as a young lactating mother, i was faced by many challenges in the execution of my duties in the senate and as i was sworn in when my baby boy was just two and a half months old. That meant that he was on exclusive breast milk and woes started when we started doing conferences outside Nairobi to Mombasa, Naivasha etc i had to always carry my baby plus the nanny or take the option of not attending. Now, i tried getting parliament to take care of my baby and the nanny but got the response that it has never been incorporated in the policy so had to sort myself out. I ended up paying transport and accommodation but i thought you know what? times have really changed and for once parliament has some really young women and we expect babies every now and then so why cant this be enshrined in the policy? I did a letter to the parliamentary service commission and am happy to announce that finally it has been resolved that lactating mothers get all the assistance they need to ensure their maximum participation as well as the well being of their babies. this also applies to all the staff working in parliament who have suffered for a long time,.....now the next step is to ask for a WOMEN SITUATION ROOM in parliament, if one wants to breastfeed or express milk for the young ones they do so in a safe environment.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 08:48:03 +0000