“Bottle-feeding should be the exception and not the norm,” this was stated by Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne during the launch of the consultation document for the new Breastfeeding Policy.

The policy aims at increasing the number of women who opt to breastfeed their child and provides a holistic strategy at implementing measures which support breastfeeding. These measures include the enactment of new legislation, the training of healthcare professionals in the promotion of breastfeeding and the development of community based initiatives.

The policy also calls on society to adopt measures which ensure that mothers have the necessary setting to breastfeed. The private sector will be encouraged to promote these measures and in leading by example the government will be setting up a breastfeeding room in the primary health centres whilst Mater Dei Hospital is taking the necessary measures to qualify as a ‘Baby Friendly Hospital.’

The Parliamentary Secretary said that “the breastfeeding policy is an important milestone in the fight against obesity and will pave the way to achieve higher exclusive breastfeeding rates for the first six months and thereafter with appropriate complimentary foods.”

Permalink: Bottle-feeding should be the exception not the norm, says Chris Fearne