How Nestle, others support Nigerian career breastfeeding mothers

By Medinat Kanabe

When Mrs Gbemisola Rilwan, a nursing mother working with the Lagos State government had her first two children; she was the envy of her family and friends who work with other organisations.

This is because, after the birth of each child, she was given six months maternity leave as per the Lagos State government policy.

 

It didn’t end there; the policy also permitted her husband to get 10 working days off as paternity leave to be able to bond with the new baby.

 

Mrs Rilwan said that she was able to practice six months exclusive breastfeeding for the two children during that time.

 

But the mother of three and a nurse with the state government said the third child she is currently nursing is not able to enjoy the goodwill because of a clause in the policy.

 

The Lagos State government policy on maternity leave says that every female public servant in the state will get a six months maternity leave with full payment, however, it only applies to the first two children.

 

The policy states that after the first two births, the mother will no longer be entitled to six but three months maternity leave and the father will not be permitted to take paternity leave.

 

But Mrs Rilwan said “combining work with a four months old child hasn’t been easy and it doesn’t allow me to practice exclusive breastfeeding like I did for my other children.

 

“I close from work at 2 p.m but I am worried because I cannot be sure every day that the breast milk I have expressed for my child is well handled and safe enough for the baby to consume,” she said.

 

Expressing her concerns regarding the handling of breastmilk by creches, Mrs Rilwan said “A recent research shows that an expressed breast milk should not be allowed to stay for more than four hours outside normal room temperature except it is stored in a fridge and not all creches have the facility and knowledge of the required temperature for the child,” she said.

 

70% of Nigerian children don’t have access to exclusive breastfeeding

 

Similar to Mrs Rilwan’s third child, research has shown that many Nigerian children do not have access to exclusive breastfeeding.

 

A recent research by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that over 70 per cent of Nigerian children do not have access to exclusive breastfeeding.

 

According to the Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell and the Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, the world must intensify efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding.

 

The bodies said as global crises continue to threaten the health and nutrition of millions of babies and children, the vital importance of breastfeeding as the best possible start in life is more critical than ever.

 

Meanwhile, another mother, Ayishat Mukhtar, a private school teacher, also talked about the challenges she faces while trying to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

 

She said, “it is so bad that to achieve exclusive breastfeeding, I resign from work every time I deliver a baby and only go in search for another job after five months of delivery.”

 

Mrs Mukhtar who resides in the Badagry area of Lagos State said she has had to take up teaching in four different private primary schools in four years because the respectable private schools available only give three months maternity leave and majority of them are without pay.

 

Maternity entitlements in Nigeria

 

A 2019 study of maternity entitlements in Nigeria by the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Alive & Thrive, a global nutrition initiative, discovered that the effective implementation of maternal entitlements is not consistent across different subsectors.

 

The study shows that predominantly in the informal sector, women do not benefit from maternal entitlements granted them by law largely because there is no institutionalised policy or guiding principle for these types of benefits.

 

The study drew more than 2,500 respondents, including public and private sector stakeholders working mothers in the formal and informal sectors across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

 

The report shows that “Despite the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the 2008 Public Service Rules, and the 2004 Nigeria Labour Law, which all recognise and assent to the provision of maternity entitlements, there is a significant gap that exists in Nigeria’s legislation.”

 

It noted that the gaps include the lack of clarity on whether organisations may face penalties if they deny women their maternity leave rights; what compensation women can claim when that right is denied; and the fact that large pockets of the population, such as those in the informal sector and men, are being overlooked under official law.

 

So far, amongst the 36 states in Nigeria, only Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo and Kaduna states have adopted the six months maternity leave policy.

 

Jigawa State has approved four months maternity leave for mothers, while Sokoto as well as the remaining 30 states including the FCT maintain a three to four months maternity leave.  

 

Benefits of breastfeeding

 

Explaining the best breastfeeding method for babies, the founder, Divine Happiness Hospital, Ogun State, Adeosun Bolakale said to get optimum breastfeeding benefits, mothers must breastfeed their babies between eight to ten times daily during the first few weeks of birth.  

 

The matron who is currently breastfeeding her fourth child said mothers should breastfeed at the first sign of hunger.

 

“Do not wait until the baby cries, crying is often a late sign of hunger. Frequent breastfeeding is needed for the baby to gain weight and to stimulate the mother to produce plenty of milk

 

She explained that, “exclusive breastfeeding involves giving the baby no other food or drink except the breast for at least eight times every 24 hours during the first few weeks.

 

 

On the importance of breastfeeding, she said: “breastfeeding is the perfect food for your baby because it provides many nutritional and health benefits. Frequent breastfeeding is needed for the baby to gain weight and to stimulate the mother's body to produce plenty of milk”

 

 

“Like me now, I am a nursing mother, you know exclusive breastfeeding is not that easy and comfortable as regards the nature of my job. This is my advice for people like me.

 

 

“You can use a breast pump and put it in the feeding bottle and in the freezer, and make sure you breastfeed frequently when you are with your baby.”

 

 

“Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially in the early days. Some of these challenges could be breast infections which are called Mastitis, low milk supply, and sore nipples,” she said.

 

 

Speaking on the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, Mrs Bolakale said it lowers the risk of the baby having diseases like asthma, respiratory illness, diarrhoea, and reduces ear infection.

 

 

“The breast contains important antibodies that help to fight off all viruses and bacteria which is critical in those early months.

 

 

“Breastfeeding also promotes a baby's healthy weight and it prevents childhood obesity,” she said.

 

 

On the importance of breastfeeding for mothers, Mrs Bolakale noted that it helps the uterus, and the womb to contract as well as reduce the risk of diseases such as breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.

 

 

“Women who breastfeed have a lower risk of having high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes,” she said.

 

 

 “Try to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Do not smoke and avoid alcoholic drinks. If you need to take any medicine, including non-prescription drugs, check with your health care provider or pharmacy and never use any illegal drugs,” she said.

 

On her part, founder and managing director, The Milk Booster, Lagos, Chinny Obinwanne said the Lagos State government policy on maternity leave is ridiculous.

 

 

Mrs Obinwanne said it is not fair for the state government to approve six months maternity leave only twice to mothers.

 

 

“Are they saying that mothers are only allowed to give birth twice? If a mother gives birth to more than two children, the demand increases? She has to be home for up to six months to look after her baby.

 

 

“We are saying that mothers should do exclusive breastfeeding but they are not well equipped to be able to do it. For my community, I am trying to get them to boost their supply so that they are not spending so much time trying to increase it,” she said.

 

What Nestle, Dangote have adopted

 

At Nestle Nigeria, the Human Resource Personnel, Edidiong Peters said the company gives 18 weeks paid leave to primary caregivers and 4 weeks paid leave to secondary caregivers.

 

 

She said Nestle has a creche where staff who are breastfeeding mothers bring their babies to so that they can focus on work.

 

 

"This is also why for our corporate social responsibility programmes that have to do with building blocks of classrooms for schools, we also build creches so that breastfeeding staff who work in those schools can bring their children to the creche and focus on work," she noted.

Nestle has also in it's Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK), a school-based nutrition education programme encouraged teachers to bring their babies to school so that they can be well breastfed.

The company recently donated to Salvation Army Primary School 1, Agabra, Ogun State, a block of two classrooms and a créche for nursing mothers working in the school.

Meanwhile, at Dangote Group of Companies, Ibese, this reporter learnt that new mothers are given 90 days maternity leave with full payment of salaries.

 

Human Resource Manager, Admin services, Mr Peter Agba who spoke to this reporter said the company has also provided a creche facility where mothers can keep their babies when they resume.

 

 

"There are staff at the creche whose duty is to take care of your baby while you go and do your work. The mothers can visit the creche during their breastfeeding time to feed the baby."

 

 

Asked if the mothers pay for the creche services, he said that all services are being paid for by Dangote.

 

He explained further that the creche is for children between the ages of 3 months to 2 years.

 

 

"The Creche is a very big building just before the office building. It has different sections for different categories of children; this is to allow children of different ages to mix with their age mate and play together."

 

 

On why the company chose to provide such a facility for babies, he said the main reason is for women to be able to practise exclusive breastfeeding.

 

Speaking further, he said that the mothers are also allowed to close earlier than others for another 90days before full resumption.