Ministry introduces measure to boost breastfeeding

In a bid to boost the practice of breastfeeding, the Health Ministry is introducing a measure whereby new mothers will have to sign a release form allowing their infants to be bottle-fed at maternity clinics.

The decision was signed by the ministers of health, Andreas Xanthos, and education, Costas Gavroglou. Nurses and hospital staff will also have a duty to inform mothers of the benefits of breastfeeding both for growing infants and mothers, but also of the risks involved in using bottled milk incorrectly.

Statistics show that the practice is gaining ground in Greece, as just 1 percent of mothers breastfed their infants for at least six months in 2009, against 30 percent in 2015.