Breastfeeding at the Workplace in Kenya

Kamau et al discuss the study by Ickes et al. which contributes important new data indicating access to workplace supports does indeed increase exclusive breastfeeding among formally employed mothers in Kenya. Kenya's Health Act of 2017 led to the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill of 2019. Both were policy milestones that recognized the importance of breastfeeding in employment law. Specifically, the 2019 bill, passed as an act of Parliament to support breastfeeding at the workplace, stipulated employers' obligations support breastfeeding mothers in the workplace and to provide baby care facilities for use by the public. There is a need to scale up workplace support for breastfeeding mothers in low- and middle-income countries, where many working women are young and in their reproductive years. Mothers going back to work after 3 months of maternity leave need support and a conducive environment to continue breastfeeding successfully.