Employers have been urged to give breastfeeding mothers more time to be with their newborn babies to breastfeed them.
Acting Assistant Director of Clinical Services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Dr Francis Ogalo said that the move was paramount to ensure that the World Health Organisation's (WHO) standards for breastfeeding were met and also to ensure proper development of the child.
WHO advises that children be breastfed for two continuous years, with the first six months being exclusive.
Dr Ogalo who spoke on Wednesday during the launch of the World Breastfeeding Week, urged employers to give breaks to lactating mothers in between their schedules to go and breastfeed their children before resuming work.
He also urged them to open breastfeeding centres for the sake of mothers who can’t access their children easily due to distance for them to bring their children there to access them fast.
He added that the constitution grants women who give birth 90 days as maternity leave. He urged all employers to honor this by also paying the employees even during the leave period.
Jane Nyariki, the deputy Chief Nurse MTRH urged women who will be granted such offs, leaves and breaks to use them to breastfeed their children and not to do other businesses.
“Be thankful for such breaks and use them for your children. These are not the hours you steal to attend your local women group meetings. It helps you and your baby bond as one,” she emphasised.
pic: by Maina Kiwiri. Acting Assistant Director Clinical Services MTRH adressing the gathering