Mexico Bans Free Baby Formula for Newborns at Hospitals

Mexico has banned the giveaway of free baby formula at hospitals, so that new mothers will be encouraged to breastfeed instead. Baby formula will still be available at stores and if requested by a doctor, the BBC reported.

The move was framed as an attempt to improve the health of infants in the country. Mexico has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the region, with some public health experts going so far as to call it a public health crisis. Only one in seven mothers breastfeeds exclusively for her baby’s first six months.

Health organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that women rely on breast milk exclusively until a child is six months old. Breastfeeding helps protect against childhood illnesses and increases a baby’s likelihood of surviving his or her first year, according to the AAP.

[BBC]