Why breastfeeding support policy requires boosting
Breast milk is rated as the only food source with all the nutrients babies need and that their digestive systems can handle.
For fear of being drowned out in a sea of political conversations leading up to the August 9 elections, Kenya preceded global celebrations of World Breastfeeding Week.
On July 6, the Ministry of Health held Kenya’s celebrations, during which Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe highlighted the country’s progress in improving breastfeeding.
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey shows a 32 per cent increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates for children under six months in 2008 to 61 per cent in 2014, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) reported 41 per cent global average. Despite the commendable progress, a lot of work remains to be done in the areas of policy, knowledge and culture to provide adequate support that will ensure more children benefit from breastfeeding.
For infants, the first line of defence against malnutrition and starvation is breastfeeding. Breast milk is rated as the only food source with all the nutrients babies need and that their digestive systems can handle. It is the best food source for infants.
Energy and nutrients
Breastfeeding not only gives a baby the energy and nutrients they need to grow but it also fosters a special mother-and-child bond. The improvement of emotional and behavioural control in children can be attributed to skin-to-skin physical contact during feeding and the nutritive elements of breast milk that support brain development. It is the best nutritional source for infants, says WHO, and prevents up to 13 per cent of child deaths by giving children the energy, nutrients and antibodies to fend off many common childhood illnesses.
We must put in place specific policy support mechanisms to aid breastfeeding. First, give mothers ample time with their children. Maternity leave should allow mothers to spend additional time at home before going back to work, as babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.
Kenyan labour laws entitle mothers to 91 days of maternity leave but the International Labour Organization recommends 98 and a target of 126. After increasing it to 120 days earlier this year, the Teachers Service Commission was almost compliant.
The 2019 Breastfeeding Mothers Bill seeks to have employers provide lactation rooms and give staff a break of not less than 40 minutes every four hours of work to express milk or breastfeed their children. For them to do so freely and without concern for prejudice, these private rooms unquestionably need to feel and be safe, tidy and comfortable locations.
Breast milk
Access to accurate information about breast milk for mothers and their communities must also be prioritised in the policy. Even with the Breast Milk Substitutes Act, 2012, there is a need to increase awareness among new mothers and the people who support them regarding the value of breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months unless there are other prevailing circumstances to bar it.
The National Assembly must approve all pending legislation and top-down policy implemented.
The 2022 World Breastfeeding Week theme urged us all to advocate breastfeeding. By giving nursing mothers the knowledge, space and support they require, children can get the nutrition they need.
Dr Kiptum is the chief paediatrician, at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital. [email protected].
