ABSTRACT

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Abstract
Exclusive breastfeeding is a vital practice to promote the health, nutrition and cognition of infants and nursing mothers. The significance of exclusive breastfeeding extends beyond the infant and mother to the society as a whole for its stability and economic growth. This study aimed to evaluate the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among rural women. Questionnaire was used to collect data and were described using percentages and the mean scores. Inferential statistics adopted was the t-test to determine the differences in opinion among respondents. Results showed that initiation of breastfeeding within first one hour (t-stat 61.847); duration of breastfeeding (t-stat31.67); and, exclusiveness (t-stat 32.726) all significant (p< 0.05 sig. level). Factors examined: awareness of the benefit of exclusive breastfeeding (t-stat 24.819); education levels of nursing mothers (t-test value 8.732); effect of seminars attended by nursing mothers on the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (t-stat 13.441); occupation of nursing mothers(t-stat18.439); effect of privacy of nursing mothers (t-stat of 14.151) all significant (p< 0.05 sig. level). Five barriers: cultural inhibitions (t-stat 18.894); religious prohibitions (t-stat 14.572); inadequacy of maternity leave (t-stat 14.818); convenience of breastfeeding in public (t-stat 15.589); notion of insufficiency of breast milk (t-stat 12.819) all significant (p< 0.05 sig. level). It was concluded that exclusive breastfeeding was not adequately practiced; duration of breastfeeding is generally shorter than recommended; the occupation of nursing mothers and absence of privacy were overriding factors. The barriers to exclusive breastfeeding were identified as cultural and religious inhibitions, inadequacy of maternity leave, and inconvenience of breastfeeding in public as well as the notion of inadequacy of breast milk.
Keywords: exclusive breastfeeding; infant nutrition; nursing mothers; rural Nigeria.

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