We’re doing well in breastfeeding policy, but can do better

For fear of being drowned out in a sea of ongoing political conversations, Kenya preceded global celebrations of World Breastfeeding Week. On July 6, the Ministry of Health, led by Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, held celebrations, during which he highlighted the progress in improving breastfeeding.

Kenya Demographic and Health Survey shoes that the country’s exclusive breast feeding rates for children below six months increased from 32 per cent in 2008 to 61 per cent in 2014, far exceeding the WHO’s global average of 41 per cent.

Even though we have made commendable progress, we shouldn’t let our guard down. There is still a lot of work 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 that contains all the nutrients babies need and that which their digestive systems can handle. Undoubtedly, breast milk continues to be the best food source for infants. 

Breastfeeding not only gives a baby the energy and nutrients they need to grow, but also fosters a special bond between mother and child. The improvement of emotional and behavioural control in children can be attributed to mothers’ skin-to-skin physical contact with their infants during feeding time as well as the nutritive elements of breast milk that support brain development.

Furthermore, breastfeeding is the best nutritional source for infants, according to WHO, and it can prevent up to 13 per cent of child deaths by giving them the energy, nutrients and antibodies they need to fend off many common childhood illnesses.

There are numerous reasons why we must put in place specific policy support mechanisms to aid in breastfeeding mothers’ success. For a start, giving mothers ample time with their children is fundamental. 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.

Our labour laws give mothers a 91-day maternity leave, but the International Labour Organisation recommends a minimum of 98 and a target of 126 days. After increasing it to 120 earlier this year, the Teachers Service Commission nearly adhered to the WHO-recommended duration.

According to the 2019 Breastfeeding Mothers Bill, employers must provide lactation rooms and give staff members a break of not less than 40 minutes every four hours of work so they can express milk or breastfeed their children. For them to express breast milk freely and without concern for prejudice, the private rooms unquestionably need to feel and be safe, tidy and comfortable locations.  

Consequently, the above bill expressly protects women’s right to breastfeed in public and addresses situations where women have been asked to cover up while doing so by stating that it cannot be “construed to amount to an indecent act”.

Access to accurate information about breast milk for mothers and their communities must also be prioritised in policy. Even though Kenya has already passed the Breast Milk Substitutes Act of 2012, there is still a need to increase awareness among new mothers and the people who support them about the value of breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months unless there are other prevailing circumstance to bar the same.

It’s time to put rubber to the road if the nation is to reap the full benefits of breastfeeding. The National Assembly must approve all pending legislation and top-down policy must be implemented.

The theme of the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week urged us all to advocate for breastfeeding. By giving breastfeeding mothers the knowledge, space, and support they require, we can all do our part to ensure children are getting the nutrition they need.

— The writer is the Chief Paediatrician at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital