Education in Africa 
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| Title: | Barriers to successful exclusive breast-feeding practices among rural and urban nursing mothers in Edo State of Nigeria: implications for education and counselling |
| Authors: | Alutu, A.N.G. Orubu, A.O. |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Periodical: | Research Review (ISSN 0855-4412) |
| Volume: | 21 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Pages: | 27-36 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs. |
| Geographic terms: | Nigeria West Africa |
| Subjects: | breastfeeding Cultural Roles Health, Nutrition, and Medicine Women and Their Children Medicine, Nutrition, Public Health education mothers Edo State (Nigeria) nutrition Counseling |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the barriers to the successful practice of exclusive breastfeeding among rural and urban nursing mothers in Edo State of Nigeria. 496 urban and rural nursing mothers constituted the sample of a structured interview, while 40 nursing mothers (20 urban and 20 rural) were involved in an in-depth interview. The results reveal that 98 percent of both urban and rural nursing mothers start breastfeeding almost immediately after delivery. However, variations occur in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Only about 42.5 percent of urban nursing mothers and 51.8 percent of rural nursing mothers are still breastfeeding exclusively at 4 months. The paper reveals that the major barriers that jeopardize the practice of breastfeeding are age-long myths and beliefs held about breastfeeding, and the nature of the mother's work. Most mothers feel that breast milk alone cannot be enough for the baby so they introduce artificial milk, pap, soup and water alongside breastfeeding. The paper stresses the need for a grass-roots approach in educating and counselling nursing mothers to reduce the barriers to the successful practice of exclusive breastfeeding, so that both the mother and the child can realize the immense benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract, edited] |