Weaning practices and some problems encountered by breast-feeding mothers

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine if mothers who breast-feed their babies for nine months and longer experience problems when weaning. This research also determines the type of problems and weaning practices used by those mothers. In this descriptive study, data was collected from 150 mothers by means of questionnaires and interviews. The subjects were mothers who breast-fed their children for nine months or longer, who attended antenatal and postnatal clinics at Coronation Hospital. Reasons for weaning were inter alia the belief that the baby was old enough to be weaned. The results revealed that 42 (31,34%) of the respondents experienced problems during weaning. The problems included, among others, guilt feelings in the mother. Mothers use harsh methods of weaning such as sending a child away to a relative. There is minimal involvement of health workers in the health education of mothers on weaning.