Perinatal Feeding Practices Among Mothers Attending Primary Health Care Facilities In Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The benefit of breastfeeding to mother and infant is replete in literature. This study investigated perinatal feeding practices in terms of initiation of breastfeeding, use of colostrum and prelacteal feeds among mothers attending Primary Health Care facilities in Isiuzo LGA. Specifically the objectives were to determine: (i) the timing of breastfeeding initiation among women in Isi-uzo Local Government Area. (ii) what women in Isi-uzo Local Government Area use colostrum for. (iii) the women’s reasons for their use of colostrum. (iv) the prelacteal feeds that the women use. A sample of two hundred and eighty five mothers who are currently breastfeeding or had stopped breastfeeding not more than a year ago were recruited into the cross-sectional survey. An interviewer administered questionnaire was the only instrument used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics of chi square and odds ratio. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. Majority (61.1%) of the participants initiated breastfeeding early (within one hour after delivery). Stimulants such as tea, hot water, palm wine and small stout (among other things) were reportedly used to aid the production of breastmilk. 87.7% of the participants fed their babies with colostrum while only 12.3% of the mothers in this study discarded the colostrum. The major reason for colostrum avoidance was that the colour was not good. Some of the participants also believed that it is bad milk and as such can make the baby sick or even kill the baby. Mothers-in-laws and mothers were the main source of this information. About one-third (32.9%) of the participants reported that colostrum is also used for the treatment of eye infection while one participant said it is used for killing ants. Administration of prelacteal feeds was also observed among the study participant with plain water, coconut water and glucose water being the most commonly used prelacteal feed. There were no significant association between age, level of education and use of colostrum while parity and place of delivery were significantly associated with use of colostrum. Also, a significant association was found between the use of prelacteal feed and breast feeding initiation. The odds of participants who initiated breastfeeding late using prelacteal feed were 14 times that of those who initiated breastfeeding early. They were also 4 times more likely to use it than those that initiated breastfeeding early. Most of the mothers in this study initiated breastfeeding early, fed their babies with colostrum and used prelacteal feeds. Nurses and midwives need to step up their efforts to meet up with the WHO recommendation that all infants should receive breastmilk within the first one hour of birth, encourage colostrum use and discourage the use of prelacteal