What Exclusive Breastfeeding Is
Exclusive breastfeeding is giving only breast milk from birth for six months, without adding or substituting any other food or drink — except permitted vitamins, minerals, and medicines. This definition is set out in Government Regulation No. 33 of 2012 and aligns with recommendations from WHO, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI).
After six months, breastfeeding should continue until the child turns two, alongside complementary foods. Breast milk is the food whose nutritional content best matches a baby's needs in the first six months of life.
A Host of Benefits for Baby and Mother
For babies, exclusive breastfeeding protects against illnesses such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections thanks to its immune factors. It also supports optimal growth, brain development, and long-term health.
For mothers, exclusive breastfeeding helps reduce bleeding during childbirth, delays fertility, and eases the household budget by removing formula costs. Studies also note lower work absenteeism among breastfeeding mothers because their children fall sick less often — a benefit workplaces share too.
The Biggest Challenge: Working Mothers
Field data shows about 70% of breastfeeding mothers in Indonesia are working women. Maternity leave of just 1–3 months forces mothers to leave young babies for long hours each day, negatively affecting continued breastfeeding.
Other barriers include short breaks for expressing milk, the lack of dedicated lactation rooms at work, and limited workplace support. Labor law actually guarantees breastfeeding opportunities for female workers, but implementation remains uneven.
Strategies to Keep It Working
Working mothers can still exclusively breastfeed by routinely expressing milk (ASIP) at work and storing it properly for feeding while away. In the weeks before returning to work, get the baby used to direct breastfeeding and avoid bottles and pacifiers.
Family support and correct breastfeeding education from the postpartum period strongly determine success. If problems arise — low supply or sore nipples — don't hesitate to consult a lactation counselor, midwife, or doctor. Breastfeeding is every mother's right — including working mothers.
