people who may influence a woman’s decision to breastfeed, i.e. her partner and extended family. “In most households, what grandmother says goes,” she says. “If she says the mother must breastfeed, she feels she has no choice, but if she says formula, then formula it is. It’s no use educating mothers only. There need to be nationwide campaigns aimed at everyone.”
Coutsoudis agrees, saying advocacy programmes should be extended to society as a whole so that breastfeeding can again become the “natural way to feed a baby.” And it doesn’t help when many health workers are so quick to advise formula feeding, says Coutsoudis: “The representatives from formula companies visit [health workers] often, build good relationships, and market their products.”
Without their active support, how quickly can attitudes really change? One thing is certain: health professionals will be more likely to support the underlying message if they have a basic understanding of current research. As Sigasana puts it: “We need to make sure that people who interact with mothers are giving out the correct information.” ■