1.1 Background to the study
Infant feeding comprises breastfeeding and complementary feeding (Ashworth and King, 1994). Appropriate infant feeding is the cornerstone for child’s development. The first two years outside the womb is crucial. It is a period of intensive growth and brain development of an individual. The nutrient requirement of the child is high per unit body weight because of the rapid growth rate (Ene-obong, 2001). The adverse effect of poor feeding will lead to impairment of cognitive development.
Breastmilk is natural and meets the nutritional needs of the infant in the first six months of life if exclusively given. This was why WHO/UNICEF (1990) advocated that breastfeeding should exclusively be given for six months of life. Human milk is the right food for the young infant and provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first six months of life and upto one-third during the second year of life (de Andraca, et al., 1998).
Breastfeeding is a unique process that provides ideal nutrition for infants and contributes to their healthy growth and development. It has a unique biological and emotional influence on both the mother and the child (WHO/UNICEF, 1990). Armstrong (1995) also stated that it is an unequalled way of providing food for the healthy growth and development of infant.
Breastfeeding has overwhelming advantage everywhere in the world, but especially in developing countries, where hygiene is poor and some cannot afford to buy sufficient formula. Most mothers have no basic education to be able to use formula properly if affordable (Jelliffe and Patrice, 1991). Breastfeeding is the most ancient method of child spacing provided the child is taking breastmilk as required for the day, it causes the menstrual period to stop (lactation amenorrhoea). Kennedy and Visiness (1992); Dada, Akesode, et al.,(2002) reported that breastmilk helps to space children and reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancer (Lancet, 2002). Breastmilk also increases family and national resources (WHO, 2004). Breastfeeding stimulates bonding between the child and the mother and psychosocial development. It leads to improved nutritional and physical growth, reduced susceptibility to common childhood infections and better resistance to cope with them (Health Canada, 2004). Improve health outcome in infants have long lasting effects throughout lifespan including increased performance and productivity (WHO, 2004). Optimum breastfeeding prevents both under nutrition as well as over-nutrition and provides protection from obesity related diseases.
A review of evidences have shown that on a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is the optimal way of feeding infants (Health Canada,2004). Thereafter, infant should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding upto two years of age and beyond (Goldman, 1993; Dewey, et al., 1999).
Complementary feeding is the transitional period of gradual introduction of solid food or semi-solid food to the infant and this is usually as from six months of life (Malcolm, 1999). The transition from exclusive breastfeeding typically covers the age from 6-18-24 months of age (Pelto, Levitt et al., 2003). Between these period is a critical transition period when the exposure to environmental pathogens are most intense and the likelihood of inadequate nutrient intake most probable (Underwood, 1985). Complementary-feeding should be timely, adequate, and safe and appropriate (WHO,2002). The frequency and amount of food given to the infant should also depend on the age and the need of the infant. This is important to ensure that complementary foods which are often poor do not displace the more nutritive breastmilk in the child’s diet (Cohen et al., 1995).
Complementary feeding is an action that is largely under the control of the family, although support from the health care provider is essential (SCN,2006). Thus complementary feeding needs to be learned through
behavioural modeling, as well as through the acquisition of knowledge (Pelto et al., 2003).
Over the centuries, human infants have been fed with their mother’s breastmilk. The development of alternative, milk formula, infant formula, have given contemporary mothers a second choice (Nwachukwu, 1998). Owing to the poor knowledge of composition and production of breastmilk by some mothers, insufficient milk production or weight gain is reason for not exclusively breastfeeding their babies (Nwazor,1996). According to king (1998), mothers resort to early introduction of complementary feeding thereby exposing the infant to diarrhoea, under-nutrition and malnutrition. Lack of support from close female relatives, health workers and pressure of urban life prevent mothers from breastfeeding their babies adequately. Poverty and ignorant, however, may result in nutritionally inadequate complementary foods which could lead to malnutrition and associated increase risk of infection (Ashworth and king., 1994). The level of the mother’s nutritional status which is very low in most cases prevents her from meeting up with the demand made upon her by the suckling baby.
To this effect, such mothers put up non-challant attitude towards breastfeeding their babies (Azagiro, 2000). Some mothers have poor attitudes and ideas such as colostrum not being good for baby, breastfeeding may spoil a woman’s figure and interfere with her relationship with men and breastfeeding in public is embarrassing which may lead to poor breastfeeding practices and early introduction of complementary food. These have adverse effect on the children if not properly handled (King, 1998).
| Project details | Contents |
|---|---|
| Number of Pages | 64 pages |
| Chapter one | Introduction |
| Chapter two | Literature review |
| Chapter three | methodology |
| Chapter four | Data analysis |
| Chapter five | Summary,discussion & recommendations |
| Reference | Reference |
| Questionnaire | Questionnaire |
| Appendix | Appendix |
| Chapter summary | 1 to 5 chapters |
| Available document | PDF and MS-word format |
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