Associate Dean Undergraduate Studies Prof. Rose Kosgei with the speakers at the Breastfeeding bootcamp, Dr. Grace Irimu and students at the event.
The 2nd Breastfeeding Bootcamp was successfully on 13th June, 2026 at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, on the Kenyatta National Hospital Campus.
The one‑day intensive training brought together healthcare professionals from across Nairobi and beyond to strengthen their knowledge, practical skills, and confidence in supporting breastfeeding mothers and infants.
Participants engaged in a full day of lectures, video demonstrations, and hands‑on practice sessions covering a wide range of essential topics, beginning with the current breastfeeding status in Kenya, presented by Prof. Grace Irimu, founder and patron of the University of Nairobi Breastfeeding Boot Camp.
Dr. Kalekye Mbatha then explored the components of breastmilk and the multiple benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child. Purity Kibe led a critical session on maternal nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, followed by Dr. Cheryl Tikolo, who walked participants through the anatomy and physiology of breastfeeding. Dr. Mercy Kamene presented on early initiation of breastfeeding, combining a lecture with an illustrative video.
Esther Kimani and Dr Tikolo demonstrated practical techniques to enable mothers to enjoy breastfeeding, focusing on positioning and attachment. Josie Munene and Patrick Too then led a combined lecture and demonstration on breastmilk expression using both hand and pump methods, safe breastmilk storage, and cup feeding techniques.
There was a dedicated intensive skills practice session during which all participants rotated through hands‑on stations to practice positioning, attachment, hand expression, and cup feeding under the direct guidance of the facilitators. This was followed by a lecture practicum led by Purity Kibe and Prof. Irimu, with additional contributions from other facilitators.
The event brought together paediatricians, nurses, nutritionists, midwives, clinical officers, and medical students from diverse healthcare settings. It was facilitated by postgraduate residents from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, lactation consultants from the Kenya Breastfeeding Association, paediatricians from private healthcare facilities, and experts from the Ministry of Health’s Division of Nutrition and Dietetics. Professor Daniel Ojuka, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Dr Ahmed Laving, Chair of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, also attended the event. Participants commended the highly interactive format, the effective balance between theory and practical learning, and the expertise of the facilitators.
The Second National Breastfeeding Boot Camp was supported by Rose Charities Canada through the Hillman Medical Education Fund and by the University of Nairobi.
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