Independent Legislator Freddy Lim’s (林昶佐) questioning of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s breastfeeding policy during an interpellation session on April 13 has sparked a wave of debate.
Whenever the breastfeeding issue is raised, mothers are heard talking about their frustrations in tears, whether it is the physical pain or discomfort of breastfeeding, the pressure that they receive from hospitals to breastfeed, guilty feelings of not being able to breastfeed or judgmental comments by relatives or passersby.
With so many mothers sharing the same experiences, one can only imagine how much pain and pressure they endure.
As an exasperated friend said to me: “The policy encourages mothers to get enough sleep at night to protect their milk supply, but then it also says that we should feed our babies whenever they are hungry, regardless of day or night. What should I do? Sleep or feed?”
After reading the ministry’s breastfeeding policy, I wondered if the authors are living in a parallel universe. Otherwise, they would not come up with unfeasible suggestions such as “breastfeed while walking” or “breastfeed while taking the gondola.”
Sanitation concerns aside, mothers carry several things when they go out with their children, so encouraging mothers to “breastfeed while walking” is not at all practical, not to mention personal safety issues.
In a modern society, it is an arduous task for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for six months if they do not have family support or are in dual-income households.
The policy’s waiver form to choose formula milk over breastfeeding at hospitals could fill mothers with guilt. What began as a well-intentioned policy to improve breastfeeding rates has become emotional manipulation composed of unrealistic and ludicrous health advice.
The government seems to have overlooked the evidence that women are not robots. They are people who experience intense changes and challenges — physically and emotionally — after going through nine months of pregnancy and excruciating labor.
To promote breastfeeding, the ministry encourages hospitals and clinics to attain mother and infant-friendly hospital certification.
However, hospitals do not have enough staff to equip mothers with adequate breastfeeding knowledge and skills before or after birth.
To achieve the WHO’s goal of an “increased rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months to at least 50 percent,” hospitals are putting the pressure of meeting that target on mothers. Instead of getting warmth and support, mothers are pressured to feed their babies their own milk at hospitals, creating a distorted situation in which mothers must sign a waiver form upon giving up breastfeeding.
The issue does not stop at breastfeeding, as the nation lacks knowledge of breastmilk substitutes. To promote breastfeeding, the government has been using various measures to discourage the production of baby formula. This has made breastfeeding seem like the only viable option.
As information about alternatives is difficult to find, mothers who suffer physical discomfort when breastfeeding, or who opt for an alternative, can only rely on themselves to do their own research online or exchange information with friends.
The government should offer transparent, balanced and ample information to mothers so that they can choose what is best for them in their circumstance, and ensure that their babies receive proper nutrition.
The public should also stop using emotionally manipulative slogans such as “children have the right to mother’s milk” or “breastfeeding is eco-friendly” to coerce mothers into breastfeeding.
Non-breastfeeding mothers also need support. A child’s health comes before anything else, and breastfeeding is a personal choice, not something that a “good mother” is compelled to do.
Whenever I touch upon this subject, I have to reiterate that I am not denying the benefits of breastfeeding. As the practice is beneficial, it is crucial to create an environment that is conducive to breastfeeding as well.
As the government strives to reach the WHO’s goal, it should also remember to provide mothers with sufficient support. It should respect mothers’ choices instead of seeing them merely as key performance indicators for reaching a certain goal.
Chen Su-fang is the secretary-general of Taiwan Women’s Link.
Translated by Rita Wang
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