A qualitative study on breastfeeding experiences of employed mothers in manufacturing, retail and public sectors at designated workplaces in Worcester, South Africa

Background. The work environment presents major challenges for breastfeeding mothers through the physical separation of the mother and the baby post maternity leave. Objective. To explore the experiences of employed breastfeeding mothers from designated workplaces (with more than 50 employees) in Worcester, South Africa. Method. This qualitative study was conducted using focus group discussions (FDGs). Employed breastfeeding mothers from designated retail, manufacturing and public workplaces were recruited from local communities. Eligible participants were those who had exclusively or predominantly breastfed their children for up to 6 months and had given birth within the last 24 months. A community fieldworker recruited participants and coordinated scheduling for the FDGs. Results. Five FDGs (N=24) were conducted. The mothers described returning to work as emotionally and logistically challenging. Those who continued breastfeeding while working demonstrated a strong commitment to and belief in breastfeeding. Consistent enabling factors and main sources of support mentioned included immediate family members, such as grandmothers, siblings and spouses. The challenges identified were a lack of private spaces and time to express breastmilk at work, an unsupportive workplace culture and a lack of work-life balance. The support needs identified for a successful return to work while breastfeeding included flexible schedules, designated private spaces for expressing milk, supportive colleagues and managers and active engagement with senior management on breastfeeding support. Conclusion. There is a need for psychosocial support for breastfeeding mothers to manage the emotional demands of returning to work and logistical support, such as providing breastfeeding spaces and time for expressing breastmilk. Human resource managers, occupational health nurses and wellness officials should inform mothers about the recommendation to provide breastfeeding breaks at work. Engagement and advocacy efforts with workplaces and these stakeholders on the importance of breastfeeding support should be initiated.