Based on my visit to some of posyandus in many rural villages in subdistrict Kronjo, District of Tangerang, Banten Province, Indonesia in 2003-2007, I may share my experiences that improper child feeding practices are still common in this area. Most of these improper practices are found in the area where the delivery was assisted by a Traditional Birth Attendance (TBA). A newborn baby is usually given one or two drops of honey in the baby’s lip. It is belief that the baby is hungry and the honey may also clean the baby’s intestines.
Other practices are that some mothers also give a ripe banana to the new born baby while the breastmilk of the mother has not come out yet. The breastmilk was not flowing in enough volume since the baby was not put directly in the mother’s breast in the first hour of delivery. Few mothers also give a steamed fermented cassava which is named as ‘tape/peuyeum’ to the baby
These improper practices may also influence the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) Indonesia in 2006 which reached 35 per 1.000 live births. Ministry of Health Indonesia has targeted to reduce the IMR to 26 per 1.000 live births in 2009. The higher risk of deliveries which wereassisted by TBA may also account for Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) 307 per 100.000 live births, while the MoH has targeted to reduce the MMR to 226 per 100.000 live births.
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