"WHO has made no statement quantifying the impact on either morbidity or mortality of infants being fed on bona fide infant formula, i.e. breast-milk substitutes manufactured in accordance with the relevant standards of the Codex Alimentarius.

In contrast, WHO has estimated that [this] number of infant deaths … could be averted annually through effective breastfeeding promotion, and this irrespective of the breast-milk substitutes used to feed them, or for that matter, the feeding utensils employed for this purpose."

WHO, 1992

As exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to be relatively rare, the WHO statement stresses the importance of promoting exclusive breastfeeding for as long as possible. Dietary surveys show that the vast majority of young infants are given water, rice water, starch water and whole cow's milk whether they are breastfed or not. Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding is needed to help change these practices; extending the time of partial breastfeeding is also important.

As exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to be relatively rare, the WHO statement stresses the importance of promoting exclusive breastfeeding for as long as possible. Dietary surveys show that the vast majority of young infants are given water, rice water, starch water and whole cow"s milk whether they are breastfed or not.1 Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding is needed to help change these practices; extending the time of partial breastfeeding is also important.

Nestlé's supports the promotion of breastfeeding. A little-known fact is that Nestlé is a major producer of breastfeeding promotional material in many of the countries in which we operate. Nestlé is also the largest private distributor of the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in the world, having distributed tens of thousand of copies to educate both our staff and the health systems we deal with.

Working mothers in Sri Lanka by Beverley Mirando

In Sri Lanka, legislation provides paid maternity leave of 84 working days for the first two children and of 48 working days for the third child onwards. As the numbers of working mothers is ever increasing, doctors recognise that infant formula has a legitimate place, when mums return to work. Being a working mother, I too gave my daughters infant formula when I went back to work.

The use of boiled water is vital in preparing infant formula. The majority of women using this product are literate and educated, so the instructions initially given by the health worker and printed on the label (which is in all three local languages, and pictorially too), are readily followed.

In Sri Lanka, where costs of basics like food, electricity, clothing and education absorb a major portion of a family income and where it is a necessity rather than a luxury to have two incomes, a mother would not resort to purchasing infant formula unless she had to, when breast-milk is "freely" available.

Most Sri Lankan mothers who do not breastfeed use breast-milk substitutes such as cow's milk or full cream milk powder. Doctors agree that these substitutes are not appropriate for babies and that infant formula is preferable if mothers cannot breastfeed.