Ministry: Four out of every 10 babies miss first 'vaccine'

Only about six in every 10 new mothers breastfeed their baby within the first hour of birth, the Ministry of Health has said.

The first breastmilk, known as colostrum, is full of antibodies that give the newborn the first ‘vaccine’ in life against infections.

Although Kenya has one of the highest early breastfeeding rates in the world, the country is aiming higher.

Global estimates indicate that less than half (42 per cent) of all newborns are put to the breast within the first hour of birth.

Purity Kibe, a programme manager at the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics in the Ministry of Health, said breastfeeding within the first hour of birth comes with lifelong benefits to the mother and the child.

“In Kenya, only about 60 per cent of infants are initiated to breastfeeding within an hour of delivery,” she said.

Kibe spoke on Wednesday at a media forum supported by the ministry, Save the Children and Unicef among other partners.

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding in the first hour because it helps prevent newborn infections such as pneumonia and diarrhoea. This reduces the risk of death.

WHO says early initiation can also support sustained breastfeeding with long-term benefits for the mother.

This is with such things as postpartum weight management and reduced risk of non-communicable diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Kibe urged health professionals to teach mothers about these benefits.

“There are delays in initiating breastfeeding even by women who are delivered by skilled health professionals. This is affecting the baby’s health and nutrition,” Kibe said.

WHO data shows no country has more than 80 per cent of babies breastfeeding within an hour of birth.

Early initiation of breastfeeding works towards attaining the WHO Global Target of 2025 to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months to 50 per cent.

It also aims to reduce low birth weight by 30 per cent, reduce stunting by 40 per cent and reduce and maintain childhood wasting at less than five per cent.

The Ministry of Health data indicates the proportion of Kenyan children exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life markedly increased from 32 per cent in 2008 to 60 per cent today.

That means four out of 10 children are still not exclusively breastfed, limiting their growth and development to full potential.

That is because parents of those children usually introduce substandard foods that are not useful to the baby within the first six months.

According to Unicef, the problem is worse in informal settlements.

Laura Kiige, a nutrition specialist at the Unicef Kenya office, said mothers living and working in informal areas have little access to maternity leave and space to feed their children.

“Kenya should put policies in place to ensure that mothers living in informal settlements have access to breastfeeding within the areas. This will help to start timely breastfeeding to reduce infant sickness and death from infections,” she said.

She added that all daycare centres within the informal settlements in urban centres should be equipped to reduce breastfeeding inequalities.

Kiige said there are still significant gaps in breastfeeding practices.

She urged people living with HIV to breastfeed their babies regularly, adding that they have a right to breastfeed the babies since they do not pose a risk to their health.