|
The
World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1.5 million infants
die as a result of diarrhoea every year because they are not
breastfed. Despite this, companies continue to promote artificial
feeding in ways that undermine breastfeeding. IBFAN works to
protect breastfeeding and to ensure that mothers receive correct
information about infant feeding free from commercial pressure.
IBFAN also works to improve the safety of artificial feeds.
"Use
my picture if it will help," said this mother at the
Children's Hosptial, Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo: UNICEF.
A
baby dies every 30 seconds from unsafe bottle feeding
The photograph
above tells the tragic story of the fatalities that occur due
to unsafe bottle feeding. The babies are twins: the child with
the bottle is a girl - she died the day after this photograph
was taken - but her brother was breastfed and thrived.
The mother
was told that she would not have enough milk for both children,
and so she breasted her son and bottle-fed her daughter. But
she would almost certainly have been able to feed both her
babies, since the more a baby suckles, the more milk is produced.
Bottle
feeding can kill
Companies
that make baby foods or bottles and teats are well aware that
infants die from unsafe bottle feeding. However, they continue
to put profits before health by encouraging mothers and health
workers to use their milks and equipment. Others are left to
count the cost.
One
and a half million lives could be saved every year by reversing
the decline in breastfeeding, says the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF).
One
needless infant death occurs every 30 seconds. Millions more
babies become seriously ill and the cost of baby milks impoverishes
people who are already poor, affecting whole families.
How
does bottle feeding kill babies?
The water
mixed with baby milk powder can be unsafe and it is often impossible
in poor conditions to keep bottles and teats sterile. Bottle
feeding under such circumstances can lead to infections causing
diarrhoea, the biggest killer of children worldwide.
Baby milk
is also very expensive, often costing more than half the entire
family income. This means that bottle feeding will contribute
to family malnutrition. Furthermore, poor mothers trying to make
the milk go further sometimes overdilute the powder, and the
baby may not then receive the nutrition he or she needs.
Bottle
baby disease is the name given to the deadly combination of diarrhoea,
dehydration and malnutrition which is the result of unsafe bottle
feeding.
Breastfeeding:
the best start in life
Breastfeeding
is free, safe and protects against infection. It is extremely
rare for a woman to be physically unable to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding
reduces the risk of illness in all countries. Even in the UK,
a bottle-fed baby is up to 10 times more likely to suffer gastro-intestinal
illness than a breastfed one.
Where
water is unsafe, UNICEF says that babies are 25 times more likely
to die if they are bottle fed.
Breastfed
babies need no other food or drink for about the first 6 months
of life. They also have reduced risk of diabetes, pneumonia,
ear infections, and some cancers. Studies show that women who
breastfeed may have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers
and that their babies are less likely to die of cot death.
A mother
has a right to independent information and freedom from pressure
from companies. If she chooses to bottle feed she should be aware
of the risks and costs.
How
companies get babies on the bottle
To increase
profits, baby milk companies have to persuade health workers
and mothers to bottle feed. Their tactics range from advertising
and misinformation to sending sales reps into hospitals to promote
their milks to sponsoring health workers, conferences and even
health facilities.
The
International Code
The International
Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was adopted by the
World Health Assembly in 1981. The Assembly is the policy-setting
body of the World Health Organisation.
The International
Code aims to protect all mothers and babies from inappropriate
company marketing practices. It bans all promotion of breastmilk
substitutes, bottles and teats. It aims to ensure mothers receive
accurate information from health workers. Subsequent Resolutions
of the World Health Assembly have clarified and amplified the
International Code.
Baby food companies may not:
- Give
free supplies of baby milk to hospitals;
- Promote
their products to the public or health workers;
- Use baby
pictures on their baby milk and bottle and teat labels;
- Give
gifts to mothers or health workers;
- Give
free samples to parents;
- Promote
baby foods or drinks for babies under 6 months old;
- Labels
must be in a language understood by the mother and must include
a prominent health warning.
The Code
is intended as a minimum requirement for countries in both the
North and the South.
So
what's happening now?
Most baby
food manufacturers are continuing their unethical promotional
activities whilst claiming to abide by the International Code.
They are increasingly "investing" in health workers
and health care systems, spending more money promoting their
products than most governments spend on health education.
Companies
know that if they persuade a health worker to recommend their
milk, they have gained a lifetime's brand loyalty. This is much
more cost effective than persuading mothers individually. Advertising
in hospitals implies that the product is endorsed by the health
service: coupled with misinformation, this has created the false
impression amongst mothers and health workers that many women
cannot breastfeed.
Even
more effective is the practice of giving free or subsidised
supplies of baby milk to hospitals and maternity wards. This
encourages artificial infant feeding, which interferes with
lactation. Once a mother leaves hospital formula is no longer
free, the company has another captive customer, and the mother
and baby are denied the best start in life.
Next
|
