Why Kenya's babies are missing mother's milk

In the densely populated slum of Manyatta B in Kisumu, a young mother rocks her baby gently under the shade of a tattered iron sheet roof. The baby fusses and cries, not from illness, but hunger. For 22-year-old Nancy Akinyi, breastfeeding has been an uphill battle from the moment her child was born.

“This is my first baby. He’s now one year and two months old. When I gave birth at 21, I didn’t know how to breastfeed,” she says. “I didn’t have milk. I went to the hospital and was told it would come later. I was advised to eat well, but even now, I still don’t have enough milk.”

Nancy’s solution is to feed her baby thick porridge to fill his tiny stomach.

Her experience is just one of many in a growing crisis that is silently undermining child health in Kenya: declining breastfeeding rates, especially among teenage and young mothers.

According to the Ministry of Health, three in every 10 mothers in Kenya are no longer breastfeeding their children at all, relying entirely on bottle-feeding. Data from the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards shows that bottle-feeding has increased from 22 per cent in 2022 to 34 per cent in 2025, a sharp 12-percentage-point rise.

Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni attributes this trend largely to working-class mothers who, due to tight schedules and demanding supervisors, are unable to find time to breastfeed. Many employers, she adds, have failed to provide supportive environments, such as lactation rooms, despite Section 71 of the Health Act, 2017, requiring them to do so.

But for teenage mothers, such as Nancy in Manyatta B, the problem goes deeper than work-related constraints.

Nutritional deficits

In low-income settlements, young mothers face poor nutrition, high stress, lack of knowledge, and social stigma, all of which directly affect their ability to produce breast milk.

Mary Ann Atieno, 19, shares her struggle. “At first, I didn’t know how to breastfeed. I had no milk. I’d go days without producing even a drop. I still don’t have enough. I eat well, but it doesn’t help. Many girls here are going through the same thing,” she says.

Like Nancy and Mary Ann, Winnie Atieno, now 26, gave birth as a teenager and faced similar difficulties. “I used to feed my child warm water because I had no milk. Later I introduced food at six months, but I continued breastfeeding with the little milk I had,” she said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond, alongside safe and appropriate solid foods. Yet in Kenya, only 61 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, short of the 70 per cent target by 2030.

Dr Judith Waswa, senior lecturer in nutrition and global health, explains that teenage mothers face a unique set of biological and social challenges that impact lactation.

“Teenage mothers are still growing themselves. Their bodies compete for nutrients between their own development and milk production. Poor diets, iron deficiency, and stress severely reduce milk supply,” she explains.

Dr Waswa adds that young mothers require at least 2,500 to 2,700 calories daily, plus key nutrients, such as iron, protein, calcium, and folate, not just for their babies, but for their own health. In food-insecure settings, many fall short.

Kenya faces what health officials describe as a triple burden: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and rising cases of overweight in children. Since 2022, 18 per cent of children under five are stunted, five per cent are wasted, and three per cent are overweight. Meanwhile, 43 per cent of adolescent boys are undernourished.

This paints a bleak picture for children who miss out on breast milk, a substance rich in antibodies, nutrients, and protective factors that formula cannot replicate.

“Breast milk is not just food; it’s medicine. Without it, children are more vulnerable to infections, digestive problems, and allergies,” says Dr Waswa. 

Consolata Achieng, 25, gave birth at 22 and faced disappointment early on. “After birth, I saw a watery liquid coming from my breasts. The midwife told me it was normal and milk would come. It did, but not enough,” she says. “Even today, I don’t produce enough.” She’s not alone.

Maureen Achiando, 31, a mother of three from Kaego in Manyatta B, says her breastfeeding journey wasn’t smooth either. “I breastfed all my children up to five years. But many women here don’t. Some lack milk, others stop early, and some feed babies water or porridge instead. It’s a big challenge.”

Community health workers witness this daily.

Eunice Atieno, a community health promoter, recalls a disturbing case: “I found a one-month-old baby alone in a house, being fed porridge. The mother had gone out for casual work. This is common in Manyatta.”

Eunice urges mothers to exclusively breastfeed for six months, practise proper hygiene, and eat balanced meals. “It’s the only way to prevent infections, such as diarrhoea and cholera.”

Her colleague, Daniel Owiti, adds: “We teach women proper hygiene, how to breastfeed, and to prioritise their babies’ health. Employers must allow mothers time to feed their babies. Breastfeeding is a right.”

Teen mothers often face stress, postpartum depression, lack of family support, and body image issues. Dr Waswa explains how these affect breastfeeding.

The age factor

“Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which interferes with prolactin and oxytocin, the hormones that drive milk production. Lack of breast stimulation, infrequent feeding, or early formula use weakens hormonal signals. Hormonal immaturity or delayed let-down is more common in younger mothers,” she says. “Frequent feeding, eight to 12 times daily, is essential, but many young girls don’t know this. They’re misinformed, unsupported, or ashamed.”

She stresses that mammary gland development is usually sufficient by age 15 or 16, so age alone isn’t a barrier—support is.

Supporting teen mothers goes beyond medical advice. Dr Waswa advocates for flexible schooling, community-based childcare, and economic empowerment.

“We should involve grandmothers and community elders to guide and support young mothers,” she says. “Local foods, such as legumes, vegetables, and small amounts of animal products can help meet nutritional needs.”

In Manyatta, most women, such as Winnie, Nancy, and Mary Ann rely on casual labour. “Sometimes a mother leaves early for work without breastfeeding. Some try expressing milk and leaving it in a cup, but it’s not safe,” says Winnie. “We need better solutions.”

The first 1,000 days of life, from conception to two years, are critical for physical and brain development. According to WHO and Unicef, over 820,000 children under five could be saved annually if all were optimally breastfed. Breastfeeding improves IQ, school attendance, and future earning potential. Undernutrition contributes to 2.7 million child deaths annually, 45 per cent of all deaths under age five.

World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated every first week of August, serves as a global reminder of breastfeeding’s value. But in Kenya’s urban slums, it is more than symbolic—it’s a call to action.

Young mothers, such as Nancy Akinyi hope for answers. “I still don’t understand why I don’t produce enough milk,” she says, holding her baby close. “I eat well. I try, but it’s never enough. I want to know what’s wrong.”

To reverse Kenya’s bottle-feeding trend and improve child survival, experts call for: Enforcement of lactation policies in workplaces and schools, nutrition support for low-income and teen mothers, community mentorship from older women to younger mothers and access to healthcare, counseling, and education.