Peer-reviewed article
“Love, You Need to Give Your Child Love”: Mothers’ Perceptions of Nurturing Care for Young Children in South Africa
Wiedaad Slemming, Emmanuel Cohen, Alessandra Prioreschi, Stephanie V. Wrottesley, Shane Anthony Norris ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative study explored how mothers in Soweto, South Africa understand nurturing care for infants and young children aged 0–24 months. Mothers emphasized physical care, nutrition, love, and play as important for child health and development, though some feeding practices may increase obesity risk. The study found gaps in mothers' access to information and support about responsive caregiving, feeding, early learning, and home safety, and identified female family members as key sources of caregiving advice.
Key points
- Mothers described child health mainly in terms of feeding, growth, and physical activity, rather than broader developmental aspects
- Responsive caregiving was understood as meeting physical needs, showing love, and playing with children
- Potentially obesogenic and non-responsive infant and young child feeding practices were commonly reported
- Female matriarchs were particularly influential in providing caregiving advice and support to mothers
- Safety concerns were widespread and limited children's outdoor play and exploration
Limitations
This is a qualitative study based on perceptions of 19 mothers in one South African township, so findings may not be generalizable to other regions or countries. The study does not measure actual caregiving practices or child outcomes, only maternal beliefs and reported behaviors.
Abstract
Background: Nurturing care of young children is aimed at promoting lifelong, intergenerational health and well‐being, as well as social and economic benefits. This study is aimed at qualitatively exploring maternal perceptions related to nurturing care, their access to information and support for caregiving, the home and community environments and practices, and how caregivers promote infants’ health and well‐being in Soweto, South Africa. Methods: The study employed a sequential, two‐stage process. First, three focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 19 mothers of children aged 0–24 months, which then informed 12 in‐depth interviews (four women from each focus group discussion). Focus group discussions and interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The health and well‐being of infants were generally described in relation to their feeding and growth and how physically active they were. The need for pregnancy and caregiving information, accompanied by opportunities to discuss this with a health care worker or other women, was highlighted by participants in this study. Potentially obesogenic and non‐responsive infant and young child feeding practices were commonly reported by mothers. Responsive caregiving was described as taking care of children’s physical needs, providing them with love, and playing with them. Female matriarchs were particularly influential in providing caregiving advice and support for mothers. Naturally occurring interactions, such as talking and singing, were commonly reported practices to promote children’s development in the home. Safety concerns were ubiquitous and limited children’s play and exploration outside the home. Conclusions: This is one of few studies to explore caregivers’ perceptions of nurturing care in the South African context and the first to focus specifically on the first 1000 days. Thus, the study findings can contribute to strengthening initiatives to support caregivers to provide nurturing care for young children in South Africa and other similar contexts. Findings point to the need for better targeted information and support for mothers and other caregivers around nurturing care, especially elements related to infant and young child feeding (including responsive feeding), responsive care, early learning, and how to address safety in the home. There is also a gap in the provision of appropriate information and opportunities to engage with peers and health care workers around issues pertinent to pregnant women within current services. These deficiencies can be addressed through strengthening existing services, leveraging current platforms of care and support for pregnant women and young children, particularly through the health system.