THOUGH it is continually advocated for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months after a baby is born, in Guyana maternity leave lasts only three months, leaving a three-month gap when mothers face numerous challenges in maintaining an exclusive breastfeeding regimen.

The Ministry of Public Health acknowledged this gap, noting that a six-month maternity leave plan will come with its own challenges. The ministry therefore, in the meantime, is advocating for work places to become more breastfeeding-friendly, and is working to erase any stigma still lingering against mothers breastfeeding.

This was observed when the MoPH on Sunday morning launched National Breastfeeding Week 2018 under the theme, “Breastfeeding, Foundation for Life.” The launch was held at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) maternity ward.

The activities kicked off with a health walk, where several individuals in support walked from the corner of Main and Church Streets to the Maternity Ward’s parking lot.
Director of the MoPH Food Policy Division, Dinte Conway, noted the need for creation of spaces within both private and public organisations that would facilitate mothers who return to work being able to extract their milk, which they can later leave for caregivers to feed their babies.

She was supported by Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Karen Cummings, who went a step further and noted her hope that in the future there could even be day care centres attached to the work places, giving mothers the opportunity to take time and breastfeed their infants.

“We’re hoping that one of these days there could be a facility next door that they can leave sometimes to go and nurse their babies,” Minister Cummings said.

“Research clearly indicates the many benefits of breastfeeding. Mothers give their babies something that no one else can. Breastmilk is more than just food for your baby. Over the years the MoPH has been promoting the virtues of breastfeeding to mothers in Guyana, in an effort to have them breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months.”
GPHC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), George Lewis, addressed the issue of the stigma surrounding breastfeeding in public, which would discourage mothers from breastfeeding.
“People should not be critical of seeing women breastfeeding whether it is in a minibus, in the office or wherever, we should acknowledge and understand that it is important and promote such activities,” Lewis conveyed.

“Whenever a woman would attempt to breastfeed in public you would find that some people, especially men, would look in awe as if it’s something that they are not accustomed to. In addition to that, you find that some women would feel that the [breastfeeding] woman is exposing herself unnecessarily, so we need to eliminate that thinking and understand that the woman is providing an important function and that the end result of that function would make us all some healthy babies.”

As the activities continue this week, there will also be a breastfeeding workshop for Nursing and Non-Nursing Personnel on Wednesday.