Child Spacing, Breastfeeding and Introduction of Complementary Feeding of Children 6-59 Months in Kakuzi, Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Child birth intervals and their associations have a big role in realization of sustainable development goals 3 which aim at ensuring health and promoting well-being by initiating actions towards children and mothers. Shorter than expected child birth intervals have been shown to affect maternal repletion and pregnancy outcomes. Studies have shown that child spacing plays a crucial role on the breastfeeding duration and introduction of complementary foods. The overall objective of the study was to determine the relationship between child birth interval breastfeeding and introduction of complementary foods among children 6 – 59 months in Kakuzi. The study covered 212 households with children 6-59 months in Kakuzi Ward. The study employed a cross-sectional analytical study design. Cluster sampling was used where the village constituted a cluster unit and the household constituted the unit of measurement. Data was collected using a researcher administered structured questionnaire and a focus group discussion to bring out other confounding factors on child’s nutrition status and the attitudes towards child birth intervals. A key informant interview [KII] was also used to validate data from both the questionnaire and the focus group discussion [FGD]. Data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences [SPSS] version 16 where descriptive statistics were analyzed using means and frequencies. Chi square test was used to test for any relationship between the variables. A p value of < 0.05 was used to determine the level of significance. Results from the study indicate that a majority of the caregivers were the child’s mothers at 95.8%. Study findings indicate that majority were farmers [58.5%] earning less than a dollar a day [49.1%]. The most common birth interval was 18 – 23 months with an almost equal number for 24 – 35 months with 34.9% and 33.5% respectively. However, majority of the caregivers, 81.5% would prefer a birth interval of 2 – 5 years. From the study, majority of the caregivers obtain information on child spacing from the hospital and this is reflected in the choices of the methods employed. A little number recognized breast feeding as an effective way of enhancing child spacing. 99.5% of the children were breastfed at one point or another with 65.1% being exclusively breastfed. There was no significant relationship between the birth interval breastfeeding duration and introduction of complementary feeding [p = 0.67]. The study findings will contribute to policy on recommended child birth intervals and inform practice on the same. It is also significant as it will add to existing body of knowledge on child health especially child birth intervals’ more specifically in Kenya. Key words: child birth interval, breastfeeding, complementary feeding