POLOKWANE – Mothers, who are also employees of the Department of Health, brought their babies to work and also got a chance to breastfeed their babies in front of a panel to show that breastfeeding is okay, even in public, for the baby’s sake.

With many people saying that breastfeeding in public is ‘disgusting’, Department of Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba says that breastfeeding is natural and no mother should be embarrassed by it.

One mother Selaelo Masenya, who is a personal assistant within the department, read out a memorandum of request to the MEC, that states that employed women should be given daily breaks or a daily reduction of hours of work to breastfeed their babies in between.

Ramathuba agrees and also signed the memorandum policy, which condones breastfeeding breaks for all women with babies from 0 – 6 months.

The policy will be developed, signed and implemented throughout the province.

Spokesperson Derick Kganyago also spoke to Review about the breatmilk bank at Mankweng Hospital and the benefits thereof.

anne@nmgroup.co.za