ABSTRACT
The study focused on
anthropometric assessment of exclusive and nonexclusive breastfeed babies 0-6
months in Umuahia North rural and urban areas. Cross sectional research design
was adopted. The study comprised of breastfeeding mothers in Umuahia North
L.G.A Abia State. The variables analyzed are; demographic characteristics of
the respondents, socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, knowledge
and awareness of the respondents, attitudes of the mothers towards
breastfeeding. The study revealed that many 66.5% of the respondents were
between the ages of 18-35 years while a few (0.8%) were 56 years and above.
More than half (67.0%) of the respondents had four children only while few 3.8%
had only one child. A little above half (58.6%) of the respondents lived in
corrugated iron sheet buildings while lew (0.8%) of the respondents lived in thatch
houses. Borehole was the source of water supply for (53.6%) of the respondents
as only 4.6% reported stream/river/pond as their source ofwater supply. Pit
latrine (54.4%) was the prevalent type oftoilet among the respondents as 3.8%
used buckets. Many (62.8%) ofthe respondents had secondary education while 0.4%
had no formal education. Trading/business was the main occupation of more than
half (54.4%) ofthe respondents with few 4.2% ofthem civil/public servants. A
little above half (50.2%) ofthe respondents earned a monthly income between
N16, 000-N49, 999 whereas only few earned below N5,000 monthly. Result shows
that majority (99.6%) of the respondents were aware about exclusive
breastfeeding while few 0.4% have not heard about it. Majority 82.0% of the
respondents reported hospital/health centers as their source of awareness with
a further 8.4%, 5.0% and 4.2% reporting friends/relatives, radio and television
and television respectively. Many (65.3%) of the respondents had a fair
knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding with a further 26.4% having poor knowledge
while 8.3% had good knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding. This study also
revealed that 26.4%, 65.3% and 8.3% of the mothers had poor knowledge, fair
knowledge and good knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding this result could be
due to most of them having secondary education. The attitude of the respondents
towards exclusive breastfeeding was examined. The findings showed that the
respondents agreed that breastfeeding a baby with only milk and no water is the
best food for the child for 6 months (4.06±l .34) and that a mother can express
her breast milk to be given to a baby ifshe is not around (3.50±l. 12).
However, they were undecided about children breastfed with only milk being more
intelligent than children breastfed with water (2.55±0.15) and that there is no
need practicing exclusive breastfeeding because even those that teach about it
do not practice it (3.00±0.18). The study recommended increased awareness
through others sources and foster work place policies as this will help improve
the knowledge attitude and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers.
ODEBEATU, O (2024). Anthropometric Assessment Of Exclusively And Nonexclusively Breastfeed Babies (1-6 Months) Umuahia North L.G.A:- Odebeatu, Rose U. Mouau.afribary.org: Retrieved Dec 24, 2024, from https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/anthropometric-assessment-of-exclusively-and-nonexclusively-breastfeed-babies-1-6-months-umuahia-north-lga-odebeatu-rose-u-7-2
ODEBEATU, ODEBEATU. "Anthropometric Assessment Of Exclusively And Nonexclusively Breastfeed Babies (1-6 Months) Umuahia North L.G.A:- Odebeatu, Rose U" Mouau.afribary.org. Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Sep. 2024, https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/anthropometric-assessment-of-exclusively-and-nonexclusively-breastfeed-babies-1-6-months-umuahia-north-lga-odebeatu-rose-u-7-2. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
ODEBEATU, ODEBEATU. "Anthropometric Assessment Of Exclusively And Nonexclusively Breastfeed Babies (1-6 Months) Umuahia North L.G.A:- Odebeatu, Rose U". Mouau.afribary.org, Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Sep. 2024. Web. 24 Dec. 2024. < https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/anthropometric-assessment-of-exclusively-and-nonexclusively-breastfeed-babies-1-6-months-umuahia-north-lga-odebeatu-rose-u-7-2 >.
ODEBEATU, ODEBEATU. "Anthropometric Assessment Of Exclusively And Nonexclusively Breastfeed Babies (1-6 Months) Umuahia North L.G.A:- Odebeatu, Rose U" Mouau.afribary.org (2024). Accessed 24 Dec. 2024. https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/anthropometric-assessment-of-exclusively-and-nonexclusively-breastfeed-babies-1-6-months-umuahia-north-lga-odebeatu-rose-u-7-2