BANGKOK, 5 May 2013 In its effort to encourage breastfeeding for newborns for the first 6 months of their lives, the Public Health Ministry has adopted a policy allowing female civil servants with newborn babies to take as long as 180 days to breastfeed them.
The policy will extend the period which a mother is allowed to take leave from work from 90 days to 180 days. However, the privilege will only be applied to civil servants.
Deputy Health Minister Dr. Cholanan Srikeaw said the purpose of the extension is to enable mothers to breastfeed their newborns for as long as they could, given the mother’s milk is essential to the growth and development of a baby. Around 944 workplaces have already allowed their female employees to pump their breast milk at work so they can feed their babies when they go home.
Male civil servants will also be able to take 30 days of paid leave to help nurture their newborns instead of the previous paid leave of 15 days. The measures will certainly promote stronger family bonds, according to Dr. Cholanan.
