Utilization of maternity services and breastfeeding practices of working mothers in Sokoto, Nigeria
Journal Title: International Archives of Medicine and Medical Sciences - Year 2019, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
Background: Although, the exclusive breastfeeding rates have been low across the globe despite its benefits, the situation has worsened in the last few decades due to the increasing participation of nursing mothers in full-time employment. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the utilization of maternity services and breastfeeding practices of working mothers in Sokoto, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 246 mothers of children aged 2 years and below attending the immunization clinics of the tertiary healthcare facilities in Sokoto, Nigeria. Data were collected with a set of pretested, structured, interviewer- administered questionnaire. Results: Utilization of maternity services was high; all the respondents (100%) attended antenatal clinic in their last pregnancy, most of them delivered in the health facility (96.7%), and also attended postnatal care clinic (97.6%). Most of the respondents initiated breastfeeding within 1 hour of delivery (82.1%), and also breastfed their babies exclusively for 6 months (89.0%). Less than two-thirds of respondents (55.7%) reported breastfeeding their babies on demand, and close to half of respondents (41.9%) gave their babies pre-lacteal feeds. Only about a third of respondents (33.7%) have ever expressed their breast milk to feed their babies. Conclusion: This study showed high levels of utilization of maternity services and practice of exclusive breast feeding among working mothers in Sokoto, Nigeria; but only a few of them practiced expressed breast milk feeding. Government, health workers and other stakeholders should ensure that interventions for promoting breastfeeding are focused on both exclusive and expressed breast milk feeding practices.
Authors and Affiliations
Aisha Attahiru
Keywords
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- EP ID EP658025
- DOI 10.33515/iamms/2019.003/3
- Views 201
- Downloads 0
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