In Cameroon, working mothers are legally entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, while WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Between these two timelines, mothers face the challenge of balancing professional responsibilities, recovery and infant feeding.
For a mother, returning to work after childbirth is not simply a matter of resuming professional duties. It can also mean reorganizing how her baby is fed, particularly when she wishes to continue breastfeeding. In Cameroon, maternity protection exists in law, but the duration of leave and the conditions surrounding the return to work remain important considerations for breastfeeding mothers.
Fourteen weeks of maternity leave
Under Section 84 of Cameroon’s Labor Code, a pregnant woman is entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, beginning four weeks before the expected date of delivery. The leave may be extended by six weeks in the event of a duly certified illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth. The law also protects the woman from dismissal because of her pregnancy or during maternity leave. For workers covered by the scheme, a daily maternity allowance equivalent to the salary received when the employment contract was suspended is payable by the National Social Insurance Fund.
The legislation does not, however, end maternity-related protection when the woman returns to work. Section 85 provides mothers with nursing breaks for 15 months following childbirth, for a total duration of up to one hour per working day.
For the public sector, the experience of Nadine Wetie reflects a different administrative framework. The civil servant said she benefited from maternity leave
beginning four weeks before delivery and continued receiving her salary during the period.
Six months recommended for exclusive breastfeeding
The legal period of maternity leave is shorter than the period recommended for exclusive breastfeeding. WHO and UNICEF recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, before complementary foods are introduced while breastfeeding continues. WHO’s 2026 World Breastfeeding Week campaign specifically identifies paid maternity leave and workplace breastfeeding support among measures associated with better breastfeeding outcomes. A review of 35 studies from low- and middle-income countries cited by WHO found that paid maternity leave was associated with a 52% increase in exclusive breastfeeding.
For Prof. Anne Esther Njom Nlend, a Cameroonian paediatrician and public health specialist, breast milk provides infants with anti-infective and immunological components, including antibodies, and supports healthy growth. She has also warned that inadequate exclusive breastfeeding exposes infants to risks including infections and malnutrition.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply whether a mother has a right to maternity leave, but whether she can continue breastfeeding once she resumes work. WHO points to practical workplace support, including breastfeeding breaks and appropriate arrangements that allow mothers to express and store breast milk.
Workplace support can make a difference
Cameroon already has examples of practical solutions. At Foumbot District Hospital, an on-site nursery allows female health workers to keep their babies nearby and breastfeed during breaks while continuing their duties. UNICEF reported that the facility welcomes between 15 and 20 children of hospital staff every day.
Such initiatives illustrate that the period after maternity leave can be approached not as the end of breastfeeding support, but as a transition requiring appropriate workplace arrangements. For working mothers, the possibility of continuing breastfeeding may depend as much on the environment in which they return as on the length of the leave itself.
Reactions
“I benefited from my maternity leave four weeks before my delivery.”
“In my case, as a civil servant, I benefited from my maternity leave four weeks before my delivery. To obtain maternity leave, I had to put together a file from the seventh month, consisting of a handwritten request through the hierarchical channel and a pregnancy certificate issued by a gynecologist mentioning the expected date of delivery. Once the file was complete, I submitted it to the Administrative Affairs Service, which prepared an official leave decision specifying the number of days I would spend at home. After this leave decision was signed by my hierarchy, the same service issued me a maternity leave notification, also signed by the hierarchy. From that point, I was officially on maternity leave and could enjoy it peacefully, maternity leave is not paid, but during this period you continue to receive your salary normally.”
“Maternity leave is not paid.”
“To take maternity leave, you submit a letter to Human Resources. This maternity leave lasts three months. In my case, it was not paid, so I had to organize myself and save money during my pregnancy so as not to feel this lack. I went on leave two days before the expected date of delivery so that I could rest better, avoid stress, manage the final details and avoid unexpected circumstances.”
“I was entitled to my maternity leave benefits.”
“My maternity leave went very well. I was able to have time for myself and my child without worrying 100% about work. I specify this percentage because, given the position I held, I could not completely detach myself from work. Being affiliated with CNPS, I was entitled to my maternity leave benefits and reimbursement of medical expenses. This was a great relief because the reimbursement only came after the maternity leave period. The statutory period is three months, although I would have liked to have had more time because I developed hypertension after giving birth. With medical follow-up of more than two months to stabilize the situation, I think more time would have allowed me to recover better so that I could focus essentially on my newborn, myself and the house And since we do not completely step away from work, I still had to deal with a few work-related emergencies from time to time.
