A Hospital-Based Assessment of Breast-Feeding Behaviour and Practices among Nursing Mothers in Nigeria and Ghana

Abstract

Exclusive breast-feeding is recommended for infant nutrition during the first 6 months after birth. Worst still, this behaviour practices have not yet improved in Africa despite this recommendation. This study therefore, examines breast-feeding behaviour and practices among nursing mothers in two African countries: Nigeria and Ghana. A sample of 300 nursing mothers attending ante-natal clinic was randomly drawn from 4 hospitals, two in Nigeria and two in Ghana. The demographic characteristics of the respondents show that their age range between 19 - 51 years with a mean of 35 years and standard deviation of 22.6 years. A modified self-report questionnaire assessing breast-feeding attitudes, intentions and support was used for the collection of data. The reliability co-efficient yielded r = 0.82 after modification. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. The results indicate that nursing mothers do not breast-feed based on personal frustration and painful experience, fear of loosing weight, nature of job, lack of confidence in breast-feeding, long period of recommended exclusive breast-feeding and the fact that infant may become addicted to the behaviour. The result also reveal that nursing mothers may continue exclusive breast-feeding when decided to do so through the provision of social support, modeling, public enlightenment and appointment of care nursing mother. While at the same time, it was shown that there is significant difference in breast-feeding behaviour of mothers based on their occupations and of course no difference exists in the breast-feeding behaviour of Nigeria and Ghana nursing mothers. Recommendations based on the findings of the study were highlighted.