The State of the Art of Barriers to Exclusive Breastfeeding among Working Mothers in Developing Countries

Abstract

According to the WHO, the global standard for infant nutrition is exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). However, the level of EBF has been identified to remain low in developing countries. This is quite ironical as one could expect that breastfeeding mothers in developing countries will find EBF attractive as a better alternative to infant food considering the high level of food insecurity in the region. Adopting a qualitative approach, this paper dived into the literature and identified key factors which act as impediments to EBF among working mothers in this region - insufficient breastfeeding breaks in the workplace, lack of breastfeeding spaces and short maternity leaves, birth by caesarean section, poor lactation, poor maternal health, and poor spousal and societal support.