Has anyone posted about the (new) Indonesian law on breastfeeding?

[UpSinceCrapOClock]

Just wondered what people thought about this ?

A law stating that all babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months, otherwise there's a hefty fine or prison sentence.

I can see that they want to promote and encourage breastfeeding, especially because of the conditions described in the article, but surely there are better ways to do this? And how on earth would you enforce it? And what about mums who can't breastfeed, or abandoned babies, or babies whose mums died in childbirth - will the government set up something like wetnurse system for those babies? What would happen in those circumstances?

I seem to remember that other countries have imposed similar laws with great success.

In developing countries it is sometimes difficult for individual women to take a stand and insist on being able to bf for as long as possible.

In the UK a woman can take her employer to court if they stand in the way of her breastfeeding, so you could argue that this law is simply making it explicit.

I think it is a good idea. I like the desperate backtracking from Nestle in the BBC article too.

Can thing of better ways to promote breastfeeding:

1. ban advertising of formula
2. maternity leave for 6 months
3. good support for breastfeeding mums
4. all baby food to be labelled suitable for 6 months plus
5. perhaps even have formula on prescription only - controversial but less so than prison!

Pumping didn't really work very well for me so if maternity leave was less than 6 months so I'd be fined or sent to prison

I just read it and to me it seemed that the fines and prison sentance are not for the mothers but anyone else who stands in the way eg employer who doesn't provide facilities / someone who asks women not to feed their baby in public etc etc. Is that so different to the position here?