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Effectiveness Of Exclusive Breastfeeding In The Development Of Under 5 Children
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1.2 Statement of Problem
Breastfeeding
practices have undergone tremendous medical, cultural and sometimes
religious challenges and debate. In an attempt to achieve successful
breastfeeding globally by the year 2000, the World Health Organization
and United Nations Children’s Fund (1993), launched the Baby Friendly
Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in 1991. The BFHI is a global effort
involving 160 countries, of which 95 of them are in the developing world
where Nigeria is inclusive (Salami, 2006). This project is to support,
protect, and promote the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for six
months and thereafter until 24 months of age. Several medical
literatures have also established the superiority of breast milk over
the other types of milk for the nourishment of the human infants,
offering better health benefits.
Although breastfeeding is universal
in the country, the trend is towards giving other feeds in addition to
breast milk. Generally, the practices are more diversified and
arecharacterized by late initiation of breastfeeding, the administration
of substances other than maternal milk, and the introduction of weaning
foods within one month following the infant’s birth. The Nigerian
Integrated Child Health Cluster Survey (ICHCS, 2003), indicated that a
major area of need in infant breastfeeding was early initiation. The
survey indicated a decline from 56% in 2000 to 34% in 2002. The Nigeria
Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2008) reports also revealed a 13%
exclusive breastfeeding rate which is a decline from 17% indicated in
2003 report. The 2008 report further revealed that 34% of infants aged
0-5 months were given plain water in addition to breast milk, while 10%
were given milk other than breast milk. Only 32% of infants’ under-24
months of age were still on breast milk.
Considering the percentage
of mothers practicing breastfeeding, it should not be surprising that
Nigeria is still saddled with high incidence of malnutrition and its
associated infant mortality. Many factors have been adduced to influence
these practices. The decisions are very often influenced more by other
factors than by health considerations alone. According to Sika-Bright
(2010), the factors which influence the decision to exclusively or
non-exclusively breastfeed include; mother’s marital status, employment
status, friends method of feeding their babies, social support and
baby’s age. Several other demographic studies conducted over the years
(i.e National Demographic Sample Survey (NDSS), 1966; Nigeria Fertility
Survey (NFS), 1982; National Population Policy (NPP), 1988; Integrated
Child Health Cluster Survey (ICHCS) 2003; Nigeria Demographic and Health
Survey (NDHS), 1990, 1999, 2003, & 2008; have also identified
similar factors to include; mother’s level of education, occupation, and
income level to influence mother’s choice of exclusive breastfeeding.
While significantly expanded in content, the primary objective of the
previous surveys has been on emerging issues such as awareness and
behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infection,
poverty, gender inequality, fertility, mortality, nuptiality, awareness
and use of family planning methods, sexual activity, nutritional
statusof mothers and infants, early childhood mortality and maternal
mortality, maternal and child health and of course breastfeeding
practices. However, these factors are apparent in the studies conducted
over the years. The existence of a large scale of mothers practicing
exclusive and non-exclusive breastfeeding, and its associated causes
remained elusive in the studies. It is not definite or clear whether
demographic factors significantly or insignificantly influence the
practice of exclusive and non-exclusive breastfeeding. It is worthy of
note that up till recently, the principal foci of attention has been
demographic factors and the practice of exclusive breastfeeding. None of
the studies conducted over the years concern itself much with
demographic factors and the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in
the development of under-fivesin Benue State. Therefore, the study
purposed to examine effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in the
development of under-fivesin Benue State.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in the development of children under-five in Benue State, Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, 10 hospitals were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling technique (simple random, stratified, and purposive sampling techniques). The data was collected using close-ended questionnaire. 500 questionnaires were distributed to nursing mothers who visited antenatal clinics in the randomly selected hospitals, from whi ... Continue reading---
