FOLK PRACTICES REGARDING CHILDBEARING

 Nurses and other healthcare professionals practice their professions within culturally diverse societies. In order to make meaningful culture-care decisions and actions to their clients, and to provide culturally congruent and sensitive nursing care; nurses should understand the diverse cultures of their patients. The study sought to understand folk practices related to childbearing in the African context in order to promote cultural awareness and knowledge amongst nurses. The aim of this article is to present some of the practices regarding childbearing in Southern African ethnic groups, using a qualitative descriptive design. Participants included a convenience sample of six elderly women from various ethnic groups in South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland. Data were collected through individual interviews in the form of oral narratives and thematic content analysis was done. The three themes that emerged from data, namely sexual practices, pre-, intra-, and post-natal care practices, and baby care practices were found to be potentially beneficial or potentially harmless and, therefore, could be preserved and accommodated in the nursing care practice.