Utility of study:  The results of this study will be the first of its kind in Belize to understand how women approach breastfeeding and what can be done to improve it. The results from this study will provide detailed information on what are the barriers to breastfeeding. This can be used to inform Health programmes and sensitization/information campaigns on the messaging that should be given to women. The messaging should directly address many of the key issues that the research finds, such as challenging misconceptions about breastfeeding and other barriers, such as workplace regulations and other factors. Finally, the data will also be a first examination of what women recall about breastfeeding from the Ministry of Health and about what support they received from health care workers. This would provide an early indication of how well women are able to receive, understand and use information from the MoH’s interventions. The results should also provide detailed information on what women know, think and act in relation to breastfeeding. However, the people that influence these mothers’ breastfeeding practices (with opinions and support or lack thereof), like their partners, mothers, employers, would also be interviewed.

It is useful to understand the mechanisms and beliefs about breastfeeding that are not covered in any other study (including MICS). The study will also examine MoH interventions, or hindrances, but is not intended as an evaluation of these interventions. The study will only signal how well recognized MoH’s interventions are in the mind of women who have recently given birth.