# UAE Law to Make Breastfeeding Mandatory Until Age Two



## Melanie Mayo (Apr 1, 2010)

Quote:


> Mothers in Abu Dhabi will be required to breastfeed their children until the age of two, in terms of a new law currently under discussion in the legislative body of the United Arab Emirates.
> 
> FNC members argued that breastfeeding was a "duty" and every infant should be entitled to be nursed as it was beneficial for health and built a strong bond between mother and child.
> 
> Women's groups were not convinced, however. Marie-Claire Bakker, a member of the international breastfeeding support group, La Leche League, said breastfeeding was a deeply personal experience and "this relationship and bond cannot be legislated."


*Read more at Haartz and The National*

What do you think?


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## peaceful_mama (May 27, 2005)

My thought is what about those who can't? Happened with my first & it was devastating. It would have been much worse if I would have had to prove something in order to not be in violation of a law. I agree BF is important, but legislation is not the answer.


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## Lori Jean (Jan 28, 2014)

It's a nice thought, but I very much agree with "this relationship and bond cannot be legislated." For those who can't, for a myriad of reasons, the list of exceptions would be exhaustive. Instead of trying to force the breastfeeding from a legislative angle, perhaps consider making formula available only through a doctor's prescription, ensuring that someone with some medical experience (not a politician) communicates with the mother about the benefits and risks, and manages those mothers who want to abandon breastfeeding for non-medical reasons.


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## Amandag985 (Dec 4, 2013)

While I wholeheartedly agree that breastfeeding is the best choice it's a deeply personal thing for women and not always easy (not to mention none of some "well intentioned" politician's business). I breastfeed my son but need to supplement while at work as I cannot pump enough for all his feedings and the inability to produce enough milk caused a great deal of anxiety, guilt and shame initially. I cannot imagine what the additional pressure of legislation would do to a mother already upset about her struggles to feed her baby. Also, while breastfeeding IS best it's also a choice and women may have a number of reasons why it's not their preference and it's not the government's place to force a woman to breastfeed. I think they would be better served by focusing on educating everyone on the benefits and removing barriers to breastfeeding (like creating a culture welcoming to mothers nursing in public and providing breastpumps etc.).


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## Christina75 (Oct 4, 2013)

I breastfed my youngest who is also my 2nd born child for 2 years, 2 months and a few days on before weaning him. Legislation shouldn't be required to tell a mother to breastfeed her children for the first 2 years of it's life no matter where in the world they hail from.


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## mom2SnS (Jan 28, 2014)

^ "It's a nice thought." Really?! Forcing mothers use their bodies as the government dictates is a nice thought?

(I am saying this as a woman who avidly believes in BFing and BFed my own two children well past the age of 1 ... so I am in full support of breastfeeding and consider it the best for mother and child.) BUT ...

The fact that there are many reasons why women can't BF is SOO not the point. This discussion should not be about listing the reasons why it would be hard for mothers to follow this law. The point is that women's bodies are not the possession of the government. Period. No such law should exist, regardless of whether or not people could abide by it.

In a perfect world every woman would want to breastfeed and could do so with complete ease and comfort. But in a MORE perfect world, women should have reign over their own bodies and should be able to make their own safe and healthy choices (of which there are plenty non-breastmilk options) for their babies and raise them as they see fit. Not as the government demands. Ridiculous.


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## kythe (Dec 20, 2007)

How the heck are they going to regulate this? Make women breastfeed at their child's doctor's check-ups or something, just to prove they are still breastfeeding? Or take milk samples? I can see so many ways women can get around this anyway.

We would have violated this law. I weaned my firstborn around 15-16 months or so because i was pregnant and my milk dried up, and breastfeeding became extremely painful. She did start again after the birth though, so technically she was nursing at age 2. Does the law account for situations like this? My son self-weaned at 18 months old, to no apparant reason. I don't understand pressuring a toddler into nursing just to fulfill a legal obligation.


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## Gaye Durst (May 23, 2011)

Absurd. A continuation of the holding down of women. Yes a baby should be nursed for two years. Whrn you regulate womans bodie's by law your sending a clear message of oppression. Legislation should be on Formula companies. On their advertising and made available by dr.s prescription only.


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## Alenushka (Jul 27, 2002)

What do you expect from a country which treats women like a piece of meat? Women have no rights, can't drive and put to jail if they report rape.

Breastfeeding is personal decisions and no government should dictate what a woman should do.


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## amtheg (Jul 27, 2012)

Breastfeeding is between a mom and her child. It is an intimate bond. The decision to breastfeed needs to be left up to the mom. There are many reasons/issues that come up making breastfeeding impossible/not-work-able. This is a bad idea.


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## Marina Brasil (Sep 15, 2013)

OMG, that made me want to start a revolution....! Breastfeeding? Excelent. A law that wants to control women's bodies? Hell no! Is it just me who thinks this law must have been created mostly by men? I believe there aren't many women working in the legislative body of the United Arab Emirates.... Talk about opression...!


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## Ydolem (Jan 17, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mom2SnS*
> 
> ^ "It's a nice thought." Really?! Forcing mothers use their bodies as the government dictates is a nice thought?


I am pretty sure she didn't intend for it to seem that the law under review was a nice thought. I am pretty sure she meant that children being nursed til 2 was a nice thought.


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## Backroads (May 4, 2013)

Ridiculous. That's all I can say.


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## lolo77 (Nov 12, 2013)

This is awful for one reason only: law should never dictate what a woman does with her body. It's none of their biz. And I was a breast feeder.


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## jcfs (Jun 20, 2008)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alenushka*
> 
> What do you expect from a country which treats women like a piece of meat? Women have no rights, can't drive and put to jail if they report rape.
> 
> Breastfeeding is personal decisions and no government should dictate what a woman should do.


I am from Texas originally and have lived in AbuDhabi for four years now. You need to get your facts straight. Women have the same rights as men. Women most certainly can and do drive. They are not put in jail for reporting rape.


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## Alenushka (Jul 27, 2002)

You are right, I was wrong about driving but not about rape. This case was all over the news and there many others.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibtimes.com%2Fdubai-safe-female-travelers-norwegian-woman-jailed-over-rape-report-warns-others-1354317&ei=qZXoUr6tJcLpoAS494GgCg&usg=AFQjCNE4NU58Pu08HUXWb8kIhTc1Sxwmyg&sig2=9jWGVfNgZKQXSbYvmhoOhw


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## jcfs (Jun 20, 2008)

I live in AbuDhabi. The way legislation here works is very different from the U.S. There is no law in place yet to make breastfeeding mandatory until age two, and because of the obvious impediments already pointed out here, it is not likely to be enacted. There is, however, already a law in place stating that breastfeeding women have the right to either leave work early to go breastfeed their babies, or take extra breaks during the day to pump. That is better than what is available in the U.S. for sure.

There are other more pressing needs to protect the health and safety of children in the U.A.E. than enforcing breastfeeding. Making car seats mandatory to stop people driving around at 70+ miles per hour with their children not even wearing seat belts, sometimes sitting in the front seat, sometimes with their heads out the sunroof or windows is far more important than breastfeeding.

Making window latches in high rise apartment buildings so children don't fall out the window and die is more pressing than legislating breastfeeding.

Yes, supporting women who are able to and choose to breastfeed is important and there is a lot of room for improvement in the U.A.E. and around the world frankly for that. Just to add a little something more and open people's eyes a little about how oppressive you think Islam is toward women, which it is not, but that is a whole other topic, it is every child's right in Islam to be breastfed for two years. The father of the child is responsible for caring for the mother during this time and he is to compensate the mother for her efforts in breastfeeding by giving gifts.

Don't be so quick to judge what you don't even know about.


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## Alenushka (Jul 27, 2002)

I will never be a fan of a government that puts rape victims in jail.

Supporting women is one things, forcing them is another.


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## Ecler (Jan 29, 2014)

People are so crazy with replies. They are obviously have no idea what's UAE is!!! I lived there for 12 years, now I'm 8 years in USA, and I'm telling you, in many ways UAE is more open than USA! They think that poor women are covered and have no rights, etc. Absolutely not! You are mistaken for Afghanistan or maybe Iran. Read about, take a look at photos. I was living there freely, never close my apartment doors, never closed my car, walking with short sleeves and shorts. I was confident that nothing will happened to me. I felt thousand times more secure there than here in NY! If I could I would go back there in a heart beat!

Breastfeeding:

About 2 year "rules", these been there for years. About 15 years ago my friend had a baby in Dubai and she been suggested to breastfeed for 2 years. That's not new. Here AAP suggesting 6 month and best up to 1 year, but in many places (here and in Europe) you can read that breastfeeding up to 2 years is the best (no, you are not "piece of meat " as somebody refers here - your milk is good for baby! Breast milk has 100 times more minerals & vitamins than formula, plus antibodies which formula don't have!). Your baby willl be healthier and stronger, is that's something wrong?

I wish that USA will have some regulations for making women breastfeed here. And I'm not talking about women who can't breastfeed, I'm talking that some women decide to give formula right away, even not trying to breastfeed. (Too lazy? Not enough education?). Breastfeeding is hard! But is the best for your baby. Why people are angry here? You don't want to give something good for your baby? Your baby doesn't care about cute pink clothes and fancy toys - they want to be healthy!!! Breast milk is THE BEST gift you can give to your baby! US is full of sick kids (asthma, diabetes, ...), don't you want your kid be healthier? So, goverment in UAE wants their babies to be healthy! And it does not means that you will go to jail for it, it means that in doctor's office they will advice you to breastfeed baby till 2 years. Advice, people, advice!! Nobody going to force you or beat you or put you to jail, you absolutely don't know Emirates and how people live there, so don't be so judgmental and fast to reply before making your research. Or better, read about breast milk. I know a lot of mothers here breastfeeding till 3 years old, and they are happy and kids are happy, there is only positive comes out from it.

I wish all these negative replies and anger would go to Formula producing companies. They are making billions dollars on that artificial milk (if I can call this). Powdered cows milk+ metals+ dry vitamins - is that the way to feed the baby? Read about formula, read about milk what you are drinking here. Mother nature (or God if you believe so) create boobs not to attract men and put victoria's secret bra, boobs are there for a reason, so use it!

Sorry for my mistake, I'm German my self (an no, no arabs in my blood, I just loved that place that's why I want to defend them).

(breastfeeding supporter, mom, open-minded, educated)


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## Fern Pearson (Jan 29, 2014)

I am 100% against mandating ANYTHING! I think all women should CHOOSE to breastfeed. I wonder why all women DON'T choose to breastfeed? It is the simplest form of connecting with your child. The second most thoughtless and important act you can show them. I feel a lot women were not breastfeed and/or not shown how to breastfeed and so they don't. Without trying to offend anybody, I have a hard time buying the phrase " I don't produce enough milk". I have heard it several times within my friend groups and I always wonder about the background of the women telling me that. I know lots of women who never had mothers that nursed them. I know that a lot of those same people never read about the benefits of nursing and what herbs to take if they aren't producing enough milk. I guess without getting to deep into this argument, I hope that more women seek resources to educate themselves on nursing and have more guidance from mothers and professionals about the importance on nursing their babies.


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## Marina Brasil (Sep 15, 2013)

I too live in a country people think they know all about when in fact they don't. People think i speak spanish, but i speak portuguese. People think we live in jungles with monkeys, but my city has 3 million inhabitants, and so on.. so i get that many of the critics come from wrong assumptions and that this law project doesn't necessarily reflect how a society or country actually works and i'm sure there are plenty of absurd laws or law projects in any country. I don't know what other people mean or the reasons why they are angry, but I am a feminist and i'm always angry whenever i see people trying to legislate and create laws that control women's bodies. It really pushes all my buttons. Women having the right to breastfeed and to be protected while going through such a especial period in life is great, but being obligated to breastfeed is not. Here in Brazil women are oriented to breastfeed for a long time. Giving this orientation is one of my many functions in the public health clinic where i work. Formula is something people use only when they can't breastfeed and it's usualy hard for brazilian moms to use formula because they can't breastfeed. Some women, though, can breastfeed but decide not to. When that happens there's usually a good reason so we don't judge them or think they are lazy. Being suggested something is completely different from being obligated to do something. I do agree that in many countries breastfeeding need to be encouraged, though.


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## rainbownurse (Dec 19, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ecler*
> 
> I wish that USA will have some regulations for making women breastfeed here. And I'm not talking about women who can't breastfeed, I'm talking that some women decide to give formula right away, even not trying to breastfeed. (Too lazy? Not enough education?).
> 
> (breastfeeding supporter, mom, open-minded, educated)


People are angry because the government is telling women what to do with their bodies. Advising is one thing, telling someone they have no choice is completely different. It doesn't matter WHY someone chose not to breastfeed, it is THEIR BODY AND THEIR CHOICE. 
Saying that the USA needs to have regulations making women breastfeed is the opposite of open minded.


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## amorganl (Jul 10, 2005)

To


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## SamiaElmo (Dec 3, 2013)

I clearly am in the minority in seeing the potential benefits to women of some sort of legislation placing a value on mothering.


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## SamiaElmo (Dec 3, 2013)

As I understand it, making it law is the first step in a woman's sweat-equity as a mother and a wife being given monetary value in a capitalist society. In order to protect the investment of time a woman gives for her family, it must be legislated. Capitalism is a screwed-up system, but it's what we live under and in order to give true value for women and get some semblance of economic stability NOW...we have to work within the system..

In a void, this law would oppress women, but if it legislates that a woman is entitled to not just her full salary but a salary that truly reflects the difficulty and commitment of the job, then we are really getting somewhere.

The work of a wife and mother that contributes to the family and the welfare of the child, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, childcare, tutoring, housecleaning, cooking, counseling, chauffeuring, laundering, finance management, clothing, etc. etc. etc. is worth ZERO...ZERO in this capitalist society. Women all over the world are financially taken advantage because of our maternal and nesting instincts that we have to varying degrees.

Capitalist governments in general and fathers in particular, for the most part, are the beneficiaries of this "free labor" that a mother provides. (Before you all go ballistic on me, I know many examples where the roles are reversed, and it is the father that FORTUNATELY is the sole or primary caregiver.) But for the MOST part, mothers are expected to work for free, and consequently their contribution has no financial value.

This fine and dandy (to a point) where there is a support system within society and law that will care for a mother or have the father reimburse the mother when the marriage ends or the husband dies. (Community property laws) However, in Saudi society when the marriage ends a woman is expected to live in poverty and be content that "Heaven is at her feet." (An Islamic prophetic saying)

I DO see that this legislation is a slippery slope, and the last thing I would want is for women in the Gulf to be more oppressed and lose more freedoms than they already have! And perhaps our Gulf societies are not ready to start with legislation couched in such terms, that breastfeeding is mandatory. Better legislation would make it mandatory that breast milk be available to all children until the age of two. And it should be compensated for by the government at the precious value it is worth! The short and long term and individual benefits for breastfed babies are unending, (preaching to the choir, here) including resistance to life threatening disease and infections, reduced incidence of juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15. There are significant financial benefits to society. Breastfed babies are less likely to need excessive medical attention as they grow. In one study, a group of formula-fed infants had $68,000 in health care costs in a six-month period, while an equal number of nursing babies had only $4,000 of similar expenses.


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## SamiaElmo (Dec 3, 2013)

I agree...how do you feel about a government that allows a white man who murdered a young black man, to go free with no consequences?


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## Alenushka (Jul 27, 2002)

I know enough about UAE not to like it. Please, do not spin propaganda. How I feed I birth my child. How I feed my child and how I raise my child is my business and not the government's.

There many more reasons than not having milk why women do not breastfeed. This is between woman, her child and her family. Making formula RX or making breastfeeding a law simply stigmatizes women for no good reason. Yet another government trying to tell women, but not men what do to. I nursed my kids for as long as it worked for me and my family. It was not two years . The idea that government would force me to use my breasts the way it sees fit is absolutely disgusting and would force me not to have children. Imagine being forced to nurse?

Forced breastfeeding is on the same level as physical assault.


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## rainbownurse (Dec 19, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SamiaElmo*
> 
> I agree...how do you feel about a government that allows a white man who murdered a young black man, to go free with no consequences?


I don't get the connection here? I know the case, but I don't understand what you're trying to say.

placing a value on mothering means (to me) respecting a woman's choices. Actually, it means respecting both parents choices (if there are two parents). Telling a woman what to do with her body does not place any value on the woman as a person.


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## KorbanJ08 (Dec 25, 2008)

I think when it comes to health the burden is on the parents, not the state. Every mother should want the best for there babies, but whats beat varies from person to person. I turned my baby around to front facing as soon as the law allowed, some mothers feel babies should be rear facing for as long as they can fit, but again its a health choice. Hospitals and doctors are bound under law to first do no harm, and since breast is best they should already be recommending nursing until two or beyond. No law is needed.


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## ananas (Jun 6, 2006)

I think it's a terrible idea.


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## farmermomma (Oct 30, 2012)

I already get paid to breast feed. Yep. We're on government WIC and I get cans of Tuna! Yep living it up with my cans of tuna, whoot whoot. See the US government really values breast feeding.
Oh yeah almost forgot I'm a vegetarian. I don't even eat tuna.


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## rainbownurse (Dec 19, 2012)

If issue is not about breastfeeding support, or lack there of. The issue is that the government is stepping in and telling women what they HAVE to do with their bodies. That is not support. If the situation were different, if there was legislation being passed telling women that could only breastfeeding for six months, this whole site would be up in arms about it.


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## SamiaElmo (Dec 3, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rainbownurse*
> 
> I don't get the connection here? I know the case, but I don't understand what you're trying to say.
> 
> placing a value on mothering means (to me) respecting a woman's choices. Actually, it means respecting both parents choices (if there are two parents). Telling a woman what to do with her body does not place any value on the woman as a person.


I was attempting to reply to the now edited comment about a country that "jails rape victims." Obviously that is a travesty of justice, but we have our own travesties as well....


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## nadiya (Feb 25, 2013)

I see many women feel very strongly about the law and the idea that the government wants to "dictate" to us what to do. While I fully agree that it's not up to anyone to tell us what to do with our bodies, I also want to point to the good side of this new "law". They are trying to make breastfeeding "the norm", "the expected", "the required" for the healthy upbringing for the baby. Many women talked about OUR right as women to choose to breastfeed or not. What the government may be trying to do, in my opinion, is pointing to people that our CHILDREN may have rights too! So the child HAS THE RIGHT to be healthy, smart, happy and breastfeeding can help the child achieve those!! We, as mothers want the very best for our children. So this law is ON OUR SIDE when it encourages families to breastfeed for 2 years! It helps us meet child's needs in a better way! As simple as that!

I heard of many stories where a mother wants to breastfeed (or continue breastfeeding past infancy) but her husband and family tell her that she should stop because "there is no value in breast milk" or because "it takes too much time and she can not meet the needs of the family like cooking/cleaning/arranging house because of breastfeeding". And the mother stops breastfeeding due to all the pressure around her! And then the mother loses the beautiful bond with the baby while baby starts receiving a far worse nutrition from artificial powdered milk, may develop allergies and health problems for life and gets sick way more often than before.... Isn't it sad? It happens all the time! So if the law to be implemented, the "well meaning" family members and friends will not be so pushy anymore on the mother to tell her to stop breastfeeding!!! They will know it's not right to do so! Instead they will support the mother because they know breastfeeding until 2 is what the mother is expected to do!

Besides, breastfeeding until the age of 2 is good not only for the baby. It's also very good for the mother! It can actually save our life!!! The research says that if we breastfeed longer than 2 years then the risk of breast cancer later in life will be reduced 4 times for us!! Breastfeeding for longer also means less risk of cardiovascular problems, diabetes, osteoporosis and many other serious health problems! Maybe it's not so bad that someone pushes us to do the very best for ourselves?

I think this law has a lot of possible positive outcomes but it still needs a lot of work to offer strategies that can HELP mothers achieve 2 year of breastfeeding! It's not fair to tell all the women "you have to breastfeed for 2 years" without providing means to actually achieve it. Maybe it would have been much wiser first to issue laws like "Every hospital MUST offer pregnant women a free 4-8 hour detailed course in the native language of the mother on the importance of breastfeeding and techniques to establish full milk supply as well as overcoming common difficulties" or maybe "Every mother has the right to receive free home/hospital visits from an experienced lactation consultant whenever she needs help with breastfeeding", or maybe the government can at least fund constant education courses for all the medical professionals in the country who work with women to offer information and help to breastfeeding mothers for free! Breastfeeding is often challenging, but it's the best for babies and mothers, we know that. If government wants to raise a happier and healthier generation of kids through breastfeeding, then it first needs to help us, mothers, to learn how we can succeed in it!


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## cynthia mosher (Aug 20, 1999)

Just thought I'd share the statement of La Leche League UAE that was shared with me. I am looking for an online source to confirm it. If anyone has a link to the press release please provide it.

*La Leche League UAE : Press Release*

*Response to FNC Child Protection Law with clause on Breastfeeding.*

While we applaud the sentiments behind the new Child Protection Law passed by the U.A.E's Federal National Council and understand that the aim of the clause referring to breastfeeding is to give every child the right to be breastfed, the exact wording and how this law is to be implemented and to whom it applies is at this time still unclear and thus hard to comment in detail upon.

We imagine that this law may be extremely difficult to implement at the current time given a lack of support and information on breastfeeding available to mothers here in the UAE. There are several other important measures that would have a more positive impact on breastfeeding rates and duration.

• Educate Medical professionals on the latest information on breastfeeding and teach them how to properly support mothers to initiate breastfeeding. Inform them of the dangers of early supplementation.

• Lengthen Maternity leave. The extremely short maternity leave does not allow mothers time enough to establish and maintain full milk supply and overcome any initial difficulties. Extending paid maternity leave considerably, has been shown to have much more positiveeffect on the breastfeeding success and duration.

• Implement and enforce the World Health Organisation Code on the marketing ofbreastmilk substitutes. Until this measure is adopted, medical professionals, mothers and baby's are still at the mercy of aggressive formula marketing, which undermines and misinforms and creates obstacles to successful breastfeeding.

Unless these three key issues are addressed at a high level and supported by policies, legislation and training, there is little chance that the law would succeed in raising breastfeeding rates.

Other measures that could benefit the health of the nation include running a comprehensive public information campaign on the risks of artificial formula for babies and the risks of not breastfeeding on maternal health and the development of a network of community support clinics and peer counsellors to assist women in reaching their breastfeeding goals.

Abu Dhabi

26 January 2014

La Leche League is an international non-profit voluntary organisation offering mother-to-mother information and support for breastfeeding.http://www.llli.org/uae.html


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Thanks, Cynthia. Apparently it has not yet gone into effect and could be subject to change, and the exact wording isn't known.

Here is an article: http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/breastfeeding-should-be-a-choice-not-a-legal-obligation-say-uae-mothers


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