04/02/2026
In spite of initiatives like UNICEF's Baby Friendly Hospital and the WHO's 10 Steps, many hospitals in South Africa still sadly prioritise outdated protocols over evidence based breastfeeding support, leaving many mothers battling systems that don't support them or the needs of their babies.
👉🏼If you decide on a hospital birth, it can be useful to enquire about these protocols beforehand, as they will vary from hospital to hospital. Asking about topics like skin to skin, NICU practises regarding visitation and milk expression, kangaroo mother care or standard procedures after C-sections can help you better prepare to ensure breastfeeding gets off to a good start. 👈🏼
Many nurses still only receive very basic lactation training in a broader sense in relation to infant development. This training is not specialized, and some moms find that with every shift change they receive new and often conflicting advice. Invasive "hands on" practises like squeezing a mother's breasts "to see if there's milk" undermines the mother's confidence, bodily autonomy and is frankly not neccessary or rooted in physiology.
Other common pitfalls new mothers have to navigate often include topups or mixed feeding given or being pushed when none are medically necessary, which impacts supply, or the introduction of artificial feeding methods and teats that can jeopardise latch and breast acceptance.
✨Having a Lactation Professional you can contact when in doubt is useful and can protect the critical first few days of establishing lactation. ✨
Hospital procedures and protocols are not "laws". You are free to make informed decisions about your health and your baby's without being pressured, coerced or kept ignorant of information.
🪩 Annette Nel, LC. Perlemama Lactation 2026. 🌸
