From exclusive breastfeeding to mixed feeding: narratives from mothers in Cape Coast, Ghana

The World Health Organisation in 2003 recommended the practice of exclusive breastfeeding to mothers globally because of the numerous health benefits associated with the practice. As such, the Ghana Health Service also adopted the policy for implementation. Most Ghanaian babies are therefore breastfed exclusively. Introducing babies to other food substances after six months of exclusive breastfeeding can be very challenging. This paper reports on a study that explored the experiences of mothers in the Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana and some of the challenges they faced. The paper draws on a purely qualitative study underpinned by a phenomenological framework. Data is derived from the narratives of twenty-five mothers who had successfully completed six months of exclusive breastfeeding and some of the challenges they experienced as they tried to introduce their babies to complementary food. The study discovered that the babies seem not ready for the complementary food, they cried continuously yet refused food whenever given, and some lost weight during the transition and others preferred only watery food. Advice from experienced mothers and health workers is recommended for mothers in this transitional stage of their infants’ life for their babies to adapt smoothly to the complementary food.