The Safaricom daycare centre: Nutritionists are pushing for a longer maternity leave for effective breastfeeding before mothers go back to the office. Photo/FREDRICK ONYANGO
At the Safaricom’s call centre complex on Mombasa Road in Nairobi, a group of attendants are keen on babies; not calls.
The telecoms firm allows breastfeeding mothers to bring babies along.
They are controlled close to where the mothers can, at intervals, reach them to bond and feed.
“The idea was to create a conducive environment for our staff where they can continue to add value to the company at the same time playing their parental role fully,” says Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph.
He adds: “Better parents make better employees and with the day-care centre, our employees can give their best to Safaricom without worrying about the quality of care given to the children as the care centre is managed by professionally trained child care givers.”
But not many companies have allowed their breastfeeding workers the room, which, in many ways, could be seen as a luxury.
Striking the balance between going to work or taking care of one’s baby has been a headache for young executives eager to see their careers and children grow simultaneously.
Some couples have, after fierce debates even disagreement, agreed to terminate employment temporarily to take care of a new born.
While the Kenyan law provides for three months maternity leave, nutritionists say the time is not enough for useful and effective breastfeeding.
According to a recommendation from World Health Organisation, a mother should exclusively breastfeed for a minimum of six months before weaning and continue for two years.
Jean Banda, a nutritionist, says carrying babies to work can be a temporal solution to the breastfeeding dilemma.
Ms Banda says breastfeeding helps the baby and mother to bond and is a safe way to feed considering the keen hygiene required for babies.
Mishandled feeding equipment has had disastrous results.
Mothers whose employers do not allow carrying children to work for breastfeeding can express milk. But there are concerns that bottled milk is less effective as the direct breastfeeding because of contamination, she says.
Ms Banda recommends that mothers take time to train their babies on the new breastfeeding interval at least two weeks before going back to the office to create room for adjustment.
“An alternative way is for mothers to start training the infants on the new interval at least two weeks before resuming work and observing how the baby reacts to it. This will give the mother a peace of mind as she returns to work at the same time giving the baby a smooth transition,” she says.
However, prolonged working hours will occasionally interfere with the intervals, causing distress to both the mother and the baby.
Allowing parents to bring their babies to work is aimed at ensuring they concentrate while working.
Supporters of this method argue that it solves the immediate challenge of lack of time to breastfeed as often recommended.
So the question is: How does one maintain a work life balance?
Those opposed to expressing milk complain about hygiene when using artificial means.
Coaching on the new intervals of feeding as the mother resumes work is also challenging because it is hardly smooth.
And the doubts about day-care centres hinge on the qualification and commitment of attendants, who face the uphill task of playing the role of a mother to many babies.
Was it time to review the labour laws and give mothers more than three months with the babies after birth?
Samuel Maina, a research officer at the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI) says mothers need more time with the babies to ensure smooth breastfeeding.
Medical experts
“KNDI together with other health organisations have been lobbying for the extension of the leave period for new mothers. Initially, we proposed six months but faced objection from employers who cited this as eating into the general productivity of the companies. However, a common agreement of at least four months was reached and we are hoping to see if the laws will be amended to this effect,” Mr Maina says.
In some rich countries, maternal leave takes up to 12 months.
Mothers working in companies that have no provision for taking babies to the office rely on house helps to feed the infants. So far, this is the last resort.
While medical experts recommend that a mother spend considerable time with a new born to strengthen the bond between them, other needs compete for attention.
In March 23, this year, US President Obama signed a Patient Protection and Affordable Care law that, among other things, seeks to compel employers to provide time for employees to express breast milk for infants for one year after birth.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
