Kiota Breastfeeding Consultants in partnership with ParentsAfrica magazine and Jacaranda Maternity held a clinic drive on 3rd August 2024 to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week which runs from 1st to 7th August.
The theme of this year is ‘Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all.’
The drive which took place in Mathare, benefited about 69 women and children who were in attendance. The beneficiaries included several teenage moms from as young as thirteen years.
“I am so glad that I get to do this for other mums because I never got the chance to learn and know some of the things we are teaching these ladies when I was younger,” Muriuki Kiai, founder of Kiota Breastfeeding Consultants said.
The clinic drive addressed several topics on family planning, breastfeeding, weaning a child and also ways to properly give birth.
“It’s important to exclusively feed your child milk for the first six months after they are born,” Ciru Muriuki said during her talk. This sounded like a new piece of information to several mothers in the room who stopped feeding their children before the period mentioned.
“I stopped feeding my child milk and gave them porridge when they were three months. This is because they were always crying. So I thought they were hungry and opted to feed them solid food,” said one of the parents.
In response to that, Ciru explained that children do not cry because they are not getting enough food but because they are growing into their bodies.
“When a child starts to grow, they start becoming uncomfortable hence the crying especially because of something called a growth spurt. Another reason children cry is because of gas. So do not think it’s about food. Give them breastmilk!”
The mothers were taught on how to properly breastfeed. This includes how to hold the baby while she nurses, how the baby should latch and even the consequences of not breastfeeding properly.
“When you don’t breastfeed the right way, your breasts will become painful and start to swell.”
The ladies also discussed about the various infections they’ve gotten throughout their motherhood journey and ways that they dealt with them.
Viveka Joy, a nurse at Coptic Hospital, was also a speaker during the event. During her session, she talked about the importance of family planning.
“There are several methods of family planning, P2 and use of condom being the most popular. Today we’re going to learn more about these,” she said.
Viveka talked of a number of family planning methods and explained each of them. She demonstrated how to use the male and female condoms.”
Other methods included three types of pills, including P2, Chaguo Langu and syringes including Depo and coils. This session was quite interactive and the ladies seemed to be so keen to learn everything.
“P2 is only effective if you use within 72 hours and should be used only two times a year. If you don’t, you may develop cysts on the ovaries because of misuse,” Viveka said.
They also talked about myths and misconceptions about family planning and contraception to which Viveka discussed in a gentle yet firm manner.
The third session talked about techniques to give birth during which ladies agreed that giving birth by Caesarean Section, (CS) is not easy. Therefore they were taught on ways to have an easier time during that period.
During all these sessions, the mothers were going to a makeshift clinic and various tests were done for them, including an ultra sound scan for the pregnant ladies. Their children were also dewormed.
“The day was a huge success. My hope is that people will continue supporting mothers not only during the World Breastfeeding Week but also on other days,” Ciru said.
