Ridiculed for visiting mothers, man leads Teso's breastfeeding awareness drive

Male breastfeeding champion Gregory Ekidit during the interview. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Every time he stepped out to talk to breastfeeding mothers, he was ridiculed.

In a male-dominated society, it did not make sense to some people why a man would spend so much time mingling with women, especially breastfeeding mothers.

Gregory Ekidit was mocked and given nicknames such as “counsellor wa wamama (women’s counsellor),” while others thought he was wooing their wives.

The ridicule allowed him to explain why men must be part of conversations around breastfeeding.

Ekidit was dedicated to promoting exclusive breastfeeding and helping mothers and their partners understand how best to breastfeed their babies.

Breastfeeding was considered a common practice, yet most mothers did not understand best practices.

Majority of babies were introduced to complementary feeding at two weeks, as it was believed breast milk was not adequate and did not have all THE nutrients required for growth of a baby.

“It really pained me to be questioned about what I was doing with other men’s wives. It was not easy. I had to explain myself and the reason behind my visits,” recalls Ekidit.

The 49-year-old, from Roadblock area in Ang’orom location, Teso South, walks from one home to another, talking to mothers and their partners about the importance of initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and introduction of complementary feeding to babies.

Additionally, he shares how to overcome challenges that may interfere with breastfeeding.

For Ekidit, a father of five, breastfeeding is not a woman’s responsibility alone. It is everyone's responsibility.

His journey into breastfeeding advocacy began at home.

His first child fell sick frequently, prompting him to accompany his wife to the hospital often so that he would understand what was ailing him.

The baby would cry, and he assumed he was hungry.

During the hospital visits, he learnt about the importance of breast milk and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.

“I was initially overfeeding my baby after introducing complementary feeding early. The baby always had stomach upset because his digestion was not fully developed, yet we would feed him whenever he cried,” he recalls.

He had introduced the baby to complementary feeding at only three months.

“In the village, babies are given porridge as early as two weeks, and for me at three months, everyone believed I was starving my baby. Early introduction of mixed feeding was, however, more harmful,” adds Ekidit.

After learning about breastfeeding and child feeding, he began to give the baby the right portions of a balanced diet.

In an interview with The Standard, he says he further understood that caring for a baby goes beyond providing food or taking them to hospital when sick.

It also meant supporting the mother, particularly during breastfeeding, to enable her to produce adequate milk for the baby.

It is during the regular visits that Ekidit realised that many fathers did not understand how much their involvement could influence breastfeeding.

He was therefore inspired to take breastfeeding lessons beyond his own household and become a male breastfeeding champion in his Teso community.

At home, he ensures his wife has adequate food and a supportive environment for the production of milk for their baby.

Ekidit says stress lowers milk production, an issue that further affects a baby.

“Most of the time, I play with my baby, make my wife laugh, and also give her a massage. When the mother is happy, it also contributes to the production of milk,” says Ekidit.

Ekidit’s youngest child is one year and six months old and is still breastfeeding, while his other children are in Form Two, Grade Seven and Grade One.

His experience has taught him that fathers have a role to play from pregnancy through childbirth and breastfeeding.

“Most men think their responsibility ends when they bring their wives to hospital or when the baby is born. But these are our children. Let us not just ‘zalisha’ (pregnant) and leave the responsibility to the mothers,” he says.

As a male breastfeeding champion, train mothers on best breastfeeding practises. The practises include early initiation within the first hour, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, feeding on demand, and proper latch and hold.

During the introduction of complementary feeding, he encourages the issuance of the right portions that should be balanced.

The practises he says are key in protecting infant health, building a strong milk supply, and fostering bonding with newborns.

“Initially, majority of mothers would give their children large portions of porridge before six months, while others would give babies water. Such practises are discouraged because breast milk has all the nutrients required by a baby, including water,” he explains.

Ekidit continues moving from home to home, encouraging mothers and fathers to work together to give children the best start in life.

For Ekidit, his work is not about being seen as a man doing a woman’s job, but helping other fathers understand that supporting breastfeeding is also part of fatherhood.

“Fathers and mothers should support each other. Fathers should educate their children and support their wives. When a mother gives birth, the father should not leave everything to her. We have a responsibility too.”

Today, as Kenya joins the world to mark World Breastfeeding Week under the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life; Strengthen What Works,” Ekidit is among decorated males championing exclusive and continuing breastfeeding in the country, amid tightened measures aimed at increasing breastfeeding rates that have stagnated at 60 percent.

When a baby is born, the first protection against disease may not come in a syringe or a bottle. It comes from the breast.

Breast milk is key to a newborn, as it is the baby’s first immunisation, notes Janet Ntwiga, UNICEF Nutrition Officer in Kenya.

Ntwiga adds that breast milk offers immune factors that help protect newborns from infections and illnesses at a time when their bodies are still developing.

The first six months, she explains are critical because a baby’s immature gut is not yet ready for other foods.

“Breast milk is a balanced diet,” she says, explaining that it provides the nutrients a baby needs for growth, development and brain development,” explains Ntwiga.

Beyond nutrition, breastfeeding helps strengthen the bond between mother and child, while offering health benefits to the mother.

Scientifically, she notes that the act of suckling triggers the mother’s uterus to contract after birth, helping it return to its normal size and supporting recovery.

For the baby, breastfeeding also protects against illnesses that can cause weight loss and malnutrition, particularly diarrhoeal diseases.

“It's the best start in life,” Ntwiga says.

Kenya’s exclusive breastfeeding rates stand at 60 per cent, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), a slight drop by 0.5 per cent in 2014 survey.

Busia is among the leading counties with high rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 96.6 percent, whereas Kisumu, Migori and Homa Bay stand at 86, 88 and 81 percent respectively.

Whereas Kenya has made progress in breastfeeding, Ntwiga says the country cannot afford to become complacent.

“If you are at 96 per cent, the four per cent that are not breastfeeding means those children are not getting the best start in life,” says the official. “With the country’s rates of 60 per cent, it means 40 per cent of our children are not getting the best start in life,” she says.

Further, Ntwiga explains that exclusive breastfeeding means giving a baby nothing other than breast milk during the first six months, apart from prescribed medicines when the child is sick. “This means no water, sugar or other foods”.

However, she observes that mothers face numerous barriers to achieving the recommendation, including inadequate support at home, in communities and at workplaces.

UNICEF has been working with the government to address these barriers, including strengthening the capacity of health workers to provide breastfeeding support and advocating for policies that create an enabling environment for mothers.

The organisation also supports implementation and monitoring of policies designed to protect breastfeeding.

These include the Breast Milk Substitutes (Regulation and Control) Act, which seeks to prevent inappropriate promotion and influence around breast milk substitutes.

The Health Act also provides for workplace support for breastfeeding mothers.

UNICEF is also supporting advocacy, monitoring and capacity building to ensure health workers and other professionals have the skills needed to help mothers initiate and sustain breastfeeding.

At community level, UNICEF is implementing the Baby Friendly Community Initiative, building on Kenya’s wider efforts to create environments where mothers can receive support to breastfeed.

The initiative recognises that breastfeeding does not happen in isolation.

“A mother needs support from health workers, her family, community and workplace to successfully breastfeed for the recommended period,” she says. “Science has told us it's the best for the baby. So why not give the baby the best?” She poses.