Employers urged to support breastfeeding

The government is committed to scaling up exclusive breastfeeding from the current 61 per cent to 90 per cent, a Ministry of Health official has said.

"Kenya has made significant strides in doubling the number of babies being exclusively breastfed from 32 per cent in 2008 to 61 per cent, but more needs to be done to ensure that all babies take nothing but breast milk for the first six months of life,” said Deputy Head of Nutrition and Dietetics Gladys Mugambi at a media roundtable in Nairobi to mark World Breastfeeding Week that ends tomorrow.

Women tend to discontinue exclusive breastfeeding at four months, around the time they have returned to work after a 90-day maternity leave.

Efforts to address breastfeeding challenges for working mothers saw the Health Act amended to include a clause the stipulates that every organisation with more than 30 employees must have a lactation station for mothers.

“We are preparing guidelines for the implementation of the Act. As soon as they are complete we will roll out preparation of the lactation facilities in all national government offices. We will also work with county governments to ensure they implement the rule,” said Ms Mugambi.

For the private sector, Gloria Ndekei, a better business practices consultant at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance said that 35 members had so far established lactation centres, with more planning to get on board.

Nerea Ojanga, a midwife and breastfeeding consultant at the Kenyatta National Referral Hospital emphasised that a baby’s stomach cannot digest anything but breast milk for the first six months, and encouraged working mothers to express milk to sustain breastfeeding.

“Breastmilk can be refrigerated for up to eight hours and frozen for up to six months in good condition for mothers who will be away from home. Care must however be taken to ensure the refrigeration is done in hygienic conditions,” she said, adding that employers should provide support to working mothers to ensure exclusive breastfeeding.

Mary Nyagi, a human resources executive at Unilever, noted that lactating mothers need adequate maternity leave and flexible breastfeeding-friendly schedules allowing them to report to work later and leave earlier to ensure exclusive breastfeeding for six months

Laura Kiige, a nutritionist at the United Nation Children’s Fund added that Unicef was working with the Ministry of Health to ensure that workplaces and other public spaces become breastfeeding-friendly.

“Employers need to promote and facilitate breastfeeding at work. Donations of tents and booths to be set up in markets and at bus stops can also boost breastfeeding in the informal sector and public spaces,” she said.