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Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Background: Breastfeeding is the simplest, safest and most affordable type of infant feeding and critical to child health and survival particularly in countries with a high burden of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions limited access to health care, breastfeedi...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613142541926400 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda |
| author2 | Rhoda, Natasha |
| author_browse | Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda Rhoda, Natasha |
| author_facet | Rhoda, Natasha Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda |
| author_sort | Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Background: Breastfeeding is the simplest, safest and most affordable type of infant feeding and critical to child health and survival particularly in countries with a high burden of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions limited access to health care, breastfeeding information and support, and may have impacted the lived experience of mothers and their knowledge, perceptions and practice of infant feeding. Objective: To explore mothers' experience of pregnancy, breastfeeding and the postnatal period during the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdowns in Cape Town, South Africa Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, case study design was utilised to describe the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of mothers who breastfed their infants during the pandemic. Ten participants, aged between 23 and 36 years (mean = 28.5 years), were purposively recruited from a hospital's short stay ward during April 2021– June 2021. Semi-structured interviews, using an interview guide of open-ended questions and probes, were conducted and recorded. The interviews were conducted in the mothers preferred language (IsiXhosa, English or Afrikaans). The recorded interviews were transcribed and translated into English for analysis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to generate themes and sub-themes using NVivo 10 software. Results/findings: Breastfeeding knowledge, perceptions and attitudes were captured in six themes namely: 1. Experience of health care services, 2. Experience of the pregnancy, 3. Breastfeeding Experience, 4. Employment and source of income, 5. Breastfeeding knowledge, 6. Psychosocial support. These themes reflect the stress and anxiety of breastfeeding during lockdown, specific needs for financial support and failures of healthcare and society in supporting caregivers. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic affected breastfeeding mothers differently, influenced by their preceding breastfeeding experience, exposure to infant feeding practices and support or lack thereof. While many mothers struggled with breastfeeding in the face of stressors like isolation, lack of support, conflict with/ loss of loved ones as well as food insecurity, others saw the shutdown restrictions and social distancing as a welcome opportunity to bond with their infants. These mothers used their “unemployment” to increase breastfeeding time with their infants. The study exposed the urgency and importance of strengthening breastfeeding support systems, including protected time for infant care. The lockdown had a paradoxical positive impact, as it protected and promoted breastfeeding while also showcasing the potential of social media platforms for virtual health promotion and breastfeeding support. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41136 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:31:26.417Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Department of Paediatrics and Child Health |
| publisherStr | Department of Paediatrics and Child Health |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41136 Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda Rhoda, Natasha Kroon, Max Breastfeeding Covid-19 Pandemic Background: Breastfeeding is the simplest, safest and most affordable type of infant feeding and critical to child health and survival particularly in countries with a high burden of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions limited access to health care, breastfeeding information and support, and may have impacted the lived experience of mothers and their knowledge, perceptions and practice of infant feeding. Objective: To explore mothers' experience of pregnancy, breastfeeding and the postnatal period during the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdowns in Cape Town, South Africa Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, case study design was utilised to describe the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of mothers who breastfed their infants during the pandemic. Ten participants, aged between 23 and 36 years (mean = 28.5 years), were purposively recruited from a hospital's short stay ward during April 2021– June 2021. Semi-structured interviews, using an interview guide of open-ended questions and probes, were conducted and recorded. The interviews were conducted in the mothers preferred language (IsiXhosa, English or Afrikaans). The recorded interviews were transcribed and translated into English for analysis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to generate themes and sub-themes using NVivo 10 software. Results/findings: Breastfeeding knowledge, perceptions and attitudes were captured in six themes namely: 1. Experience of health care services, 2. Experience of the pregnancy, 3. Breastfeeding Experience, 4. Employment and source of income, 5. Breastfeeding knowledge, 6. Psychosocial support. These themes reflect the stress and anxiety of breastfeeding during lockdown, specific needs for financial support and failures of healthcare and society in supporting caregivers. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic affected breastfeeding mothers differently, influenced by their preceding breastfeeding experience, exposure to infant feeding practices and support or lack thereof. While many mothers struggled with breastfeeding in the face of stressors like isolation, lack of support, conflict with/ loss of loved ones as well as food insecurity, others saw the shutdown restrictions and social distancing as a welcome opportunity to bond with their infants. These mothers used their “unemployment” to increase breastfeeding time with their infants. The study exposed the urgency and importance of strengthening breastfeeding support systems, including protected time for infant care. The lockdown had a paradoxical positive impact, as it protected and promoted breastfeeding while also showcasing the potential of social media platforms for virtual health promotion and breastfeeding support. 2025-03-10T15:47:06Z 2025-03-10T15:47:06Z 2024 2025-03-10T15:40:40Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MMed http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41136 en eng Department of Paediatrics and Child Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Breastfeeding Covid-19 Pandemic Nkanuka-Makangala, Yolanda Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | breastfeeding experience and practice during the covid 19 pandemic a qualitative study |
| topic | Breastfeeding Covid-19 Pandemic |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41136 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nkanukamakangalayolanda breastfeedingexperienceandpracticeduringthecovid19pandemicaqualitativestudy |