ABSTRACT

Within South Africa, approximately 1.5 million children suffer from malnutrition and stunting with dire effects on their early development and thriving potential. Nutritional care within the first 1000 days of children's life plays pivotal role in their holistic development when a stable, safe, nurturing and responsive relationship is provided by their mothers. This study explored first-time mothers’ understanding and experiences of nutrition within the first 1000 days of their child's life. A total of 12 first-time mothers with infants aged 4–21 months living in low-income communities in Cape Town completed semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis suggested that mothers generally acknowledged nutrition as crucial for the development of young children; however, many were unfamiliar with the phrase ‘first 1000 days’. The findings provide contextual grounding for the gap in knowledge and awareness of the first 1000 days within South African low-income communities.

摘要

在南非，大约有 150 万儿童营养不良和发育迟缓，严重影响了他们的早期发育和蓬勃发展的潜力。当母亲提供稳定、安全、养育和回应的关系时，儿童生命最初 1000 天内的营养护理在他们的整体发展中发挥着关键作用。本研究探讨了初为人母在孩子出生后 1000 天内对营养的理解和体验。共有 12 名生活在开普敦低收入社区的 4-21 个月婴儿的初次母亲完成了半结构化访谈。一项专题分析表明，母亲普遍承认营养对幼儿的发育至关重要；然而，许多人不熟悉“前 1000 天”这个短语。