| Breastfeeding
is the natural and ideal way of feeding
the infant and provides with unique
biological and emotional basis for healthy
child development. It promotes physical,
psychological, motor, mental and psychological
growth and development. The effect of
breastfeeding on child spacing, on the
health of the mother, reduction in the
risk of breast and ovarian cancers,
on the family and on the national economy
is well recognized. WHO
estimates that globally 1.5 million
babies could be saved by appropriate
breastfeeding every year.
One
major reason of inappropriate feeding
is commercial promotion of baby food
products. Recognising this fact, the
World Health Assembly adopted the
International Code of Marketing of
Breastmilk Substitutes in 1981. The
Indian Parliament, recognising the
need to protect breastfeeding from
commercial influence, enacted the
Infant Milk substitutes, Feeding Bottles
and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production,
Supply and Distribution) Act 1992
(The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding
Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation
of Production, Supply and Distribution)
Act 1992, No.41 of 1992. (IMS Act)
Act)
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