Factors Affecting Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice in Rural Communities of Cross River State, Nigeria

Breastfeeding rates among rural African women steadily declined during the 1960's . The introduction of exclusive breast feeding (EBF) in the 80s helped reduce infant morbidity/mortality however, misconceptions about when to initiate EBF and for how long still persists till date. Objective: To determine factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in Kakwagom and Okundi communities in Boki L.G.A of Cross River, Nigeria. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 366 mothers selected through simple random sampling. Results: Of the 366 respondents, 189 (51.64%) were between the ages of 31-40; 303 (82.79) were married and 78.42% had secondary education. About 84% had good knowledge of EBF, of these 47% had this knowledge from antenatal. Chi square (x) analysis revealed significant relationship between mothers’ knowledge and exclusive breastfeeding practices (P<0.05). Almost 83% had positive attitude towards EBF yet only 14.6% mothers practiced EBF. Factors that hinderedEBF practice were job conditions (48.9%), inadequate breast milk (11.48%), sore nipple (8.74%), and stress (14.75%). Conclusion: Social support and workplace policies promoting EBF could encourage EBF practice which could then translate to the positive health effects for both mothers and children.