Role of Significant Others and Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding by Nursing Mothers in Imo State, Nigeria

This descriptive study determined the role of significant others in the adoption of exclusive-breastfeeding by nursing-mothers in Imo State, Nigeria. Respondents were made up of 340 nursing-mothers from three selected communities in the state. The target population of the study was all the 405 nursing-mothers with children aged twenty-four months and below. Instruments for data collection were structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and the reliability of the instrument was established (r = 0.8). Results of the study revealed that exclusive- breastfeeding practice was generally low, 13.5% in the target communities. Only 7(5.6%), 37(26.4%) and zero (0%) of nursing mothers who were assisted by their mother, mother-in-law, and friend respectively during the months of confinement after childbirth traditionally known as omugwo practiced exclusive-breastfeeding (p <0.0001). Similarly, only 36 (10.6%) of husbands, 37(10.9%) of mothers and 33(9.7%) of mothers-in-law were of the opinion that infant should be fed with only breast milk in the first 6 months of life (exclusive-breastfeeding). More nursing-mothers 163(47.7%) had the health facility as their main source of exclusive-breastfeeding information and 39(23.9%) of them practiced exclusive breastfeeding. The study concluded that significant others as represented in this study by mother, mother-in-law, husband, and friends of nursing-mother influenced the adoption of the exclusive-breastfeeding practice of the nursing mother. Also, the health facility as the main source of exclusive-breastfeeding information could not achieve the desired level of adoption. There is need to explore the participation of significant others in the campaign for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding.