Abstract
Prelacteal feeding practices are associated with an increased risk of diarrhoea and many early-life diseases. This paper examined trends and predictors of prelacteal feeding practices in Nigeria. A sample of 6416 infants aged 0–6 months from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data for the period (2003–2013) was used. Trends and multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors. The trends of prelacteal feeding rates fluctuated between 55% and 66% over the study period and were significantly lower among mothers with secondary or higher levels of education (13.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54–25.9, p-value = 0.041), delivered at the health facility (13.7%, CI: 1.39–25.9, p-value = 0.029), from more affluent households (18.7%, CI: 1.53–35.9, p-value = 0.033), and lived in urban areas (26.9%, CI: 18.3–35.5, p-value < 0.001). Multivariable analyses revealed that mothers with no schooling, younger mothers (aged 15–24 years), mothers who delivered at home, and delivered by caesarean section were more likely to introduce prelacteal feeds. Many mothers still engage in prelacteal feeding practices in Nigeria, with prelacteal feeding more prevalent in young mothers, mothers with no schooling, and mothers who delivered at home. Interventions involving community health volunteers are needed to improve feeding practices in Nigeria.
Highlights
It has been previously documented that prelacteal feeding is harmful and can expose infants to the risk of infection [1]
Previous studies on prelacteal feeding in Nigeria were hospital- and metropolitan-based studies [17,19,21], and findings from these studies may not be effective for formulating interventional policies to the wider Nigerian population because mothers who delivered at home facilities, those in rural communities, were not included
A similar decreasing trend in prelacteal feeding practice was evident among mothers who delivered their babies at a health facility compared to those who delivered at home
Summary
It has been previously documented that prelacteal feeding is harmful and can expose infants to the risk of infection [1]. A recent study conducted in India indicated that infants who received prelacteal feeding were significantly more likely to be stunted and wasted compared to those who were exclusively breastfed [1]. Prelacteal feeding practice among nursing mothers deprive newborns of colostrum—rich in nutrients and immunoglobulins—causing a reduction of the priming of the gastrointestinal tract, and increases the risk of infant morbidity and mortality [2,3]. Studies have shown that the type of prelacteal feeds given to the newborn is associated with the culture and belief system of the nursing mothers [4,5]. In recognition of the benefits of human breastmilk, when infants are exclusively breastfed, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United
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