Table 2.

Sample distribution by demographic factors

	Indicator		% (N = 84)
Maternal characteristics	Mother/caregiver mean age (yrs)	34.7 ± 11.7
	Maternal education	Primary (up to grade 7)	20
		Secondary (grade 8–11)	50
		Matric (grade 12)	29
		Post matric	1
	Maternal source of income	None	26
		Child support grant only	61
		Child support grant and other sources	4
		Government grant	5
		Pension	1
		Domestic worker	2
		Trainee	1
Household characteristics	Household head	Female-headed households	56
		Male-headed households	44
	Household head source of income	None	21
		Old age grant	17
		Government grant	27
		Pension	4
		Part-time/full time job	31
	Household mean food expenditure per month	R1124 ± R667
	Mean household size	6.9 ± 3.6 persons
Child characteristics	Mean age in months	16.3 ± 6.1
	Sex of child	Female	56
		Male	44
	Infant breastfeeding practices	Immediate breastfeeding initiation	79
		Feeding colostrum	79
		Never breastfed	21
	Exclusive breastfeeding for first 6 months of life	Mothers continued breastfeeding till: 12.3 ± 6.1 months	36
	Mixed feeding	Mean initiation started at: 2.3 ± 1.4 months	16
	Substitute breastfeeding feedinga	Mean initiation age: 2.0 ± 1.5 months	49

^aThis also includes those children who have never been breastfed