A convicted woman is in prison with her one-month-old baby and another prisoner is now six months pregnant. It means the Suva Prison will soon have two babies, said chief officer Alanieta Waibuta of the Suva Women's Prison.
She said the baby was being looked after by the mother who had been an inmate since last month.
"After giving birth they were brought back to prison and there is another inmate who is six months pregnant and will be giving birth soon," she said.
She said the prison had a nursery for the babies of nursing inmate mothers who were allowed to be with their new born baby until the child was strong enough to start eating.
Mrs Waibuta said they had so far kept three babies at the prison since 2008 and it was something good for the inmates as it was part of Government's Yellow Ribbon Project.
"Most of them are mothers and their motherly instincts really show when the babies are here because it is something that occupies them and they take turns looking after the baby," she said.
She said once the baby was strong enough to eat solid food it was either taken to the father and his relatives or if the inmate was not in a serious relationship when having the baby, it was kept with the mother until she was discharged.
Mrs Waibuta said sometimes, the family of an inmate who had given birth and non-government organisations helped look after the welfare of the baby and provided food for the mother and child.
"We work on a budget that is given every year and since 2008 expenses incurred while keeping babies at the prison come under this budget," she said.