Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 7600)
Republic Act No. 7600 shall be known as 'The Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992'.
The State adopts rooming-in as a national policy to encourage, protect, and support the practice of breastfeeding, aiming to fulfill the basic physical, emotional, and psychological needs of mothers and infants.
Rooming-in is the practice of placing the newborn in the same room as the mother immediately after delivery up to discharge to facilitate mother-infant bonding and initiate breastfeeding. The infant may share the mother's bed or be placed in a crib beside the mother.
Health institutions include hospitals, health infirmaries, health centers, lying-in centers, or puericulture centers with obstetrical and pediatric services.
Well infants regardless of age of gestation and low birth weight infants who are able to suck shall be breastfed and roomed-in within thirty minutes after birth.
Infants delivered by caesarian section shall be roomed-in and breastfed within three (3) to four (4) hours after birth.
Exemptions apply if the infant's condition or the mother's condition (such as serious illness, medication contraindications, violent psychosis) prevents rooming-in and breastfeeding, as determined by the attending physician. In such cases, infants shall be fed expressed breastmilk or wet-nursed.
It is the mother's right to breastfeed her child, who also has the right to her breastmilk. Bottlefeeding is only allowed after the mother has been informed by health personnel of breastfeeding advantages and proper infant formula feeding techniques.
Private health institutions can deduct expenses incurred in complying with the Act up to twice the actual amount for income tax purposes, provided compliance occurs within six months of the Act's approval.
The Secretary of Health may impose sanctions such as reprimand or censure, and for repeated willful violations, suspension of the operating permit of the health institution.
The Secretary of Health, in consultation with other government agencies, professional, and non-governmental organizations, is responsible for promulgating implementing rules and regulations.
The Department of Health shall conduct continuing education, re-education, and training programs on lactation management for health personnel involved in maternal and child care, including physicians, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, community health workers, and traditional birth attendants.
Health personnel must continuously educate, teach, and support pregnant women on lactation management and infant care during prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal consultations using participatory strategies and free written information materials.
Health institutions adopting rooming-in and breastfeeding must provide the necessary equipment, facilities, and supplies for breastmilk collection, storage, and utilization according to Department of Health standards.