Project Materials

INFANT WEANING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES AMONG MOTHERS IN IKENNE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

ABSTRACT

The process of adding additional foods to a child’s diet after the first six months of life is known as weaning. In communities all across the world, early feed introduction and improper weaning techniques are widespread. The purpose of this study was to investigate mothers’ practices and knowledge around infant weaning. They used a descriptive research design. In Ikenne Local Government, there were 260 mothers who attended three primary healthcare centres. The Leslie Kish formula was used to calculate the sample size, and 100 moms were chosen for the study using simple random sampling. Participants’ information was gathered using a specially created questionnaire. By presenting the questionnaire to subject-matter experts, its face and content validity were determined. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was 0.85 after reliability was assessed using the split-half approach. Version 21 of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used to process the data. Descriptive statistics of mean standard deviation were used to address two study concerns. Using inferential statistics of Pearson correlation at the 0.05 threshold of significance, four hypotheses were examined. According to the survey, 8 moms (8%) had little to no information about weaning their infants, 50 mothers (50%) had moderate awareness, and 42 mothers (42%) had excellent knowledge. Additionally, 3 women (3%) had a high degree of practice weaning their infants, 66 mothers (66%) had a moderate level, and 31 mothers (31%) had a poor level. Mothers’ weaning methods and occupation are significantly correlated (r = 0.035; p = 0.004). While there is no significant correlation between ethnicity and infant weaning practices among mothers (r = 0.036; p = 0.723), there is a significant correlation between mothers’ knowledge level and infant weaning practices among mothers (r = 0.086; p = 0.001), and there is also a significant correlation between mothers’ weaning practices and educational level (r = 0.003; p = 0.000). In conclusion, mothers have a reasonable level of understanding and practice with infant weaning. According to the study, nurses should provide moms with frequent infant weaning training in order to enhance their understanding and proficiency in this area.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study 

The process of adding additional foods to a child’s diet after the first six months of life is known as weaning. Communities worldwide frequently engage in practices such as incorrectly weaning infants from breast milk, early introduction of complementary feeding, and infant weaning with supplemental feeds of breast milk substitutes (Inayati, Scherbaum, Purwestri, Hormann, Wirawan, Suryantan, Hartono, Bloem, Pangaribuan, Biesalki, Hoffmann, & Bellows, 2012).

Many issues may arise throughout the weaning process, and there is typically a lack of knowledge about when and how weaning occurs. Children’s growth and development during infancy and early childhood depend on receiving enough nourishment (Ashmika, Deerajen, Prity & Rajesh, 2013).

Since breastmilk is thought to be the best source of nutrition for infants, nursing has been acknowledged globally as being advantageous for both the mother and the child (Ku & Chow, 2010).

According to Hanif (2011), the World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that newborns be nursed exclusively for the first six months of their lives.

After that, they should be given supplemental foods for as long as two years or more. A child’s growth and development are particularly important throughout the first two years of life.

Any harm brought on by nutritional deficits during this time could result in low economic output, altered cognitive development, and degraded academic performance (Kimani-Murage, Madise, Fotso, Kyobutungi, Mutau, Gitau & Yatich, 2011).

In the first two years of life, the main proximal causes of malnutrition include inadequate breastfeeding and supplemental feeding practices, as well as high rates of morbidity from infectious illnesses.

A child benefits from breastfeeding in the short and long term. It enhances mental and motor development, lowers newborn mortality and infection rates, and guards against obesity and metabolic disorders in later life (WHO, 2010).

In order to meet the infant’s nutritional needs and promote optimal growth, development, and health, the WHO advises exclusive breastfeeding throughout the first six months, starting from the first hour of birth (Kimani-Murage et al., 2011).

To fulfil the changing demands of the developing baby, the mother is recommended to start feeding nutritionally adequate, safe, and appropriately-fed supplemental foods at six months of age and to continue breastfeeding for at least two years.

Selecting light, nutrient-dense foods for simple absorption is necessary since weaning is the process of progressively introducing foods other than breast milk into a baby’s diet, first to supplement it and eventually to wean them completely off of it.

The bulk of nutrition issues in rural areas are caused by improper weaning food, however you can subsequently replace light, nutritious food with thicker feed by following hygienic preparation procedures (Shadia & Bedor, 2013).

Weaning habits and breastfeeding predictors differ between and within nations. Infant feeding issues such vomiting, diarrhoea, colic, and unwillingness to eat are factors that affect the weaning process (Ashmika et al., 2013).

These elements provide difficulties for moms, which may have a direct or indirect impact on the feeding schedule. The researcher will conduct a study on mothers’ newborn weaning practices and knowledge in the Ikenne local government area of Ogun State in light of the reasons that were found, namely the improper weaning from breast milk and the early introduction of supplemental feeding.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

One of the most improperly implemented processes in children’s developmental phases has been weaning. It has been noted that some mothers give their babies nourishment other than breast milk as soon as they are born, while others wait until the child is older than nine months. In both situations, the baby suffers.

According to WHO (Hanif, 2011), a child can still benefit from nursing and still get the nutrients they need from supplementary foods if they are weaned gradually between the ages of six months and two years.

However, as supplemental foods are added to the children’s diet, over half of the mothers (52%) weaned their children suddenly, while only 11.6% did so gradually (Somiya, 2014). One of the most important phases of a child’s life is the weaning process.

It is the time when a child who used to eat mostly milk switches to eating adult food. Malnutrition typically occurs around this time for many children, but if this dietary transition is well-planned and goes easily, there won’t be any problems. Every year, 10 million children under the age of five pass away (Somiya, 2014).

Malnutrition from inadequate weaning accounts for almost half of the fatalities. Nearly two-thirds of the deaths may be avoided with proper health services in place. The switch from breastfeeding to family foods continues to be the most susceptible time for undernutrition.

Children who are malnourished frequently lose valuable mental abilities. They get sick more frequently. If they live, they might develop physical or mental impairments that endure a lifetime (Dinesh & Sushilkumar, 2011).

Infants are at risk for malnourishment, development retardation, infections, illnesses, and increased mortality due to poor weaning food quality and inappropriate weaning techniques (Somiya, 2014).

It is expected that food would be properly cooked with the necessary nutrients, and that it will have the right texture and temperature. Malnutrition and disease may result if appropriate weaning techniques are not understood, as well as if the child’s hunger needs are not recognised.

As a result, the weaning phase is a delicate time when the infant needs close attention and monitoring to preserve health (Somiya, 2014).

Since a mother is the most significant person in a baby’s life for both physical and psychosocial care and development, learning about weaning can help mothers improve their weaning practices.

The most important formative relationship for a child is that between a mother and her infant. In order to avoid moms from making incorrect assumptions about the weaning process and timing, it is necessary to provide them with adequate education, useful information, and weaning knowledge.

The educational requirements for properly weaning infants can be carried out by nurses. Thus, a study on mothers’ knowledge and practices regarding infant weaning in Ogun State’s Ikenne Local Government Area is necessary.

1.3 The Purpose Of The Study

This study’s primary goal is to investigate the knowledge and habits of mothers in Ogun State’s Ikenne local government area about infant weaning. The particular goals are to:

1. ascertain the mothers’ level of knowledge regarding infant weaning at the three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area;

2. evaluate moms who frequent three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area for their level of infant weaning practices;

3. evaluate how mothers who attend three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area relate their occupation to their newborn weaning behaviours;

4. determine how mothers who visit three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area relate to their ethnicity and how they wean their infants;

5. Examine how mothers who attend three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area relate to their educational attainment and infant weaning practices.

6. To find out how mothers’ knowledge and infant weaning practices at three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area relate to one another.

1.4 Research Questions

The following enquiries were addressed:

1. To what extent do mothers who attend three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area know about infant weaning?

2. How many moms who frequent the three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area practise baby weaning?

1.5 Theories

The following theories were examined at the significance level of 0.05:

HO1. Among mothers who visit three Primary Healthcare Centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area, there is no discernible correlation between occupation and infant weaning practices.

HO2. Among mothers who visit three Primary Healthcare Centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area, there is no discernible correlation between ethnicity and infant weaning methods.

HO3. Among mothers who attend three Primary Healthcare Centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area, there is no discernible correlation between educational attainment and infant weaning practices.

HO4. Mothers’ knowledge levels and infant weaning habits at three primary healthcare centres in the Ikenne Local Government Area do not significantly correlate.

1.6 The Scope of the Study

The knowledge and habits of mothers in Ogun State’s Ikenne Local Government Area about infant weaning were the subject of this study. Participant recruitment is a limitation of the study.

1.7 Rationale for the Research

In addition to providing baseline data for future research on mothers’ infant weaning knowledge and practices, the study would assist in demonstrating that mothers’ knowledge and practices are inadequate.

Additionally, this study would aid in offering suggestions for addressing mothers’ deficiencies in infant weaning habits and understanding.

The study would also aid health institutions and the government at the federal, state and municipal level to design measures to improve infant weaning knowledge and practices among mothers.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Weaning: introduction of extra food to a child’s diet after the first six months of life.

Mother: Women who has a child with age from birth to 24 months.

Knowledge: Mothers comprehension of newborn weaning as determined by knowledge score.

Practice: Mothers activity about newborn weaning as indicated by practice score.

Infants: youngsters aged from birth to 24 months of age.

Ikenne local government area: A local government area in Ogun state.