Breastfeeding in South Africa: Social and cultural aspects and strategies for promotion

Abstract

Die voordele van borsvoeding word toenemend dwarsdeur die wêreld in wetenskaplike literatuur beklemtoon. Tydens swangerskap spreek meeste vroue ook die wens uit om te borsvoed. Daar moet vasgestel word wat vroue beinvloed om nie te borsvoed nie, of om borsvoeding vroeg in die postpartum tydperk te staak.Faktore wat borsvoeding beinvloed is ekonomiese faktore; advertensie en kommersiële druk: die voorbeeld van die hoër sosio-ekonomiese groep; veranderde waardes en statussimbole; wedywerende ideologië; te min m elk; kulturele voorkeur aan vet babas; beskikbaarheid van ondersteuning; invloed van gesondheidsvoorligting; hospitaalbeleid; gebrek aan hulp in die eerste kritieke dae en gebrek aan selfvertroue.Daar is 'n tendens weg van borsvoeding af met ernstige gesondheidsimplikasies en ons het derhalwe 'n verantwoordelikheid om borsvoeding te bevorder. Strategieë wat aangevoer word is onder meer navorsing; hulp vir die werkende vrou; beperkinge op die bevordering van melkformules; voorligting; opleiding van gesondheidspersoneel; veranderings in hospitaalroetines; 'n nasionale projek om borsvoeding te bevorder en 'n ondersteuningstelsel in subekonomiese gebiede. INTRODUCTIONEvery week from 5-10 new scientific papers on the topic of breast-feed ing are published (Jelliffe. 1983). Many of these emphasise the ad vantages of human milk over modi fied cow's milk. The increasing evi dence highlights the nutritional ad vantages, the immunological bene fits, the enhanced bonding between mother and infant, and the childspacing advantages of breast-feed ing. In developing countries these advantages can prove to be lifesaving.Although infant mortality figures for South Africa (especially Afri cans) are difficult to obtain, a review of statistics available from Local Authorities in the W estern Cape shows that two of the major causes of death are gastro-enteritis and respiratory infections. The inci dence of these infections is far lower among breast-fed infants. Ex perts agree that breast-feeding alone could have a significant effect on the infant mortality rate. Any perceived trends away from breast feeding, especially in sub-economic areas cause great consternation, and often provoke the question, Why aren't these women breastfeed ing ' ? Many studies have focused on when the mother makes her deci sion about how to feed her baby. It is interesting how many women ex press the wish, during the preg nancy to breast-feed. In a recent survey (Carter, 1984) the investiga tors found that 98,3% of pregnant women interviewed at Maternity Obstetric Units in Cape Town said they wanted to breast-feed their babies. Marina Petropulos of Fair Lady magazine, who receives ap p ro x im ately 1 000 le tte rs each month with questions on infant feeding, says that she is often struck by the strength o f womens' wishing to breast-feed.W hat happens to this desire to breast-feed? An interesting study c o n d u c te d a m o n g u r b a n Z u lu mothers revealed that 72% of the infants had commenced formula feeding at between one and five weeks of a...

Field testing of the revised, draft South African Paediatric Food-Based Dietary Guidelines among mothers/caregivers of children aged 12–36 months in the Stellenbosch Municipality in the Western Cape province, South Africa

“…These factors included the perception of not having enough breast milk, a lack of confidence and support for breastfeeding, amongst others. 8 A lack of support and the stigma around breastfeeding in public remain issues influencing successful and continued breastfeeding. Efforts to 'normalise' breastfeeding within the country and the promotion of a breastfeeding-friendly society and environments are necessary to address common breastfeeding challenges and protect this ideal mode of feeding babies.…”