Barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among young mothers at selected health care centers in Thembisile Hani local municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa: A descriptive phenomenological study

Background Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as giving an infant milk from its mother's breast or from a wet nurse in the first 6 months of life, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Younger mothers are less likely than older mothers are to exclusively breastfeed or to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. Therefore, this research aims to assess knowledge and explore and describe barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among young mothers at the selected healthcare centers. Methods A descriptive phenomenological design was used as a method of inquiry. Two hundred and fifty young mothers who breastfed babies from 6 weeks to 6 months and attended a well-baby clinic at selected community healthcare centers were recruited via convenience sampling. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 young mothers to assess their knowledge and explore and describe the barriers to exclusive breastfeeding. Interpretive thematic analysis revealed that although young mothers have adequate knowledge regarding exclusive breastfeeding, they do not practice it. Results Two themes emerged from the data: the knowledge of young mothers on exclusive breastfeeding and the barriers influencing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding. These findings indicate that most young mothers have a good understanding of the significance, duration, and advantages associated with exclusive breastfeeding. However, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding remains a challenge for several reasons. Conclusions Young mothers are well informed regarding exclusive breastfeeding, and its practice can reduce infant morbidity and mortality. Since knowledge is not a problem, to improve the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, the focus should be on the following aspects: developing strategies to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice, enhancing peer support groups for mothers to encourage one another and addressing barriers to the practice of exclusive breastfeeding. Furthermore, research on exclusive breastfeeding support by partners, families, communities and health care providers can improve the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among young mothers.