Abstract
The study investigates the social-demographic factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding predisposition among employed nursing mothers in the urban area of the Ibadan metropolis. The investigation embraced a cross-sectional survey plan. The targeted populace were mothers who have newborn children between 0-6 months old and living with family members, attending private or public hospitals in Ibadan North LGA, Oyo State. Three hundred (300) urban nursing mothers were sample in the study through purposive sampling technique from among the nursing mothers attending immunization and postnatal clinics in private and public hospitals. The average age was 30.33 years (SD = 5.8). The average number of pregnancies experienced was 4.56 (SD = 2.34). 2.1% were single, 76.9% were married, 15.15 separated, and 5.5% were widowed. The average family size was 6.92 ± 2.11. The Nursing mothers responded to questionnaires probing for socio-demographic characteristics and Attitude towards exclusive breast-feeding scale (α = .71). The Objectives of the study were tested Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) at 0.05 level of significance. Socio-demographic characteristics on attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding behavior (R2 = 0.30, F (9,236) = 9.82, p < .01). Maternal age (β = -.26, t = -3.80) and parity (β = -.31, t = -3.83) predicted nursing mothers on attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding behavior. It was advised that Health care specialists must be alive to their obligations in infant nutritional instruction and health advancement to the mothers of under-fives and the overall general public.
Highlights
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) refers to the sole intake of breast milk by an infant from the mother or wet nurse or expressed milk with no additives except for drugs, vitamins, or mineral supplements
Following the assessment of the perceptions comprising the health belief model (HBM), we examined how demographic characteristics influenced exclusive breastfeeding among urban women
The results revealed that age (β = −.26, t = −3.80, p < .01) was a significant independent predictor of attitudes toward exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers
Summary
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) refers to the sole intake of breast milk by an infant from the mother or wet nurse or expressed milk with no additives (solid or liquid) except for drugs, vitamins, or mineral supplements. This study concentrated on sociodemographic factors and common trends among working women in urban centers, such as high levels of awareness and knowledge of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding practice (Agunbiade & Ogunleye, 2012; Balogun et al, 2017; Ihudiebube-Splendor et al, 2019; Lawoyin et al, 2001; Ohaeri & Bello, 2016; Osibogun, Olufunlayo, & Oyibo, 2018). HBM posits that a ‘health action’, such as exclusive breastfeeding of infants age 0-6 months, is based upon perceptions of health risks entailed by not breastfeeding the baby, its perceived benefits, and barriers to taking this action Modifying variables such as demographic variables, social pressure, and personality may facilitate or hinder a decision to practice this health action (Stretcher & Rosenstock, 1997).
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