South Africa needs to ensure regulations on formula foods for babies are enforced.
Kenyan women march towards a restaurant after a female client was allegedly thrown out for breastfeeding and not covering up.
Photo credit should read SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images
South African health authorities educate the public about breastfeeding but without supportive legislation and strong communication, it will never be normalised.
The bacteria in a mother’s breast milk are important because it helps develop a baby’s gut. Research shows this bacteria are different depending on where mothers live and what they eat.
Employers should provide an enabling environment at work for women to continue breastfeeding their infants.
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Several indigenous child-rearing practices have helped babies develop strong immune systems to ward off allergies. These should be actively promoted.
The successful prevention of mother to child transmission programmes means nearly all HIV-infected pregnant women should get anti-retroviral treatment to protect their babies.
Joshua Wanyama/Africa Knows
South Africa’s programmes preventing HIV transmission from mothers to children have been hugely successful. But there are still gaps that need to be filled.
Kenya’s nutrition plan has resulted in dramatic improvements in its nutrition targets.
Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Over the last three years Kenya has seen marked improvements in its nutrition-related targets as a result of a national nutrition plan it has implemented.