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Infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) have difficulty breastfeeding owing to impaired anatomical structures. Assessing mothers’ breastfeeding experiences and the factors influencing decision-making may improve services and patient-centred care.

To describe the breastfeeding experiences of a group of South African (SA) mothers of infants with CL/P.

A descriptive quantitative research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data through an electronic survey. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 mothers of infants with CL/P aged <3 years old. The survey was conducted in SA, where the prevalence of CL/P is 0.3 per 1 000 live births.

Thirteen participants (92.85%) breastfed or expressed breastmilk after birth, with only one mother opting to not provide any breastmilk. Despite their eagerness to attempt breastfeeding, many participants encountered active discouragement by family and cleft teams. Moreover, they reported limited breastfeeding encouragement or lactation support.

Healthcare professionals are encouraged to prioritise person-centred care, advocating for parents to make informed decisions regarding the best feeding options for their infant. Our findings may be valuable to cleft teams and allied health professionals interested in effective breastfeeding management of infants with clefts.