies colostrum and 13.4 per cent breast-feed them exclusively from birth until two months but only two per cent continued the practice till five months. Most mothers (46.2 per cent) started giving other milk substitutes because they would have to resume work soon. About 80 per cent of mothers found no facilities to breastfeed the babies at workplaces.

Although everyone agrees with the slogan — "There is no alternative to breastmilk" — it is hardly put into practice. The unethical marketing and promotion of breastmilk substitutes has worsened the situa-tion.

An observation on 15 hospitals in four metropolitan cities and three district towns (Dhaka. Chittagong. Khulna. Rajshahi. Barisal. Bogra and Bagherhat) disclosed how aggressively the market promo tional activities of baby food companies were carried out in most of the hospitals.

According to the observation. in 53.3 per cent of the hospitals, the baby is fed tinpot mllkpowder which is pre-

scribed by doctors. Tinpot milkpowder, infant and weaning food were found in the wards of 53.3 per cent of the hospitals during the visit. In 73.3 per cent of hospitals, the. company people offered gifts, distributed free sample to doctors and nurses. Some 6.7 per cent of the hospitals received free tinpbt milks as donations. The authorities were fully aware of the situation.

Although the government restricted sales of any breastmilk substitute by offering any gift, prize, discount or any free item, the practice is going on in full swing defying the rules. The governments in past failed to make any head way in preventing this trend.

According to statistics, the country imported powdered and baby milks worth about Tk 350 crore in the last fiscal (1995-96) as against Tk 5Q0 crore in 1994-95.

According to doctors, the practice of correct breastfeeding is declining in Bangladesh. "Commercial and social pres sure on mothers through advertising and promotion of breastmilk substitute erode correct infant practices", said a child specialist.

"Healthy babies todaj’ make a healthy labour force tomorrow. None can deny the truth." said a working mother Zaheda Akhtar who left her job for lack of facilities for breastfeeding. Like Zaheda. a good num ber of working mothers left their jobs due to lack of atmosphere and to ensure proper breastfeeding and take care of their children.

According to doctors. Colostrum", the first milk of mother, is the newborn's first and most important immunisation. "It protects infants from various infectious diseases. A non-breastfed baby has 20 times higher risk of death compared to an exclusively breastfed one", said Dr S K Roy of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation.'

A breastfed baby becomes more talented and has more human quality and compassion. Exclusive breastfeeding also acts as contraceptive, preventing upto six additional preg nancies during a mother's reproductive life and provides protection against ovarian and breast cancer, osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis.

Government policies and programme should be formu lated to empower women and ensure their access to resources to achieve optimal health for themselves and their children.

"Legislation controlling marketing of breastmilk sub stitute should be vigorously enforced and should review the existing legislation on protect ing rights of working women, enforce such legislation and enact additional legislation if existing laws are inadequate . said woman activist.

— NEWS NETWORK