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Ickes SB, Lemein HS, McKay A, Arensen K, Singa B, Kinyua J, Nduati R, Walson J, Denno DM. Mothers' Willingness to Use Workplace Lactation Supports: Evidence from Formally Employed Mothers in Central Kenya. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:102032. [PMID: 38130332 PMCID: PMC10733674 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Formally employed mothers are vulnerable to early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. Kenyan national policy requires employer-provided maternity benefits and workplace lactation supports. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate willingness to use nationally mandated workplace lactation supports among formally employed women in Kenya. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 304 mothers of children ages ≤12 mo in Naivasha, Kenya, who were currently formally employed and employed before delivery of the most recent child to assess availability of and willingness to use current and potential future workplace lactation supports. Results The most available reported workplace lactation supports were schedule flexibility to arrive late or leave early (87.8%) or visit a child to nurse during lunch (24.7%), followed by company-funded community-based daycare (7.6%). Few (<4.0%) reported the availability of lactation rooms, on-site daycares, transportation to breastfeed during lunch, refrigerators for expressed milk, or manual or electric breastmilk pumps. If made available, >80% of mothers reported moderate or strong willingness to use flexible schedules to arrive late or leave early, break during lunch, and transportation to visit a child to nurse. A moderate proportion reported strong willingness to use on-site daycares (63.8%), company-funded community-based daycare (56.9%), on-site lactation rooms (60.5%), refrigeration for expressed milk (49.3%), manual (40.5%), and electric pumps (27.6%). Mothers expressed fear of missing production targets and reported more willingness to use on-site compared with off-site daycare to save transportation time but noted concerns about chemical exposures and early arrival times with young infants. Hesitations regarding the use of on-site lactation rooms included concerns about privacy, milk identification and storage, and use and sharing of pumps. Conclusions Flexible schedules were the workplace lactation supports in highest demand among formally employed mothers. Maternal willingness to use lactation rooms, refrigeration, and pumping equipment was moderate to low, suggesting sensitization may help to increase demand as the implementation of Kenyan policies moves forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott B. Ickes
- Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, United States
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Departments of Medicine (Allergy and Infectious Disease) and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Kinesiology, William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Hellen Sankaine Lemein
- Departments of Medicine (Allergy and Infectious Disease) and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Anna McKay
- Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, United States
| | - Kelly Arensen
- Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, United States
| | - Benson Singa
- Departments of Medicine (Allergy and Infectious Disease) and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Joyceline Kinyua
- Departments of Medicine (Allergy and Infectious Disease) and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Ruth Nduati
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Judd Walson
- Departments of Medicine (Allergy and Infectious Disease) and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Donna M. Denno
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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