International Journal of Medicine and Health Development (Jan 2016)
Perinatal feeding practices among mothers in Isi-Uzo, Enugu State: Implications for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Abstract
Background: A gamut of factors including culture-related beliefs and knowledge seem to have constrained effective implementation and uptake of WHO/UNICEF's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in most developing countries. Aim: To assess mothers' breast-feeding initiation and use of colostrum and prelacteal feeds. Subjects and Methods: The design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. A sample of 285 mothers with children under two years was drawn from an estimated population of 32,571 women of child-bearing age. Data were collected using validated researcher-developed interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency tables, odds ratio and ANOVA at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: About 61.1% (174) of mothers initiated breast-feeding early; 12.3% (35) expressed and discarded the colostrum, and 39.6% (113) gave prelacteals. Women who delivered in hospital initiated breast-feeding earlier than those delivered at home/TBA or health center. Mode of delivery influenced their time of breast-feeding initiation (p = 0.035) and prelacteal feeding (p = 0.023). Mothers are more likely to feed colostrum to their baby (odds ratio 10.872, 95% CI: 7.1-16.6). Conclusion: Findings showed that the BFHI is yielding good result in newborn nutrition. However, objectives of the initiative are not yet completely achieved because of the predominant practice of using prelateals and discarding colostrum among nursing mothers. Skilled care providers need to step up efforts to encourage women to deliver at health facilities; increase heath education, supervise and monitor mothers to increase compliance with BFHI principles.
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