Definitions
- Important terms defined include:
- Age of gestation: duration of fetus development inside the womb.
- Bottlefeeding: feeding infants by bottle using any fluid.
- Breastfeeding: feeding directly from the human breast.
- Breastmilk and expressed breastmilk: milk directly from the mother or extracted and fed by other means.
- Formula feeding: artificial feeding with infant formula.
- Health institutions and personnel: facilities and workers involved in maternal and child health.
- Infant: child from 0 to 12 months old.
- Infant formula: scientifically formulated substitute for breastmilk.
- Lactation management: education and care related to breastfeeding.
- Low birth weight infant: newborn weighing less than 2,500 grams.
- Rooming-in: practice of mother and newborn sharing room after birth until discharge.
- Seriously ill mothers: those with serious health conditions affecting breastfeeding.
- Wet-nursing: feeding infant with another woman’s breastmilk.
Applicability
- All government and private health institutions adopting rooming-in and breastfeeding practices are governed by the Act's provisions.
Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Practices
- For normal spontaneous deliveries:
- Well infants and infants capable of sucking should be breastfed and roomed-in within 30 minutes after birth.
- For Caesarian deliveries:
- Infants should be roomed-in and breastfed within 3 to 4 hours post-delivery.
- For deliveries outside health institutions:
- Newborns meeting conditions of normal spontaneous delivery shall be roomed-in and breastfed immediately upon admission.
Exemptions
- Infants and mothers may be exempted from rooming-in and breastfeeding if:
- Infant or mother’s conditions contraindicate the practice as determined by attending physician.
- Mother is seriously ill, on medication contraindicated to breastfeeding, a violent psychotic, or otherwise unable to breastfeed.
- Exempt infants should be fed expressed breastmilk or wet-nursed.
Mother's Rights
- Mothers have the right to breastfeed their children who have the right to their breastmilk.
- Bottlefeeding allowed only after mothers are properly informed of breastfeeding advantages and formula feeding techniques by health personnel.
Facilities and Equipment
- Health institutions must provide facilities and equipment for breastmilk collection, storage, and utilization.
- Standards for these shall be defined by the Department of Health.
Education and Training of Health Personnel
- The Department of Health, with other agencies and organizations, must conduct continuous education, re-education, and training for health personnel on lactation management.
- Informational materials must be provided to all personnel involved in maternal and child care.
Information Dissemination to Pregnant Women
- Health personnel are mandated to educate and support pregnant and nursing mothers during consultations and confinements.
- Activities include educational sessions, formation of support groups, and free distribution of written materials.
Incentives
- Private health institutions may deduct expenses incurred in complying with the Act's provisions up to twice the actual amount for income tax purposes.
- Compliance must occur within six months after Act approval.
- Government health institutions receive additional budget appropriations reflecting savings from adopting rooming-in and breastfeeding.
Sanctions
- The Secretary of Health may impose sanctions including reprimands, censure, or suspension of operating permits for willful violations.
Rules and Regulations
- The Secretary of Health shall promulgate necessary rules and regulations in consultation with government agencies and organizations.
Repealing Clause
- All laws, decrees, rules, or parts inconsistent with this Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
Separability Clause
- If any part of the Act is declared invalid, the remaining provisions shall continue to be in force.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect 120 days after publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.