ABSTRACT

Over the years, experts have found that breast milk provides the best possible start to life in all areas of infant’s development. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is giving the child breast milk alone in the first six months of life World Health Organization (WHO) (2014). The inclusion of water along with the breast milk is not considered EBF but if water is given as part of an oral rehydration solution, it does not negate EBF (WHO, 2014). According to WHO (2007) exclusive breastfeeding rates in Nigeria continue to fall well below the WHO/UNICEF recommendation of 90% EBF in children less than 6 months. Infant feeding practices account, to a large extent, for the high rates of malnutrition among children in developing countries. In Africa, majority of the mothers fail to practice exclusive breastfeeding as recommended WHO. This is due to the fact that the knowledge, attitude and practice of exclusive breastfeeding have been prejudiced by lack of knowledge, cultural, demographic, social, biophysical, and psychosocial factors. The main objective of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers in Amasiri and the relationship with their socioeconomic characteristics. The study is descriptive cross-sectional in design and was carried out in Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The study populations are nursing mothers of newborns and other infants up to twelve (12) months of age. Copies of structured questionnaire were administered to consenting mothers by trained female interviewers during post-natal clinic sessions, and house-hold visit. Data for 277 participants with their filled questionnaires as presented in this study. The socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers showed that majority are Christians within the age of 18 -31. The result of this study showed that majority (76.2%) of the mothers had good knowledge of breastfeeding, while (23.6%) had poor knowledge. Despite the good knowledge of breastfeeding majority had negative attitude and incorrect practice towards it. The result of this study also shows that income of these mothers has a negative effect on knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding. This study recommends that breastfeeding mothers should be educated on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding through periodic conferences. To optimally reap the potential benefits of proper infant feeding, effort needs to be shifted to strategies that not only sustains and promotes knowledge to those that confer behavioural change. Exclusive breastfeeding support groups may be able to serve this need.