KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF NURSING MOTHERS ON EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
CHAPITER 1
INTRODUCTION
History of the Study
Nurses have a vital role in the promotion and implementation of Primary Health care (www.paho.org/English/DD/DIN/alma-ata declaration.htm). Since nurses are the bedrock in the delivery of healthcare, they frequently need to be updated with enough knowledge so that they, in turn, distribute adequate information and skills to mothers and the community as a whole. Yet, moms and children’s health and nutritional status are closely related. So, mothers and their offspring constitute a biological and social unit, and one’s health and nutrition cannot be separated from the other. Therefore, children have the right to access safe and nutritious food. These variables are critical for obtaining full potential growth and development. Women also have the right to enough food and the right to chose how to feed their children and to have correct information and conditions that will help them carry their decisions. Women also have the right to maternal protection and nutrition (NIYCF, 2006-2010). (NIYCF, 2006-2010). Breastfeeding provides the healthiest beginning for the infant. With the risk of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV through breast feeding, health workers need guidance on how to address issues of optimal infant feeding on one hand whilst minimizing the risk of MTCT and the risk of infants dying from improper feeding practices on the other hand (NIYCF, 2006-2010).
In the recent past with the unfolding data regarding HIV/AIDS and MTCT, the necessity for consistent and unambiguous messages in relation to optimal newborn and young child feeding practices has become more obvious. The National Infant Young Child Feeding (NIYCF) operating Strategy draws on the past and present achievements in promoting optimum newborn and young child feeding. These include exclusive breast feeding for six months and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years with introduction of appropriate timely complementary feeding, the implementation and monitoring of the International Code of Marketing of breast milk substitutes and the rights of working women to maternity protection. In the past decade, the government has undertaken measures targeted at increasing the wellbeing of newborns and young children. A law was also passed by the government to limit the marketing of breast-milk substitutes. Presently, several community-based efforts (HIV positive living support groups, Home based Care support groups, etc), do not effectively integrate newborn feeding difficulties in their agenda. Yet, awareness of these structures is crucial for the implementation of different chosen successful breastfeeding strategies in the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) (BFHI). These include initiatives for baby-friendly hospitals, infant survival, and breastfeeding. Additionally, the effective referral system between health facilities and community needs to be strengthened where they do not exist.
1.2 Statement of the Problem:
There has not been a mechanism put in place to keep proper or concrete records on the activities as well as indicators of Exclusive Breastfeeding and mothers support groups in hospitals, polyclinics and health centres in Nigeria. There has however been occasional figures produced from special exercises or survey carried out. For instance, (World Linkages, Nigeria, July 2000; Country Profile), in a research in the upper East region in Nigeria, indicated that among children less than two months old, 43 percent are exclusively breastfed. The percentage falls to 22% by the fourth or fifth month. Moreover, on the average, globally, only 39 per cent of babies breastfeed exclusively, even in the first four months of life (UNICEF; WABA, 2003). (UNICEF; WABA, 2003).
Research Issues 1.3
The question therefore is what the contemporary views of mothers and helpers about exclusive Breastfeeding at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) are, though without previous concrete reports or record in place.
Do nursing women understand the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and how to practice it?
Do they have confidence and where do they turn to when they meet difficulty?
Are people around them such as fathers and grandmothers supportive especially when mothers have to resume employment soon after delivery?
1.4 The Aim of the Study:
The goal of the study is to assess the current feelings and attitudes of a cross-section of the Breastfeeding moms on an MCH clinic day at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), about exclusive Breastfeeding in order to design relevant measures.
1.5 Significance
It is hoped that the findings of the study will provide a current perceptual database that will inform all of us and more importantly the policy makers on the feelings and views of the mothers about exclusive breastfeeding so that appropriate alternatives to motivate the indulgence of exclusive breastfeeding and its support, would be developed by Breastfeeding mothers, helpers and the populace of Nigeria.
1.6 Study’s Goals
1.6.1 The main goal
The major purpose of the study is to find out the perception on exclusive breastfeeding among postnatal mothers.
1.6.2 Specific Goals
Assess the level of Breastfeeding mothers’ views about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding;
Identify the level of breastfeeding mothers’ perceptions of the difficulties in exclusively breastfeeding;
Find the feelings towards exclusive breastfeeding
Identify the behaviour of participants;
Explore any form of help for breastfeeding mothers on exclusive breastfeeding.
Operational Definitions (1.7): There are detailed explanations of how to calculate values for the traits the researcher is assessing. It also includes how particular certain traits are;
Exclusive breastfeeding – This means giving a baby only breast milk, and no other liquids or solids, not even water unless medically indicated. The first six months should be like this (NIYCF, 2007).
Exclusive replacement feeding is the practice of supplying a kid who is not breastfed with a meal that contains all the nutrients required by the child up until the point at which the infant is entirely fed on foods from the family. When AFASS (Acceptable, feasible, economical, sustainable, and safe) is fulfilled, infant formula is advised as the sole replacement feeding method (NIYCF, 2007).
Heat-treated expressed breast milk is breast milk that has been heated after a woman has expressed it, rendering it safe for the baby to consume (NIYCF, 2007),
Wet nursing is the term used to describe breastfeeding by an HIV-negative woman.
This may only be considered in special situations such as in case of an orphaned infant and
the family can not meet AFASS. The wet nurse should be checked every three months (NIYCF, 2007). (NIYCF, 2007).
Infant – A infant under one year of age or from birth to 12 months of age (NIYCF, 2007), (NIYCF, 2007),
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary from 2005, knowledge is the state of having information in one’s mind as a result of experience, learning, or being told.
Attitude – The way one thinks, feels or behaves about somebody or something (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2005).
Bottle feeding – Feeding an infant from a bottle, whatever is in the bottle includes expressed milk (NIYCF, 2007).
Breast milk substitute — Any product being marketed or otherwise represented as a partial or entire replacement for breast milk, whether or not suited for that purpose (NIYCF, 2007).
Complementary feeding – Child receives both breast milk or a breast substitute and solid (or semi-solid) food, recommended from the time the baby is 6 months old (NIYCF, 2007). (NIYCF, 2007).
Any meal, whether prepared in a factory or at home, that can be used to supplement breast milk or infant formula when those two sources are no longer sufficient to meet the infant’s nutritional needs.
Mixed feeding – Partial breast feeding and giving some other milk (NIYCF, 2007).
Leave a Comment