Choice of Infant Feeding Practice Among Women of Child Bearing Age in Amukpe Community Sapele
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives Of Study
- To determine the feeding practices of mothers of infants zero to six months in Sapele LGA attending Amukpe Community Sapele.
- To establish the relationship between social-demographic factors and feeding practices of mothers of infants zero to six months in Sapele LGA attending Amukpe Community Sapele.
- To establish the effect of culture on feeding practices of mothers of infants zero to six months in Sapele LGA attending Amukpe Community Sapele.
- To establish the infant factors influencing feeding practices of mothers of infants zero to six months in Sapele LGA attending Amukpe Community Sapele.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework
Infant feeding practices
Infant feeding practices generally refer to the various feeding methods employed by the mother or caregiver to provide the necessary nourishment to their infants. These range from either exclusively breastfed, predominantly breastfed, mixed fed or not breastfed at all.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is an integral part of infant feeding and is the natural form of supplying nourishment to an infant. In a study, ”Preliminary Data from Demographic and Health Surveys on Infant Feeding in 20 Developing Countries authors Marriott, Campbell, Hirsh and Wilson determined that of the 20 countries studied, 99.6% of 0-6 and 87.9% of 6-12 month old infants were breastfed. Breast milk provides total food security for the baby as it is a hygienic source of food with the right amount of energy, protein, fat, vitamins, and nutrients for infants in the first six months. It is the only safe and reliable source of food for infants in an emergency (Alive&Thrive).
Exclusive Breastfeeding
Exclusive breastfeeding necessitates feeding an infant on breast milk only continuously for six months without giving any other fluids even water with the exception of vitamins, minerals and medicines(WHO,2012). UNICEF (2012) indicates that it is the perfect way to provide the best food for a baby’s first six months of life. Breastfeeding is so much more than food alone since breastfed infants are less likely to die from diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections and other diseases.
Benefits of exclusive breastfeeding
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recognizes exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life as the best feeding practice for enhancing child survival, growth and development. It also protects against diarrhoea by eliminating the infant’s exposure to water-borne pathogens (USAID, 2019).
Breast milk provides protective antibodies from the mother to help protect infants against acute respiratory infections, bacterial meningitis, atopic disease, childhood asthma and childhood leukaemia. Breast milk prevents long term complications such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, Crohn’s disease and lymphoma (Burby, 2015).
Breastfeeding stimulates an infant’s immune system and response to vaccination as well as boosting cognitive development (Child info, 2012).
Breastfeeding saves money by reducing costs that would otherwise be used to treat illness or buy breast milk substitutes, feeding equipment or fuel for preparation. It is environmental friendly since it is a natural, renewable, sustainable resource that requires no fuel for preparation, packaging, shipping, or disposal (Alive &Thrive).
Breastfeeding can reduce stress level and risk of postpartum haemorrhage as well as reducing the risk of ovarian and breast cancers (Baby Center, 2012). It promotes mother to child bond and meets the baby’s emotional needs (USAID, 20O9). Breastfeeding contributes to optimal child spacing (Burby, 2005).
HIV and Infant feeding
Infant feeding in the context of HIV poses significant challenges due to risk of transmission of the virus via breastfeeding and the complexity of the major influence that feeding practices exert on child survival. The dilemma is to balance the risk of infants acquiring HIV through breast milk with the higher risk of death from other causes in particular malnutrition and diarrhoea (UNICEF, 2012; WHO, 2019).
HIV transmission may occur for as long as a child is breastfed but the risk is nearly twice as much among women recently infected than for those infected before or during pregnancy due to the high viral load shortly after initial infection (WHO, 2013). The method of infant feeding is clearly associated with the risk of transmission through breastmilk. Compared to mixed feeding, the risk of HIV transmission is 3-4 fold lower with exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. In a study by the WHO 2017 only 4% of exclusively breastfed infants became infected with HIV between 6 weeks and 6 months even in the absence of ARVs (UNICEF, 2012).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The chapter presents the methodology that was used in the study. It highlights the research design, study area, study population, study variables, sample size calculation, the data collection techniques and instruments, data management, quality control, ethical issues, time frame and limitations of the study.
Study design
A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to collect data through a quantitative approach. The design was chosen as it focuses on collecting data concerning factors influencing mothers or caregiver knowledge, attitudes and practices on optimal infant feeding practices at one point in time.
Study population
The target population comprised all breastfeeding mothers or caregivers with infants between ages zero to six months in Sapele LGA. The accessible population consisted of breastfeeding mothers or caregivers of infants zero to six months in Amukpe Community Sapele.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION
Introduction
This study assessed factors influencing the infant feeding practices of mothers with children zero to six months in Sapele LGA. This was in light of the suboptimal infant feeding practices among mothers with children in this age group. The data collected was analysed using univariate and bivariate data analysis techniques. This chapter presents results of the analyses.
Infant factors influencing infant feeding practices
Feeding practices were defined either as breastfed and/or bottle fed with breast milk only or bottle fed with cow’s or formula milk respectively. The results are presented in Figure 2.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
- Not all infants aged zero to six months are being exclusively
- Social-demographic factors have a significant effect on infant feeding practices. The risk groups include younger adolescent mothers, the uneducated and those that resided in the informal
- Culture is significantly related to infant feeding
- Infant factors are significantly related to infant feeding practices
As such, the study concludes that social-demographics, culture and infant characteristics are factors influencing feeding practices of mothers with children zero to six months in Sapele LGA
Recommendations
On the basis of general findings of this study, the researcher recommends the need to implement the various infant feeding policies by the government working hand in hand with the help of medical personnel as soon as infants are born and follow-up to at least six months.
The government should strive to make available social amenities and necessary infrastructure for slum dwellers mostly teaching hospitals, safe water and toilet facilities and in turn residents should maximise these facilities accordingly to ensure health maintenance is a continuous process.
Communities should be urged that even as they uphold and respect their cultural practices to put the need for health first.
Public health sectors should offer more information on proper feeding practices and hospitals should adopt the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), so as to encourage proper breastfeeding initiation and successful exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
The WHO’s 10 steps to successful breastfeeding should be availed to mothers in each facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants.
The researcher recommends the assessment of the effect of other factors like religion and tribe/ ethnicity on infant feeding practices.
REFERENCES:
- Adeyinka T., Ajibola F., Oyesoji A., & Adedeji T., (2018). A Hospital-Based Assessment of Breast-Feeding Behaviour and Practices among Nursing Mothers in Nigeria and Ghana. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 7 (1). p. 166.
- Agampodi S., B., Agampodi T. C., & Piyaseeli U. K. D., (2017). Breastfeeding practices in a public health field practice in Sri Lanka: a survival analysis. International Breastfeeding Journal 2:13. p 2.
- Anandaiah R., & Choe M.K., (2010). Are the WHO Guidelines on Breastfeeding Appropriate for India? National Family Health Survey Subject Reports, No. 16. p. 16.
- Atashili J., Kalilani L., Seksaria V., & Sickbert-Bennett E., (2018). Potential impact of infant feeding recommendations on mortality and HIV- infection in children born to mothers in Africa: a simulation.
- Awumbila M., (2013). Social Dynamics and Infant Feeding Practices in Northern Ghana. Pp. 85- 87.
- Barros F. C., Victoria C. G., Vaughan J. P., & Smith P. G, (1986). Birth weight and duration on breastfeeding: are the beneficial effects of human milk being overestimated? Pediatrics 78 (4)
- Bentley M. E., Stallings R. Y., Fukumoto M., & Elder J. A, (1991). Maternal feeding Behavior and Child Acceptance of Food during Diarrhoea, Convalescence, and Health in the Central Sierra of Peru. American Journal of Public Health. 81: 1. Pp. 43-47.
