Belgian hospitals ‘don’t back breast-feeding’

23 November 2004

BRUSSELS – There are no Belgian hospitals actively encouraging new mother to breast-feed, according to new statistics released on Tuesday.

Worldwide figures show that 19,000 hospitals in 130 countries currently have a “baby-friendly” label, which denotes an active strategy to encourage breast-feeding.

Created in 1991, the label means that hospitals are rewarded if they promote the breast-feeding standards upheld by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.

Breast-feeding programmes aim to inform future mothers about the benefits of feeding their baby naturally and helps mothers who have just given birth to get their child to latch on immediately.

Belgium, Portugal and Greece are the only European countries that do not have a single hospital that offers mothers breast-feeding assistance.

Lack of properly trained staff is the reason given for Belgium’s reluctance to promote natural feeding methods.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news