Skip to main content

Table 2 Feeding practices of informally working mothers

From: A descriptive study to explore working conditions and childcare practices among informal women workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: identifying opportunities to support childcare for mothers in informal work

 

All Mothers N = 247 (%)

Domestic Workers N = 77 (%)

Informal traders

N = 170 (%)

P value

Mother initiated breastfeeding

208 (84.2)

68 (88.3)

140 (82.4)

0.23

Mother has given the baby expressed breastmilk at any time

76 (30.7)

29 (37.6)

47 (27.6)

0.11

Mother reports ever having taken the baby to work with her

130 (52.6%)

36 (46.7%)

94 (55.3%)

0.21

Mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding in the workplace

 Mother reports she would feel comfortable taking her child to work

101 (40.9%)

43 (55.8%)

58 (34.1%)

0.001

 Mother reports she would be able to breastfeed while at work

121 (49.0%)

40 (51.9%)

81 (47.6%)

0.53

 Mother reports she would be able to express breastmilk while at work

61 (24.7%)

30 (39.0%)

31 (18.2%)

0.005

Current feeding practice

 Currently breastfeeding

112 (45.3)

26 (33.8)

86 (50.6)

0.01

 Stopped breastfeeding

96 (46.1)

42 (61.8)

54 (38.1)

0.001

 Never breastfed

39 (15.8)

9 (11.7)

30 (17.6)

0.265

Main reason for stopping breastfeeding (mothers who have stopped breastfeeding)

 

N = 96

N = 42

N = 54

 

 Experiences of breastfeeding

11 (9.3)

4 (9.5)

7 (13.0)

0.75

 Had to go back to work /be away from the baby

34 (35.1)

17 (40.5)

17 (31.5)

0.36

 Mothers health including HIV infection

14 (14.4)

7 (16.7)

7 (13.0)

0.61

 Advised to stop breastfeeding (by health worker or family member)

8 (8.3)

5 (6.5)

3 (5.3)

0.19

 Other reason

29 (30.2)

9 (21.4)

20 (37.0)

0.14

  1. data in bold represents P < 0.05