Breastfeeding practices in Indonesia

Abstract

Breastfeeding promotion program was started by the paediatricians and others in 1977, and is becoming a strong activity since 1990 it was declared by the President of the Republic of Indonesia as a National Movement. One year later the First Lady stated the importance of every Indonesian mother to breast-feed her baby, and thereafter many hospitals created the so called "Baby Friendly Hospital". In this occasion we only limit with eminent topics, i.e., "Exclusive Breast-feeding" in Indonesia, and "Breastfeeding amongst Working Mothers." In fact, until now the percentage of mothers who breastfeed exclusively is very low. Although the ever breastfed babies in Indonesia is 97% (Kodyat, 1996) but the data of the "Exclusive Breastfeeding" of Indonesia is just like Pakistan and Thailand, i.e. nearly 2 months, whereas the Philippines and Ceylon showed a figure of 4 months, and India 5 months. The Home Health Survey (SKRT) data in 1992 showed that 63.7% of the babies were exclusively breast-fed until 3 months. Three quarter of the quality of the exclusive breastmilk is quite good, enough or excellent, whereas the other one quarter is poor and this should be interfered by increasing the quality of the breastmilk and/or adding other formula, to prevent the baby of getting "failure to thrive" (Suharyono, 1996). Working mothers use to do "Early Weaning Practices" with very high mixed feeding practices (Matulessy et al, 1996). Mothers have to go to work because they have to support their family income, but unfortunately most of them ignore their main task of care their children.

In conclusion: the experience in Indonesia proves that a very hard work should still be continued on the effort of promoting breastfeeding, especially regarding the two issues, i.e. "Exclusive breastfeeding" (we do hope at least until 4 months) and the other issue is regarding the "Working Mothers".

PIP: Official efforts to promote breast feeding in Indonesia and to urge hospitals to adopt "baby-friendly" policies have increased the proportion of breast-fed infants to 97%. The duration of exclusive breast feeding is less than 3 months, however, despite official advocacy of breast milk only for 4 months. Moreover, the proportion of infants exclusively breast fed for 4 months actually declined from 51% in 1991 to 47% in 1994. Factors associated with the early introduction of infant formula and solid foods include lack of sufficient quantity of breast milk, suckling problems, inverted nipple, formula advertisements, mothers' desire to be "modern," low support from husbands, hospitals' failure to implement rooming-in, and the special difficulties faced by working mothers. The Indonesian Government has launched an IEC campaign to achieve an exclusive breast feeding rate of 80-100% by the year 2000. This goal will require the referral of women who experience difficulties with breast feeding to lactation clinics, the provision of opportunities for women to breast feed at workplaces (e.g., employment-based day care centers), extension of the pregnancy leave further into the postpartum period, and establishment of baby-friendly communities and districts.