Breastfeeding Is Now Required By Law?

There is an article that was posted in huffingtonpost.com about a new law passed by “The Emirates' Federal National Council as part of their new Child Rights Law, requiring new moms to breastfeed their babies for two full years, The National reports.Now, men can sue their wives if they don't breastfeed”. If a woman is unable to nurse her child for medical reasons, then a wet nurse should be provided”. Click here to read more Interesting concept, but who should be in charge of making this personal decision? There are a lot of positive benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother and child. My question is who should be in charge of making this decision?

Some of the benefits of breastfeeding for Mothers are the following:

1. Nursing Mothers have a faster recovery after childbirth because the “nursing hormones” helps the uterus return to pre-pregnancy size faster and prevents postpartum bleeding.
2. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
3. The effects of “breastfeeding hormones” encourage Mother-Infant bonding.
4. Nursing promotes mental and emotional health; there is a decrease risk of postpartum depression and anxiety.
5. The increase in the amount of calories burned while breastfeeding can promote weight loss after the baby is born.
6. Breastfeeding can delay ovulation, which means that there is more a likelihood of increased natural child spacing.

It is a well know fact that breastfeeding has a lot of positive benefits for the child, among them are:

1. The nutrients and antibodies in breast milk help to protect the baby from getting sick.
2. There is a decrease in infant death risk and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in breastfed children.
3. Some other health benefits of breastfeeding it that it can prevent respiratory infections, pneumonia, flu, gastrointestinal infections, constipation and diarrhea.
4. There have been studies that show that breastfed babies are smarter.
5. A not so well-known fact is that the action of breastfeeding is important in the natural development of the mouth and jaw which can prevent airway blockage that can lead to sleep apnea and other more serious problems during early childhood and later on in life. So it looks like breastfeeding your baby is a win-win situation for both mother and child and I personally support it whenever possible.My question is should a government make this decision for women? What about offering more support and education for nursing mothers instead of demanding it?