SAVANI BABY NURSING UNIT OPENED TO MARK WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK
Nandi County joined the rest of the world in marking the World Breastfeeding Week by encouraging more women to breastfeed their babies.
To promote breastfeeding and its many benefits for the mother and child, World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated the week between 1 and 7 August every year. The theme for 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”. While breastfeeding is a healthy practice, many have immense misconceptions regarding it. This forms a major barrier to proper breastfeeding practices being implemented. Proper maternal counselling and awareness programmes are needed to completely dispel these myths.
In marking the WBW and raise awareness of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week, the County Government of Nandi in partnership with Eastern Produce Kenya (EPK) launched Savani Baby Nursing Unit to support mothers in workplaces to start and sustain breastfeeding and to ensure that mothers have access to lactation knowledge and postpartum counselling.
Breastfeeding is important for a child as it provides the best possible start in life. It provides health nutritional and emotional benefits to both mother and children. Also, it makes part of a sustainable food system.
There are several advantages to breastfeeding. It is optimal for both mothers and babies. It can protect babies against infections and reduce the rates of later health problems like diabetes, obesity, and asthma. It is said that for mothers, breastfeeding helps the uterus to contract and bleeding to cease more quickly after delivery. Also, it reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and helps to generate a great bond for mothers with their babies.
“Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information and the support of their family, the healthcare system and society at large. Through our department, we will ensure women are empowered and have the right information and practical help to understand how to successfully breastfeed their babies,” said Ruth Koech, the CEC for Health and Sanitation.
“As a county, we are focusing on creating an environment that enables and supports women to breast-feed successfully,” she said.
Present at the event were the EPK Company Director Leah Chirchir, Maurice Ngetich, General Manager – West Operations, General Manager East Operations, Richard Koech, Kapsimotwa Ward MCA Hon. Rael Rotich, County Nutritionist Angeline Korir, Tindiret Sub County MoH Dr. Kibor among other guests.