TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of a baby-friendly workplace support intervention on exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya
AU - Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth W
AU - Wilunda, Calistus
AU - Macharia, Teresia Njoki
AU - Kamande, Eva Watiri
AU - Gatheru, Peter Muriuki
AU - Zerfu, Tadesse
AU - Donfouet, Hermann Pythagore Pierre
AU - Kiige, Laura
AU - Jabando, Susan
AU - Dinga, Lynette Aoko
AU - Samburu, Betty
AU - Lilford, Richard
AU - Griffiths, Paula
AU - Jackson, Debra
AU - Begin, France
AU - Moloney, Grainne
N1 - © 2021 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PY - 2021/4/8
Y1 - 2021/4/8
N2 - Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months of life is crucial for optimizing child growth, development and survival, as well as the mother's wellbeing. Mother's employment may hinder optimal breastfeeding, especially in the first 6 months. We assessed the effectiveness of a baby-friendly workplace support intervention on EBF in Kenya. This pre-post intervention study was conducted between 2016 and 2018 on an agricultural farm in Kericho County. The intervention targeted pregnant/breastfeeding women residing on the farm and consisted of workplace support policies and programme interventions including providing breastfeeding flexi-time and breaks for breastfeeding mothers; day-care centres (crèches) for babies near the workplace and lactation centres with facilities for breast milk expression and storage at the crèches; creating awareness on available workplace support for breastfeeding policies; and home-based nutritional counselling for pregnant and breastfeeding women. EBF was measured through 24-h recall. The effect of the intervention on EBF was estimated using propensity score weighting. The study included 270 and 146 mother-child dyads in the nontreated (preintervention) group and treated (intervention) group, respectively. The prevalence of EBF was higher in the treated group (80.8%) than in the nontreated group (20.2%); corresponding to a fourfold increased probability of EBF [risk ratio (RR) 3.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.95-5.15]. The effect of the intervention was stronger among children aged 3-5 months (RR 8.13; 95% CI 4.23-15.64) than among those aged <3 months (RR 2.79; 95% CI 2.09-3.73). The baby-friendly workplace support intervention promoted EBF especially beyond 3 months in this setting.
AB - Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months of life is crucial for optimizing child growth, development and survival, as well as the mother's wellbeing. Mother's employment may hinder optimal breastfeeding, especially in the first 6 months. We assessed the effectiveness of a baby-friendly workplace support intervention on EBF in Kenya. This pre-post intervention study was conducted between 2016 and 2018 on an agricultural farm in Kericho County. The intervention targeted pregnant/breastfeeding women residing on the farm and consisted of workplace support policies and programme interventions including providing breastfeeding flexi-time and breaks for breastfeeding mothers; day-care centres (crèches) for babies near the workplace and lactation centres with facilities for breast milk expression and storage at the crèches; creating awareness on available workplace support for breastfeeding policies; and home-based nutritional counselling for pregnant and breastfeeding women. EBF was measured through 24-h recall. The effect of the intervention on EBF was estimated using propensity score weighting. The study included 270 and 146 mother-child dyads in the nontreated (preintervention) group and treated (intervention) group, respectively. The prevalence of EBF was higher in the treated group (80.8%) than in the nontreated group (20.2%); corresponding to a fourfold increased probability of EBF [risk ratio (RR) 3.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.95-5.15]. The effect of the intervention was stronger among children aged 3-5 months (RR 8.13; 95% CI 4.23-15.64) than among those aged <3 months (RR 2.79; 95% CI 2.09-3.73). The baby-friendly workplace support intervention promoted EBF especially beyond 3 months in this setting.
KW - baby-friendly workplace
KW - breastfeeding support
KW - infant feeding behaviour
KW - mother-friendlyworkplace
KW - propensity score weighting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104042039&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/mcn.13191
DO - 10.1111/mcn.13191
M3 - Article
C2 - 33830636
SN - 1740-8695
VL - 17
JO - Maternal and Child Nutrition
JF - Maternal and Child Nutrition
IS - 4
M1 - e13191
ER -