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Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices of Breastfeeding Mothers From a Periurban Community in South Africa

Mohammed Ali Dhansay, MD

Medical Research Council in Cape Town, South Africa

Karen E. Charlton, RD, MSc

Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cape Town and Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Unit, Medical Research Council, Parow, South Africa

Timothy Johns, PhD

School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at McGill University in Montreal, Canada

Katherine Gray-Donald, PhD

School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at McGill University, Montréal, Canada

The aim of this study was to document the breastfeeding practices, beliefs, and attitudes of periurban South African lactating mothers with infants younger than 6 months. None of the mothers (n = 115, mean age 26 ± 6.3 years) reported exclusively breastfeeding their infants, with complementary breastfeeding being the most practiced (78%) feeding mode. Complementary foods were fed to 32% of infants by their first month of life. Perceived inadequate production of breast milk was the most common (90%) reason cited for adding foods and liquids to breastfeeds. Mothers valued use of traditional herbal preparations (muthi), with more then half (56%) of the infants having received their first dose of muthi before 1 month of age. Our study provides important data on breastfeeding practices of women living within resource-poor settings. Development of successful infant-feeding interventions aimed at promoting overall infant health can benefit from knowledge of these breastfeeding patterns.

Key Words: breastfeeding • South Africa • periurban • prelacteal feeds • beliefs • practices • exclusive breastfeeding • complementary feeding • traditional herbal preparations

Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 21, No. 1, 31-38 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0890334404272388


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