Studies have found several barriers to exclusive breastfeeding, including a lack of knowledge, misconceptions about breastmilk, exposure to breastmilk substitutes, lactation difficulties, employment concerns and insufficient family or community support.

A city employee in Depok, whom I will identify only as Cicilya, said she had almost decided not to exclusively breastfeed her baby. “After delivery, my breastmilk was low and health workers immediately offered me formula milk. I refused [...]. Back at work, there was no lactation room, so I had to walk to the prayer room for milking,” said the mother of two, who said she had to hide behind a curtain in the prayer room. “It was very tiring,” she recalled.

Collective action is needed to increase exclusive breastfeeding. The WHO and other international organizations promote exclusive breastfeeding particularly through the annual World Breastfeeding Week, the first week of August. This year’s theme, “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding” stresses the roles of both the mother and the father.

Indonesia has Government Regulation on Health No. 36/2009 and Health Ministry Regulation No. 49/2014 to promote breastfeeding. However, we are missing effective monitoring, implementation and evaluation.

Among other factors, we face aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes by the industry, as reflected in the growth of their sales. Researcher Adiatma Siregar and his colleagues estimated last year that the cost of not breastfeeding could amount to US$1.54 billion annually for Indonesia, mainly for the treatment of various diseases.

Thus, other ministries should be on board, including the ministries of industry and trade, to regulate and monitor breastmilk substitute sales.

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