ABSTRACT

This study was designed to find out the effect of mothers occupation on breastfeeding practices in Umuahia South. A questionnaire was distributed to 108 breastfeeding mothers. The study revealed the meaning of breastfeeding. Benefits for infants for mothers, types of breastfeeding, energy and nutrient needs of the mother during breastfeeding, breastfeeding and maternal employment, knowledge of breastfeeding, employment and breastfeeding practices. The study also revealed that the mothers aged 21-30 years (29.6%) 31-40 years (44.4%) and 41-50 years (25.9%). About 74.0% of the breastfeeding mothers were not always available to breastfeed their babies stating their reasons for lack of satisfaction is due to tight schedule, type of job, and 83.3% were granted maternity leave where 64.8% said that the maternity leave were not long enough and they said that the reason for wanting longer maternity leave is for them to breastfeed their baby exclusively and also take good care of them. The study revealed that despite maternity leave and support, mothers are still complaining about their work and nursing baby and they suggests that there should be room for them to enable breastfeeding easier for them thereby providing family support, flexing working hours, day care centres. The study revealed that 11.3% of the mothers exclusively breastfed their babies from 0-6 months, while 60% exclusively breastfed for 0-5 months. It was observed that 37.2% of them had good breastfeeding skills, which is initiation of breast milk immediately after delivery. The findings of this study revealed that the breastfeeding mothers faced a lot of challenges while combining breastfeeding and work, and the full-time employment (breastfeeding mothers) had negative effects as mothers had less length time to breast feed their babies which is contrary to the recommendation to breastfeed exclusively for at least a period of six months.